Scan barcode
puddleshoes's review
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Pregnancy, Medical content, and Fatphobia
Minor: Sexual harassment and Classism
phoebemurtagh's review
funny
lighthearted
- 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
3.25
I found this to be a pretty decent modern romance adaptation of Emma, up until it made the trademark error of modern romances: mislabling sex as an adequate substitute for emotional intimacy. It almost made up for it with a twist on one of the original twists - the Harriet character is great. But for a fairly fresh version of Emma, it got very bogged down by very trite language in the sex scenes that ultimately made the Knightley character seem flatter. There were also casually use phrases that were clearly meant to sound romantic but ended up just a tad creepy ("I can't control myself around you" is what serial killers say, not good love interests) and uncomfortably traditional in its gendered presentation of a relationship that was meant to be a partnership of equals even 200 years ago in the original. What this book suffers from on the whole is too many words and not enough descriptions, like films that rely too heavily on dialogue to drive the plot instead of showing you what the characters are thinking and feeling (though it is full of descriptions of expensive clothing and furnishings). Never have I more appreciated Jane Austen's deftness at leaving gaps for the reader to fill in with their own imagination, ultimately making the story more romantic than plain narrative can easily achieve from all but the most skillful pens. It's a fun book. But mostly it serves to remind me that the source material is fun and *brilliant.* Read it if you want to. But go read Jane Austen's Emma regardless.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Pregnancy and Alcohol
Minor: Death of parent and Medical content
I found this to be a pretty decent modern romance adaptation of Emma, up until it made the trademark mistake of modern romances to mistake sex for an adequate substitute for emotional intimacy. It almost made up for it with a twist on one of the original twists - the Harriet character is great - but a fairly fresh version of Emma got very bogged down by very trite, heteronormatively written sex scenes that ultimately make the Knightley character seem flatter, and casually use phrases that are meant to sound romantic but just a tad creepy ("I can't control myself around you" is what serial killers say, not good love interests). What this book suffers from is too many words and not enough descriptions. Never have I more appreciated Jane Austen's deft hand at leaving gaps where the reader can use their own imagination to make it more romantic than plain narrative can easily supply from all but the most skillful pens. It's a fun book. But mostly it serves to remind me that the source material is fun *and* brilliant.kaylamareader's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
scfrederick33's review
funny
lighthearted
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
attolis's review
4.0
Surprisingly well done and enjoyable retelling of Emma. I did briefly think this was going to delve into the wealth and class aspects more than it did (which ended up being approximately not at all) but that was perhaps asking for too much.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Sexual harassment
meghanm404's review
funny
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pregnancy and Sexual content
Minor: Sexual harassment, Grief, and Death of parent
luchikreads's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
decameters's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Fatphobia, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
mrsmisko's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
bookb1itch's review
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-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
4.0
A fun read, but not especially well-written. I enjoyed the tension between Emma and George, even though the plot was predictable, because we know thew original story. I really liked Emma's friend Nadine, too.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content