Starting July 5th, Wattpad is hosting a reading program, where everyone is invited to read something old (a classic story) and something new (a modern retelling). This summer, we're starting with Jane Austen's Persuasion, then following up with a contemporary version: Persuaded by Jenni James - both available to read for FREE on Wattpad! Read with us, talk with fellow book lovers, and join in all the fun!
July 2011: Persuasion by Jane Austen
"Anne fell deeply in love with handsome young naval officer Frederick Wentworth at the age of nineteen. But with neither fortune nor rank to recommend him, Anne's family were against the match and persuaded her to break off the engagement. Eight years later, Anne has lived to regret her decision. She never stopped loving Frederick and when he returns from sea having made his fortune and reputation, she can only watch as every eligible young woman in the district falls at his feet. Can Frederick forgive Anne for listening to her family instead of her heart?"
August 2011: Persuaded by Jenni James
"What if the one guy you loved--more than anyone--happened to be the same guy you flung aside and broke the heart of three years ago? And what if he happened to waltz back into your life again and be hotter than ever and worth millions? And what if every gorgeous girl who saw him fell madly in love with him? Would he take you back - or would he fling you aside like you deserved?"
Book Club For July 5th: Chapters 1-6 of "Persuasion" by Jane Austen While we’ve read several Jane Austen books before, Persuasion stands out to us because it’s about a person’s ability to influence your opinions regardless of your own instincts and learning to be comfortable with your own inclinations and intuitions.
Raychel Beck (RB): I related to Anne, the protagonist, because while Anne was head over heels in love with Captain Wentworth, she allowed her father and Lady Russell (her godmother) to persuade her to break off her engagement with him and instantly regretted it. I’ve definitely made decisions I regret (even silly things like choosing a jelly donut over a chocolate one).
Nina Lassam (NL): Isn't that so annoying? Being jealous of what other people ordered at restaurants? I think it's especially hard when your family is involved because you want to make them happy too.
Pamela Odina (PO): Seven years later and Anne is still single. Can you imagine breaking up with your fiancee and living with that regret for seven whole years? I definitely can’t. It must have been heartbreaking.
NL: My favorite part about the first six chapters is getting to see Anne’s relationship with all her family members. She seems to be the only level headed one in her family, especially when it comes to the family budget.
RB: I have so many siblings -
PO: me too! I've got 5 siblings and my mom has 10 brothers and sisters. There are almost 40 cousins all together.
RB: really! wow, that is a lot. As the only girl, I often feel like the only one who can keep on top of things. But we all bring our own things to the table in our own ways.
NL: I'm really excited to read the next installment. We made a picnic and went to the park to read and eat lunch, which I think we should do again this week for chapters 7-13.