Review: The Beautifull Cassandra by Jane Austen

The Beautifull Cassandra [sic] is a small volume of short stories that were written by Jane Austen when she was in her teens for the amusement of her family, ones that were later discovered after her death and published because well, readers never seem to be able to get enough of Jane Austen. These stories were republished last year as part of the Penguin Little Black Classics series and for me, provided an entertaining distraction on an otherwise boring evening. Though a little bit childish in places, the stories are written in the authors trademark style, with a lot of social commentary in there and a genuine disdain for the boorish upper middle classes. Despite its silliness (and the fact that the twelve chapters are rather short,) I loved the title story The Beautifull Cassandra, which tells the story of a wicked young woman who spends the afternoon doing well, wicked things ...

A treat for Austen fans that should be taken lovingly and not at all seriously. Recommended.

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