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readingwithcoffee's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
It had some weird age gap stuff not even the age gap itself but like complimenting the male interest for watching and participating in her childhood which never of as grooming per se but was kinda creepy and and screamed father issues to me. Otherwise a lot of fun with a spoiled unreliable narrator.
Graphic: Classism, Racial slurs, and Racism
Minor: Death, Death of parent, and Infidelity
frantically's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Classism and Racial slurs
Moderate: Sexism
divine529's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I read it this time along with an audiobook I got from the library and I always struggle with audiobooks, but the narrator wasn't my favorite, so it made it a little extra difficult.
For those of you who don't know what this book is about, it follows our main protagonist, Emma, a matchmaker by nature and a busy-body, who always ends up getting in trouble due to her shenanigans. Like Austen's other novels, this one is still about class and finding love and there's a lot of different forms of that here as always.
It's by far my favorite Austen novel, but I always find myself enjoying the third part of the book a fair bit. And as much as Emma and Knightley's relationship age gap bothers me, I love their witty banter and friendship and love them as a couple. I definitely always enjoy reading Knightley as a hero and this time was no different.
It might be awhile before I reread this one, but I'm sure I will again sometime in the future.
Graphic: Classism and Sexism
Moderate: Racial slurs and Mental illness
Minor: Death, Death of parent, and Racism
takarakei's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Classism and Sexism
Moderate: Racial slurs and Chronic illness
Minor: Racism, Death of parent, Death, and Abandonment
bookedbymadeline's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The novel is extremely slow at times, causing me to be bored and at one point I started skimming some of the dialogues.
I didn’t mind the characters as much as others may have. Emma could be annoying and spoiled but I found her entertaining enough to read about. Miss Bates and Mrs Elton drove me insane, and Frank Churchill is a walking red flag. Mainly continued the book for Mr Knightley, that man carried this book! Mr Woodhouse had some funny (and relatable) lines, “the sooner any party breaks up, the better.” 😂
Overall I’m mostly glad to have read this and checked it off my list of Austen novels. But I can understand why many don’t like classics or Austen if they read Emma (I swear her other books are so much better and less boring). This is one Austen I won’t be rereading though.
Graphic: Classism and Toxic friendship
abibea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Moderate: Classism
Minor: Chronic illness and Racism
_maia3_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Classism
Minor: Death
hello_lovely13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Classism and Sexism
kcbatts's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Classism
Minor: Racism and Adult/minor relationship
phantomgecko's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
In the beginning, Emma tells Harriet if she marries a common farmer, she could not associate with her anymore. In the end, Harriet marries a common farmer and Emma stops associating with her. This fact is kinda glossed over and rationalized with the discovery Harriet wasn't gentry anyway.
The intimacy between her and Emma must sink; their friendship must change into a calmer sort of goodwill; and, fortunately, what ought to be, and must be, seemed already beginning, and in the most gradual, natural manner.
Gross. And yeah, I know that's how it was back in Jane Austen's time. But it's still ridiculous. Emma had only the slightest of character growth. The recognition that people are just people, and the British caste system is bs and a rejection of that system would have really endeared her to me.
As it is, Emma is a snob in the beginning, middle, and end of the book. I did not like her, therefore I did not much enjoy the novel.
Unrealistic expectations or not, my least favorite Austen novel thus far.
Moderate: Classism