A review by ejwilf98
Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

emotional reflective 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

3.25

I tried to start this before and never got into it. I have seen it called Austen’s most “problematic” novel, and I definitely can see why. Obviously, there’s the first cousins element, which is tough for a modern reader to swallow. But Fanny’s personality is also very old-fashioned. It’s not just that she’s shy (Anne Elliott is a great shy protagonist written by Austen!) or square, but also that her morality seemed so guided by Edmund’s thoughts. By the second half, she has more of a backbone, however.