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kbkittyb's review against another edition
4.0
Loved it.
This is my first piece of Georgian literature, and I can see why Jane Austen loved Fanny Burney's work.
At first I was a bit daunted by the tiny writing and elaborate sentence structures but it turns out it was fairly easy to read as the characters are so similar to those of the present day. Her characters are loveable, complex and unbelievably real. I loved Evelina...often the heroines of this time are overly moralistic and 'good. Evelina is that...but not just that. She has flaws. She is anxious and stupid sometimes. I love her! (The vicar annoyed me sometimes though)
My only regret is mistrusting Lord Orville...my only excuse is the vicar misled me! An excellent writing device but I didn't get to fully enjoy his adorable words because I couldn't trust them.
Surprisingly funny! I would definitely recommend.
Ps I think Jane Austen took more than a few cues from this book...but on that it would be best to remain silent. *wink*
This is my first piece of Georgian literature, and I can see why Jane Austen loved Fanny Burney's work.
At first I was a bit daunted by the tiny writing and elaborate sentence structures but it turns out it was fairly easy to read as the characters are so similar to those of the present day. Her characters are loveable, complex and unbelievably real. I loved Evelina...often the heroines of this time are overly moralistic and 'good. Evelina is that...but not just that. She has flaws. She is anxious and stupid sometimes. I love her! (The vicar annoyed me sometimes though)
My only regret is mistrusting Lord Orville...my only excuse is the vicar misled me! An excellent writing device but I didn't get to fully enjoy his adorable words because I couldn't trust them.
Surprisingly funny! I would definitely recommend.
Ps I think Jane Austen took more than a few cues from this book...but on that it would be best to remain silent. *wink*
smartinez9's review against another edition
5.0
Genuinely engaging and affecting. I would say her characters are almost Dickensian in their idiosyncrasies and Dostoyevsky-esque in their absurdity, but she predated them both. The twists were predictable and the prose was at times melodramatic, but that feels inevitable for a late 18th century novel that otherwise feels quite modern in its discourse. Vastly preferred the Captain to Mr. Villars. Wild that “you can’t reject me, I’m a nice guy” is at least 240 years strong.
mevanalt's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
esztervida's review against another edition
didnt manage to finish reading it unfortunately but documenting that i read it for my lit module, it seemed really fun being written in addressed letters tho ://
annabelws23's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
claredragonfly's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
karinlib's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this 1778 epistolary classic. I am not a huge fan of 18th century novels because they seem to be all plot and no character development. Having said that, I enjoyed this book, which according to author [a:Michael Schmidt|14011028|Michael Schmidt|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png] of [b:The Novel: A Biography|18770233|The Novel A Biography|Michael Schmidt|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1384016860l/18770233._SY75_.jpg|26673094], was very well received when it was published, and influenced Jane Austen.
My only complaint is that the book was too long and drawn out.
My only complaint is that the book was too long and drawn out.
air_bear5568's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
aw2418's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Despite a lack of complex characters, I found Evelina compelling. Perhaps it's the first person portrayal of 18th century London that gives additional insight into her emotions and feelings. I especially enjoyed the specific mentions of various places in London. Recommend especially if you know London!