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Susan: A Jane Austen Prequel
“She possesses an uncommon union of symmetry, brilliancy, and grace. One is apt to expect that an impudent address will naturally attend an impudent mind – but her countenance is absolutely sweet. I am sorry it is so, for what is this but deceit?" (from Lady Susan, by Jane Austen)
Sixteen-year-old Susan Smithson – pretty but poor, clever but capricious – has just been expelled from a school for young ladies in London.
At the mansion of the formidable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, she attracts a raffish young nobleman. But at the first hint of scandal, her guardian dispatches her to her uncle Collins’ rectory in Kent, where her sensible cousin Alicia lives and “where nothing ever happens.”
Here Susan inspires the local squire to put on a play, with consequences no one could possibly have foreseen. What with the unexpected arrival of Frank Churchill, Alicia’s falling in love and a shocking elopement, rural Kent will surely never seem quite so safe again.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This book is a prequel to Jane Austen's Lady Susan, in which a beautiful and manipulative young widow of 35 descends on her sister-in-law to escape the wrath of her lover’s wife, and almost succeeds in marrying the young heir of the household.
The idea first occurred when I began to wonder what Lady Susan might have been like when she was only sixteen.
I have set it five years after Pride and Prejudice and have – possibly rashly! – dared to ‘borrow’ several characters from P&P, including Lady Catherine and Mr Collins, plus Frank Churchill from Emma, which I hope is forgivable!
I was frankly pretty overwhelmed to have received a rating of 10/10 stars for this book in Publisher's Weekly's BookLife Award competition.
It has also been VERY kindly "recommended" by the US Review of Books, Indies Today and by all three editorial reviewers for Readers Favorite (all five stars). Susan will be released on June 30th. Grateful thanks to all of you here who have read it as an ARC, in advance of publication.
AM
Sixteen-year-old Susan Smithson – pretty but poor, clever but capricious – has just been expelled from a school for young ladies in London.
At the mansion of the formidable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, she attracts a raffish young nobleman. But at the first hint of scandal, her guardian dispatches her to her uncle Collins’ rectory in Kent, where her sensible cousin Alicia lives and “where nothing ever happens.”
Here Susan inspires the local squire to put on a play, with consequences no one could possibly have foreseen. What with the unexpected arrival of Frank Churchill, Alicia’s falling in love and a shocking elopement, rural Kent will surely never seem quite so safe again.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This book is a prequel to Jane Austen's Lady Susan, in which a beautiful and manipulative young widow of 35 descends on her sister-in-law to escape the wrath of her lover’s wife, and almost succeeds in marrying the young heir of the household.
The idea first occurred when I began to wonder what Lady Susan might have been like when she was only sixteen.
I have set it five years after Pride and Prejudice and have – possibly rashly! – dared to ‘borrow’ several characters from P&P, including Lady Catherine and Mr Collins, plus Frank Churchill from Emma, which I hope is forgivable!
I was frankly pretty overwhelmed to have received a rating of 10/10 stars for this book in Publisher's Weekly's BookLife Award competition.
It has also been VERY kindly "recommended" by the US Review of Books, Indies Today and by all three editorial reviewers for Readers Favorite (all five stars). Susan will be released on June 30th. Grateful thanks to all of you here who have read it as an ARC, in advance of publication.
AM
342 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 30, 2021
205 people are currently reading
1561 people want to read
About the author
Alice McVeigh
13 books103 followersAlice McVeigh has been twice-published by Orion/Hachette in contemporary fiction, by UK's Unbound (using a pen name) in Kirkus-starred action adventure and by Warleigh Hall Press in her multi-award-winning Austenesque series (honoured at the last two London Book Fairs, in the 2024 and 2025 UK Selfies awards, twice finalists in FOREWORD INDIES' "Book of the Year" (2022, 2024) etc.
Alice achieved a B.Mus with distinction in performance at Jacobs Indiana University School of Music, and spent three years studying cello privately with William Pleeth, Jacqueline du Pre’s “cello daddy”. After that she freelanced with orchestras including the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic and Sir John Eliot Gardiner's Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique all over the UK, the EU, America and Asia.
In the 1990s, WHILE THE MUSIC LASTS and GHOST MUSIC were published by Orion/Hachette, to wonderful reviews. Both have since been revised, and are now available in new editions, from Smashwords as well as the author's website.
("Characters rise and fall to McVeigh's superbly controlled conductor's baton” – The Sunday Telegraph. “McVeigh succeeds in harmonising a supremely comic tone with much darker notes." - The Sunday Times.)
Her fifth Austenesque novel - MARIANNE - a new-release SENSE AND SENSBILITY SEQUEL - has so far received stellar reviews from FOREWORD INDIES, PUBLISHERS WEEKLY's BOOKLIFE, the US REVIEW OF BOOKS, SPR, the INDIEREADER, HISTORICAL FICTION COMPANY, etc. It has also won Gold in the Literary Global Book Awards (romance), the American Writing Awards (romance), and the the Coffee Pot Book Awards (literary).
The previous four have been BookLife Quarterfinalists, joint runners-up in Foreword Indies' "Book of the Year" and honoured in the final seven novels considered for the 2024 UK Selfies Book Awards at the London Book Fair.
Alice has long been married to Professor Simon McVeigh. The McVeighs have one daughter, currently working on a PhD-level Presidential Scholarship at Harvard in Chinese Literature.
When not writing or editing, Alice is likeliest to be smiting tennis balls at the Bromley Tennis Centre. (As her daughter remarked, when aged only four: "My mum hits the ball farther than anybody!")
Alice achieved a B.Mus with distinction in performance at Jacobs Indiana University School of Music, and spent three years studying cello privately with William Pleeth, Jacqueline du Pre’s “cello daddy”. After that she freelanced with orchestras including the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic and Sir John Eliot Gardiner's Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique all over the UK, the EU, America and Asia.
In the 1990s, WHILE THE MUSIC LASTS and GHOST MUSIC were published by Orion/Hachette, to wonderful reviews. Both have since been revised, and are now available in new editions, from Smashwords as well as the author's website.
("Characters rise and fall to McVeigh's superbly controlled conductor's baton” – The Sunday Telegraph. “McVeigh succeeds in harmonising a supremely comic tone with much darker notes." - The Sunday Times.)
Her fifth Austenesque novel - MARIANNE - a new-release SENSE AND SENSBILITY SEQUEL - has so far received stellar reviews from FOREWORD INDIES, PUBLISHERS WEEKLY's BOOKLIFE, the US REVIEW OF BOOKS, SPR, the INDIEREADER, HISTORICAL FICTION COMPANY, etc. It has also won Gold in the Literary Global Book Awards (romance), the American Writing Awards (romance), and the the Coffee Pot Book Awards (literary).
The previous four have been BookLife Quarterfinalists, joint runners-up in Foreword Indies' "Book of the Year" and honoured in the final seven novels considered for the 2024 UK Selfies Book Awards at the London Book Fair.
Alice has long been married to Professor Simon McVeigh. The McVeighs have one daughter, currently working on a PhD-level Presidential Scholarship at Harvard in Chinese Literature.
When not writing or editing, Alice is likeliest to be smiting tennis balls at the Bromley Tennis Centre. (As her daughter remarked, when aged only four: "My mum hits the ball farther than anybody!")
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
October 17, 2021
Cunning, clever, and quite the charmer, young Susan Smithson, leads everyone on a merry adventure through the Regency world. Part Jane Austen prequel and all historical mischievous fun, I was eager to follow along for Susan’s escapades to a delightful finish.
Susan is a prequel story to Jane Austen’s Lady Susan, but also includes a character from Emma and a few from Pride & Prejudice to engage Austen’s fans and those who enjoy historical fiction with a dose of romance, alike. Written to the style of authentic Regency dialogue, manners, and settings, Susan opens when young, orphaned Susan Smithson is sent down from yet another school to reside with her aunt and uncle Collins in London. London is scrumptious paradise to a sixteen year old Susan and even her uncle and aunt’s tiresome rules on conduct are worth the price to be there. Unfortunately, Susan gets into new scrapes so must be shuffled off to her Uncle Collins older brother in Kent. There, Susan joins up with her cousin Alicia and gets up to play acting with a local wealthy family for a diversion. Along the way, she has taken the notice of the great Lady Catherine de Bourgh, an earl’s younger brother, a fun-loving Frank Churchill, and finds her wit and cunning are needed to circumvent disaster- and boredom.
Not long into this one, I was enchanted by the youthful Susan and her antics. Susan’s moral compass doesn’t always point due North and she has her own way of seeing the world and people around her. She wants wealth and consequence, but not only this as she proves when she doesn’t take up the interests of men who look on her beauty and vivacity with great interest. Susan is clever enough to see what people are about and even at a young age knows how to work them to her advantage even her staunch relations and the formidable Lady Catherine.
While Susan wasn’t very virtuous, she does have her own code and that includes doing what it takes to see her cousin Alicia find happiness even if it means outsmarting a snobbish acquaintance or two and launching a scandalous plan. I couldn’t wait to see what the daring Susan would do next.
Heather Tracy was a new to me narrator, but I thought she captured the youthful voices of Susan and her younger group as well as the older cast. She caught the right tone with Susan and the others as well as the overall feel of the book. The world of the book came alive with her narration and the production quality was excellent.
All in all, I found Susan as mischievous and enchanting as could be. The author did Austen’s character with an aplomb that Austen would give her sly wink of approval over. I dearly hope there is more to come for Susan and her merry adventures. Recommended to those who love stories set in the Regency world.
I rec'd an Audible copy from Audiobookworm Reviews to listen to in exchange for an honest review.
February 5, 2022
Jane Austen fans rejoice! Behold, a regency romance told in the true style of Jane Austen herself!
Read full review in the 2022 February issue of InD'tale Magazine.
Read full review in the 2022 February issue of InD'tale Magazine.
December 27, 2021
Review published at:
https://frompemberleytomilton.wordpre...
4,5 Stars
Susan is a prequel of Jane Austen’s Lady Susan which allows the reader to get to know one of the most dislikeable characters Austen ever created and make him sympathize with her. In this book, we are introduced to young Susan Smithson and learn a little more about her background and the events that made her who she is.
The writing style in Susan, even if it is not an epistolary novel, is incredibly similar to Jane Austen’s. I was impressed with the approach Alice McVeigh had towards the characters, the development of the story, and how she penned everything is such a regency style manner. Every detail seemed to be in line with what I saw happening in Lady Susan, and that was what captivated me the most during the first part of the book, when the characters are still being introduced to the reader, and the pieces of the puzzle still being laid out in front of him.
It took me a while to connect with the characters, but once I did, I couldn’t stop reading to know what would happen. I found myself wanting to know more about Lady Cuthbert’s marriage, cheering up for Alicia and hoping Susan would never turn her back on her cousin. Given Susan’s constant manipulations I was always uncertain of what she would do, which made the story very exciting.
Susan’s character was also interesting for me in the sense that despite her coldness and manipulative personality, I could relate to her and even sympathize with her at times. I loved how Susan was simultaneously good to her cousin but conniving in order to achieve her goals. In fact, she was scheming and smart, but she was not mean, which is probably a facet of her personality she will develop in the future. In this book Susan is still a young lady, and she already has the traits of personality we see in Lady Susan, but she is still growing up, still learning the ways of life, and there is still some ingenuity in her that makes her more likable at the eyes of the reader. I liked this approach, because in essentials she is still the same character Austen created, but in a different stage of her life, and therefore, not yet the same as we see in Lady Susan. Alice McVeigh didn’t try to change Susan’s character to make her more favorable in the readers eyes, she simply created an interesting story where a younger version of Lady Susan is still learning how to navigate in society using her wit.
I was also pleasantly surprised with how many Austen characters from other novels were present in this book and with their influence on this story, their inclusion was smartly done, and I loved it. I personally loved reading Charlotte’s letters, witnessing how she is not so easily manipulated by Susan as other people were, and also to know Colonel Fitzwilliam’s connection and influence in Susan’s life.
Summing up, Susan is a very well written book that takes the reader into a regency storyline that becomes more and more captivating as the story progresses. It is a different JAFF novel that I recommend to those who want more then just Darcy and Elizabeth.
https://frompemberleytomilton.wordpre...
4,5 Stars
Susan is a prequel of Jane Austen’s Lady Susan which allows the reader to get to know one of the most dislikeable characters Austen ever created and make him sympathize with her. In this book, we are introduced to young Susan Smithson and learn a little more about her background and the events that made her who she is.
The writing style in Susan, even if it is not an epistolary novel, is incredibly similar to Jane Austen’s. I was impressed with the approach Alice McVeigh had towards the characters, the development of the story, and how she penned everything is such a regency style manner. Every detail seemed to be in line with what I saw happening in Lady Susan, and that was what captivated me the most during the first part of the book, when the characters are still being introduced to the reader, and the pieces of the puzzle still being laid out in front of him.
It took me a while to connect with the characters, but once I did, I couldn’t stop reading to know what would happen. I found myself wanting to know more about Lady Cuthbert’s marriage, cheering up for Alicia and hoping Susan would never turn her back on her cousin. Given Susan’s constant manipulations I was always uncertain of what she would do, which made the story very exciting.
Susan’s character was also interesting for me in the sense that despite her coldness and manipulative personality, I could relate to her and even sympathize with her at times. I loved how Susan was simultaneously good to her cousin but conniving in order to achieve her goals. In fact, she was scheming and smart, but she was not mean, which is probably a facet of her personality she will develop in the future. In this book Susan is still a young lady, and she already has the traits of personality we see in Lady Susan, but she is still growing up, still learning the ways of life, and there is still some ingenuity in her that makes her more likable at the eyes of the reader. I liked this approach, because in essentials she is still the same character Austen created, but in a different stage of her life, and therefore, not yet the same as we see in Lady Susan. Alice McVeigh didn’t try to change Susan’s character to make her more favorable in the readers eyes, she simply created an interesting story where a younger version of Lady Susan is still learning how to navigate in society using her wit.
I was also pleasantly surprised with how many Austen characters from other novels were present in this book and with their influence on this story, their inclusion was smartly done, and I loved it. I personally loved reading Charlotte’s letters, witnessing how she is not so easily manipulated by Susan as other people were, and also to know Colonel Fitzwilliam’s connection and influence in Susan’s life.
Summing up, Susan is a very well written book that takes the reader into a regency storyline that becomes more and more captivating as the story progresses. It is a different JAFF novel that I recommend to those who want more then just Darcy and Elizabeth.
July 14, 2021
Lady Susan is one of my favorites of Austen’s juvenilia, so I was excited to read this prequel. This story features 16 year old Susan who has been dismissed from school for improper behavior. She knows that she is beautiful but penniless, and must rely on her looks and wits to get what she wants.
After her dismissal from school, and a near scandal in London, Susan is sent to live with her Aunt and Uncle Collins (yes! those Collins) at Hunsford. There she is reunited with her cousin Alicia and meets the principle residents of the neighborhood including Lady Catherine de Bourgh and her newly married, and less sickly daughter Anne. As for other Austen characters, Darcy, Elizabeth and the Bennets are mentioned, but Colonel Fitzwilliam makes his last obligatory visit to Rosings Park alone. Frank Churchill and the scandalous Mr Oliver descend on the country shortly after Susan and stay with the Johnsons at Warleigh Hall. The young people, with the elder Mr Johnson leading the way, decide to put on a play, and get much further than those unfortunate actors from Mansfield Park. Of course there is even more drama off stage as the characters contemplate love, secret engagements and an elopement.
The author’s writing style is reminiscent of Austen and the story was tremendous fun. Susan is very young here, just out of the school room as they say, but also capable of manipulating others and lying if it suits her purpose. I could definitely see the beginning of the deviousness in Austen’s creation. The little vignettes at the end of the book were perfect though I half expected Mr Bennet’s letter to recommend standing by the elder Mr Johnson, because he has more to give. If you’re an Austen fan but have not read Lady Susan, first, what are you doing?! and second, you will still enjoy this book. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys Regency fiction. I would love to read a sequel that includes how Susan becomes Lady Susan; I can’t imagine her staying unmarried for long.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 rounded up.
I received a copy of this ebook through Booksprout and voluntarily leave this review. All opinions are my own.
After her dismissal from school, and a near scandal in London, Susan is sent to live with her Aunt and Uncle Collins (yes! those Collins) at Hunsford. There she is reunited with her cousin Alicia and meets the principle residents of the neighborhood including Lady Catherine de Bourgh and her newly married, and less sickly daughter Anne. As for other Austen characters, Darcy, Elizabeth and the Bennets are mentioned, but Colonel Fitzwilliam makes his last obligatory visit to Rosings Park alone. Frank Churchill and the scandalous Mr Oliver descend on the country shortly after Susan and stay with the Johnsons at Warleigh Hall. The young people, with the elder Mr Johnson leading the way, decide to put on a play, and get much further than those unfortunate actors from Mansfield Park. Of course there is even more drama off stage as the characters contemplate love, secret engagements and an elopement.
The author’s writing style is reminiscent of Austen and the story was tremendous fun. Susan is very young here, just out of the school room as they say, but also capable of manipulating others and lying if it suits her purpose. I could definitely see the beginning of the deviousness in Austen’s creation. The little vignettes at the end of the book were perfect though I half expected Mr Bennet’s letter to recommend standing by the elder Mr Johnson, because he has more to give. If you’re an Austen fan but have not read Lady Susan, first, what are you doing?! and second, you will still enjoy this book. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys Regency fiction. I would love to read a sequel that includes how Susan becomes Lady Susan; I can’t imagine her staying unmarried for long.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 rounded up.
I received a copy of this ebook through Booksprout and voluntarily leave this review. All opinions are my own.
August 17, 2021
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Susan is a prequel of Lady Susan, a lesser known work of Jane Austen which I've always had a soft spot for, but it is also set five years after Pride and Prejudice and one year before Emma, and it features characters from these books as well, like Catherine de Bourgh, Frank Churchill and Mr Collins.
While I was excited to read this book, I was still pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. The writing style was really good: I think the author did a good job trying to emulate Austen's witty style. The situations were also reminiscent of Austen's works, like the play the characters decide to set up. The setting in general, and how the original characters were connected to each other, was really well done.
I must say that Susan and especially Alicia are much less evil than they were in the original work, but it was understandable given their young age, and Susan's gift of manipulation and acting came across very well. I especially loved how she handled the terrible Catherine de Bourgh. And Alicia's romance with Henry was really sweet and I rooted for them the whole time.
Definitely worth a read if you are a fan of Jane Austen!
Susan is a prequel of Lady Susan, a lesser known work of Jane Austen which I've always had a soft spot for, but it is also set five years after Pride and Prejudice and one year before Emma, and it features characters from these books as well, like Catherine de Bourgh, Frank Churchill and Mr Collins.
While I was excited to read this book, I was still pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. The writing style was really good: I think the author did a good job trying to emulate Austen's witty style. The situations were also reminiscent of Austen's works, like the play the characters decide to set up. The setting in general, and how the original characters were connected to each other, was really well done.
I must say that Susan and especially Alicia are much less evil than they were in the original work, but it was understandable given their young age, and Susan's gift of manipulation and acting came across very well. I especially loved how she handled the terrible Catherine de Bourgh. And Alicia's romance with Henry was really sweet and I rooted for them the whole time.
Definitely worth a read if you are a fan of Jane Austen!
July 1, 2021
As someone who has read all of Jane Austen's novels countless times, I was delighted to be able to review this book! The premise really struck me as entertaining, and I was not disappointed. I read this book way too quickly, but I just had to see what happened to Susan. I personally really enjoyed the nods to other characters in Austen's novels. I did have to stop and rack my brain to place all of them, but I found it a delightful idea that some of the characters in her novels would cross paths, and what that would look like. I appreciated the detail to the time period and truly felt that the author knew a lot about it, and her style of writing was very nice, flowed well and kept me wanting to read more. I was slightly torn about giving this book four or five stars, however. As a book showing a teenaged Susan and how she grew into the person we encounter in Lady Susan, I felt that it lacked a little. Yes, she was manipulative, and came to learn how to use other people to get what she wanted. Yes, she thought mostly about herself and her wants. But how does that translate into the villain we find in Lady Susan? What happens to continue to mold her into that person? (By the way, if Alice McVeigh wants to keep writing more books about Susan to keep showing that progression, I would totally be reading all of those. Just saying!) I also didn't feel like Alicia fit with the character she was to become, either. She was sweet and proper and deeply in love with Henry Johnson, yet in Lady Susan she is going behind her back to enable Susan to have her affairs. What happens to her as well? This made me consider giving it four stars. However, as a book, it was wonderful. I loved the story, the references, the action. It was well written and I just couldn't put it down. And in the end, that won out and I just had to give it five stars. I will certainly be looking up this author in hopes that she has written more books like this one.
I received this book for free, and I am voluntarily writing this review.
I received this book for free, and I am voluntarily writing this review.
February 11, 2022
I confess I get so tired of Lizzy and Mr. Darcy it's always a genuine joy to find a non-P&P Austenation. So imagine my delight at finding a really, REALLY good author who kindly seems to wish to focus on Austen's more obscure characters. So obscure, in fact, that I had to do a quick re-read of Lady Susan to remind myself of her deets before reading McVeigh's Susan. Well, it was just terrific. Beautifully Austenish in language and feel, with various other Austen characters poking their heads in throughout, I enjoyed every page. Some reviewers have found it surprising that McVeigh's charming, if slightly unscrupulous, Susan would grow up into Austen's rather monstrous Lady Susan. There's something in that -- although I found the conversion of McVeigh's very likeable Alicia Collins & Henry Johnson into Austen's bitter and cranky Alicia and Mr. Johnson to be even more disturbing. But, as we all know, the wolf you feed is the one that wins, and 20 years is plenty enough time for McVeigh's trio to feed their worst wolves into Austen's versions of themselves. As you can see, McVeigh really likes to give her readers something to think about. This book, and the second book in this series (Harriet, about Emma's Miss Smith), have my highest recommendation.
June 7, 2021
The term Prequel confused me because my brain thought I was getting a P&P prequel and that isn't what this is. Probably because it features the de Bourghs so prominently. But it is a prequel to Lady Susan, with characters and similar events from other Austen books as well. Not sure how I felt about that one.
I'd never considered what Lady Susan would be like as a teen. I suppose the author made her better in character/morals than I would think Susan would be. She is a pretty awful adult. In this book, as a teen I'd categorize her as being manipulative but no where near the awful adult she will become. When did she transition into being horrible and what is it that happens to make her so?
This is a new to me author. I have a hard time remembering names in life and in books so it isn't surprising that I had a hard time following all the characters and keeping track of who loved which. Felt like I needed to go back and make charts so my brain could keep track. As far as characters that exist in other Austen books, I felt like they didn't always have the same characteristics. For example, I thought Lady Catherine de Bourgh was kinder than she was in P&P and her daughter was much more mean. Did the whole Darcy/Elizabeth experience mellow Lady C and make Anne crabby?
In short, this wasn't my favorite JA fan fiction I've read. If I'd read it more slowly I might have kept track of characters better.
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
I'd never considered what Lady Susan would be like as a teen. I suppose the author made her better in character/morals than I would think Susan would be. She is a pretty awful adult. In this book, as a teen I'd categorize her as being manipulative but no where near the awful adult she will become. When did she transition into being horrible and what is it that happens to make her so?
This is a new to me author. I have a hard time remembering names in life and in books so it isn't surprising that I had a hard time following all the characters and keeping track of who loved which. Felt like I needed to go back and make charts so my brain could keep track. As far as characters that exist in other Austen books, I felt like they didn't always have the same characteristics. For example, I thought Lady Catherine de Bourgh was kinder than she was in P&P and her daughter was much more mean. Did the whole Darcy/Elizabeth experience mellow Lady C and make Anne crabby?
In short, this wasn't my favorite JA fan fiction I've read. If I'd read it more slowly I might have kept track of characters better.
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
September 1, 2025
Lady Susan is one of Jane Austen’s least known works. Her protagonist, Lady Susan, was known to be one of Jane Austen’s most ruthless characters. Susan is a prequel to Lady Susan. Before Susan became a wealthy widow, she was orphaned and penniless at sixteen. However, she was very ambitious to rise up in her station and gain a wealthy husband.
I am a huge Jane Austen fan, and I have read her works numerous times. However, I have only read Lady Susan once. This is because I have found Lady Susan to be so unlikable that I did not want to reread the novella again. Still, I was interested in the prequel because I wanted to learn what made her wicked.
I have to say that I liked Susan better in the prequel. I sympathized with her more than I did in the novella. This is because Mrs. McVeigh does an excellent job in describing Susan’s poor circumstances. I could see why she was very ambitious and a social climber. Susan was very vain, manipulative, yet very intelligent. She knew she was beautiful and used her good looks to achieve her own ends. Nevertheless, Susan was a very fascinating character, and I could not help but be enthralled with her story. I could see how she would turn into the Lady Susan that many readers would come to know.
Overall, this novel is about ambition, friendship, and love. I liked how the novel included characters from Jane Austen’s other novels. I also found the book to be very well-written and engaging. Mrs. McVeigh does a fantastic job in bringing the Regency-era to life! The only thing I did not like about this book was that there were some scenes that were drawn out at times. Nevertheless, it made light reading on a breezy Sunday afternoon! It was a very fun and entertaining read! Susan is not only a must-read for Jane Austen fans but also for those who love origin stories of famous characters! I recommend this novel for fans of Kellynch, The Other Bennet Sister, and The Pursuit of Mary Bennet!
I am a huge Jane Austen fan, and I have read her works numerous times. However, I have only read Lady Susan once. This is because I have found Lady Susan to be so unlikable that I did not want to reread the novella again. Still, I was interested in the prequel because I wanted to learn what made her wicked.
I have to say that I liked Susan better in the prequel. I sympathized with her more than I did in the novella. This is because Mrs. McVeigh does an excellent job in describing Susan’s poor circumstances. I could see why she was very ambitious and a social climber. Susan was very vain, manipulative, yet very intelligent. She knew she was beautiful and used her good looks to achieve her own ends. Nevertheless, Susan was a very fascinating character, and I could not help but be enthralled with her story. I could see how she would turn into the Lady Susan that many readers would come to know.
Overall, this novel is about ambition, friendship, and love. I liked how the novel included characters from Jane Austen’s other novels. I also found the book to be very well-written and engaging. Mrs. McVeigh does a fantastic job in bringing the Regency-era to life! The only thing I did not like about this book was that there were some scenes that were drawn out at times. Nevertheless, it made light reading on a breezy Sunday afternoon! It was a very fun and entertaining read! Susan is not only a must-read for Jane Austen fans but also for those who love origin stories of famous characters! I recommend this novel for fans of Kellynch, The Other Bennet Sister, and The Pursuit of Mary Bennet!
June 30, 2021
If you are a fan of Jane Austen then you are familiar with the villainous Lady Susan. Have you ever wondered how she came to be the woman Austen created? McVeigh’s novel takes us back to the time when Susan was just 16 years old and having lost both of her parents, is in the care of the Collins family, her Aunt and Uncle. She has no place in society, no money, and her prospects for a suitable marriage are slim. However, she is beautiful and charming, smart and capable, and that has to account for something, right?
This story takes place 1 year prior to Emma and 5 years after Pride and Prejudice. Sprinkled throughout are Austen characters such as Frank Churchill, Mrs Alicia Johnson, Col. Fitzwilliam, and even a few brief mentions of Mr. Darcy. Austen’s novels are such beloved classics that one must take great care when penning a retelling of her characters. I think McVeigh has succeeded in doing so! The writing is very much evocative of Austen’s style of prose and the characters and story are delightful. Susan herself is precocious and humorous. She is able to easily manipulate people and situations to her desired outcome, yet does so in a likable, endearing way. She reminded me of Emma in this regard.
The cast of characters are well-developed. I particularly liked Mr. Oliver (reminded me of The Duke from the Bridgerton series), sweet Alicia who is Susan’s cousin and best friend, and Mr. Johnson, who reminded me of the dad version of someone trying to be the “cool mom.”
It took me a bit to get into the rhythm of the classical prose (it’s been a while since I’ve read Austen), but once I did I absolutely loved this book. Very much a character driven story, I still found the plot to be intriguing and with a very satisfying ending.
Thank you to @netgalley for this “Read Now” selection.
This story takes place 1 year prior to Emma and 5 years after Pride and Prejudice. Sprinkled throughout are Austen characters such as Frank Churchill, Mrs Alicia Johnson, Col. Fitzwilliam, and even a few brief mentions of Mr. Darcy. Austen’s novels are such beloved classics that one must take great care when penning a retelling of her characters. I think McVeigh has succeeded in doing so! The writing is very much evocative of Austen’s style of prose and the characters and story are delightful. Susan herself is precocious and humorous. She is able to easily manipulate people and situations to her desired outcome, yet does so in a likable, endearing way. She reminded me of Emma in this regard.
The cast of characters are well-developed. I particularly liked Mr. Oliver (reminded me of The Duke from the Bridgerton series), sweet Alicia who is Susan’s cousin and best friend, and Mr. Johnson, who reminded me of the dad version of someone trying to be the “cool mom.”
It took me a bit to get into the rhythm of the classical prose (it’s been a while since I’ve read Austen), but once I did I absolutely loved this book. Very much a character driven story, I still found the plot to be intriguing and with a very satisfying ending.
Thank you to @netgalley for this “Read Now” selection.
September 27, 2023
Wonderful writing
A wonderful writer. The author has imagined Jane Austen's Lady Susan in her youth, specifically at sixteen years old. The deck is somewhat shuffled in the Austen universe, as Susan is niece to Mr and Mrs Collins, and there is a Collins brother who lives in London. Between the two Collins families, they act as guardians to an orphaned Susan Smithson, whose father was killed in a duel by none other than our beloved Colonel Fitzwilliam.
I had no great desire to know a possible backstory for this character, but decided to take a chance. I must give credit for really fine writing, and clever and imaginative ways that familiar names are worked into the storyline. The timing was confusing, since the title states that this is an Austen prequel, and yet for P&P it's a sequel. In spite of the wonderful writing, the main character of this book is not, in my opinion, a sympathetic character. Susan Smithson is a self absorbed, manipulative, and dishonest young lady. Perhaps being an orphan, those traits are essential to survival in her world. However, I prefer admirable and caring characters that we can care about in turn. This Susan is way too "Lydia-like" for my tastes ( Austen fans will understand the reference), and I had to force myself to continue reading in the hope that maybe she would exhibit some lovable trait. It never happened.
The book is well written and well edited. I recommend it with reservations.
A wonderful writer. The author has imagined Jane Austen's Lady Susan in her youth, specifically at sixteen years old. The deck is somewhat shuffled in the Austen universe, as Susan is niece to Mr and Mrs Collins, and there is a Collins brother who lives in London. Between the two Collins families, they act as guardians to an orphaned Susan Smithson, whose father was killed in a duel by none other than our beloved Colonel Fitzwilliam.
I had no great desire to know a possible backstory for this character, but decided to take a chance. I must give credit for really fine writing, and clever and imaginative ways that familiar names are worked into the storyline. The timing was confusing, since the title states that this is an Austen prequel, and yet for P&P it's a sequel. In spite of the wonderful writing, the main character of this book is not, in my opinion, a sympathetic character. Susan Smithson is a self absorbed, manipulative, and dishonest young lady. Perhaps being an orphan, those traits are essential to survival in her world. However, I prefer admirable and caring characters that we can care about in turn. This Susan is way too "Lydia-like" for my tastes ( Austen fans will understand the reference), and I had to force myself to continue reading in the hope that maybe she would exhibit some lovable trait. It never happened.
The book is well written and well edited. I recommend it with reservations.
August 12, 2022
I love the author's writing style which sounds very authentic. There is wry humor and social commentary that seems very Jane Austen at times.
I just wish I cared about the characters more. I have read Lady Susan previously but it's not like I spent any time wondering what her youth was like. I kept putting this book down and reading something else in between. Then I'd pick it up and be enchanted with some phrasing again.
There is some overlap with other, more familiar Austen characters and they seem like themselves.
I would definitely read more from this author just because of the elegant writing but this book was an ambitious project because Lady Susan is not such a beloved character as Elizabeth, Emma or Anne.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I just wish I cared about the characters more. I have read Lady Susan previously but it's not like I spent any time wondering what her youth was like. I kept putting this book down and reading something else in between. Then I'd pick it up and be enchanted with some phrasing again.
There is some overlap with other, more familiar Austen characters and they seem like themselves.
I would definitely read more from this author just because of the elegant writing but this book was an ambitious project because Lady Susan is not such a beloved character as Elizabeth, Emma or Anne.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 9, 2021
Many games, such as chess and tennis, come with a complicated set of rules. These rules can be annoying to the person just learning to play, but without the rules, the game isn’t very interesting to play and downright boring to watch. The same applies to Jane Austen’s novels. Her heroines are navigating a society of high expectations and arcane rules. Much of the pleasure of reading the books comes from watching these heroines play by the rules, master them, and come out on top.
The popularity of Jane Austen’s novels has inspired many imitators. Unfortunately, many of these imitators simply place a twenty-first century heroine in a Regency Period romance. The heroine plays by a completely different set of rules and upsets everyone, but still gets the guy. It can be entertaining, but it’s like watching tennis without boundary lines. It feels like cheating, and it just isn’t exciting.
In Susan, author McVeigh doesn’t take this easy out. Her heroine, Susan, is clearly a product of her own time. While she doesn’t like many of the rules, and she is willing to break the ones she can get away with breaking, she knows her place in society and the costs she would incur from flouting it.
Susan Smithson is an orphan, relying on aunts and uncles for her maintenance. She has little hope to be anything more than a governess for a wealthy family unless she makes a good marriage. Her only assets are her beauty and her quick wit. Who can blame her for using them to her advantage?
McVeigh presents her story as a prequel to Jane Austen’s Lady Susan. In Austen’s novel, Lady Susan is not a heroine, but a villainess. She does her best to manipulate everyone around her with no concern for their feelings, the rules or society, or even basic ideas of right and wrong. But Lady Susan as a child could hardly have been as awful as she would become. McVeigh imagines her as a sixteen-year-old girl trying to use her wits and some subtle suggestions to improve the hand life has dealt her.
While McVeigh presents characters who are firmly set in their period, she does provide a few things Jane Austen did not. We are treated to some details about London concert and theater life that Austen assumed her readers already knew. McVeigh mentions servants as people whose feelings must be considered, if only to keep the peace at home. And she occasionally presents conversations between men with no female observer present, something Austen never did.
But McVeigh respects her setting and her characters. They fit into they roles and setting. Susan, even at her cheekiest, rarely does anything actually wrong. However conniving she might be in twenty years, this sixteen-year-old Susan is a very sympathetic character.
McVeigh also pulls details, tropes, and characters from others of Jane Austen’s novels. There is an homage to Pride and Prejudice at the end of the story that is quite delightful. I enjoyed this story and recommend it to all Jane Austen fans. (Note: you don’t need to have read Lady Susan recently to enjoy this book, but I had to go and reread it afterward just to see if I missed anything.)
The popularity of Jane Austen’s novels has inspired many imitators. Unfortunately, many of these imitators simply place a twenty-first century heroine in a Regency Period romance. The heroine plays by a completely different set of rules and upsets everyone, but still gets the guy. It can be entertaining, but it’s like watching tennis without boundary lines. It feels like cheating, and it just isn’t exciting.
In Susan, author McVeigh doesn’t take this easy out. Her heroine, Susan, is clearly a product of her own time. While she doesn’t like many of the rules, and she is willing to break the ones she can get away with breaking, she knows her place in society and the costs she would incur from flouting it.
Susan Smithson is an orphan, relying on aunts and uncles for her maintenance. She has little hope to be anything more than a governess for a wealthy family unless she makes a good marriage. Her only assets are her beauty and her quick wit. Who can blame her for using them to her advantage?
McVeigh presents her story as a prequel to Jane Austen’s Lady Susan. In Austen’s novel, Lady Susan is not a heroine, but a villainess. She does her best to manipulate everyone around her with no concern for their feelings, the rules or society, or even basic ideas of right and wrong. But Lady Susan as a child could hardly have been as awful as she would become. McVeigh imagines her as a sixteen-year-old girl trying to use her wits and some subtle suggestions to improve the hand life has dealt her.
While McVeigh presents characters who are firmly set in their period, she does provide a few things Jane Austen did not. We are treated to some details about London concert and theater life that Austen assumed her readers already knew. McVeigh mentions servants as people whose feelings must be considered, if only to keep the peace at home. And she occasionally presents conversations between men with no female observer present, something Austen never did.
But McVeigh respects her setting and her characters. They fit into they roles and setting. Susan, even at her cheekiest, rarely does anything actually wrong. However conniving she might be in twenty years, this sixteen-year-old Susan is a very sympathetic character.
McVeigh also pulls details, tropes, and characters from others of Jane Austen’s novels. There is an homage to Pride and Prejudice at the end of the story that is quite delightful. I enjoyed this story and recommend it to all Jane Austen fans. (Note: you don’t need to have read Lady Susan recently to enjoy this book, but I had to go and reread it afterward just to see if I missed anything.)
September 13, 2021
A mix of Regency Romance, touches of Persuasion, lots of Pride and Prejudice and you get a scintillating mix for the Jane Austen fantasy.
A mixed bag of characters with the familiar Lady Catherine always hovering in the background, her daughter Lady Anne being more assertive than ever before, Frank Churchill dying before his time and Alicia Collins and Susan the start of the show.
The characters were nicely placed and I liked that Susan was not all that sweet and submissive and ladylike. On the contrary she was scheming (not just for herself but for others as well), but with good intentions throughout, although her manner of achieving her aims was not very conservative. Mr and Mrs Collins were very nicely portrayed, long suffering and under obligation always.
The entire story with its romantic themes interwoven throughout was a good one.
A mixed bag of characters with the familiar Lady Catherine always hovering in the background, her daughter Lady Anne being more assertive than ever before, Frank Churchill dying before his time and Alicia Collins and Susan the start of the show.
The characters were nicely placed and I liked that Susan was not all that sweet and submissive and ladylike. On the contrary she was scheming (not just for herself but for others as well), but with good intentions throughout, although her manner of achieving her aims was not very conservative. Mr and Mrs Collins were very nicely portrayed, long suffering and under obligation always.
The entire story with its romantic themes interwoven throughout was a good one.
Read
July 12, 2021Alice McVeigh, Susan A Jane Austen Prequel, Warleigh Hall Press, 2021
Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.
Susan Smithson, with luxuriant black curls and acknowledged as the prettiest girl in the school, is expelled because she flirted with the music master and did not cry out when he kissed her hand. She must return to her aunt and uncle’s house in London, but under far more intrusive guard than in the past. Her reputation for beauty, flirtation, achieving her own desires, despite her poverty and low expectations of a grand marriage set the scene for this forerunner of Jane Austen’s Lady Susan. McVeigh establishes her own guidelines for the way in which her Susan will proceed, from her rejection of the fairness with which Lady Susan is endowed, to the liveliness and ingenuity rather than malice which abounds in the latter’s correspondence and behaviour in Austen’s character, and, unlike Lady Susan, her success in winning her own way by the end of the novel.
McVeigh appeals to Janeites’ to accept her use of other Austen characters, such as Frank Churchill, and the pleasantness of Alicia Johnston that bears little resemblance to Alicia, recipient of Lady Susan’s correspondence. I am more than happy to appreciate Jane Austen’s works, and have a somewhat sympathetic approach to the dreadful Lady Susan while thoroughly savouring McVeigh’s Susan, Alicia, and their companions in Susan A Jane Austen Sequel.
Although the story begins slowly, the pace, intrigue and vitality with which Susan approaches every possible pitfall, her delightfully devious use of others’ weaknesses and attempts to maintain the hierarchical workings of the society Susan wishes to defeat become fully engaging. McVeigh, unlike Austen who had to mute her criticisms of the role of class and money somewhat, is clear about the discrimination Susan and Alicia (the ‘Parsonage girls’) suffer. Here, we can see glimmerings of the way in which Lady Susan is possibly forced to operate, or at least has become accustomed to fighting battles that arise only because she is a woman, and poor.
Susan is sixteen, the age of Lady Susan’s daughter, Frederica when that novel begins. Unlike Susan, Frederica has almost crumbled under her mother’s dislike and neglect. However, in her refusal to marry at her mother’s behest, perhaps she is showing a glimmer of fortitude worthy of Susan at sixteen. By valiantly tackling a prequel to Austen, McVeigh encourages a closer investigation of Lady Susan, a wonderful aside to reading this novel. With the introduction of Frank Churchill as a supplicant for Susan’s hand, long before his successful love affair with Jane Fairfax, his character under Austen’s hand is also embellished. So, too, is the character of Charlotte who, in Pride and Prejudice, was forced through circumstance to marry the obsequious Mr Collins. Aunt Charlotte, as she is to Susan and Alicia, must care for the two of them when Susan is sent away from London, to mend her ways. Charlotte is usually in the background, but life revolves around her husband’s obsequiousness to Lady de Brough, her domestic tasks, and wondering if indeed Susan might make the leap from impoverished, but beautiful supplicant to the rich and important to marry well, as did her friend, Eliza Bennett. McVeigh does not bring the Darcys into the novel, except by reputation and conjecture, suggesting that the friendship has deteriorated under the class differences that are so apparent.
Susan’s courting of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, after her success with Mrs Cooper in London is a joy to behold. Both are manipulative, seeking dominance. Susan’s behaviour is honeyed, and Lady De Borough’s sharp, but both pursue comfort. In Lady de Borough’s case it is in the immediate, while Susan plays a longer game. This juxtaposition of the moneyed upper-class woman using the poorer, woman of a lowlier position and vice versa establishes for Susan the only way she can advance. Cajoling men to her point of view is easier, as she can use her appearance and flirtatious skills, but she knows that both sexes must be won.
Warleigh Hall (a nod to the publisher?), its structure and inhabitants, also demonstrates the hierarchical nature of society. The recently widowed Mr Johnson provides both a foil for Susan and a source of anguish for his more restrained children, as well as the site of social occasions that bring Susan and Alicia into contact with people above them in the hierarchy. The play which is the focus of much of the activity provides an insight into the way in which such activities broke down barriers – much to the dismay of those who would keep them intact. The play reflects the role of the play in yet another of Austen’s novels, Mansfield Park.
Alice McVeigh (note her comment in the text about the name Alice in contrast with the ‘pure pretension’ of Alicia, her possible heroine) appears to have had a great deal of enjoyment with her characters, the society she depicts and storylines and their provenance with Jane Austen’s work. The book can be read with this in mind, and drive you to rereading Jane Austen’s novels, or can be enjoyed as a standalone story of two friends, Alicia and Susan, whose role as ‘the Parsonage girls’ is overturned with delightful intervention by Susan.
Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.
Susan Smithson, with luxuriant black curls and acknowledged as the prettiest girl in the school, is expelled because she flirted with the music master and did not cry out when he kissed her hand. She must return to her aunt and uncle’s house in London, but under far more intrusive guard than in the past. Her reputation for beauty, flirtation, achieving her own desires, despite her poverty and low expectations of a grand marriage set the scene for this forerunner of Jane Austen’s Lady Susan. McVeigh establishes her own guidelines for the way in which her Susan will proceed, from her rejection of the fairness with which Lady Susan is endowed, to the liveliness and ingenuity rather than malice which abounds in the latter’s correspondence and behaviour in Austen’s character, and, unlike Lady Susan, her success in winning her own way by the end of the novel.
McVeigh appeals to Janeites’ to accept her use of other Austen characters, such as Frank Churchill, and the pleasantness of Alicia Johnston that bears little resemblance to Alicia, recipient of Lady Susan’s correspondence. I am more than happy to appreciate Jane Austen’s works, and have a somewhat sympathetic approach to the dreadful Lady Susan while thoroughly savouring McVeigh’s Susan, Alicia, and their companions in Susan A Jane Austen Sequel.
Although the story begins slowly, the pace, intrigue and vitality with which Susan approaches every possible pitfall, her delightfully devious use of others’ weaknesses and attempts to maintain the hierarchical workings of the society Susan wishes to defeat become fully engaging. McVeigh, unlike Austen who had to mute her criticisms of the role of class and money somewhat, is clear about the discrimination Susan and Alicia (the ‘Parsonage girls’) suffer. Here, we can see glimmerings of the way in which Lady Susan is possibly forced to operate, or at least has become accustomed to fighting battles that arise only because she is a woman, and poor.
Susan is sixteen, the age of Lady Susan’s daughter, Frederica when that novel begins. Unlike Susan, Frederica has almost crumbled under her mother’s dislike and neglect. However, in her refusal to marry at her mother’s behest, perhaps she is showing a glimmer of fortitude worthy of Susan at sixteen. By valiantly tackling a prequel to Austen, McVeigh encourages a closer investigation of Lady Susan, a wonderful aside to reading this novel. With the introduction of Frank Churchill as a supplicant for Susan’s hand, long before his successful love affair with Jane Fairfax, his character under Austen’s hand is also embellished. So, too, is the character of Charlotte who, in Pride and Prejudice, was forced through circumstance to marry the obsequious Mr Collins. Aunt Charlotte, as she is to Susan and Alicia, must care for the two of them when Susan is sent away from London, to mend her ways. Charlotte is usually in the background, but life revolves around her husband’s obsequiousness to Lady de Brough, her domestic tasks, and wondering if indeed Susan might make the leap from impoverished, but beautiful supplicant to the rich and important to marry well, as did her friend, Eliza Bennett. McVeigh does not bring the Darcys into the novel, except by reputation and conjecture, suggesting that the friendship has deteriorated under the class differences that are so apparent.
Susan’s courting of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, after her success with Mrs Cooper in London is a joy to behold. Both are manipulative, seeking dominance. Susan’s behaviour is honeyed, and Lady De Borough’s sharp, but both pursue comfort. In Lady de Borough’s case it is in the immediate, while Susan plays a longer game. This juxtaposition of the moneyed upper-class woman using the poorer, woman of a lowlier position and vice versa establishes for Susan the only way she can advance. Cajoling men to her point of view is easier, as she can use her appearance and flirtatious skills, but she knows that both sexes must be won.
Warleigh Hall (a nod to the publisher?), its structure and inhabitants, also demonstrates the hierarchical nature of society. The recently widowed Mr Johnson provides both a foil for Susan and a source of anguish for his more restrained children, as well as the site of social occasions that bring Susan and Alicia into contact with people above them in the hierarchy. The play which is the focus of much of the activity provides an insight into the way in which such activities broke down barriers – much to the dismay of those who would keep them intact. The play reflects the role of the play in yet another of Austen’s novels, Mansfield Park.
Alice McVeigh (note her comment in the text about the name Alice in contrast with the ‘pure pretension’ of Alicia, her possible heroine) appears to have had a great deal of enjoyment with her characters, the society she depicts and storylines and their provenance with Jane Austen’s work. The book can be read with this in mind, and drive you to rereading Jane Austen’s novels, or can be enjoyed as a standalone story of two friends, Alicia and Susan, whose role as ‘the Parsonage girls’ is overturned with delightful intervention by Susan.
July 12, 2021
“Susan: a Jane Austin prequel” is a middle-length novel written by Alice McVeigh. I am a big fan of Jane Austen and this was the first reason why I bought this book, but as soon as I started reading the novel, I was hooked. It is a variation of Pride and Prejudice, one of my favorites of all times.
The author’s narrative is exquisite. I cannot say neither more nor less than that. The pace of the story flows smoothly and by the time the reader notices, they are at the end of the book, as it happened to me. Characters were excellently crafted; they are believable and easy to empathise with. I utterly recommend reading this.
The author’s narrative is exquisite. I cannot say neither more nor less than that. The pace of the story flows smoothly and by the time the reader notices, they are at the end of the book, as it happened to me. Characters were excellently crafted; they are believable and easy to empathise with. I utterly recommend reading this.
July 10, 2021
Susan: A Jane Austen Prequel by Alice McVeigh is the first in her Warleigh Hall series. The author takes a character from Austen's epistolary novel, Lady Susan, and plays on our imagination of what Susan could have been like as a sixteen-year-old. Susan loved the bustle of London, with all its finery. Her only wish was that she had the title and funds to enjoy it to its fullest. Sent to the country to avoid a scandal, Susan perfects her conniving ways to achieve what she desires. She does look out for those she cares about, but she is always several steps ahead of everyone. A few understand her acting abilities and the extent to which she can persuade events and people. I found this novel fascinating and a good fit for Jane Austen lovers.
July 13, 2021
I have not read much of Jane Austen but I have always wanted to, so when I saw the title of this book I was immediately captivated. The author’s writing style is very good. I was glued to the pages; I believe I finished reading this only in a couple of days. I liked how characters were constructed and developed and also their dialogues. I find it quite interesting that it was a variation of a novel as well-known as Pride and Prejudice.
I recommend reading this because the author is very good and the plot too. The narrative and characters are what I liked the most, though
I recommend reading this because the author is very good and the plot too. The narrative and characters are what I liked the most, though
July 20, 2021
This was such a warm and charming read! Filled with humor, family and familiar characters. It really felt like a cozy get together with old friends. There were new characters that I came to really like and old characters that I still don't like. This is a definite read for fans of Jane Austen, a lovely gentle read with comedy and rules and manners of the day. I definitely recommend it.
July 1, 2021
In this prequel to Lady Susan by Jane Austen, Susan Smithson at the age of 16 has been expelled from Mrs Ansruther's school and sent to her aunt and uncle Collins (younger brother of Reverend Collins of Hunsford), to live as the poor relation. With only her beauty and wit to aid her how will she survive Society and to her view, make a good marriage.
But Susan while being manipulative and dramatic can be kind to those that she loves.
An entertaining and well-written prequel, with some likeable and interesting characters.
But Susan while being manipulative and dramatic can be kind to those that she loves.
An entertaining and well-written prequel, with some likeable and interesting characters.
October 5, 2022
McVeigh captures much of the language of Austen's era, and I liked this better than some other Austen wannabe tales. But when the book's title is Susan, wouldn't you expect the romance to involve Susan? I know the author was attempting a backstory for one of Austen's lesser-known works, but I think it might have worked better to keep the focus on the long-suffering Alicia.
November 25, 2021
Susan, A Jane Austen Prequel by Alice McVeigh ended up being a pleasant surprise.
Initially, I almost gave up on this story. I was a little confused and I was not being pulled into the story. Things changed for me about 20% of the way through the book. I finally started grasping the different relationships and understanding the story better.
I loved all the different characters from Austen’s novels, especially the secondary ones, having this world where they all interacted with each other. There were different nods to events that happened in Austen’s novels which also made it fun.
I am not sure I see the exact progression though of McVeigh’s Susan to Austen’s Susan. I found McVeigh’s Susan was manipulative but not as aggressively or nastily as Austen’s. I feel she could have been a little shrewder and more callous. Even though she was young, I found McVeigh’s Susan a little too likeable for who I feel Susan is supposed to be. I would be interested to see if there is another book that bridges that gap a bit.
I also found McVeigh’s writing to be a very nice nod to Austen’s novels. As an Austen fan that made the book very enjoyable.
Overall, I think whether you have read Austen or not you will enjoy this book. Austen connoisseurs will enjoy all the nods of Austen. I think those that are not familiar with Austen will enjoy it for the entertaining story that it is.
I received an eARC from BooksGoSocial through NetGalley. All opinions are 100% my own.
Initially, I almost gave up on this story. I was a little confused and I was not being pulled into the story. Things changed for me about 20% of the way through the book. I finally started grasping the different relationships and understanding the story better.
I loved all the different characters from Austen’s novels, especially the secondary ones, having this world where they all interacted with each other. There were different nods to events that happened in Austen’s novels which also made it fun.
I am not sure I see the exact progression though of McVeigh’s Susan to Austen’s Susan. I found McVeigh’s Susan was manipulative but not as aggressively or nastily as Austen’s. I feel she could have been a little shrewder and more callous. Even though she was young, I found McVeigh’s Susan a little too likeable for who I feel Susan is supposed to be. I would be interested to see if there is another book that bridges that gap a bit.
I also found McVeigh’s writing to be a very nice nod to Austen’s novels. As an Austen fan that made the book very enjoyable.
Overall, I think whether you have read Austen or not you will enjoy this book. Austen connoisseurs will enjoy all the nods of Austen. I think those that are not familiar with Austen will enjoy it for the entertaining story that it is.
I received an eARC from BooksGoSocial through NetGalley. All opinions are 100% my own.
June 23, 2021
This was a unique (but amazing) experience! I was so eager to try this book and author because I love all of Jane Austen’s books, especially Lady Susan. Let me tell you, it is very well done! I loved taking a dive into what the upbringing of Lady Susan must have been like and how it shaped her character. It is nice that Susan shows that ‘villains’ do have other emotions and depth of character, yet can still work to perfect the craft of manipulation. She has always had to use whatever she can to her advantage, and like a fine wine it gets better with age! The author’s writing is true to the form Austen used but with a more contemporary flow and ease. Highly recommend! I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.
June 27, 2021
Warm and humorous,with enough familiar names to make it feel like a cosy get together with friends.
I'll admit I do not know the character of Lady Susan,but she's charmed me a little bit.
I do know Mr Collins,and he did not charm me in the slightest.
Definitely a must read for Austen fans,but a gentle read with comedy and rules and manners for anyone who hasn't read Austen also
I'll admit I do not know the character of Lady Susan,but she's charmed me a little bit.
I do know Mr Collins,and he did not charm me in the slightest.
Definitely a must read for Austen fans,but a gentle read with comedy and rules and manners for anyone who hasn't read Austen also
September 15, 2021
Loved it! Just the escape I needed during these uncertain times.
The novel follows Susan as she is dismissed from school thanks to her inappropriate behaviour. As a fan of Regency novels, I adored her! She was witty and hilarious in her opinions of others and her behaviour (while she breaks every rule she can) was totally endearing.
The Austen-esque romances and misunderstandings are all here in full force, as well as some well-rounded characters.
It wasn’t until I finished the novel that I realised she grows up to become the Lady Susan of Austen’s novel. In hindsight, the signs are all there but I feel this shows how good the novel is as an independent piece!
Great to see that this is the first in a series from this author - I can’t wait for more!
The novel follows Susan as she is dismissed from school thanks to her inappropriate behaviour. As a fan of Regency novels, I adored her! She was witty and hilarious in her opinions of others and her behaviour (while she breaks every rule she can) was totally endearing.
The Austen-esque romances and misunderstandings are all here in full force, as well as some well-rounded characters.
It wasn’t until I finished the novel that I realised she grows up to become the Lady Susan of Austen’s novel. In hindsight, the signs are all there but I feel this shows how good the novel is as an independent piece!
Great to see that this is the first in a series from this author - I can’t wait for more!
August 5, 2021
Susan: A Jane Austen Prequel by Alice McVeigh is a captivating book. McVeigh's Susan takes place a year before Jane Austen's Emma and five years after Pride and Prejudice. She has imagined what Austen's characters might have been like and creates the circumstances that develop them into the characters we see in Austen's books. "Janeites" might not appreciate what McVeigh has imagined, but that was not a problem for me. I have never been fond of Austen's books, but I really enjoyed McVeigh's Susan!
My one negative reaction was in trying to keep all the characters straight. Thank heavens for the search function in e-readers. It might have been easier if I had remembered the Austen books I actually did read.
Sixteen-year-old Susan is accused of impropriety and is expelled from the school she attends. Her aunt and uncle reluctantly take her in, despite the number of mouths they have to feed in their own house, including niece Alicia Collins. Rich widower Johnson is ignorantly at the center of most of the action as he and the group of young people decide to put on a play. So many unwed people in close, constant quarters ensures that pandemonium ensues. Through it all, the teenaged Susan seems to be the puppeteer pulling the strings and watching everyone dance. She cleverly causes people to act in ways she desires while pretending to counsel them to do the opposite. It is difficult to describe this in more detail without giving any delicious plot twists away.
After reading this book by McVeigh, I plan on reading more of hers, as well as giving Austen another try.
My one negative reaction was in trying to keep all the characters straight. Thank heavens for the search function in e-readers. It might have been easier if I had remembered the Austen books I actually did read.
Sixteen-year-old Susan is accused of impropriety and is expelled from the school she attends. Her aunt and uncle reluctantly take her in, despite the number of mouths they have to feed in their own house, including niece Alicia Collins. Rich widower Johnson is ignorantly at the center of most of the action as he and the group of young people decide to put on a play. So many unwed people in close, constant quarters ensures that pandemonium ensues. Through it all, the teenaged Susan seems to be the puppeteer pulling the strings and watching everyone dance. She cleverly causes people to act in ways she desires while pretending to counsel them to do the opposite. It is difficult to describe this in more detail without giving any delicious plot twists away.
After reading this book by McVeigh, I plan on reading more of hers, as well as giving Austen another try.
August 29, 2021
Lovers of Jane Austen's novels, or Janeites as the most devout call themselves, are a fierce bunch and I commend author Alice McVeigh for fearlessly throwing herself to their mercy by writing a prequel about one of Austen's characters. I myself love Jane Austen's books, but I have never read Lady Susan, an epistolary novel of Austen's, and thus would be considered by Janeites as one not to be taken too seriously in my advice. In "Susan: A Jane Austen Prequel", the author examines the early years of said Lady Susan's life. Having never read this book, I was still totally able to enjoy the character for what she was, a rather precocious sixteen year old girl of humble circumstances but blessed with beauty, dependent on the bounty of her uncle Mr. Collins (yes, that Mr. Collins!)
The story followed familiar patterns to those who have immersed themselves in Austen's world: young women trying to secure their futures by getting the attention of eligible young men, and the twists and turns that love may throw in their paths. The writer was able to capture the nuances and flavor of Austen's novels, and I found the story delightful to read. Susan proved herself at a young age to be able to handle the challenges society threw at her, and I would love to see where her adventures lead her next. It was fun to have various characters from Austen's work make an appearance or get a mention.
Anyone who appreciates a Jane Austen novel should find much to admire in Alice McVeigh's work. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for allowing me to read this ARC.
The story followed familiar patterns to those who have immersed themselves in Austen's world: young women trying to secure their futures by getting the attention of eligible young men, and the twists and turns that love may throw in their paths. The writer was able to capture the nuances and flavor of Austen's novels, and I found the story delightful to read. Susan proved herself at a young age to be able to handle the challenges society threw at her, and I would love to see where her adventures lead her next. It was fun to have various characters from Austen's work make an appearance or get a mention.
Anyone who appreciates a Jane Austen novel should find much to admire in Alice McVeigh's work. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for allowing me to read this ARC.
June 21, 2021
Lady Susan is certainly unlike any of Jane Austen’s other heroines. She is described as “the most accomplished coquette in England". In this prequel, we see the sixteen year-old Susan at the start of her ascent through Regency society. While she might not be as manipulative as in the original novel, she is certainly aware of what she wants and how to exploit her charms in order to obtain it. Despite this, it is impossible not to warm to her, as she chafes against the restrictions of society, especially those affecting a young woman with no fortune.
The novel borrows characters from several other Austen novels, notably Pride and Prejudice, but also introduces some well-developed new characters. The sycophantic Mr Collins, for example, is outdone by his even more unctuous nephew, Edward, while the wealthy Mr Johnson, anxious to compensate for the fact that his money derives from trade, is a neatly observed comic creation.
The author’s detailed knowledge of the period helps create a thoroughly believable context, without the jarring incongruities that so often mar a novel of this type. In particular, the amateur performance of a play by Elizabeth Inchbald is an important element of the plot. (A different play by Mrs Inchbald features in Mansfield Park.)
Janites will find much to enjoy in this novel, but those whose only knowledge of Austen’s work is the tv adaptation of Pride and Prejudice will be equally captured by the scrapes and machinations of the young Susan.
The novel borrows characters from several other Austen novels, notably Pride and Prejudice, but also introduces some well-developed new characters. The sycophantic Mr Collins, for example, is outdone by his even more unctuous nephew, Edward, while the wealthy Mr Johnson, anxious to compensate for the fact that his money derives from trade, is a neatly observed comic creation.
The author’s detailed knowledge of the period helps create a thoroughly believable context, without the jarring incongruities that so often mar a novel of this type. In particular, the amateur performance of a play by Elizabeth Inchbald is an important element of the plot. (A different play by Mrs Inchbald features in Mansfield Park.)
Janites will find much to enjoy in this novel, but those whose only knowledge of Austen’s work is the tv adaptation of Pride and Prejudice will be equally captured by the scrapes and machinations of the young Susan.
June 28, 2021
I'm a compulsive reader when I find an Author that I enjoy but was quite late in reading any Austen novels until two years ago when I first read 'Emma' -All of the other Austen novels followed in quick succession with Lady Susan getting two reads as I particularly enjoyed that experience.
Discovering this book 'Susan' written in the style of Jane Austen, I was initially sceptical that any modern author could 'come up with the goods' and write convincingly in that style, with the historic nuances of society, the culture and the etiquette of that period and with a narrative that
wasn't another 'period love story' - By the time I'd started the third chapter I was already engrossed and so drawn into the story that it felt utterly real as part of J.Austen's world. Couldn't put it down. There were genuine moments of elation and tears too with characters that tie in with Austen's other books and a wonderful background to the protagonist who becomes . . .. . (no spoilers ! )
Loved it - MORE PLEASE !
Discovering this book 'Susan' written in the style of Jane Austen, I was initially sceptical that any modern author could 'come up with the goods' and write convincingly in that style, with the historic nuances of society, the culture and the etiquette of that period and with a narrative that
wasn't another 'period love story' - By the time I'd started the third chapter I was already engrossed and so drawn into the story that it felt utterly real as part of J.Austen's world. Couldn't put it down. There were genuine moments of elation and tears too with characters that tie in with Austen's other books and a wonderful background to the protagonist who becomes . . .. . (no spoilers ! )
Loved it - MORE PLEASE !
July 29, 2021
What a treat this book is! It ticks along like one of those elegant Regency carriage clocks – all effortless movement on the surface, but whirring cogs beneath. An entertaining and witty homage to the novels of Jane Austen, to be enjoyed in its own right.
Pretty but penniless young Susan Smithson, in disgrace once more – which doesn’t take much in 18th century England when the lives of young women of the landed gentry are so restricted – is dispatched to her uncle’s rectory in the country, supposedly to mend her ways. Here she hatches a plan to make things happen by suggesting they put on a play.
McVeigh’s tale is infused with gentle humour, as well as having some genuinely touching moments. The evocation of the language, customs, manners and moralities of the times is spot on and the characters are a delight. Readers will have fun recognising several – particularly some of the more outrageous – from other Austen novels. Will there be a further adventures for the wickedly spirited Susan? I do hope so.
Pretty but penniless young Susan Smithson, in disgrace once more – which doesn’t take much in 18th century England when the lives of young women of the landed gentry are so restricted – is dispatched to her uncle’s rectory in the country, supposedly to mend her ways. Here she hatches a plan to make things happen by suggesting they put on a play.
McVeigh’s tale is infused with gentle humour, as well as having some genuinely touching moments. The evocation of the language, customs, manners and moralities of the times is spot on and the characters are a delight. Readers will have fun recognising several – particularly some of the more outrageous – from other Austen novels. Will there be a further adventures for the wickedly spirited Susan? I do hope so.
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