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May 03, 2017LeilaniR90 rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
The fact that Ms. Austen wrote these short stories/fictional letters as a teenager is absolutely stunning. The fact that the earliest fictional correspondence here contained was written when she was just 14 years old is beyond impressive: it points directly to Ms. Austen's true, innate, somehow still underrated genius. Those things acknowledged, this is still hardly a perfect work of fiction: there are odd plot contrivances, thinly drawn characters, and awkward dialogue. It is an incredibly competent, if not technically flawless, showing. Within the collection we see rough sketches of seeds of characters yet to come, the formation of Ms. Austen's opinions (which will be so famously given years down the road), and the signature wit and comfort lampooning her own society that becomes the authors hallmark. A joy.