Lady Susan

By Jane Austen

An epistolary novel, Lady Susan is an early work by Austen that was posthumously published in 1871. The short novel focuses on the self-serving eponymous anti-heroine, as she cunningly maneuvers her way through society in search of a wealthy husband for both her daughter and herself. Disregarding anything but her own selfish goals, Susa

• Language: English
• Publisher: iBoo Press House
• Release date: Jan 11, 2018
• ISBN: 9781641810326

Jane Austen

Jane Austen (1775–1817) was an English novelist whose work centred on social commentary and realism. Her works of romantic fiction are set among the landed gentry, and she is one of the most widely read writers in English literature.

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Section 1

I-VII

I-VII

Letter I

LADY SUSAN VERNON TO MR. VERNON

Langford, Dec.

MY DEAR BROTHER,—I can no longer refuse myself the pleasure of profiting by your kind invitation when we last parted of spending some weeks with you at Churchhill, and, therefore, if quite convenient to you and Mrs. Vernon to receive me at present, I shall hope within a few days to be introduced to a sister whom I have so long desired to be acquainted with. My kind friends here are most affectionately urgent with me to prolong my stay, but their hospitable and cheerful dispositions lead them too much into society for my present situation and state of mind; and I impatiently look forward to the hour when I shall be admitted into your delightful retirement.

I long to be made known to your dear little children, in whose hearts I shall be very eager to secure an interest I shall soon have need for all my fortitude, as I am on the point of separation from my own daughter. The long illness of her dear father prevented my paying her that attention which duty and affection equally dictated, and I have too much reason to fear that the governess to whose care I consigned her was unequal to the charge. I have therefore resolved on placing her at one of the best private schools in town, where I shall have an opportunity of leaving her myself in my way to you. I am determined, you see, not to be denied admittance at Churchhill. It would indeed give me most painful sensations to know that it were not in your power to receive me.

Your most obliged and affectionate sister,

Letter  II

LADY SUSAN VERNON TO MRS. JOH SON

Langford.

You were mistaken, my dear Alicia, in supposing me fixed at this place for the rest of the winter: it grieves me to say how greatly you were mistaken, for I have seldom spent three months more agreeably than those which have just flown away. At present, nothing goes smoothly; the females of the family are united against me. You foretold how it would be when I first came to Langford, and Mainwaring is so uncommonly pleasing that I was not without apprehensions for myself. I remember saying to myself, as I drove to the house, I like this man, pray Heaven no harm come of it! But I was determined to be discreet, to bear in mind my being only four months a widow, and to be as quiet as possible: and I have been so, my dear creature; I have admitted no one’s attentions but Mainwaring’s. I have avoided all general flirtation whatever; I have distinguished no creature besides, of all the numbers resorting hither, except Sir James Martin, on whom I bestowed a little notice, in order to detach him from Miss Mainwaring; but, if the world could know my motive THERE they would honour me. I have been called an unkind mother, but it was the sacred impulse of maternal affection, it was the advantage of my daughter that led me on; and if that daughter were not the greatest simpleton on earth, I might have been rewarded for my exertions as I ought.

Sir James did make proposals to me for Frederica; but Frederica, who was born to be the torment of my life, chose to set herself so violently against the match that I thought it better to lay aside the scheme for the present. I have more than once repented that I did not marry him myself; and were he but one degree less contemptibly weak I certainly should: but I must own myself rather romantic in that respect, and that riches only will not satisfy me. The event of all this is very provoking: Sir James is gone, Maria highly incensed, and Mrs. Mainwaring insupportably jealous; so jealous, in short, and so enraged against me, that, in the fury of her temper, I should not be surprized at her appealing to her guardian, if she had the liberty of addressing him: but there your husband stands my friend; and the kindest, most amiable action of his life was his throwing her off for ever on her marriage. Keep up his resentment, therefore, I charge you. We are now in a sad state; no house was ever more altered; the whole party are at war, and Mainwaring scarcely dares speak to me. It is time for me to be gone; I have therefore determined on leaving them, and shall spend, I hope, a comfortable day with you in town within this week. If I am as little in favour with Mr. Johnson as ever, you must come to me at 10 Wigmore street; but I hope this may not be the case, for as Mr. Johnson, with all his faults, is a man to whom that great word respectable is always given, and I am known to be so intimate with his wife, his slighting me has an awkward look.

I take London in my way to that insupportable spot, a country village; for I am really going to Churchhill. Forgive me, my dear friend, it is my last resource. Were there another place in England open to me I would prefer it. Charles Vernon is my aversion; and I am afraid of his wife. At Churchhill, however, I must remain till I have something better in view. My young lady accompanies me to town, where I shall deposit her under the care of Miss Summers, in Wigmore street, till she becomes a little more reasonable. She will made good connections there, as the girls are all of the best families. The price is immense, and much beyond what I can ever attempt to pay.

Adieu, I will send you a line as soon as I arrive in town.

Yours ever,

Letter  III

MRS. VERNON TO LADY DE COURCY

Churchhill.

My dear Mother,—I am very sorry to tell you that it will not be in our power to keep our promise of spending our Christmas with you; and we are prevented that happiness by a circumstance which is not likely to make us any amends. Lady Susan, in a letter to her brother-in-law, has declared her intention of visiting us almost immediately; and as such a visit is in all probability merely an affair of convenience, it is impossible to conjecture its length. I was by no means prepared for such an event, nor can I now account for her ladyship’s conduct; Langford appeared so exactly the place for her in every respect, as well from the elegant and expensive style of living there, as from her particular attachment to Mr. Mainwaring, that I was very far from expecting so speedy a distinction, though I always imagined from her increasing friendship for us since her husband’s death that we should, at some future period, be obliged to receive

Reviews for Lady Susan

[petroglyph_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Not Austen’s usual fare, this short, posthumously published novella features Lady Susan Vernon, a narcissist attempting to rule her social circle through deceit, manipulation and emotional blackmail. As her fortunes change and people grow wise to her character, her goals shift back and forth between making her puppets dance for her, marrying herself off favourably, preventing her daughter from marrying favourably, and spitefully marrying off her daughter unfavourably. All that matters to Lady Susan are her self-importance and swift and excessive punishment for any resistance. I understand why this was never published during Austen’s lifetime: it is clearly unfinished. The ending is undoubtedly rushed, breaking with the epistolary form of the rest of the novel, and the whole thing is more straightforward than her other works. Still, even minor Austen is fun to read. What I especially liked was the spot-on description of the narcissist at the centre: acutely observed and very accurate.

[wanderlustlover_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was fun and it reminds me that at times we try to box Jane Austen in too much. This book is so much about poking fun at the system. About turning things on their side and seeing if it changes how we view them. I found this a fast, and surprisingly funny, read.

[pussreboots · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Lady Susan by Jane Austen is an epistolary novella about an eighteenth century cougar, Lady Susan Vernon. While she is trying to marry her daughter off to the first man who will taker her, she is also looking for a second marriage for herself — to a man of means.Lady Susan as a character reminds me most of Marcel Proust's Odette before she is wed to Charles Swann. Although Austen's book is significantly shorter than Proust's multivolume roman a clef, I found it a less compelling read.As other reviewers have noted, Lady Susan is social commentary without the humor or romance of her later books. That's part of the problem with the book. Reading it as a series of letters, a la Pierre Choderlos de Laclos's Les Liaisons Dangereuses, leaves little chance to see the characters interact. It is through putting dissimilar characters together that Austen creates her most memorable scenes.

[nx74defiant · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In Lady Susan, Jane Austen has created a woman who is quite a piece of work.

[hobbitprincess · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A short novel about someone who is not what you'd think the typical Austen character would be. The word "cougar" comes to mind.

[josephcamilleri-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Although not vintage Austen, this early epistolary novella does not outstay its welcome, enlivened as it is by the author's characteristically incisive wit. Les Liaisons Dangereuses for lovers of tea and crumpets...

[aulsmith · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

While this should not be anyone's first Austen, it is another look at Austen's world, full of entertaining characters and the usual Regency romance problems. However, the best recommendation for reading it is that it clearly illustrates the strengths and weaknesses of the epistolary form. I found Lady Susan far more interesting than Austen's other villianesses largely because her letters gave me an insight into her own view of herself. However, Austen was at a lose of how to end the novel using letters and abandoned them, writing a summary conclusion instead.

[sararomancelove · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Lady Susan is not your typical Jane Austen’s character, she is actually quite despicable, an anti-heroine, who lies and schemes.
I didn’t expect this, as usually Jane Austen’s protagonists are good and honest, but I have to say it made this short story interesting.
However the book has its happy ending… at least for some of the characters.

[fuzzi_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An amusing short work composed of letters written by family members and friends, illuminating the machinations of determined gentry of Austen's era.

[ctpress_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I read this mainly as a preparation for the new adaptation of the novel. Jane Austen’s short epistolary novel is an example of her early writings - for whatever reason she didn’t try to get it published and it also seems a little unfinished.Surprisingly it features an absolutely unscrupolous woman as the main character. Manipulation, flirting and scheming - she tries everything to ensnare first a married man and then a much younger man but there’s no real feelings of love or affection here. There’s no one to root for here - well, yes, Lady Susan’s daughter, but we really doesn’t get to know her that well.The novel does show a great novelist in the making - and Jane Austen’s talent for ironi and humour.

[cdiemert-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Beautiful, flirtatious, and recently widowed, Lady Susan Vernon seeks an advantageous second marriage for herself, while attempting to push her daughter into a dismal match. A magnificently crafted novel of Regency manners and mores that will delight Austen enthusiasts with its wit and elegant expression.

[sloopjonb · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was recommended to me as an easy entree into the work of Jane Austen; it was written when she was only 19, I gather. I found that hard to credit as I read it; an epistolary novel, the characters gradually emerge from their correspondence, and much of the sly humour springs from the difference in how the various characters interpret things, and their true opinions as opposed to the ones they give out, and how Lady Susan believes she is, and how others see her. It is catty, worldly, and rollicking good fun ... and then all of a sudden it ends, with an authorial Conclusion, as if the young Jane had got fed up of it, and finished it off in a hurry, and you realise that yes, she was only 19 after all.

It did its job, though: I am now much tempted to investigate her mature work, which I never was before. I should have given it four stars, but for the hasty wrap-up (I wanted to see something of Frederica's true character).

[katiekrug · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved this short epistolary novella detailing the selfish and devious nature of the titular character. What an incisive sketch of a horrible woman! Besides providing an hour or so’s entertainment, it has inspired me to seek out the other minor works of Austen.

[sushicat-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a nice quick read. Written as a series of letters between Lady Susan, a recently widowed femme fatale, and her friend who shares her manipulative ways, and various in laws worried about the recently widowed woman's influence on her sister in law's brother. A nicely done portrait of a despicable woman.

[hellen0-4 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The book was ok and I liked how all characters were represented in the letters, which allows readers to see what is going on from all perspectives.

[esquetee_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Lady Susan is either the first or the last of Jane Austen's books to read. For someone new to Austen, it might be a good introduction since it is short and has a very spicy character in the form of Lady Susan herself. On the other hand, the epistolary format might throw off some readers and it was a little tricky at first, keeping track of who was writing to whom since the letters are coming from several different characters.If you would like to read Jane Austen's works in chronological order, I recommend beginning with Lady Susan.

[birdo82 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Unlike any other Jane Austen book you have ever read, the title character is unlike any other Jane Austen protagonist you have ever encountered...or is she the antagonist?

[jasmyn9 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A wonderful tale told through letters between friends and family. Lady Susan is hunting for a new husband by tricking the eligible (and non-eligible) men into thinking she is the perfect woman. The ending is a bit abrupt as the letters no longer need to be written. However, the story kept me happily occupied for a night.

[books_ofa_feather · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Jane Austen's ability to write about a character so indifferent to the feelings of those around her is quite remarkable. While making a character so cruel, she also made me utterly despise Lady Susan and she ended the book on a relatively happy note. Lady Susan was great read!

[barbora8m · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Beautiful language. I love Austen and epistolary novels. A really good one.

[wildeaboutoscar · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Liked the letter based format but otherwise it bored me.

[cbl_tn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Having read all of Austen's major novels, most more than once, I thought it was time to get acquainted with some of her shorter works. Since I was going to be in the car for a couple of hours today, I seized the opportunity to listen to the unabridged Naxos Audiobooks recording of Lady Susan while I was on the road. It was the perfect introduction to this epistolary novella. The Naxos recording uses different actors and actresses for each letter writer, so it was easy to keep track of the author of the current letter when the letters were lengthy.Austen created charming and sympathetic young women in many of her novels, but she also had a gift for creating scheming women like Mary Crawford and Lucy Steele. Lady Susan is every bit as entertaining as any of Austen's schemers.I'll read the book at some point in the future, but I'm glad I experienced it first through the Naxos audio version. Highly recommended!

[anietzerck · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This one was a little harder for me to follow. I think it was the format that threw me off. Overall though, I still liked it.

[booksovertv · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I'm extremely happy to have read this little book of letters, great concept. As I was reading, Lady Susan reminded me of a movie I'd watched called Lillie played by Francesca Annis made in 1978. I would recommend this book to lovers of Jane Austen, Georgette Heyer and Historical/Regency Fiction.

[sprainedbrain · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Such a witty, sarcastic, fun epistolary, starring some of the bitchiest, deliciously nasty lady villains I've read in a while. Lady Susan and Mrs. Johnson are some seriously devious, shallow chicks. Jane Austen wrote this when she was 18, and I wish she had turned it in to a whole novel.

[sweetiegherkin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What's not to enjoy about Jane Austen? In this short epistolary novel, Jane's wit shines as ever in her ironic views of the world and her vivid characterizations. A must for any Austen fan.

[eachurch-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Jane Austen wrote this when she was twenty, and it is easy to see the makings of a fine novelist. The characters lack the complexity of her later novels, and the ending is a bit abrupt, but it was fun to read.

[philsyphe · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

What I like best about “Lady Susan” is the eloquent language. I don’t normally favour epistolary fiction, but it’s the language that makes this short piece work well for me.The plot is vague, and characterisation is limited, yet the author keeps it interesting despite these restrictions.

[missizicks · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

For such a short novel, Austen packed a lot in. I enjoyed the epistolary style, the to-ing and fro-ing of gossip and scheming, the outrage at other people's behaviour. I found the lack of descriptions of houses, balls, soldiers and country mansions refreshing, and appreciated the definition of the characters through other people's perceptions of them rather than a straight narrative description. Perhaps because the titular character is in her mid 30s, the book seemed more mature than the other Austen books I've read. Lady Susan is a horror but she's also very winning. I think I would have enjoyed her company. She's like my other favourite Austen characters, Lizzie Bennett and Emma Woodhouse - feisty and impetuous, but with the added naughtiness of being a marriage wrecker and arch manipulator. I should disparage her, but she's too much fun!

[jamesfallen · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very well written. A series of letters between various characters making an enticing story.