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A review by m_h_dahl
Emma by Jane Austen
funny
lighthearted
5.0
Jane Austen, the Queen of sassy and witty dialogue š I never get bored with being a fly on the wall when the independent and sharp-tongued women in her books converse.
Emma might be the most challenging character to like because she expects so much from the world and those around her, but still, she is truly the most interesting character I've read from Austen, and has therefore become my favorite.
Emma is sassy, insufferable, manipulative, and vain, it's true. I get it. And Emma's goodness isnāt immediately obvious to everyone; She often puts others first emotionally and sincerely repents when she realizes she's wrong. In contrast, Lizzie Bennet from 'Pride and Prejudice' may not show as much overt goodness, but her delightful and sparkling personality makes her universally loved. Emma, being more of an everyday character without Lizzieās joyful impertinence, requires readers to dig deeper to find her goodness, I suspect.
Also, Emma undergoes significant character development in the book. To me, she's even more interesting because she has such a strong personality. It's fascinating to see how Austen handles this unpolished diamond.
Many of the other characters in 'Emma' arenāt immediately endearing either. Mrs. Bates is sweet but annoying, Harriet is vague and wispy, Jane is cold (even if she has her reasons), Frank is duplicitous, and the Eltons are outright cruel. But I adore Emma. I love that the novel is so dialogue-heavy, allowing us as readers to form opinions about the characters based on their conversations rather than the narratorās descriptions.
Understanding the Regency hierarchy, I donāt fault Emma for her class distinctions. I find her desperation to get an invitation to the Coleās party amusing. Even though not much happens, watching Emma slowly realize her love for Mr. Knightley and confront her misconceptions is thoroughly enjoyable.
Emma might be the most challenging character to like because she expects so much from the world and those around her, but still, she is truly the most interesting character I've read from Austen, and has therefore become my favorite.
Emma is sassy, insufferable, manipulative, and vain, it's true. I get it. And Emma's goodness isnāt immediately obvious to everyone; She often puts others first emotionally and sincerely repents when she realizes she's wrong. In contrast, Lizzie Bennet from 'Pride and Prejudice' may not show as much overt goodness, but her delightful and sparkling personality makes her universally loved. Emma, being more of an everyday character without Lizzieās joyful impertinence, requires readers to dig deeper to find her goodness, I suspect.
Also, Emma undergoes significant character development in the book. To me, she's even more interesting because she has such a strong personality. It's fascinating to see how Austen handles this unpolished diamond.
Many of the other characters in 'Emma' arenāt immediately endearing either. Mrs. Bates is sweet but annoying, Harriet is vague and wispy, Jane is cold (even if she has her reasons), Frank is duplicitous, and the Eltons are outright cruel. But I adore Emma. I love that the novel is so dialogue-heavy, allowing us as readers to form opinions about the characters based on their conversations rather than the narratorās descriptions.
Understanding the Regency hierarchy, I donāt fault Emma for her class distinctions. I find her desperation to get an invitation to the Coleās party amusing. Even though not much happens, watching Emma slowly realize her love for Mr. Knightley and confront her misconceptions is thoroughly enjoyable.