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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
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
This is a difficult one to rate because I think I enjoyed thinking about the book more than I did actually reading it. It is so incredibly interesting that Austen created this character who is nauseatingly good and almost entirely incapable of putting her needs above anyone else's, and then showed how easy it is for every single person around a character like that can demand her to lower her standards for goodness and conform to the life expected of every woman. The whole novel, in fact, felt like a thesis on why being a woman in Regency England sucks.
Fanny is the easiest example because she's placed in the attic and is begrudgingly given an education and is basically never allowed out of the house and yet everyone around her is constantly telling her how lucky she is. Worse, they're right! When she goes home and sees what her life would have been if it wasn't for Mansfield Park, it's objectively so much worse! So, lucky her, she goes through life with two (2) people being nice to her, her natural brother and her adoptive brother, who is actually a cousin and therefore totally a catch. I know that it was common in Austen's time for cousins to get married, but Fanny "getting the guy" is not the success that it is kind of implied to be. She hasn't had a life. She hasn't even really been introduced to society, the lackluster way she was allowed to visit all of TWO houses where she wasn't a child/ward of the owners doesn't really constitute being out. She got to go to one single ball and was so malnourished of society that she didn't really take any of it in. She got attached to the one guy who thought it was reasonable that she was homesick and never looked at anyone else. That's not romantic, it's sad.
And it's easy to paint Maria and Julia as wicked step-sisters ala Cinderella and if this was a fairy tale the moral of the story would be "don't be mean to Fanny" and because they failed at that they're punished. But in reality they're two girls who have been raised to think that they're better than everyone, especially Fanny, following the example adults have set. They're then set loose on the world with no moral guidance with both parents being disinterested or literally absent or both. Tom is off being an airhead himself and Edmund has no interest in his natural sisters, so all they have is Mrs Norris, which... And yes, Maria is undoubtedly stupid, but my god of course she is? She felt obligated, as all women did, to marry "well" and so she did, even though she wasn't in love (which is what everyone wanted Fanny to do). Let's not forget that Tom has spent all the family's money! And then she's seduced and Henry gets off scot-free but Maria is to be exiled from society and in fact England forever! Sure, that's fair! And Julia eloped with the guy closest to hand because she knew that she would be shut up in the house even more than Fanny had been in response to this, and it was her only chance at freedom. Notice that Edmund and Tom would never have been confined to the house to prevent further shame coming on the house!
It's an incredibly crafted novel, but I couldn't quite give it 5 stars because I feel that rating has to be reserved for books that move me to an inordinate level. It is one that I've really enjoyed chewing on though and I hope to continue to.
Fanny is the easiest example because she's placed in the attic and is begrudgingly given an education and is basically never allowed out of the house and yet everyone around her is constantly telling her how lucky she is. Worse, they're right! When she goes home and sees what her life would have been if it wasn't for Mansfield Park, it's objectively so much worse! So, lucky her, she goes through life with two (2) people being nice to her, her natural brother and her adoptive brother, who is actually a cousin and therefore totally a catch. I know that it was common in Austen's time for cousins to get married, but Fanny "getting the guy" is not the success that it is kind of implied to be. She hasn't had a life. She hasn't even really been introduced to society, the lackluster way she was allowed to visit all of TWO houses where she wasn't a child/ward of the owners doesn't really constitute being out. She got to go to one single ball and was so malnourished of society that she didn't really take any of it in. She got attached to the one guy who thought it was reasonable that she was homesick and never looked at anyone else. That's not romantic, it's sad.
And it's easy to paint Maria and Julia as wicked step-sisters ala Cinderella and if this was a fairy tale the moral of the story would be "don't be mean to Fanny" and because they failed at that they're punished. But in reality they're two girls who have been raised to think that they're better than everyone, especially Fanny, following the example adults have set. They're then set loose on the world with no moral guidance with both parents being disinterested or literally absent or both. Tom is off being an airhead himself and Edmund has no interest in his natural sisters, so all they have is Mrs Norris, which... And yes, Maria is undoubtedly stupid, but my god of course she is? She felt obligated, as all women did, to marry "well" and so she did, even though she wasn't in love (which is what everyone wanted Fanny to do). Let's not forget that Tom has spent all the family's money! And then she's seduced and Henry gets off scot-free but Maria is to be exiled from society and in fact England forever! Sure, that's fair! And Julia eloped with the guy closest to hand because she knew that she would be shut up in the house even more than Fanny had been in response to this, and it was her only chance at freedom. Notice that Edmund and Tom would never have been confined to the house to prevent further shame coming on the house!
It's an incredibly crafted novel, but I couldn't quite give it 5 stars because I feel that rating has to be reserved for books that move me to an inordinate level. It is one that I've really enjoyed chewing on though and I hope to continue to.
informative
reflective
relaxing
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
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
An interesting premise that Austen took and beat like a dead horse. I have so much respect for her social commentary and general cleverness, both of which were definitely present here, and I was engaged at various points; but overall, this was quite a slog.
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
On closer acquaintance, I don't hate you, Fanny Price, but I don't love you, either.
Truth be told, I read and reread this one for the lovely, amoral and entertaining brother/sister act. ...and Lady Laudanum. Could be wrong, but I suspect Jane enjoyed writing the Crawfords, Lady Bertram and Mrs. Norris more than Fanny or the rest of the dreary Bertram crew.
Not my favorite Austen novel by a mile, but it has its moments.
Truth be told, I read and reread this one for the lovely, amoral and entertaining brother/sister act. ...and Lady Laudanum. Could be wrong, but I suspect Jane enjoyed writing the Crawfords, Lady Bertram and Mrs. Norris more than Fanny or the rest of the dreary Bertram crew.
Not my favorite Austen novel by a mile, but it has its moments.
This was a tough one - boring lead, drip of a male, love interest.
kinda liked the ending
lowkey similar plot points to pride and prejudice…
lowkey similar plot points to pride and prejudice…
hopeful
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No