Lady Susan
Lady Susan is a short novel in letters that Jane Austen wrote in the mid-1790s and never offered for publication; it appeared in 1871 with her nephew's Memoir. Its heroine is unlike any other in Austen: a beautiful, recently widowed woman of about thirty-five who lies fluently, enjoys her power over men and is trying to force her timid daughter Frederica into marriage with a rich fool while amusing herself with her sister-in-law's brother, Reginald De Courcy. Forty-one letters, mostly between Lady Susan and her confidante Mrs. Johnson and between the suspicious Mrs. Vernon and her mother, let the reader watch the schemes from both sides before a brisk conclusion in the author's own voice winds them up. The full text is available to read online in your browser on Vinteuil, and the first chapter is free.
Start reading right away, without signing up. The complete text is included in Vinteuil Reading, or yours forever with a one-time purchase.
Frequently asked questions about Lady Susan
Lady Susan by Jane Austen can be read online on Vinteuil, directly in your browser. The first chapter is free for everyone; the complete book is included in Vinteuil Reading ($4.99/month or $39.99/year) or yours forever for $2.99.
Can I read Lady Susan online?
Yes. Lady Susan opens right on this page, in a reader designed for long reading: adjustable text size, light, sepia and dark themes, a clickable table of contents and your place saved when you are signed in. No download or app is needed.
Is Lady Susan free to read on Vinteuil?
The first chapter of Lady Susan is free, without an account. To read the whole book, either buy its online reading for $2.99 (£2.99 in the UK) and keep it forever, or subscribe to Vinteuil Reading for $4.99/month (£4.99/month in the UK) or $39.99/year, with 1 month free for new subscribers. The subscription opens every book in the library and can be cancelled at any time.
Is Lady Susan in the public domain?
Yes. Lady Susan by Jane Austen is a public-domain work. Vinteuil offers a carefully prepared digital edition made for comfortable reading on screen.
How long does it take to read Lady Susan?
About 1 h 33 min of reading, at an average reading pace. Your place is saved automatically when you are signed in, so you can read in several sittings and on several devices.
What kind of book is Lady Susan?
Lady Susan by Jane Austen is filed under "Fiction" in the Vinteuil library.
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