A review by kjanie
Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

4.25

Re-read 2024:

I loved this book this time around and came to appreciate it so much more. It was kind of wild honestly, loved the sex scandals. 



2.5/5 stars

This had all the Austen wit, comedy of manners and lively cast of characters that I have come to expect, but it is for sure my least favourite of all her books. Too much of the book revolved so obviously around morals and self-righteousness, that it became so overbearing and unsubtle by the end. There was much less fun courtship, balls and interesting conversations that I come to expect from an Austen novel. Instead, while I can relate to Fanny in her anxiety, the way she is held to such high esteem because of her shyness and ‘purity of mind’ just felt very bland. She didn’t really feel like a character with any agency or major importance in the story, rather all the characters around her made actions that affected her, but she didn’t as much have a role in. She felt much more like a passive bystander than a main character.