The following are authentic, unsolicited reader reactions to the novel Edmund Persuader.
I am already mourning the approach of the ending, even though I shall promptly start rereading it as soon as I am done. I have indeed been "Persuaded."
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I felt more than entertained by Edmund Persuader, I was uplifted and instructed and blessed by the message of divine love in marriage and in friendship and in fellowship. I literally could not put the work down, read far too long into the night when I had to get up next day, gloried in a work so long and sighed when I reached the end.
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I have given up my hopes of [making Edmund Persuader] a “long winter read,” as it appears I am incapable of leaving dear Edmund's side and in fact find myself hopelessly in love with him! Fortunately, my husband is not a rash and jealous man (perhaps this is made easier because his rival is a fictional character!).
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Well, I must say, I am addicted. And like any good addict, I have a hard time putting it down, saying that I’ll just do a little more and then hours have passed. Today I did take the time to make bread; and now I’m telling myself that I’ll read only till three o’clock and then I’ll really stop. I’m already worrying about what I will do when my fix runs out. Is there more to come, is the author renewing the supply as we speak? Will I go through withdrawal? . . . Here I am, at the midway point, though I thought it would go on till February. Now I’m lucky if it will last till Thanksgiving. And I’m sneaking around, reading till midnight, hoping my husband doesn’t wake up and see the light on. He said one morning, “Are your eyes swollen?” Too little sleep!
This book in three words: Wonderful wonderful wonderful!
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I adored this book—set in Jane's beloved world, but giving us new characters to love—instead of blasphemously tampering with her creations as so many pseudo-sequels have done. How refreshing, also, that the story was written from the male viewpoint, and we could follow Edmund all the way to Antigua, instead of languishing in English drawing rooms whilst awaiting his return. Edmund can truly take his place next to Mr. Darcy and Mr. Knightley, and it is nice that, unlike those two paragons of all male virtues, we are actually allowed to know what is going on inside his head.
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I grew a little peeved soon after I began reading Edmund Persuader, for two reasons: first, that I knew I would get nothing else done until I had finished it; and second, that it must inevitably come to an end. . . . In thinking back on the novel, I find I keep coming back to my astonishment at the sustained quality of writing, of plotting, of character development—the kind of stunned astonishment I feel on those too infrequent occasions when I’ve read a novel that manages to so effectively meld style and story and character to such a high degree of excellence. There is an exquisiteness about the prose in EP that is really rather awe-inspiring. It’s not just that the phrases and sentences are so well turned, or that the tone and diction are so effectively modulated, or that the dialogue is so authentic and plausible and engaging—it’s that, as I realized about two hundred pages into the novel, not a single word is poorly chosen or out of place. On the level of prose alone, this novel is a sheer joy to read—like reading any of the best prose stylists. I had the sense that this writer is a master at his craft, and that impression became only the greater by the end of the novel. It’s a rare book indeed in which one can’t quibble over at least one or two word choices or phrasings. . . .
In addition to the almost sensual pleasure one experiences in the prose is the immense joy of sharing in the lives of such a marvelously diverse and well-rounded set of characters. One of the many enjoyable aspects of the novel is that its length allows the reader to experience the depth and complexity of so many of those characters; what might be a minor character or even a caricature in a less-involved work becomes someone fully-dimensional and therefore sympathetic and compelling in this one. . . .
At the end of one chapter about two-thirds of the way through the last of the five “acts” of the book, I put the book down (temporarily) with the mental remark that reading this last section was a bit as I imagine Tantric sex to be—one is having a whole lot of fun, but at the same time, one wonders when the orgasm will happen. Yet the author accomplishes that suspension of release—the continual and constant build-up of tension—with such adroitness that it remains thoroughly enjoyable all the while it is equally exasperating, and the reader wouldn’t have it altered one bit. It really is a tour-de-force of suspense. I should add, too, that the climactic scene was brilliantly executed—and that it was not the only moment in the novel that brought a tear to my eye.
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This book is so beautiful! I am awed by the depth of thought and feeling it offers: love, wisdom, beauty are expressed so fully in this. . . . And what a read—a terrific plot. As my high school English teacher used to say, a great plot is unpredictable and inevitable—this one certainly was both! I shall enjoy rereading it soon.
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Sadly, I came to the ending of Edmund Persuader yesterday. I was commiserating with another reader this weekend over the fact that she had finished the book and I was just about to—we both agreed that our only recourse was to sit down and read it all over again. What a fantastic time I had reading it—it was truly a joy. What a wonderful creation!
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Since 8 P.M. I have appeared to be curled up in my favorite reading chair. In reality, though, I’ve been riding to Bath and back, unraveling the heroine’s mysterious past and bringing this fabulous tale to its conclusion. It’s now well past 11 P.M. but I shall sleep soundly knowing the ending is . . .
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I absolutely loved this book. I gave it to a friend as I finished each volume and she couldn’t wait to get the second. It’s an incredible read, the story is gripping and sooooooo very well written. . . . It kept me going from the very first page to the last. . . . It was wonderful reading at night, and I so looked forward to my time with this book. Actually I felt true pangs of joy when I crawled into bed and knew I was going to get lost in this story again. Of course I’m in love with Edmund, but truly, he is too good to be true. At least I have the next best thing at home.
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I liked this book just as much as any of Jane Austen’s novels. . . . I will recommend it to every reader I know! I look forward to re-reading it many times and gaining more from it each time. It is bursting with wisdom, and some passages are so beautifully written they nearly moved me to tears. Of course, I was quite put out with the author for [spoiler deleted]—although I realize why that had to happen—but I believe I’ve even forgiven him that, for the rest of the book is so absolutely perfect.
I shudder to think what I would have missed if I had not read this book. It is a bountiful garden, a cup of tea on a rainy day, a spiritual feast.
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I am going to renew [Tales of] Arcadia and read the stories again. I have started reading Austen, and hope I like it half as much as Edmund.
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I haven’t been so sorry to see a book end since I finished War and Peace.
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My sister and I both loved, loved, loved this book. And as many other readers have admitted we are secretly in love with Edmund, but we both remain faithful and loving to our husbands :)!! The website is great—I love all the information and the list of characters is amazing. I played chess many years ago during a time in my life when I was unable to do much else for a period of time but haven’t played since. I am going to brush up on my chess game though so I can totally follow the moves. I plan on starting the book over again and am looking forward to re-reading it. I will close with: “Edmund, take me away.”
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I adored this book—set in Jane's beloved world, but giving us new characters to love—instead of blasphemously tampering with her creations as so many pseudo-sequels have done. How refreshing, also, that the story was written from the male viewpoint, and we could follow Edmund all the way to Antigua, instead of languishing in English drawing rooms whilst awaiting his return. Edmund can truly take his place next to Mr. Darcy and Mr. Knightley, and it is nice that, unlike those two paragons of all male virtues, we are actually allowed to know what is going on inside his head.
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