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divine529's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
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
I've read "Emma" several times before, but this was the closest I think I've ever read it.
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Classism
Moderate: Mental illness and Racial slurs
Minor: Death, Racism, and Death of parent
takarakei's review against another edition
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
I find rating classics to be so difficult cause I really just don’t think I have a brain for them. Honestly I’d skip the read and just watch the 2020 movie adaptation which is delightful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Classism
Moderate: Chronic illness and Racial slurs
Minor: Death, Racism, Death of parent, and Abandonment
elizlizabeth's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Such a treat to read! Very witty and so relatable even hundreds of years later. Incredibly glad that I decided to finally pick it up.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent
cleotheo's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
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
Graphic: Classism
Moderate: Death, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Pedophilia, Slavery, Death of parent, and Alcohol
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
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
meghanm404's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
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
Minor: Slavery, Grief, and Death of parent
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