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Vintage Jane Austen #4
Perception
Upstate New York, 1930. Thirteen years ago, Abbey Evans was persuaded to break off her engagement to a penniless soldier headed to the front lines of the Great War. A daughter of one of America’s wealthiest families could never be allowed to marry so far beneath herself. But Black Tuesday changed everything. With her family's prominence now little more than a facade, Abbey faces the loss of her childhood home. As if that weren’t enough, the only man she ever loved has returned after making his fortune – and he wants nothing to do with the young woman he courted before the war. With the past forever out of reach, the time has come for Abbey decide her own fate, before it is too late…
365 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2017
About the author
Emily Ann Benedict
5 books71 followersEmily Ann Benedict specializes in mystery and comedic novels with a healthy dose of Hope mixed in. Sharing the power of reading, the art of writing, and the love of God with all generations is her passion. When she is not writing, you’ll probably find her near a Starbucks somewhere in California with a Dalmatian by her side and a Kindle in hand.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
March 31, 2018
Another excellent addition to the Vintage Jane Austen series! I’ve quite enjoyed reading each of these standalone retellings by different authors—all so different, yet similar too, and delightful one and all thus far! :)
This one is a sweet retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, except it’s set in 1930s America during the Great Depression.
Perception is a lovely tale, in its own right, and also as a retelling. I so enjoyed all the parallels to Persuasion—which is one of my favorite of Austen’s novels—and also the twists and how it fit into a new era. It was fascinating how well this story translated to the ’30s, featuring Captain Wentworth’s character (Freddy, in this one) as a post-WWI soldier, and Anne Elliot (Abbey, in this) as part of a once-rich family which has to rent out their home due to financial troubles of the Great Depression. It all fit SO. WELL. I loved that. :)
I loved the characters! Abbey was a relatable heroine (quite liked her!) and Freddy was fabulous and unexpectedly fun sometimes. XD I quite liked some of the other characters too, like Freddy’s sister and her husband, and Sam. Many fun characters! I was impressed with how well-drawn the characters were, how some of them who in the original version I disliked, Miss Benedict’s writing managed to turn into characters that I either liked, or at least understood more and saw their side of things. Excellent character building!
The settings—both geographical and time-related—were quite well done too! It was interesting visiting Boston and Cape Cod and other places filling in for the old locations in Persuasion, and the 1930s feel felt very real—and I liked the old cars and such as a great touch. :)
Mostly, the plot and characters line up very well with the story it is retelling, but there were also a few surprising additions and twists which were super interesting! Like Abbey’s unexpected business venture, and other developments and surprises which were neat, and which I will not spoil. ;)
I also loved the Jane Watson cameo (so fun finding them in each of the books!!), and the few dashes of excitement and a snatch or two of unexpected peril, as well as the humorous bits of dialog from time to time. It was also kind of beautiful at times. ^_^
This author’s writing is lovely! It has a sort of quality to it that I can’t quite pinpoint, but was perfect for this story. I’m looking forward to trying more of her work. :)
Overall, this is a quite fun retelling of Persuasion, and a lovely clean romance of almost-lost-love, with a few surprises and even a dash of murder-mystery lurking in the background, all set in a well-drawn ’30s atmosphere, and skillfully penned. I quite enjoyed myself reading this, and definitely recommend! ^_^
[I received a free advance reader copy of this book from the author (thank you!); these opinions are entirely my own.]
Favorite Quotes
(Review originally posted here: https://thepagedreamer.wordpress.com/...)
This one is a sweet retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, except it’s set in 1930s America during the Great Depression.
Perception is a lovely tale, in its own right, and also as a retelling. I so enjoyed all the parallels to Persuasion—which is one of my favorite of Austen’s novels—and also the twists and how it fit into a new era. It was fascinating how well this story translated to the ’30s, featuring Captain Wentworth’s character (Freddy, in this one) as a post-WWI soldier, and Anne Elliot (Abbey, in this) as part of a once-rich family which has to rent out their home due to financial troubles of the Great Depression. It all fit SO. WELL. I loved that. :)
I loved the characters! Abbey was a relatable heroine (quite liked her!) and Freddy was fabulous and unexpectedly fun sometimes. XD I quite liked some of the other characters too, like Freddy’s sister and her husband, and Sam. Many fun characters! I was impressed with how well-drawn the characters were, how some of them who in the original version I disliked, Miss Benedict’s writing managed to turn into characters that I either liked, or at least understood more and saw their side of things. Excellent character building!
The settings—both geographical and time-related—were quite well done too! It was interesting visiting Boston and Cape Cod and other places filling in for the old locations in Persuasion, and the 1930s feel felt very real—and I liked the old cars and such as a great touch. :)
Mostly, the plot and characters line up very well with the story it is retelling, but there were also a few surprising additions and twists which were super interesting! Like Abbey’s unexpected business venture, and other developments and surprises which were neat, and which I will not spoil. ;)
I also loved the Jane Watson cameo (so fun finding them in each of the books!!), and the few dashes of excitement and a snatch or two of unexpected peril, as well as the humorous bits of dialog from time to time. It was also kind of beautiful at times. ^_^
This author’s writing is lovely! It has a sort of quality to it that I can’t quite pinpoint, but was perfect for this story. I’m looking forward to trying more of her work. :)
Overall, this is a quite fun retelling of Persuasion, and a lovely clean romance of almost-lost-love, with a few surprises and even a dash of murder-mystery lurking in the background, all set in a well-drawn ’30s atmosphere, and skillfully penned. I quite enjoyed myself reading this, and definitely recommend! ^_^
[I received a free advance reader copy of this book from the author (thank you!); these opinions are entirely my own.]
Favorite Quotes
"So am I engaged to both of them now?" Freddy asked, smiling.
"I don't think that's legal, Freddy," Bonnie replied drolly.
***
Abbey relaxed, grateful not only that someone had thought to throw a party for her, but that she had been able to escape attending.
***
Abbey could have laughed at Freddy’s appearance. He was clearly not yet sufficiently awake for this sort of conversation.
***
"You're my guardian angel, Abbey," she said as she climbed into the car.
"No, not really, Sam. I'm just a messenger."
"But that’s what angels are. That’s how God says, 'I'm here, and it's going to be all right."
***
"Tired physically, or tired of someone?"
Abbey couldn't help smiling. "Tired of many someones, to be honest."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"I want to eat pasta."
***
"I can't settle for merely liking a man when I've known what it’s like to love one."
(Review originally posted here: https://thepagedreamer.wordpress.com/...)
October 23, 2019
I haven’t read the Jane Austen novel this is based on, but I have read and greatly enjoyed a modern adaptation of it, so I was definitely looking forward to this one. (Bonus--it’s written by Emily Ann Benedict who wrote the fabulous Father Christmas books. :D )
The setting in this was very strong and quite interesting. The characters were wealthy enough not to feel the Depression too much, but there were constant reminders. It was also neat to see how World War I and the slowly brewing second world war affected everyone so much. I sometimes forget that these huge historical events were so close together, and this book made that very real.
Abbey (love the spelling) was a great character, loving, sturdy, and capable, and accurately nervous about some things without being over the top. ;) And when she made up her mind, it was for sure made up. Her delight over her business with Sam was very fun to see. I loved Freddy as well. He never seemed to fall into the “moody just because” cliche some romance guys do, and it was neat to see him slowly, tentatively thaw. Rosaline and the Mitchells were nicely complicated characters, and I loved Hudson.
The themes in this were less strong than I’m used to, but I liked seeing the story play out and the hints of God working through their circumstances were nice.
Just a note, a sideplot included . There was also one instance of someone saying God’s name either as an exclamation or in address to Him, but it was unclear.
Best quotes: Abbey relaxed, grateful not only that someone had thought to throw a party for her, but that she had been able to escape attending.
The house that had once been like a family member was now a stranger. Her heart broke, in the way a child's heart does when he realizes his imaginary friend is just that. Losing this place felt like losing her foundation.
Altogether, this was an enjoyable read!
The setting in this was very strong and quite interesting. The characters were wealthy enough not to feel the Depression too much, but there were constant reminders. It was also neat to see how World War I and the slowly brewing second world war affected everyone so much. I sometimes forget that these huge historical events were so close together, and this book made that very real.
Abbey (love the spelling) was a great character, loving, sturdy, and capable, and accurately nervous about some things without being over the top. ;) And when she made up her mind, it was for sure made up. Her delight over her business with Sam was very fun to see. I loved Freddy as well. He never seemed to fall into the “moody just because” cliche some romance guys do, and it was neat to see him slowly, tentatively thaw. Rosaline and the Mitchells were nicely complicated characters, and I loved Hudson.
The themes in this were less strong than I’m used to, but I liked seeing the story play out and the hints of God working through their circumstances were nice.
Just a note, a sideplot included . There was also one instance of someone saying God’s name either as an exclamation or in address to Him, but it was unclear.
Best quotes: Abbey relaxed, grateful not only that someone had thought to throw a party for her, but that she had been able to escape attending.
The house that had once been like a family member was now a stranger. Her heart broke, in the way a child's heart does when he realizes his imaginary friend is just that. Losing this place felt like losing her foundation.
Altogether, this was an enjoyable read!
November 6, 2017
WARNING:This review will contain spoilers!
This book! *squeals* Maybe it’s just me, but it seems that every Vintage Jane Austen book I read is even better than the last! (And that goes for the covers too. This one is just beautiful!)
I recently finished the original Persuasion, and started reading Perception about two days afterwards, so the original story was still fresh in my mind and I was able to appreciate even more the subtle details and parallels found in this clever retelling. Persuasion is probably my favourite Jane Austen (probably—I haven’t read them all yet!) and I was delighted to find the retelling so similar, yet not too similar, set in one of my favourite time periods—right between WW1 and WW2—with all the original characters changed and edited just enough to fit into their new setting and time frame, but without losing any of their original charm!
Possibly this particular story lends itself the best of all the Jane Austens to the new time period of the 1930’s. Abby is slightly old fashioned, wearing her hair in the style her mother wore it, and, being not-so-well-off now that America is entering the Great Depression, she is unable to afford new, up-to-date clothes, which kept in well with the story of Persuasion. The Evens, still doing their best to live up to the standards of society that they held before the Great Depression, are just as repulsive and annoying as in the original book, and just as unfeeling toward Abbey. And, of course, the best part was that, being in-between the two World Wars, Captain Freddie Williams was drafted for the first war shortly after Abbey was forced by her Aunt Rosaline to reject him. Now, thirteen years later, back he comes to find a wife, open to any and every girl—so long as that girl doesn’t happen to be Abbey Evens!
I also really enjoyed the way the author wrote a murder mystery into the story as well! I wasn’t sure who had done it, although I did have some idea, but the ending of the mystery was very clever and original, while still fitting in perfectly and completely naturally with the general story line.
One final thing, I simply love how the woman journalist appears in every book. When I first started this series, with Emmeline, I didn’t get the significance of her character. In fact I was quite indignant; after all, the rest of the story was so accurate to the original, why go and stick in a completely new character who wasn’t in the original book and didn’t really play that much of a role? I also couldn’t make out why she seemed to be appearing in every book in the series. But then, sometime later, it suddenly dawned on me the significance of her character. Apart from conveying a feeling of continuity and linking all the stories and characters from all the different books together (which it does quite nicely!), having a female reporter appear in every book, usually to write about the characters in that book, is actually a brilliant addition to the series! I only realized this when I realized that she was not some arbitrary character, but rather, a very very clever take on Jane Austen herself! Jane Watson is her name, and she shows up in every book as a famous journalist, writing human interest stories about the people and towns that appear in each story. Brilliantly brilliant! Whoever thought of adding her in must have had a stroke of genius!
"At last, the details finally settled, Abbey found herself coming to terms with the inevitable: the whole lot of them would go to Cape Cod. It was a dizzying prospect. Thirteen years ago she had said goodbye once and for all to the only man she had ever loved. Now she was setting out with him on a vacation, accompanied by a young woman determined above all else to become his wife."
"She had just come within earshot and stopped when she heard Lilly say, 'Miriam's all right, I guess. She can be good company, sometimes, and Charlie gets along with her most of the time. But she can also get on my nerves so much I want to toss her out on her backside.'
Freddy laughed dutifully and Lilly stifled her own giggling with a look of decent shame at her own words.
'That wasn’t very nice of me.' she said after a moment. 'I suppose it's not really Miriam's fault. She's got the Evans pride in her. Maybe there's no way to escape it if you grow up surrounded by it.'
'I imagine not,' said Freddy, and, with a pang, Abbey realized which Evans he was probably thinking of."
"Abbey relaxed, grateful not only that someone had thought to throw a party for her, but that she had been able to escape attending."
"Abbey,
I cannot sit by any longer without saying a word. I hear you talking to Hudson, saying that only women continue to love after they have lost hope of that love being returned. It is not true, Abbey. I have loved you all these years, despite everything that has happened. My pride kept me from admitting it, but each time we meet, I realize how far you rise above any other woman I have ever met. I have tried to read how you feel about me. These past few meetings have given me hope, but I cannot wait any longer. If you still love me, or could even consider loving me again, please come see me. I will be in the park just down the street.
Your devoted Freddy"
"Abbey squeezed his hand. 'There are no more regrets between us, Freddy. Life didn’t turn out the way we assumed it would when we thought we were in control. Actually, I think it’s turned out better than either of us could ever have imagined. God always knew it would.'
Freddy wrapped his hand around hers. 'I like the way you think. But this life, whatever it is, won’t be easy.'
'It doesn’t have to be easy to be beautiful.'
'Another war is coming.'
'I know, Freddy. I read your column. But we’ll survive. And I’ll follow you wherever you go.'
'Do you ever think that maybe things worked out the way they did so that we would gain the strength to face what’s ahead?'
'Maybe. Or maybe you just needed to see me with a new haircut.'
Freddy laughed hard. 'You know, Miss Evans, I do believe we’ll be quite happy together.'
'Come hell or high water, Captain Williams, we will indeed.' "
This book! *squeals* Maybe it’s just me, but it seems that every Vintage Jane Austen book I read is even better than the last! (And that goes for the covers too. This one is just beautiful!)
I recently finished the original Persuasion, and started reading Perception about two days afterwards, so the original story was still fresh in my mind and I was able to appreciate even more the subtle details and parallels found in this clever retelling. Persuasion is probably my favourite Jane Austen (probably—I haven’t read them all yet!) and I was delighted to find the retelling so similar, yet not too similar, set in one of my favourite time periods—right between WW1 and WW2—with all the original characters changed and edited just enough to fit into their new setting and time frame, but without losing any of their original charm!
Possibly this particular story lends itself the best of all the Jane Austens to the new time period of the 1930’s. Abby is slightly old fashioned, wearing her hair in the style her mother wore it, and, being not-so-well-off now that America is entering the Great Depression, she is unable to afford new, up-to-date clothes, which kept in well with the story of Persuasion. The Evens, still doing their best to live up to the standards of society that they held before the Great Depression, are just as repulsive and annoying as in the original book, and just as unfeeling toward Abbey. And, of course, the best part was that, being in-between the two World Wars, Captain Freddie Williams was drafted for the first war shortly after Abbey was forced by her Aunt Rosaline to reject him. Now, thirteen years later, back he comes to find a wife, open to any and every girl—so long as that girl doesn’t happen to be Abbey Evens!
I also really enjoyed the way the author wrote a murder mystery into the story as well! I wasn’t sure who had done it, although I did have some idea, but the ending of the mystery was very clever and original, while still fitting in perfectly and completely naturally with the general story line.
One final thing, I simply love how the woman journalist appears in every book. When I first started this series, with Emmeline, I didn’t get the significance of her character. In fact I was quite indignant; after all, the rest of the story was so accurate to the original, why go and stick in a completely new character who wasn’t in the original book and didn’t really play that much of a role? I also couldn’t make out why she seemed to be appearing in every book in the series. But then, sometime later, it suddenly dawned on me the significance of her character. Apart from conveying a feeling of continuity and linking all the stories and characters from all the different books together (which it does quite nicely!), having a female reporter appear in every book, usually to write about the characters in that book, is actually a brilliant addition to the series! I only realized this when I realized that she was not some arbitrary character, but rather, a very very clever take on Jane Austen herself! Jane Watson is her name, and she shows up in every book as a famous journalist, writing human interest stories about the people and towns that appear in each story. Brilliantly brilliant! Whoever thought of adding her in must have had a stroke of genius!
"At last, the details finally settled, Abbey found herself coming to terms with the inevitable: the whole lot of them would go to Cape Cod. It was a dizzying prospect. Thirteen years ago she had said goodbye once and for all to the only man she had ever loved. Now she was setting out with him on a vacation, accompanied by a young woman determined above all else to become his wife."
"She had just come within earshot and stopped when she heard Lilly say, 'Miriam's all right, I guess. She can be good company, sometimes, and Charlie gets along with her most of the time. But she can also get on my nerves so much I want to toss her out on her backside.'
Freddy laughed dutifully and Lilly stifled her own giggling with a look of decent shame at her own words.
'That wasn’t very nice of me.' she said after a moment. 'I suppose it's not really Miriam's fault. She's got the Evans pride in her. Maybe there's no way to escape it if you grow up surrounded by it.'
'I imagine not,' said Freddy, and, with a pang, Abbey realized which Evans he was probably thinking of."
"Abbey relaxed, grateful not only that someone had thought to throw a party for her, but that she had been able to escape attending."
"Abbey,
I cannot sit by any longer without saying a word. I hear you talking to Hudson, saying that only women continue to love after they have lost hope of that love being returned. It is not true, Abbey. I have loved you all these years, despite everything that has happened. My pride kept me from admitting it, but each time we meet, I realize how far you rise above any other woman I have ever met. I have tried to read how you feel about me. These past few meetings have given me hope, but I cannot wait any longer. If you still love me, or could even consider loving me again, please come see me. I will be in the park just down the street.
Your devoted Freddy"
"Abbey squeezed his hand. 'There are no more regrets between us, Freddy. Life didn’t turn out the way we assumed it would when we thought we were in control. Actually, I think it’s turned out better than either of us could ever have imagined. God always knew it would.'
Freddy wrapped his hand around hers. 'I like the way you think. But this life, whatever it is, won’t be easy.'
'It doesn’t have to be easy to be beautiful.'
'Another war is coming.'
'I know, Freddy. I read your column. But we’ll survive. And I’ll follow you wherever you go.'
'Do you ever think that maybe things worked out the way they did so that we would gain the strength to face what’s ahead?'
'Maybe. Or maybe you just needed to see me with a new haircut.'
Freddy laughed hard. 'You know, Miss Evans, I do believe we’ll be quite happy together.'
'Come hell or high water, Captain Williams, we will indeed.' "
February 11, 2018
Well ... I read this book in October. And ... I just can't manage to remember it! Between then has been NaNo, Christmas, the New Year ... no sane person would expect me to remember! So I'll just review what I do remember and say the rest was sucked up by pre-NaNo jitters. ;)
This was a good, solid story. Maybe a little too Persuasion for me (that sounds weird; it's just that it stuck reaaaaaally close to the original story a lot of the time), but still good.
No author, not being Jane Austen, can write a book based on a Jane Austen novel that will satisfy me without twisting the plot or characters to make it interesting - and just a simple setting change doesn't do the job in my eyes!
It would be unfair to expect any author to do so. Austen is just too good! So it's not about the author, really, and I don't mean to insult her because I can tell she's very talented.
That said, it was a strong story. I enjoyed it, and it was cool to see the Persuasion story unfold in this 1930s USA setting.
~Kellyn Roth, Reveries Reviews
This was a good, solid story. Maybe a little too Persuasion for me (that sounds weird; it's just that it stuck reaaaaaally close to the original story a lot of the time), but still good.
No author, not being Jane Austen, can write a book based on a Jane Austen novel that will satisfy me without twisting the plot or characters to make it interesting - and just a simple setting change doesn't do the job in my eyes!
It would be unfair to expect any author to do so. Austen is just too good! So it's not about the author, really, and I don't mean to insult her because I can tell she's very talented.
That said, it was a strong story. I enjoyed it, and it was cool to see the Persuasion story unfold in this 1930s USA setting.
~Kellyn Roth, Reveries Reviews
January 1, 2018
Age Appropriate For: All Ages
Best for Ages: 12 and up
To me, Persuasion has always felt like Jane Austen's most realistic novel. It really deals with resentment, misunderstandings, and feeling like everyone one else has it better than you. This retelling did the story justice.
This book followed the original story very closely, yet with the feel of the 30s. Some of the changes went so well. The use of make-up that is just becoming popular, the types of music people are listening to, and mentions of prohibition all lent wonderful details to the tapestry of this story. We also get a very good look at a family that was losing their money because of the crash.
Abby was such a dear. I love her heart and how she does what is right even when it was hard. She also loved purely. It is hard to find characters these days that love without hope of it being returned, without demanding their way, without lust filling them. Abby is an inspiration.
Adding a prologue to the story really added a lot to the story. We get a glimpse into Freddy’s and Abby's parting that helped me understand both of them even more. Besides, it was a great way of showing how World War I affected some of the people in the 1930's.
Freddy was very lovable, and I loved how Emily gave him so much depth. I love his relationship with his sister, his understanding of the coming war, and his kindness. There were a few scenes from his perspective that made the book sparkle.
This book, like the original, didn't really have a faith element. However, it was clean and moral. It left me feeling happy inside.
I highly recommend this book to those who like Jane Austen retellings, stories with satisfying endings, and historical fiction.
Best for Ages: 12 and up
To me, Persuasion has always felt like Jane Austen's most realistic novel. It really deals with resentment, misunderstandings, and feeling like everyone one else has it better than you. This retelling did the story justice.
This book followed the original story very closely, yet with the feel of the 30s. Some of the changes went so well. The use of make-up that is just becoming popular, the types of music people are listening to, and mentions of prohibition all lent wonderful details to the tapestry of this story. We also get a very good look at a family that was losing their money because of the crash.
Abby was such a dear. I love her heart and how she does what is right even when it was hard. She also loved purely. It is hard to find characters these days that love without hope of it being returned, without demanding their way, without lust filling them. Abby is an inspiration.
Adding a prologue to the story really added a lot to the story. We get a glimpse into Freddy’s and Abby's parting that helped me understand both of them even more. Besides, it was a great way of showing how World War I affected some of the people in the 1930's.
Freddy was very lovable, and I loved how Emily gave him so much depth. I love his relationship with his sister, his understanding of the coming war, and his kindness. There were a few scenes from his perspective that made the book sparkle.
This book, like the original, didn't really have a faith element. However, it was clean and moral. It left me feeling happy inside.
I highly recommend this book to those who like Jane Austen retellings, stories with satisfying endings, and historical fiction.
November 8, 2017
Previously published on Purely by Faith Reviews.
My Review:
((3.5 Stars))
The first thing I wanted to say I had really high hopes for this book, and it didn’t meet them. I really wanted to like to like this book more than I did. I really judged the book by it’s cover…. (and it’s super pretty!)
So… first, onto the stuff I didn’t like. *cringes because I hate this part*
The prologue was intriguing and pulled me in, but after a few chapters passed started… it just started to get dry. I found myself extremely bored when I was only on a few chapters after the beginning. That’s not good for me, personally. I probably would’ve put the book down sooner if it was not for the fact that I had to provide a review (I’m glad I finished it though). I was a little disappointed with Abbey and Freddy’s romance. It focused a lot on Abbey’s attraction towards him back and forth, which I suppose was the point of the story. It just seemed a teeny bit annoying and a bit too much for my taste (although at times, I found some scenes kind of cute). The romance was clean and nothing was wrong with the book. (This probably means I wouldn’t enjoy a classic Jane Austen novel, unfortunately.)
I was disappointed there was really no christian themes. Since this series is written by christian authoresses, I assumed it would have christian-related topics in it. Although it did have mentions of God having a plan for them at times, there were no Bible verses and it did not expand on this idea. This could be because she didn’t want the book to seem preachy, and pull non-christians to read cleaner stories… but me myself (maybe along with other christian readers) would appreciate something a bit deeper.
I would say half-way through the book is what made up for the dryness of the earlier scenes, and that allowed me to rate it 3.5 stars… and I don’t want to spoil the book, but there were twists I certainly did not expect at all and it certainly made me appreciate the book a little better! I also liked Abbey’s friendship with Sam and when they started their makeup business (although I really don’t have an interest in cosmetic stuff, to be honest). The whole incident with Lilly totally pulled me into the book! That was a fun side-story in the book. And I did not expect someone at the end to be the villain, along with an accomplice… :DI’m glad I ended up finishing it. 🙂
My Review:
((3.5 Stars))
The first thing I wanted to say I had really high hopes for this book, and it didn’t meet them. I really wanted to like to like this book more than I did. I really judged the book by it’s cover…. (and it’s super pretty!)
So… first, onto the stuff I didn’t like. *cringes because I hate this part*
The prologue was intriguing and pulled me in, but after a few chapters passed started… it just started to get dry. I found myself extremely bored when I was only on a few chapters after the beginning. That’s not good for me, personally. I probably would’ve put the book down sooner if it was not for the fact that I had to provide a review (I’m glad I finished it though). I was a little disappointed with Abbey and Freddy’s romance. It focused a lot on Abbey’s attraction towards him back and forth, which I suppose was the point of the story. It just seemed a teeny bit annoying and a bit too much for my taste (although at times, I found some scenes kind of cute). The romance was clean and nothing was wrong with the book. (This probably means I wouldn’t enjoy a classic Jane Austen novel, unfortunately.)
I was disappointed there was really no christian themes. Since this series is written by christian authoresses, I assumed it would have christian-related topics in it. Although it did have mentions of God having a plan for them at times, there were no Bible verses and it did not expand on this idea. This could be because she didn’t want the book to seem preachy, and pull non-christians to read cleaner stories… but me myself (maybe along with other christian readers) would appreciate something a bit deeper.
I would say half-way through the book is what made up for the dryness of the earlier scenes, and that allowed me to rate it 3.5 stars… and I don’t want to spoil the book, but there were twists I certainly did not expect at all and it certainly made me appreciate the book a little better! I also liked Abbey’s friendship with Sam and when they started their makeup business (although I really don’t have an interest in cosmetic stuff, to be honest). The whole incident with Lilly totally pulled me into the book! That was a fun side-story in the book. And I did not expect someone at the end to be the villain, along with an accomplice… :DI’m glad I ended up finishing it. 🙂
October 28, 2017
4.5 stars Review to come :)
October 30, 2017
3 ½ stars.
Honestly, I wanted to like this book more than I did. I love Persuasion, so I was very excited to read a retelling of it. But to me, it felt like just like Persuasion all over again. The names were different, and the places, but it was still the exact same story. I never really felt like I was in the 1930’s.
If you are less familiar with Persuasion, Perception is probably an awesome book for you. This author has very good writing style, and she portrayed the characters extremely well. It was just too close to the original for me.
Honestly, I wanted to like this book more than I did. I love Persuasion, so I was very excited to read a retelling of it. But to me, it felt like just like Persuasion all over again. The names were different, and the places, but it was still the exact same story. I never really felt like I was in the 1930’s.
If you are less familiar with Persuasion, Perception is probably an awesome book for you. This author has very good writing style, and she portrayed the characters extremely well. It was just too close to the original for me.
October 21, 2017
I have read Jane Austen’s Persuasion and found it to be a harder read than some of her others. I was interested in the vintage retelling for various reasons: 1) This is my first time to read Benedict, 2) The story is interesting, and I would have liked to see it creatively retold.
It was very neat how the timeline worked out for Freddy to be part of the Great War and rise in political power. I really enjoyed that part of the story. I also liked the portions when Abbey was with her sister, Miriam, and her in-laws’ family. The characters were all individual and nicely developed.
All in all, I didn’t find this to be original enough. Many of the conversations are very similar to what is in Austen’s book and the storyline is identical. There is one character whose story is vastly different than Austen’s, but overall, I felt like I was just reading Persuasion with different names and places. I really wanted to like this retelling, but it just wasn’t fresh enough for me (and I’m not trying to be harsh, I realize that I have high expectations on a retelling).
I was a little disappointed in the spiritual content. God is mentioned, God having a plan all along is mentioned, but that is the general gist of the spiritual content. Given the group publishing this series, I hoped that maybe a stronger Christian theme would be presented. Again, I fully understand this is based off of my expectations.
Being that the whole book is about thwarted love from thirteen years before, this sets the pace for a romance book. I do think that Benedict handled it very well and kept things clean.
So, if you like a clean, light, and enjoyable read, this might be the perfect book for you.
*I received this book from the author and happily provided my honest review*
It was very neat how the timeline worked out for Freddy to be part of the Great War and rise in political power. I really enjoyed that part of the story. I also liked the portions when Abbey was with her sister, Miriam, and her in-laws’ family. The characters were all individual and nicely developed.
All in all, I didn’t find this to be original enough. Many of the conversations are very similar to what is in Austen’s book and the storyline is identical. There is one character whose story is vastly different than Austen’s, but overall, I felt like I was just reading Persuasion with different names and places. I really wanted to like this retelling, but it just wasn’t fresh enough for me (and I’m not trying to be harsh, I realize that I have high expectations on a retelling).
I was a little disappointed in the spiritual content. God is mentioned, God having a plan all along is mentioned, but that is the general gist of the spiritual content. Given the group publishing this series, I hoped that maybe a stronger Christian theme would be presented. Again, I fully understand this is based off of my expectations.
Being that the whole book is about thwarted love from thirteen years before, this sets the pace for a romance book. I do think that Benedict handled it very well and kept things clean.
So, if you like a clean, light, and enjoyable read, this might be the perfect book for you.
*I received this book from the author and happily provided my honest review*
May 12, 2022
I loved this book so much! Went through it in just a few days (which is unusual for me!). I'd say that this is my very favorite Jane Austen book--and therefore, favorite retelling of the series so far, too, but I really loved Emmeline as well...so we'll see! In all, there wasn't really anything I didn't like, although I did miss having a "faith" aspect to the story (but I can't complain too much because that wasn't in the original either).
May 6, 2019
I was amazed at how well the author did with adapting the original setting of Persuasion to 1930s America--young girls chatting about movies, music, and makeup, old-money families feeling the pinch of economy, and the backdrop of the Great War to provide an abundance of prior heartache--not to mention soldiers. :) The period flavor was beautifully done, and I loved how all the details of the time were woven into the story. There were a couple of conversations toward the end that felt a bit too modern at times, but they were definitely the exception.
This book leaned more toward the straight-retelling side of the scale, but I was impressed at the balance of details that stayed the same with details that were changed. And because of the little tweaks here and there, it never felt like the author kept a detail the same because she felt she needed to; everything came across as very deliberate and carefully woven. There was one unique bit that shocked me a little--not as much for what it happened as for what happened when it was found out--but the rest of the story was really sweet and wonderful. Of course, it's Persuasion, so that's sort of expected, but still, all these characters were just as charming and sweet (or silly, or confusing, or frustrating...) as their counterparts in the original. Very nicely done!
Content--a few uses of "Lord" or "God" in exclamations; one use of "devil"; mentions of war conditions, wounds, and deaths (not graphic); dangerous accidents; mentions of murder;
This book leaned more toward the straight-retelling side of the scale, but I was impressed at the balance of details that stayed the same with details that were changed. And because of the little tweaks here and there, it never felt like the author kept a detail the same because she felt she needed to; everything came across as very deliberate and carefully woven. There was one unique bit that shocked me a little--not as much for what it happened as for what happened when it was found out--but the rest of the story was really sweet and wonderful. Of course, it's Persuasion, so that's sort of expected, but still, all these characters were just as charming and sweet (or silly, or confusing, or frustrating...) as their counterparts in the original. Very nicely done!
Content--a few uses of "Lord" or "God" in exclamations; one use of "devil"; mentions of war conditions, wounds, and deaths (not graphic); dangerous accidents; mentions of murder;
September 9, 2017
Just as satisfyingly lovely as the original Persuasion. It pretty much closely followed the story we know and love, with a good twist here and there. Nothing felt forced, though; virtually every significant aspect of the story fit naturally into 1930 Massachusetts. I loved Abbey and Freddy (Anne and Captain Wentworth). All the major characters were unique individuals, fun to read about. The increased role of Abbey's long lost school friend (Mrs. Smith in the original) was a touch I really applaud.
Not only was Perception delightful, it was interesting. The historical details worked into the plot unobtrusively, whether it was in everyday life or in conversation about what was happening on the wider world stage. It captured the feel of the 1930s and what people were concerned about.
Benedict's writing style is balanced and smooth, with a focus on character, dialogue, and action but without neglecting milieu and description. It's really enjoyable to read. One of my favorite quotes is "Don't let the past keep you from having a future."
If you love Persuasion, I think you'll love Perception.
Not only was Perception delightful, it was interesting. The historical details worked into the plot unobtrusively, whether it was in everyday life or in conversation about what was happening on the wider world stage. It captured the feel of the 1930s and what people were concerned about.
Benedict's writing style is balanced and smooth, with a focus on character, dialogue, and action but without neglecting milieu and description. It's really enjoyable to read. One of my favorite quotes is "Don't let the past keep you from having a future."
If you love Persuasion, I think you'll love Perception.
November 8, 2017
This adaptation follows the beloved tale very closely. While I've not read Persuasion for a few years, it's my favorite of Jane Austen's classics, and so I appreciated that Ms. Benedict didn't take too many liberties with an already-perfect :-) plot.
Find the rest of my review here: https://wp.me/p7oM3X-bA
Find the rest of my review here: https://wp.me/p7oM3X-bA
September 30, 2017
Rating: 3.5 stars
Age Suggestion: 10+
I love the idea of retelling Jane Austen stories in more modern time periods, and I recently reread Persuasion itself and remembered how much I loved it, so I was really excited to read this.
I think the fact I had read Persuasion so recently was both a good thing and a bad thing. Part of me enjoyed having the story so fresh in my mind, but the other part of me really wished the retelling had been less straightforward and a little more creative. Because it is an exact retelling, with exactly parallel characters and every exact plot point pulled into the 1930s setting. I was expecting or would have preferred to have an inspired, but not so exactly retold, story, because in this case I always knew what was going to happen next and so throughout the middle I got a little bit bored. Plus, I do think that Jane Austen’s very episodic structure (a lot of barely connected incidents happening throughout the middle of the story and eventually building to a conclusion) doesn’t work quite as well for a modern novel. But that’s just a personal preference. And it was probably my fault for having read the original novel so recently.
The characters were interpreted quite well, and the author didn’t use the direct retelling as an excuse to get lazy (for the most part - Veronica’s place in the story felt a little underdeveloped). I loved Sam’s added significance - she seemed like a much stronger character in this retelling than in the original novel, from what I remember, although I’ve always liked her. I’ve always liked Charlie’s counterpart in the original book, too, for some reason, and Perception highlighted those likeable characteristics. I also especially thought Robert and Bonnie were translated into the 1930s setting very well and liked reading about them.
I would have liked to see more exploration of some of the themes Austen hints at in the original story. But not all books have to be deep, and this one succeeded at being a light, comfortable story that brought me stress relief and a little bit of joy. Even if it’s not the deepest book in the world, the writing is good (unlike so many “light” novels) and I was able to finish it in a few days.
Content-wise, there is romance, of course, but it’s totally clean. One of the subplots involves a bit of violence, which isn’t graphic, glorified, or overly focused on at all. I would recommend it for ages 10 and up (although I would recommend reading Persuasion itself first, so that might move the age range up a few years).
Overall, while it wasn’t quite the creative retelling I was hoping for, I enjoyed this book a lot. If you’ve read Persuasion, but not too recently (wait a few years and forget some of the plot points), and are looking for something light and quick and clean, then pick this up!
(I received a free electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
Age Suggestion: 10+
I love the idea of retelling Jane Austen stories in more modern time periods, and I recently reread Persuasion itself and remembered how much I loved it, so I was really excited to read this.
I think the fact I had read Persuasion so recently was both a good thing and a bad thing. Part of me enjoyed having the story so fresh in my mind, but the other part of me really wished the retelling had been less straightforward and a little more creative. Because it is an exact retelling, with exactly parallel characters and every exact plot point pulled into the 1930s setting. I was expecting or would have preferred to have an inspired, but not so exactly retold, story, because in this case I always knew what was going to happen next and so throughout the middle I got a little bit bored. Plus, I do think that Jane Austen’s very episodic structure (a lot of barely connected incidents happening throughout the middle of the story and eventually building to a conclusion) doesn’t work quite as well for a modern novel. But that’s just a personal preference. And it was probably my fault for having read the original novel so recently.
The characters were interpreted quite well, and the author didn’t use the direct retelling as an excuse to get lazy (for the most part - Veronica’s place in the story felt a little underdeveloped). I loved Sam’s added significance - she seemed like a much stronger character in this retelling than in the original novel, from what I remember, although I’ve always liked her. I’ve always liked Charlie’s counterpart in the original book, too, for some reason, and Perception highlighted those likeable characteristics. I also especially thought Robert and Bonnie were translated into the 1930s setting very well and liked reading about them.
I would have liked to see more exploration of some of the themes Austen hints at in the original story. But not all books have to be deep, and this one succeeded at being a light, comfortable story that brought me stress relief and a little bit of joy. Even if it’s not the deepest book in the world, the writing is good (unlike so many “light” novels) and I was able to finish it in a few days.
Content-wise, there is romance, of course, but it’s totally clean. One of the subplots involves a bit of violence, which isn’t graphic, glorified, or overly focused on at all. I would recommend it for ages 10 and up (although I would recommend reading Persuasion itself first, so that might move the age range up a few years).
Overall, while it wasn’t quite the creative retelling I was hoping for, I enjoyed this book a lot. If you’ve read Persuasion, but not too recently (wait a few years and forget some of the plot points), and are looking for something light and quick and clean, then pick this up!
(I received a free electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
November 3, 2017
In 1917, young Abbey Evans had found the love of her life. Yet when her godmother Rosaline found out about Abbey’s feelings for a poor young man, she convinced Abbey that marrying Fredrick would be a mistake. When the U.S. entered WWI, Fredrick immediately enlisted, went to off to war in France and there he remained, working in politics after the war ended. Now, in 1930, Abbey is living with her pompous father and spoiled sister, both of whom seem oblivious to the economic depression taking place in their country. Abbey tries to keep things running in their family’s large estate home in upstate New York with fewer servants than Evans House has ever known, though it becomes more difficult as time passes by. When Fredrick returns to the U.S., Abbey is surprised to find that he’s made his way back into her social circle. In the time since the war ended, he has made a name for himself in politics and earned a nice fortune. And all the old feelings come rushing back, yet Fredrick seems to hold no interest for her. Can they ever have what they once had?
I really liked this book. I felt really sorry for Abbey Evans just like I did for Anne Elliot in Austen’s Persuasion. Her family just seemed to walk over her and expected her to do everything for them. She was never asked; she was simply told. Between her dad, and her sisters, and her godmother, she was never allowed to think for herself. Like in the original, Fredrick plays more of a background part. I kept wondering when he was going to get more lines. I remember thinking that when I read Persuasion. I think both books are more about Abbey and Anne learning to stick up for themselves and making their own decisions, which I really appreciate. I thought it was so neat that Abbey and Sam started their own cosmetics company. It was a really neat element of the story, and was a sign of those times when women were starting to do more.
Perception was a good novel, and a fresh take on Austen’s classic, Persuasion. I would recommend this book to any fan of historical fiction.
I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.
I received a review copy of Perception, though the opinions in this review are my own.
I really liked this book. I felt really sorry for Abbey Evans just like I did for Anne Elliot in Austen’s Persuasion. Her family just seemed to walk over her and expected her to do everything for them. She was never asked; she was simply told. Between her dad, and her sisters, and her godmother, she was never allowed to think for herself. Like in the original, Fredrick plays more of a background part. I kept wondering when he was going to get more lines. I remember thinking that when I read Persuasion. I think both books are more about Abbey and Anne learning to stick up for themselves and making their own decisions, which I really appreciate. I thought it was so neat that Abbey and Sam started their own cosmetics company. It was a really neat element of the story, and was a sign of those times when women were starting to do more.
Perception was a good novel, and a fresh take on Austen’s classic, Persuasion. I would recommend this book to any fan of historical fiction.
I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.
I received a review copy of Perception, though the opinions in this review are my own.
October 8, 2017
Perception by Emily Ann Benedict was an interesting read ... and enjoyable, overall. It was neat to pick out the similarities to Jane Austen's Persuasion, and it kept your attention.
There was a bit of a mystery going on, and some drama and incidents and trips to the seashore that kept the story lively. Quite a few characters were introduced over the course of the read, but it was done pretty smoothly, so I could mostly keep track. Speaking of characters - they were interesting. I think the author did quite a good job of making each unique and with their own personalities.
I enjoyed Sam's little side story. *smiles*
The romance was ultimately very sweet.
I didn't really like some of the character's actions/attitudes, personally, and maybe that's what kept me from enjoying this story more.
But all in all, it's a nice addition to the VINTAGE JANE AUSTEN series. Fans of Jane Austen's work and the 1930s era might enjoy!
I received a copy of Perception from the author in exchange for my honest review.
There was a bit of a mystery going on, and some drama and incidents and trips to the seashore that kept the story lively. Quite a few characters were introduced over the course of the read, but it was done pretty smoothly, so I could mostly keep track. Speaking of characters - they were interesting. I think the author did quite a good job of making each unique and with their own personalities.
I enjoyed Sam's little side story. *smiles*
The romance was ultimately very sweet.
I didn't really like some of the character's actions/attitudes, personally, and maybe that's what kept me from enjoying this story more.
But all in all, it's a nice addition to the VINTAGE JANE AUSTEN series. Fans of Jane Austen's work and the 1930s era might enjoy!
I received a copy of Perception from the author in exchange for my honest review.
January 17, 2021
(4.4)
I love this retelling. I have no words. I love it.
BUT: The reason it gets a 4.4 is because the...minor literary reference...is weirdly placed and completely took me out of what was going on. It changed my focus from the story to the character when the focus should have been this story. It could have been a 5 if it had been changed SLIGHTLY.
I'll discuss that more on my blogpost (Indie April 2021).
Until then, go read this.
Recommended 13+ for violence, poverty, romance, and crimes (more specifics would be spoilers).
I love this retelling. I have no words. I love it.
BUT: The reason it gets a 4.4 is because the...minor literary reference...is weirdly placed and completely took me out of what was going on. It changed my focus from the story to the character when the focus should have been this story. It could have been a 5 if it had been changed SLIGHTLY.
I'll discuss that more on my blogpost (Indie April 2021).
Until then, go read this.
Recommended 13+ for violence, poverty, romance, and crimes (more specifics would be spoilers).
May 31, 2018
Genre: Vintage Fiction
My Rating: 5 Stars
Recommendation: Anyone 10 and up.
My favorite character is Addey Evans; she is kind and caring. She helps her sisters when she is needed. She made a mistake when she turned down a marriage proposal from she penniless soldier who loved her. Helps her friend who was considered beneath her when her friend needs help instead of going to an engagement with someone that her father thinks can help them. This book shows how some things don't go the way we want but goes the way God knew that they would before time.
My Verse for Addey is Proverbs 29:23 One's pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor. In the English Standard Version Bible (ESV).
Freddy Williams was mad and hurt when Addey turned down his marriage proposal. Now years later he is rich and his sister is renting the Evens family home not knowing that her brother loved Addey before the war. And still loves her. But it looks like she might soon be engaged to someone else.
My Verse for Freddy is Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. In the English Standard Version Bible (ESV).
Warning Minor Violence. Talk of murder no details.
I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review and the thoughts are my own.
February 7, 2018
Alors, j'avais été échaudée par les précédents tomes mais j'ai tout bonnement adoré cette version années 30 de Persuasion. Les personnages sont fidèles aux originaux et bien transposés dans l'époque (ici Mr Evans/Elliot est un business man fier de son importance dans la société, du raffinement culturel que porte le renom de sa famille...) Abbey est touchante, fidèle à Anne et la relation avec sa marraine est bien exploitée. Freddy est lui aussi convaincant et j'ai apprécié les interactions entre les personnages. J'aime le fait qu'Abbey soit proche des deux belles-sœurs de sa soeur mariée (toujours aussi portée sur la plainte), ça apporte un peu de dynamisme à leurs relations et ça donne de la force au passage où Abbey pense que Freddy projette d'épouser Lilly. Je ne vais pas vous spoiler toute l'histoire mais c'est une version très fidèle de Persuasion
Ce que j'aime : les personnages, la fidélité à l'original
Ce que j'aime moins : parfois, ça aurait mérité d'être un peu plus inventif (dans le fait que c'est vraiment très fidèle)
En bref : Une version très fidèle et très agréable à lire de Persuasion avec des personnages attachants
Ma note
8,5/10
Ce que j'aime : les personnages, la fidélité à l'original
Ce que j'aime moins : parfois, ça aurait mérité d'être un peu plus inventif (dans le fait que c'est vraiment très fidèle)
En bref : Une version très fidèle et très agréable à lire de Persuasion avec des personnages attachants
Ma note
8,5/10
February 24, 2019
Perception is an interesting look at the power of expectations. I enjoyed watching this cast of characters deal with unrealistic expectations put upon them by others and sometimes even themselves. It is a well written and enjoyable story.
I borrowed a copy from the Kindle Unlimited program. All views expressed are my honest opinion.
I borrowed a copy from the Kindle Unlimited program. All views expressed are my honest opinion.
February 17, 2018
Excellent.
I really enjoyed this story. It helps that I like the original so much. But this was excellent. Definitely worth the price and time.
I really enjoyed this story. It helps that I like the original so much. But this was excellent. Definitely worth the price and time.
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