Jane Austen July 2025 discussion

The thread on which to discuss our readalong of Lady Susan!

LADY SUSAN
Monday 18th July: letters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Tuesday 19th July: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Wednesday 20th July: 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18
Thursday 21st July: 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Friday 22nd July: 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
Saturday 23rd July: 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36
Sunday 24th July: 37, 38, 39, 40, 41 & conclusion

Post your thoughts here as we read!

Please avoid spoilers if you're rereading or reading ahead of schedule. There is a separate spoilery thread for those of us rereading. Likewise if you're behind the schedule, maybe avoid the board in case of spoilers.

Just started Lady Susan and I can already tell this one is going to be a fun ride! The first six letters had me smiling at the difference between Lady Susan’s version of events and other people’s versions.

I initially was having some problems figuring out who the characters were. I found on Youtube a character map drawn out by BookishPrincess that helped a lot. I'm also listening to the audible as I read along, which is helping with the nuances of Lady Susan and her story.

I’m also listening to an audiobook. I haven’t for any of Austen’s main novels but I’m glad I am for this one as it really suits the epistolary format. The multiple narrators are making it easier for me to get a grasp of the characters. I really dislike Lady Susan so far haha we’ll see if that changes.

Have just read the first six letters and it is just so deliciously scandalous! Lady Susan seems pretty despicable and I love it so far! Causing absolute chaos wherever she goes, scheming and flirting - this is already a fun read and I can’t wait to see where the story goes. I have had to flick back and forth to get to grips with the different characters that are introduced by surname and then referred to by first name but starting to get a good idea of the principle players so far. I love how Austen uses the character of Reginald De Courcy to voice what we are all thinking - who is this woman who is captivating these men?

Melissa wrote: "I initially was having some problems figuring out who the characters were. I found on Youtube a character map drawn out by BookishPrincess that helped a lot. I'm also listening to the audible as I ..."
Thanks for pointing to the video - it's really helpful!

Lady Susan could be the prototype for Scarlett O'Hara.

Perhaps, but she seems more cynical to me than Scarlett.

I've read the first 12 letters and am loving this novella!! Lady Susan is going to be a character I love to hate!

She and her friend certainly have some of the greatest lines in Austen!

I feel like Lady Susan is making me dislike Mrs. Bennet less in comparison haha. From what I’ve understood about the historical context, scheming to set up favourable marriages was very normal in this time period. I think what sets Lady Susan apart is that she seems to enjoy manipulating people for the sake of it. It’s clear she enjoys playing with Reginald’s feelings for her own entertainment and to get revenge on his sister even though she doesn’t express interest in marrying him.

Marissa wrote: "I feel like Lady Susan is making me dislike Mrs. Bennet less in comparison haha. From what I’ve understood about the historical context, scheming to set up favourable marriages was very normal in t..."

I totally agree with you- she so far isn't coming across as a very likable character. Especially her comment about her own daughter. Geezzzzz.

Thank you for the tip of the YT video character map. I was confused at letter 4!

This section had my favourite lines so far:

“If I am vain of anything, it is of my eloquence. Consideration and esteem as surely follow command of language, as admiration waits on beauty.”

It’s interesting how it’s the male characters that are taken in by Lady Susan. It’s clear that Catherine Vernon and Mrs. Manwaring are not fooled. Mrs. Johnson thinks highly of Lady Susan but it seems to me that she knows much of her real character and likes her anyway.

Lady Susan seems to have “arts and allurements“ aplenty to attract men, doesn’t she?

I was so confused that I decided to watch Love and Friendship before continuing with the novella. This story does not "feel" like Jane Austen at all. Lady Susan is just despicable in every way. The only humor in the adaptation was Tom Bennett as Sir James Martin who was just excellent. Otherwise this is my least favorite JA by a long shot. :(

Sir James Martin in Love and Friendship is hilarious!

I have really enjoyed this book! Lady Susan is such a scandal, I hated her but loved reading about her.

I really enjoyed my first time reading Lady Susan with this readalong. I was prepared to like it because I enjoyed the Love and Friendship adaptation and I enjoy epistolary stories. This novella showed me how well JA relishes ALL her characters. I believe writing LS helped prepare JA for writing all the selfish and devious characters in her subsequent work. LS is a wicked delight.

I enjoyed everyone’s takes on this book too. It comes as a surprise to those who expect a sympathetic heroine and a love story, but you can really see her honing her social satire and learning how to convey personality through a character’s words.

I''m rereading the Oxford World's Classics. I've read this one before, seen the movie (hilarious) and read the book based on the movie, read Lady Vernon and Her Daughter too.

The introduction says Jane was playing with satire in this period. She also wrote Sir Charles Grandison and read Pamela but really enjoyed An Apology for the Life of Mrs. Shamela Andrews. I think Lady Susan is her version of Shamela.

At first the story seems like your typical romantic novel but in Chapter 10 Lady Susan's claws come out and she shows her true colors. What an awful mother!

(FYI to the screenwriters of Sanditon: The editors interprets Edward Denham as a typical Austen buffoon who has read too many romantic novels!)

That’s exactly who Sir Edward is! Definitely not smart enough to do all the sneaky things he does in the miniseries.

I think it´s quite refreshing to have a main character who is a villain. I would like to emphasise that in the novella all the cunning characters are women (Lady Susan and Catherine Vernon particularly). Men are very easily manipulated

Lady Susan is such an awful mother and so maniupative. Poor Frederica! I wonder if there's a reliable narrator in this story at all? Lady Vernon is determined to hate her sister-in-law, Reginald likes her a lot, Lady Susan spins her own story and Alicia is on Lady Susan's side. The DeCourcy's don't like Lady Susan either.

This is a sophisicated and clever novella for a young writer. It shows Jane's talent for comic genius and creating memorable characters.

QNPoohBear wrote: "Lady Susan is such an awful mother and so maniupative. Poor Frederica! I wonder if there's a reliable narrator in this story at all? Lady Vernon is determined to hate her sister-in-law, Reginald li..."
Yes, what a terrible mother! And no father to protect her. There seems to be a theme in Austen's work - overbearing/neglectful mothers and weak/absent fathers.

Makes you wonder what Jane Austen's relationship to her own parents may have been like??

Antigony wrote: "Yes, what a terrible mother! And no father to protect her. There seems to be a theme in Austen's work - overbearing/neglectful mothers and weak/absent fathers.

Makes you wonder what Jane Austen's relationship to her own parents may have been like??


She was close with her father. He let his children, even the two girls, read whatever books they wanted from his library. He encouraged Jane's writing and tried to get the first draft of what became P&P published. It sounds like Jane's relationship with her mother was a little more complicated. NOTHING like Lady Susan and Frederica- at least not that the family wants us to know about anyway.

I think this novella is Austen playing with the popular genre of satricial romantic novels like An Apology for the Life of Mrs. Shamela Andrews. We know she liked comedy more than gothic.

QNPoohBear wrote: "Antigony wrote: "Yes, what a terrible mother! And no father to protect her. There seems to be a theme in Austen's work - overbearing/neglectful mothers and weak/absent fathers.

Makes you wonder wh..."

Interesting, thank you.