Anyway, since I'm obviously not the first one to write a modern version of Persuasion, I wanted to read some of the others that are out there already. There aren't many (luckily), and I could only get my hands on two. I found them both VERY different, and my version very different also. Phew. (Although I did have to rethink a couple of character names.)
They were both good books. The Family Fortune seemed more adult to me, probably because the MC was in her late 30s, whereas the MC in Persuading Annie was 27 (which is the age of Anne Elliot from the original). I found myself a little disappointed with the end in The Family Fortune- I knew what was coming and everything but I found it wasn't enough. I'm a sucker for romance and I needed more of that. I needed something bigger. I liked Persuading Annie better, mostly because I found myself giggling through a lot of the book. Melissa Nathan is a British author and there's just something about British humor that totally gets me. Like this:
"Annie's hand flexed into karate chop position. I could kill him from here and be out before the adverts."
And I love this line:
"When the door opened and Jake stood in front of her, her mind, which Angus had left numb, was now blown."
They were both good books, and I'm left with the hope that I can spin Persuasion my way just as well as both those authors did. I hope I can fill out my world and characters like they did with theirs. If I've done that, then I have nothing to complain about.
Persuading Annie sounds great, I love those quotes, I'll have to check that one out. Good luck with your version!
ReplyDeleteHi Melanie, I'm Lacy :) We're both on the Writer's Campaign. I just wanted to say hi and introduce myself. I read "The Family Fortune" a few years ago. Although, I remember nothing about it except I remember the MC being in charge of a literary group...something like that. I could be completely off. It's been years! Anyway, how far along are you on your book?
ReplyDeletewww.lacycameywrites.com
The MC was in charge of a literary magazine- so you're close!
ReplyDeleteI'm 30,000 words in.
Persuading Annie was really good.
I haven't read either of those. Love the original though. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm going to admit something and I can already hear the virtual gasps...I haven't read Jane Austen. *GASP* I have a few of her books and I think I've watched all the movies made from her books but my TBR pile is so big! I get so excited about all the new books coming out the old ones keep getting dog-piled on. :(
ReplyDeleteBut this is good news for you! Lol! When your book comes out it'll be all shiny and new. ;)
Thanks for stopping by my blog. Puss in Boots is one of my FAV cartoon characters, he's so flippin cute! And thank God you like The Climb too! Lol!