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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
If I were reviewing this book as an academic, I’d probably discuss how this is arguably Austen’s most serious novel which digs into issues of family duty, social class, moral compromise, and emotional endurance instead of the fun, idealised romance of books like Pride and Prejudice or Emma; how, viewed through a post-colonial lens, the journey of Sir Thomas and Tom to Antigua indicates that the peace and tranquillity that Fanny so loves about Mansfield is built on the backs of slaves; how, viewed through a feminist lens, Fanny’s meekness can be recast as resistance – a refusal to compromise her moral principles despite immense pressure from her social superiors.
But I’m not reviewing this as an academic, I’m reviewing it as a casual reader. And, as a reader, this book is duller than a rusty razor blade. Austen does a whole lot of ‘telling, not showing’ and the prose can, at times, come across as a bit preachy. Plus, the characters are shallower, more formulaic, than I have become used to in Austen’s writing.
Speaking of characters, I don’t dislike Fanny as much as other reviewers seem to, as I can see myself in her a little – timid, trying to please everyone, while hiding how sad and lonely she’s feeling – I used to be like that too, so I don’t hate her for it. I do dislike how carelessly Edmund treats her, however, though I believe this is down to self-absorption, rather than callousness. And I can’t seem to decide if Miss Crawford is malicious or truly oblivious to her effect on Fanny. I also feel like everyone seems quite unfair in their thoughts towards Sir Thomas. I get that, as readers, we’re privileged with many of his thoughts and feelings, where the other characters are not, but he doesn’t seem to be anything like the man the other characters perceive him to be.
Overall, this novel is just a bunch of shallow people being sweet to each other in person while bitching about each other behind their backs; women trying to catch a rich, handsome husband; men attempting to procure a pretty, pliant wife; and everyone doing their best to sabotage the efforts of everyone else.
Basically, Mansfield Park is The Bold & The Beautiful in period costume, without the fun of murders, kidnappings, and brain tumours to relieve the monotony. Die-hard Austen fans might enjoy it, but first-timers should start elsewhere.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting
Minor: Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Stalking, Alcohol, Colonisation
Mansfield Park is perhaps not the one of Austen's novels which appeals the most to modern sensibilities; after all, reasonably faithful adaptations have been made recently of several of Austen's other novels, while Mansfield Park was changed into something Austen lovers barely recognized. Mansfield Park is the home of Fanny Price, the poor relation of Sir Thomas and Lady Bertram (Fanny's mother's sister), who took her to live with them from her impoverished Portsmouth home. Fanny is largely overlooked and taken for granted by the Bertrams, her other aunt Mrs. Norris, and the Bertram children, but she finds solace in the friendship of her cousin Edmund Bertram. When the Crawford siblings, Henry and Mary, come to Mansfield parsonage to stay with their sister, the wife of the clergyman Dr. Grant, they unsettle Mansfield society with gay doings and flirtations which lead to more serious events.
Fanny is self-effacing to the point of passivity, in marked contrast to Austen's more lively heroines, like Elizabeth Bennet of Pride and Prejudice or Emma Woodhouse of Emma, which I think is one reason Mansfield Park is somewhat difficult to like on first reading (and why it was changed so drastically for the film version). Yet her moral sense and voice pervade Mansfield Park, and gradually, one grows to realize that she is a woman of deep convictions. When the others decide to put on a play of dubious moral quality and even Edmund joins in, Fanny resists everyone's blandishments to persuade her to take part; when Sir Thomas tries to convince her to marry a man she doesn't love, she resists that as well. She's no Lizzy, but she holds fast to her beliefs more than anyone else in this novel and emerges as a truly worthy heroine.
I wish that Austen had seen fit to match Fanny with a more interesting hero, but I guess you can't have everything. Mansfield Park does have much else to savor: the brilliant episode of the play-acting and the scenes at Portsmouth, unlike anything else Austen depicted in their portrait of family life among the not-so-well-off, are particularly masterly. It may be slower than some of the other novels, but Mansfield Park is one of the deepest and most rewarding of Austen's books.
Fanny is self-effacing to the point of passivity, in marked contrast to Austen's more lively heroines, like Elizabeth Bennet of Pride and Prejudice or Emma Woodhouse of Emma, which I think is one reason Mansfield Park is somewhat difficult to like on first reading (and why it was changed so drastically for the film version). Yet her moral sense and voice pervade Mansfield Park, and gradually, one grows to realize that she is a woman of deep convictions. When the others decide to put on a play of dubious moral quality and even Edmund joins in, Fanny resists everyone's blandishments to persuade her to take part; when Sir Thomas tries to convince her to marry a man she doesn't love, she resists that as well. She's no Lizzy, but she holds fast to her beliefs more than anyone else in this novel and emerges as a truly worthy heroine.
I wish that Austen had seen fit to match Fanny with a more interesting hero, but I guess you can't have everything. Mansfield Park does have much else to savor: the brilliant episode of the play-acting and the scenes at Portsmouth, unlike anything else Austen depicted in their portrait of family life among the not-so-well-off, are particularly masterly. It may be slower than some of the other novels, but Mansfield Park is one of the deepest and most rewarding of Austen's books.
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I surprise myself giving such a low rating to a Jane Austen novel but it couldn’t be helped. This is one of her more dense works, but if I found its reading tedious is for a very different reason.
One of the things I like about Jane Austen novels is how each has a very different and complex woman as its main character; this means that you will always find one that you can feel more represented by, but also it has the downside of some being less suited for one taste. This is what happened to me with Fanny Price. After reading about Elizabeth or Emma on previous novels, Fanny paled in comparison. I don’t dislike quiet, introspective and sensible characters; but Fanny sometimes annoyed me with her passivity and I couldn’t help internally screaming at her “get down of your high horse” at times. Edmund didn’t help improve my opinion of the novel, he was even plainer and more of a goody two-shoes than Fanny. In fact the characters that I found more interesting were the ones that I was supposed to dislike, the evils of the story. I also have to say that while other heroines and even their male counterparts experience some growth through their respective novels (overcoming their prejudices for example), I couldn’t barely see any arc with Fanny and Edmund since they started being nearly perfect and so above everyone else around them in terms of morality and judgement.
Regarding the plot, I think that Jane Austen novels tend to be romance stories that hide a wonderful study of characters. In Mansfield happens quite the opposite, it’s a long study of characters with a bit of romance in its last half. I didn’t mind this since it was refreshing, but in the end the main romance seemed rushed, in fact the whole ending seemed like a fix it all to make all ends meet; especially given how slow the plot had advanced till then.
With all it’s not a bad novel, just not up my taste and for sure one of my least favorites novels by Jane Austen. Its saving grace was the always marvelous way in which the author writes the witty dialogues, the smart descriptions and the sharp critic of the society of her time hidden behind apparent correctness.
One of the things I like about Jane Austen novels is how each has a very different and complex woman as its main character; this means that you will always find one that you can feel more represented by, but also it has the downside of some being less suited for one taste. This is what happened to me with Fanny Price. After reading about Elizabeth or Emma on previous novels, Fanny paled in comparison. I don’t dislike quiet, introspective and sensible characters; but Fanny sometimes annoyed me with her passivity and I couldn’t help internally screaming at her “get down of your high horse” at times. Edmund didn’t help improve my opinion of the novel, he was even plainer and more of a goody two-shoes than Fanny. In fact the characters that I found more interesting were the ones that I was supposed to dislike, the evils of the story. I also have to say that while other heroines and even their male counterparts experience some growth through their respective novels (overcoming their prejudices for example), I couldn’t barely see any arc with Fanny and Edmund since they started being nearly perfect and so above everyone else around them in terms of morality and judgement.
Regarding the plot, I think that Jane Austen novels tend to be romance stories that hide a wonderful study of characters. In Mansfield happens quite the opposite, it’s a long study of characters with a bit of romance in its last half. I didn’t mind this since it was refreshing, but in the end the main romance seemed rushed, in fact the whole ending seemed like a fix it all to make all ends meet; especially given how slow the plot had advanced till then.
With all it’s not a bad novel, just not up my taste and for sure one of my least favorites novels by Jane Austen. Its saving grace was the always marvelous way in which the author writes the witty dialogues, the smart descriptions and the sharp critic of the society of her time hidden behind apparent correctness.
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved this book much more than I thought I would considering the mixed reviews but definitely don't go into this expecting a romantic love story because that is not what this book has to offer. I loved reading about the relationships between the members of such a small circle, and being transported in the regency era. I also enjoyed noticing Austen's subtle critique on the classes and social norms of the era. The book explored human nature with characters that may seem shallow at first glance but hide so much more under the surface. Fanny (the main heroine) is often brushed off as being a weak and boring character but I actually found her very interesting and relatable. I did, however find the ending to be a bit rushed and underwhelmingand I didn't root for the romantic relationship between Edmund and Fanny it didn't have any depth and felt quite uncomfortable .
Love love you Jane Austen but please stop finishing every storyline in a single chapter at the end
No es de mis favoritos, es un poco más de lo mismo y es el más simple de los libro escritos por ella.