‘The finest writer in the English language.’ Philippa Gregory

‘Praise the Lord for making her, and her for all she made!’ Rudyard Kipling

Book blurb

Jane Austen, one of the nation’s most beloved authors, whose face adorns our currency, surely needs no introduction, but while many are familiar with her groundbreaking novels few have come across her short parody of the epistolary novel, Lesley Castle.

Written when Austen was just sixteen, these pages are stuffed with the wit and biting satire so associated with her name, and deserves to be as well known as her later novels. This edition also contains an introduction by G.K. Chesterton, with which it was first published.

My thoughts

Sadly unfinished this book has truly been a laugh out loud, at least in parts, experience. I’m not sure I laughed because those passages were just simply funny or at my astonishment of the letter writers undeniably gauche thinking but probably by both.

One of those passages was that of Henry’s anticipated demise which meant that his upcoming marriage would not take place and his future sister in law’s, who had been making the arrangements, being somewhat put out over all the food that was intended for the wedding feast but now must be eaten as soon as possible or thrown away!

There is also towards the end a most biting comment by Miss Lesley about her friend’s looks and that she had reason to wish that it would be easier if she herself were as plain! Wow, talk about biting satire! It’s no surprise that Jane Austen became so good at and renowned for this particular style of writing at the age of about sixteen she was already truly making her mark.

I thoroughly enjoyed this rather wonderful book.

As I’ve said before I love these small but mighty books that Renard Press publishes. It’s one of the amazing Renard Press classic stories brought to the reader for a very reasonable price of £5 and worth every penny. In a beautiful cover it is well made and can be a great way to introduce readers to an author they don’t know. For those readers that do know an author they are often some of the less well known writings they may not have had an opportunity to read previously.

Book: Purchased

20 Books of Summer 2025

I was to have read this as part of my 20 books of summer challenge but sadly ran out of time so have read it instead for #NovNov2025.

My list of books being read for the #20BooksOfSummer challenge. 

20 books of summer has new hosts Emma of Words and Peace and you can read all about it on Annabel’s blog including all the rules and sign up. It’s a challenge I’ve always enjoyed and am sure I’ll continue to do so. The challenge takes place between 1 June and 31 August 2025

Information

Publishers: Renard Press | Paperback | £5.00 | 64pp | ISBN: 9781804470961

Buy: Renard Press

Author

Jane Austen (1775–1817) is one of the best known English novelists of all time. She is best remembered today for her novels critiquing the upper classes, in particular Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park and Emma. Like most female writers of her era, Austen published her works anonymously, and it was only after her death that her name was set to her works.

Books

Sense & Sensibility | Pride & Prejudice | Mansfield Park | Emma | Persuasion | Northanger Abbey 

Other works

Lady Susan (unfinished) | Jack and Alice | Henry and Eliza | 
  Love and Freindship | The History of England | Catharine; or, The Bower | Evelyn