Author:Jane Austen

Introducing Little Clothbound Classics: irresistible, mini editions of short stories, novellas and essays from the world's greatest writers, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith.
Celebrating the range and diversity of Penguin Classics, they take us from snowy Japan to springtime Vienna, from haunted New England to a sun-drenched Mediterranean island, and from a game of chess on the ocean to a love story on the moon. Beautifully designed and printed, these collectible editions are bound in colourful, tactile cloth and stamped with foil.
Recently widowed, the unscrupulous and beautiful Lady Susan Vernon is determined to scheme her way through high society in the hope of a profitable new match - all while trying to marry off her unfortunate daughter. Told through a series of letters, Jane Austen's magnificent first novella is as subversive as it is charming.
'The wit of Jane Austen has for partner the perfection of her taste' - Virginia Woolf
The wit of Jane Austen has for partner the perfection of her taste
—— Virginia WoolfKafka described with wonderful imaginative power the future concentration camps, the future instability of the law, the future absolutism of the state, the paralysed, inadequately motivated, floundering lives of the many individual people; everything appeared as a nightmare and with the confusion and inadequacy of a nightmare
—— Bertolt BrechtIreland's finest comic creation since Father Ted
—— Hot PressIn a league of his own
—— Business PostThis mesmerising tale has just the right amount of folklore to be magical
—— Good HousekeepingAn incredibly beautiful story, shot through with shimmering myth, sorrow and hope
—— Polly Crosby, author of The Illustrated ChildOne of those rare novels that combines a page-turning story with language to savour. A beguiling and beautiful tale about motherhood, nature and art, The Hollow Sea celebrates the many different ways we might create and nurture.
—— Emma Sweeney, author of Owl Song at DawnA thoughtful, beautiful gem of a story and I loved it
—— Rebecca F. John, Costa-shortlisted author of The Haunting of Henry TwistA stunning debut, part myth and part touching story of infertility and motherhood. I was swept away on a stormy sea and didn't want it to end. Delicious storytelling
—— Julie Owen Moylan, author of That Green Eyed GirlA poetic tale
—— PrimaIn The Hollow Sea, Annie Kirby has taken the external societal shaming and internal lived reality of involuntarily childless women and transformed them into an extraordinarily lyrical story. This book insinuated itself into my soul like a poem; whilst taking my mind on a mythical, allegorical adventure that lingers in my subconscious like a painting. Whether you are a parent or non-parent, this extraordinary novel will drench you in beauty. I adored it.
—— Jody Day, author of Living the Life Unexpected and founder of Gateway WomenA real beauty. A magical story of one woman's infertility combined with a mythical sea world. Beautiful
—— Laura Price, author of Single Bald FemaleBeautifully written with a hint of mythology and well-drawn characters, this is a captivating story of love and loss that will stay with you
—— CandisAn absolutely beautiful story of love, loss, family and motherhood. Told in interweaving strands, it follows the story of Scottie whose mysterious past haunts her, and whose own struggles to become a mother is slowly destroying her . . . I read this book in just two sittings, the lyrical prose pulled me in and held me captivated, and my heart wept and sang in equal measure. Truly stunning
—— Louise Morrish, author of Operation MoonlightAnnie Kirby writes so beautifully about place, I felt I was there with her on the islands, watching the waves. I love how she weaves together myth and reality, and found her portrayal of Scottie and Jasminder's thwarted attempts to have children very moving
—— Sarah Butler, author of Before The FireThe Hollow Sea elegantly interweaves the stories of two women haunted by hope and loss. Eloquent and moving, with a touch of folklore, this is a beautiful, hopeful tale
—— Elizabeth Lee, author of Cunning WomenHeart-wrenching, haunting, and ultimately hopeful too. Extraordinary. Beautiful, thought-provoking and woven through with folklore and myth, an utterly absorbing read that will touch your heart. Magnificent. Unforgettable.
—— Liz Hyder, author of The GiftsFiercely original . . . a really powerful, provocative and original debut
—— Natasha Solomons, author of I, Mona LisaAn exquisitely-crafted novel about heritage, folklore and the persistent roar of unfulfilled dreams. When I finished it, I felt like I'd emerged from the sea, dripping with salt and tangled in kelp. Dizzyingly brilliant
—— Lizzie Pook, author of Moonlight and the Pearler's DaughterA Coast 'Book of the Month'
—— -Incredibly atmospheric and multifaceted
—— CultureflyTJR is surely the queen of escapist fiction
—— Sunday TelegraphThis top-rank tale of beating the odds is full of heart and breezy charm
—— MetroAltogether, it makes for a gripping and engaging read about a woman persevering against all odds, recognising your limits and knowing when to push back. As well as a complex and nuanced character study, Carrie Soto is Back offers its readers a warm-hearted story of the love between a father and a daughter, as well a tender journey of learning how to love yourself and open up to others too. Between the action-packed tennis matches, Carrie's emotional reckoning and the wider commentary of women having to continuously fight for recognition in male-dominated fields, Taylor Jenkins Reid has crafted another compelling novel that effortlessly draws in readers and will no doubt keep them thinking about Carrie Soto long after they turn the final page
—— CultureflyAt times, her prose is so engaging that you feel as though you are waiting on the baseline while Soto gets ready to serve an unstoppable ace
—— Independent (Ireland)In Carrie Soto is Back, as at Flushing Meadows this and next month, there are great rivalries, millions of dollars and legacies on the line. Letting go cuts deep. But, boy, there is glamour
—— TatlerThe author has created another heroine we can't quite work out whether we like, but we're rooting for her anyway because she's fabulous
—— Woman's WeeklyAnother delectable slice of escapism drama
—— Living NorthPacy, propulsive and utterly immersive, you're going to want to read this
—— ElleTaylor has done it again . . . a brilliant and dynamic book about what it means to be an ambitious woman- for better or for worse
—— WomanWith a wonderfully complex character, a world you can't help being seduced by, and an important message about it never being too late, TJR has served up another ace
—— HeatFrank, funny and emotional
—— Marie ClaireA fascinatingly realistic look into the world of elite sports where driven and flawed characters' private lives are just as intriguing and controversial as they are on the court
—— Business PostThis is a well-researched, exciting and genuinely tender book
—— RTÉ