Is it advisable to read the summary before the book?
Reading a summary of a book will only give you the bare-bones of the story. Reading the book in full will bring to life more of the story. Think of it as an uncoloured picture vs. one that’s coloured in. You get more out of looking at the picture with colour gives more depth and a greater sense of appreciation to the work. But if you have trouble with Austen’s style, you might consider the summary first as it might help you understand her writing. Not everyone ‘gets’ classical literature. I have a degree in English and I don’t always ‘get’ Shakespeare, but having a volume of all of his works with footnotes goes a long way to helping me understand what he’s trying to convey.
