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emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Classism
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Alcohol
Minor: Racism, Pregnancy
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
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, Classism
Moderate: Chronic illness
Minor: Addiction
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Racial slurs, Classism
Minor: Racism
lighthearted
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
read this bc of anya taylor-joy
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Racism
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
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
Content Warnings
Minor: Racial slurs, Racism
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Chronic illness, Racism, Toxic friendship, Classism
Minor: Death, Death of parent
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book took me a tremendous amount of time to read (I go to a german gymnasium I hope it's understandable) but Jane Austen has not failed to impress me once again (I'm from her hometown!). I found Emma way easier to read than Pride and Prejudice, it's just well, it's a longer story and I've been really busy so it took me quite a while. It was still worth the read and a really good book!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Chronic illness, Racism
Minor: Racial slurs, Death of parent
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Racism
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Jo: She says the whole book that she doesn't want to marry. It's consistent.
Dashwood: Who cares? Girls want to see women MARRIED. Not CONSISTENT.
[...] Jo: Fine.
(Little Women 2019)
Out of all the Jane Austen books I read this semester, this one was my favorite. Why? It's hard for me to say exactly. By all accounts it should be my least favorite, since it is the most conservative book she ever wrote: with everybody marrying in the same social class they were born into, and nobody rising above said social class (which is what Elizabeth Bennett, Marianne Dashwood, Fanny Price, and Catherine Morland all did), and also way less subtle political commentary than other books of hers.
A lot of that conservativism has to do with 1. the fact that she was begged into dedicating the book to the Prince (whom she did not like, but could also not refuse) and 2. the fact that this book was actually published by a big publishing company, as opposed to self published.
So yes, why /was/ Austen's most conservative novel my favorite of all her novels? I'm still trying to figure that out. If I had to guess though, it's because of the main character. When Austen was alive, she said of Emma: "I'm going to create a heroine whom nobody but myself will like". Yet, I and my classmates loved Emma.
Emma is just so amusing and I found it fun to laugh at how absolutely clueless she was in the beginning of the book, and yet how simultaneously endearing she was. I loved her desire to be a spinster (which, of course, got broken at the end, but whatever) and her love for her father/putting her father before anybody else in her life. I loved her character journey and how she learned to admit when she was wrong and make amends.
I loved the other characters too. I loved Mr. Woodhouse, who was also adorably clueless and reminded me a lot of my own grandmother. I loved Mr. Knightley(even though I personally don't believe he should've been married to Emma - because I wish Emma had stayed a spinster) and how he worked as someone to bring Emma back down to Earth and reality. I loved pretty much everyone except for Mrs. Elton (I could even feel slightly sorry for Mr. Elton, but I absolutely have 0 good things to say about Mrs. Elton).
It has been an honor to work my way through Jane Austen's bibliography this semester(even though I never finished Mansfield Park and don't know if/when I will) and this one, especially, was wonderful. Thank you Jane Austen!
Dashwood: Who cares? Girls want to see women MARRIED. Not CONSISTENT.
[...] Jo: Fine.
(Little Women 2019)
Out of all the Jane Austen books I read this semester, this one was my favorite. Why? It's hard for me to say exactly. By all accounts it should be my least favorite, since it is the most conservative book she ever wrote: with everybody marrying in the same social class they were born into, and nobody rising above said social class (which is what Elizabeth Bennett, Marianne Dashwood, Fanny Price, and Catherine Morland all did), and also way less subtle political commentary than other books of hers.
A lot of that conservativism has to do with 1. the fact that she was begged into dedicating the book to the Prince (whom she did not like, but could also not refuse) and 2. the fact that this book was actually published by a big publishing company, as opposed to self published.
So yes, why /was/ Austen's most conservative novel my favorite of all her novels? I'm still trying to figure that out. If I had to guess though, it's because of the main character. When Austen was alive, she said of Emma: "I'm going to create a heroine whom nobody but myself will like". Yet, I and my classmates loved Emma.
Emma is just so amusing and I found it fun to laugh at how absolutely clueless she was in the beginning of the book, and yet how simultaneously endearing she was. I loved her desire to be a spinster (which, of course, got broken at the end, but whatever) and her love for her father/putting her father before anybody else in her life. I loved her character journey and how she learned to admit when she was wrong and make amends.
I loved the other characters too. I loved Mr. Woodhouse, who was also adorably clueless and reminded me a lot of my own grandmother. I loved Mr. Knightley
It has been an honor to work my way through Jane Austen's bibliography this semester
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness
Minor: Racial slurs, Racism
G slur (against Romani people), anti-Romani stereotypes, F slur (used to mean 'exhausted'?)
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
CW/TW: Racism (minor)
Age Rating: 12+
The writing was a bit hard to understand (it was written 200 years ago). Once you get a hold of the language, the book was fantastic. It was so witty and funny, and I enjoyed it so much.
The characters were great. I loved all of them, except Mrs. Elton, but she was meant to be unlikeable. Jane Austen is amazing at creating interesting, complex characters. I liked how Emma's flaws were at the forefront and that she wasn't a perfect character. I also loved how done Mr. Knightly was with Emma's antics.I think their opposing personalities made their relationship better.
Age Rating: 12+
The writing was a bit hard to understand (it was written 200 years ago). Once you get a hold of the language, the book was fantastic. It was so witty and funny, and I enjoyed it so much.
The characters were great. I loved all of them, except Mrs. Elton, but she was meant to be unlikeable. Jane Austen is amazing at creating interesting, complex characters. I liked how Emma's flaws were at the forefront and that she wasn't a perfect character. I also loved how done Mr. Knightly was with Emma's antics.
Content Warnings
Minor: Racism
There are a few racist comments against gypsies, but that's it.