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theabee's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I want to like it. it’s so full of trivialities between genuinely interesting moments that I struggled so hard to finish.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexism, and Classism
Moderate: Chronic illness and Racial slurs
Minor: Death of parent and Pregnancy
t_stre's review against another edition
challenging
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I went into this book thinking it was a romance. But I think the main story surrounds Emma, her misguided romantic matches, and her navigating her shortcomings and growing up. Whereas the romance between Emma and Mr. Knightley felt very much like one of those adhesive bows you stick on top of presents after you’ve already finished wrapping it.
In the end, I did enjoy the flawed characters and the way Austen makes conversations feel to the reader as if they’re part of the gossip. But the very slow beginning was definitely more difficult to get through. I felt that the main romance hadn’t been introduced until the final eighth of the story. I tried hard to love this book.
In the end, I did enjoy the flawed characters and the way Austen makes conversations feel to the reader as if they’re part of the gossip. But the very slow beginning was definitely more difficult to get through. I felt that the main romance hadn’t been introduced until the final eighth of the story. I tried hard to love this book.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexism
ylienna's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Sexism, and Classism
Moderate: Chronic illness
Minor: Death and Death of parent
emmi_lee's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic friendship, and Classism
Moderate: Body shaming
Minor: Death and Pregnancy
solouncapitulomas's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
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? Yes
4.0
yeah so the fact that he was in love with her when she was like 13 doesn't sit right with me and the four starts are for emma and emma only bc she is an icon and i love her
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Sexism, and Classism
Moderate: Chronic illness and Racism
Minor: Death, Racial slurs, and Death of parent
hannahbailey's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
TW: sexism, classism and gypsy/traveller stereotypes
Jane, I'm so sorry I didn't like this. I just visited your house and loved it. You're a feminist icon! But wow, this book is long and boring. I did enjoy Pride and Prejudice though, so I'm not an Austen hater. This book just wasn't for me.
People that know me know I hate long sentences. Punctuation is free to use guys, you don't have to fill a whole page with your monologue. Taking a breath is ok. Letting someone else speak every once in a while is ok. What's not ok is saying something in five paragraphs that could be said in one line! The way this novel was written combined with the very dry subject matter made it an absolute SLOG to get through. If it wasn't a renowned and popular classic written by a woman, I would've dnf'd. I like to support women where I can 😌
I would say that some parts were enjoyable and it did feel ahead of its time. The women were often outspoken and sometimes cheeky and unafraid to turn down a marriage proposal. Most of them showed independence of thought and self, which was quite refreshing. Some of the characters were endearing and likeable, but most of them were snobby and uptight. Every new character introduced was more boring and annoying than the last. It's a surprise that I managed to get through the whole thing. Emma was especially judgemental and liked to categorise people by their class, which was always lower than her own. The Tory party would love her!
I can appreciate this was a gentle critique of marital arrangements and women's place in society at the time, but Austen could not keep me engaged nor interested in what was going on. Which, to be fair, wasn't much, given that rich people back then seemed to do nothing other than visit each other's houses and look down upon the poor. And if it was bad weather, write to each other instead. Rather similar to now I suppose.
Jane, I'm so sorry I didn't like this. I just visited your house and loved it. You're a feminist icon! But wow, this book is long and boring. I did enjoy Pride and Prejudice though, so I'm not an Austen hater. This book just wasn't for me.
People that know me know I hate long sentences. Punctuation is free to use guys, you don't have to fill a whole page with your monologue. Taking a breath is ok. Letting someone else speak every once in a while is ok. What's not ok is saying something in five paragraphs that could be said in one line! The way this novel was written combined with the very dry subject matter made it an absolute SLOG to get through. If it wasn't a renowned and popular classic written by a woman, I would've dnf'd. I like to support women where I can 😌
I would say that some parts were enjoyable and it did feel ahead of its time. The women were often outspoken and sometimes cheeky and unafraid to turn down a marriage proposal. Most of them showed independence of thought and self, which was quite refreshing. Some of the characters were endearing and likeable, but most of them were snobby and uptight. Every new character introduced was more boring and annoying than the last. It's a surprise that I managed to get through the whole thing. Emma was especially judgemental and liked to categorise people by their class, which was always lower than her own. The Tory party would love her!
I can appreciate this was a gentle critique of marital arrangements and women's place in society at the time, but Austen could not keep me engaged nor interested in what was going on. Which, to be fair, wasn't much, given that rich people back then seemed to do nothing other than visit each other's houses and look down upon the poor. And if it was bad weather, write to each other instead. Rather similar to now I suppose.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Death of parent, and Classism
nkazi's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Pedophilia, Sexism, and Death of parent
ednam0dewannabe's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Classism
Moderate: Toxic friendship and Alcohol
Minor: Racism and Pregnancy
eggsoap's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I found Emma to be the hardest of Austen's novels to get through of the ones ive read. The blatant self-importance of Emma herself isn't that different to many Austen characters but the fact that this leads her to veiw of the people around her has mainly seeming to exist for her entertainment makes her hard to like. She probably has the most character development of any of Austen's heroines throughout her novel, except maybe Lizzy Bennett, but the vhange happens much later in the story for Emma and she does a lot more outward harm through her actions before the development.
The biggest point in Emma's favour is that her character growth is mainly self prompted. She doesn't really need any prompting beyond Mr Knightly telling her how much she hurt Miss Bates on the Box Hill trip to begin her self-reflection and attempts to repent. She has a lot of loyalty for the people in Highbury, but it is only once she actually sees just how arrogant she has become and reflect on rhe damage that it has done that she really is able be properly generous and display the care to the people around her that she should. Due to her own guilt she does develop and become kinder and stops treating the lives others as her entertainment.
Ironically, it is her arrogance makes Emma's romance with Mr. Knightly so satisfying to read. They know each other so well and they care about each other so obviously, that Emma's willfull blindess his and her own feelings and complete resolution to never marry, make the payoff that much better in the end. They might be my favourite couple, if I could get over Mr Knightly admitting to Emma that he fell in love with her when she was 13. Yuck.
The biggest point in Emma's favour is that her character growth is mainly self prompted. She doesn't really need any prompting beyond Mr Knightly telling her how much she hurt Miss Bates on the Box Hill trip to begin her self-reflection and attempts to repent. She has a lot of loyalty for the people in Highbury, but it is only once she actually sees just how arrogant she has become and reflect on rhe damage that it has done that she really is able be properly generous and display the care to the people around her that she should. Due to her own guilt she does develop and become kinder and stops treating the lives others as her entertainment.
Ironically, it is her arrogance makes Emma's romance with Mr. Knightly so satisfying to read. They know each other so well and they care about each other so obviously, that Emma's willfull blindess his and her own feelings and complete resolution to never marry, make the payoff that much better in the end. They might be my favourite couple, if I could get over Mr Knightly admitting to Emma that he fell in love with her when she was 13. Yuck.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, and Classism
Moderate: Chronic illness
Minor: Addiction
cdoubet's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Classism