Austen’s view of herself as a writer the miniaturist with 'the little bit . of ivory on which I work with so fine a brush” should not be mistaken for the self-deprecation of a shrinking violet. On the contrary, it was a confident and honest self-appraisal by a mature novelist who had committed herself determinedly to write only about what she had personally observed or heard
CHRISTOPHER STEVENS: Sanditon lacks the one thing that defines Austen s sublime novels: subtlety. The dialogue is as understated as a dowager duchess in full regalia.