Lady Susan, by J. Austen

I love Jane Austen! I have read her major six novels several times, but had never read Lady Susan. This book differs from her other books in several ways.  First, it's in letter format, so all we read are letters the characters send to each other.  This is interesting because you get to read about events from different perspectives. Second, Lady Susan, unlike Austen's other main characters, is not very likeable. If I had to describe her using one word, it would be manipulative. She wants to control people so that she gets her way in everything, and she doesn't care who she hurts in the process.

I enjoyed the book very much. I couldn't believe how manipulative Lady Susan was. But in the end, as in Austen's other novels, evil does not prevail (a characteristic I always enjoy in a novel - and real life!).