Pubblicato in Italia con il titolo Lady Susan. Una novella epistolare pubblicata solo dopo più di cinquant’anni dalla morte dell’autrice che vede come protagonista una donna senza scrupoli che si diverte a controllare le persone intorno a lei.
Jane Austen’s novels are widely known, from Pride and Prejudice to Emma, from Northanger Abbey to Persuasion, from Mansfield Park to Sense and Sensibility, but Jane Austen was a prolific author and even her unfinished manuscripts are quite worth reading.
The first worth mentioning is Lady Susan. The novella was probably written in 1794 and it was completed, but it was never submitted for publication and it was only published in 1871. It’s in epistolary form and it narrates the machinations of recently widowed Lady Susan to get what she wants. She is selfish and self-centered and not at all likable, and even though her desire for freedom is understandable, the ways she means to acquire it are questionable. A quick and immersive read, perfect for all Jane Austen fans!