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    Emma
    Emma
    Emma
    Audiobook14 hours

    Emma

    Written by Jane Austen

    Narrated by Wanda McCaddon

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    The most perfect of Jane Austen's perfect novels begins with twenty-one-year-old Emma Woodhouse comfortably dominating the social order in the village of Highbury, convinced that she has both the understanding and the right to manage other people's lives-for their own good, of course. Her well-meant interfering centers on the aloof Jane Fairfax, the dangerously attractive Frank Churchill, the foolish if appealing Harriet Smith, and the ambitious young vicar Mr. Elton-and ends with her complacency shattered, her mind awakened to some of life's more intractable dilemmas, and her happiness assured.

    Austen's comic imagination was so deft and beautifully fluent that she could use it to probe the deepest human ironies while setting before us a dazzling gallery of characters-some pretentious or ridiculous, some admirable and moving, all utterly true.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateJul 28, 2008
    ISBN9781400176878
    Author

    Jane Austen

    Jane Austen (1775-1817) was an English novelist known primarily for her six major novels—Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey, and Persuasion—which observe and critique the British gentry of the late eighteenth century. Her mastery of wit, irony, and social commentary made her a beloved and acclaimed author in her lifetime, a distinction she still enjoys today around the world.

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    Reviews for Emma

    4/5

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    • 5/5
      Of all of Austen's books I've read, this one is lightest in tone and the most comedic. No one comes close to death or is disastrously spirited away. The closest thing to a tragedy is being snubbed at a dance. I don't remember liking Emma as a character much at first, but she slowly won me over, and she has one of the more interesting arcs of any of Austen's characters. All Austen protagonists grow, but I think she arguably travels the farthest as a result of her comeuppance. One delivered as a result not of her own humiliation but because of words of reproach that make her aware of having hurt someone else. I'm not sure ultimately what to make of her drifting away from Harriet Smith. I think in the end there's still plenty of social snobbery in Emma, and I'm not sure if Austen would in any case disapprove given the class roles of her time. (Although it does seem Mr Knightly, the hero of the tale has no problem having a mere farmer as a friend.) Austen makes you wonder about her characters even after you close the book because she creates a whole community within Emma. And so many of the people within it, like the Eltons, are great comedic characters. Like so many of Austen's novels, Emma isn't a museum piece but a truly fun read with delicious satiric touches.
    • 3/5
      Jane Austen's fourth published work, and a little different from the earlier novels in having a flawed heroine. Emma is spoilt and gets things wrong - making her more realistic than earlier leading characters. Other characters in the book are also vividly drawn - the hypochondriac father, the slightly careless mother (Emma's sister) etc. Austen continues to demonstrate her talent for "describing, not telling" in which she minimises the input of the omniscient narrator and allows the events and conversation to tell the story - very modern. Read as ebook March 2011.
    • 4/5
      Honestly I found this to be one of the harder Austen novels to read. The plot wasn't as captivating as some of her other works, nor were the characters as interesting. Mr. Knightly and Emma are, of course, exceedingly interesting, but everyone else I found rather blah and dull which might have been the point. Emma is an absolute scoundrel and I was constantly reminded of the Austen quote where she tells her sister I believe that Emma is a protagonist only she will like. There are a lot of interesting choices and techniques used in this novel that require some more pondering and close reading, but I will say this: Emma is not the best Austen novel, but it is probably one of the best literary pieces she produced.

      All in all, I would recommend this book to the dedicated Austen fans, but I probably wouldn't recommend it as a starter into Jane Austen literature.
    • 5/5
      I must have read this book at least half a dozen times in the last 25 years, and I still love it. And I still can't read the Box Hill scene without cringing. I must say, though, that I am beginning to doubt Emma's and Mr. Knightley's long-term prospects. He is always correcting her -- isn't that going to drive her crazy after a while? And he is far too old for her.
    • 3/5
      67/2020. Emma: the original mean girl. Even Austen, who seems to have intended us to like Emma, only managed to make her look better by the authorial cheating of introducing Mrs Elton for unflattering comparisons... except that doesn't work on me because I'd rather have fun with the marginally vulgar Mrs Elton than be snubbed by snobby Emma. Apart from the unforgivable social crime (/s) of being nouveau riche, Mrs Elton's only objective fault is pestering Jane Fairfax with unwanted offers of help, which is better than Emma who actively makes Jane's life worse by being mean to her, and providing help to Miss Fairfax would have been Mrs Elton's legitimate concern as rector's wife - to ensure the moral and economic well-being of her husband's parishioners and especially those unprotected young women such as Jane Fairfax who were perceived as being at risk.And then there's the racist antiziganism against "gipsies" who are thrown in as a thoughtless plot device. SIGH. Undoubtedly my least favourite of Austen's completed novels.On the plus side Austen did manage to marry two governesses above their station in the space of one novel, which must have entertained her friend Anne Sharp (as was no doubt intended).Reading notesApart from one or two justly famous sentences, I find the first volume of Emma tendentiously dull. Indeed, "One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other." [...] "but a sanguine temper, though for ever expecting more good than occurs, does not always pay for its hopes by any proportionate depression. It soon flies over the present failure, and begins to hope again." My mind kept drifting to the film Parasite (to be fair, Aunt Jane did write about parasitical economic/social relationships for two of the subplots in Persuasion, 1817/1818).I'd forgotten what a fearful social snob Emma is, not only on her friends' behalf but on her own (much more so than her father, sister, ex-governess, or more lofty neighbour Mr Knightley): threatening to cut Harriet off if she marries Mr Martin because his family are Yeoman farmers; and initially refusing an invitation to an evening party at the Coles, because their money comes from trade, until it suits Emma to change her mind for her own convenience. I'd also forgotten how much of an anti-heroine Emma is even beyond her general snobbery and her particular rudeness to Miss Bates. I can't decide if Austen was trying to portray her as young and inexperienced enough to still have an unformed character, or if her personality defects are intended to be part and parcel with Mr Knightley's accusations that she never sticks at anything (hmm, nice double-meaning there).Snobby, bitchy, and jealous... but popular! "Emma did not repent her condescension in going to the Coles. The visit afforded her many pleasant recollections the next day; and all that she might be supposed to have lost on the side of dignified seclusion, must be amply repaid in the splendour of popularity. She must have delighted the Coles — worthy people, who deserved to be made happy! — And left a name behind her that would not soon die away.Perfect happiness, even in memory, is not common; and there were two points on which she was not quite easy. She doubted whether she had not transgressed the duty of woman by woman, in betraying her suspicions of Jane Fairfax's feelings to Frank Churchill. It was hardly right; but it had been so strong an idea, that it would escape her, and his submission to all that she told, was a compliment to her penetration, which made it difficult for her to be quite certain that she ought to have held her tongue.The other circumstance of regret related also to Jane Fairfax; and there she had no doubt. She did unfeignedly and unequivocally regret the inferiority of her own playing and singing. She did most heartily grieve over the idleness of her childhood—and sat down and practised vigorously an hour and a half."HDU, Mrs Elton: "Surry is the garden of England."Boy gone wild: "As soon as my aunt gets well, I shall go abroad," said he. "I shall never be easy till I have seen some of these places. You will have my sketches, some time or other, to look at - or my tour to read - or my poem. I shall do something to expose myself." (Byron published the first two cantos of Childe Harold's Pilgrimmage in 1812.)Aunt Jane's narrative voice cutting close to the bone: "Goldsmith tells us, that when lovely woman stoops to folly, she has nothing to do but to die; and when she stoops to be disagreeable, it is equally to be recommended as a clearer of ill-fame."And then Emma's character is completely reformed by a brief word from Mr Knightley. He should've been a probation officer... except for the extreme creepiness of 37 year old Mr Knightley proclaiming to 21 year old Emma that his 29 year old self fell permanently in love with her when she was 13. Eep.
    • 3/5
      Reading Austen can be a challenging thing in these modern times. Living in a world where visual entertainment is king and pretty much anything can be said in print, the florid language and social propriety of an Austen novel can leave some readers struggling and in some instances exhausted!That’s not to say our club disliked Emma (per se). There were those who found delight within the many pages and, as most lovers of Austen do, found themselves totally ensconced within the social whirlwind of the early 1800s. And although not everyone had managed to finish, there was determination amongst the ranks to do so. We had a great discussion on the Regency era and the importance of social standing, the class system and the all-important family lineage. We all felt Austen’s writing was clever in its orderly and efficient depicting of life among the gentile. And in a world where fictional entertainment was confined to either the theatre or the novel, her stories played an important role in the literature of the day. So, the general opinion was that, as a book club, ticking an Austen novel off our to-read list was an imperative. The fact that we found both pleasure and a new found respect for the classics made this month’s read more than worth our while.
    • 3/5
      Maybe I shouldn't have listened to this as an audio book because I found it kind of boring. I'm looking forward to listening to more of her books.
    • 3/5
      I felt the author's point was to move slowly through the life of a family with their daughter, a budding tennis player. There is a tension which hovers as opposed to gripping your throat leaving you gasping for air. However; the tension remains, it is very present or is it? You are left questioning to the very end.
    • 4/5
      I love the way in which Austin rips her society to shreads good-naturedly. Mr. Knightly is comperable to Mr. Darcy. But where is the romance?
    • 4/5
      I love Austen, and this book is one of her best. The character of Emma is great. She is a fun person and really human. She is a romantic that wants everyone to be happy, but makes so many mistakes along the way. I like the era the novel is set in, with everyone very much set in their social status. The other characters are great, my favourite being Miss Bates.
    • 5/5
      I couldn’t help loving this book, even though I already knew the story. Her imagery is so vivid that I felt it as a time machine, transporting me to nineteenth century England, wandering through uncobbled streets and amazing houses with lady friends wearing beautiful dresses. Meeting gentlemen and speaking in a guarded but still meaningful way, minding respect and propriety above everything else. So much fun!Emma is an adorable heroine. It’s lovely to watch her make mistakes and then try to make things right again on her way. It made me realize women (and men) didn’t change so much in almost two hundred years.
    • 5/5
      This novel, possibly Austen's best, is full of vivid characters, romance, and foolish confusion. Emma, the title character, is a young lady of high standing in her village and is preoccupied with matchmaking and other people's relationships yet firmly insistent that she will never marry herself. She is so intent on penetrating others' hearts and minds that she neglects her own and is completely oblivious to what she really wants and how she really feels.Her errors in judgement and perception bring about amusing and sometimes painful results.Although I must say that Persuasion is probably my favourite Austen I think that Emma is probably her best. The most ironic and satirical of her works, Emma has an edge that other Austen works lack. Perhaps it was Jane's own stage of life and circumstances combined with her failing health that urged her to write a novel with such a damning portrayal of certain common society types. While Austen did always aim to poke fun at those she saw as silly, dissolute, foppish, foolish, or snobbish this novel is different in that the faults of characters with those traits are more clearly shown and bitingly criticised.I like it and I like it.
    • 4/5
      This was a reread for my book club, and I really enjoyed it. Sometimes I have trouble switching gears into Austen's language, this time I didn't
    • 4/5
      I've had this on my "to read" list for quite a while, but funnily enough decided to read it now in preparation for the release of the final Harry Potter book. There's been so much talk about how much this book influenced Rowling, I thought it would be good to read it now. I started it hoping for some insight to what JKR might do in the final book, but once I got reading, Rowling and the young wizard both left my mind. (So, I can't say that it opened up any new speculations for that series)."Emma" started off a bit slow, but once it got going, I found it quite a page-turner. Emma, even though she is still very young, is basically the head of her household, as her father is a fretful, ineffectual man who allows others to "handle" him easily. Fortunately, Emma is basically a good-hearted young woman who makes (mostly) good decisions, and (usually) behaves properly, and always with great consideration for her father. At the outset of the book, we learn that she thinks herself an excellent matchmaker and decides that she is going to help her newly cultivated friend, Harriet, find the perfect husband. Emma herself, however, intends never to marry and ruin what seems to her an already perfect life. Throughout the book, she pokes her nose into situations that would perhaps better be left alone, and behaves in ways which are destined to be misinterpreted by others (although she's unaware of this at the time). All this, of course, leads to what are supposed to be some interesting twists and turns in the plot.***The rest of this review contains MAJOR SPOILERS including what happens at the end of the book***Austen's books are always a look into a world that is different from my own, and yet some things never change. She drew many wonderful characters in this book, although I did find a few of them to be off-puttingly obnoxious. Not more obnoxious, perhaps, than characters in some of her other books, but they seemed to have a lot more page-time (and dialogue in particular) than I remember being the case in other of Austen's books. Of course, Mrs. Elton was utterly loathesome, and in need of a major smackdown. I also quickly tired of Mr. Woodhouse. Sweet man though he was said to be, his constant worrying was very tiresome, and I could have done without quite so much of it. While these characters annoyed me, it wasn't because they were unbelievable; on the contrary, I've known people like both of them. I just don't have as much patience with either sort as Emma did. I found that with this book, also perhaps more than in others by Austen, I had to consciously "turn off" some of my modern sensibility while reading. Class and wealth and everyone knowing their proper place (and staying in it) is always a theme, and one that was relevant to the time and place in which these books were written, but somehow in this book I found it more oppressive than usual. Emma and those around her are very concerned with maintaining the status-quo in regards to their relationships, and in the course of the story, Austen plays with this quite a bit. As Emma wonders just how much her friend Harriet's low birth might be outweighed by her wonderful personal qualities, we're led to wonder as well, which sets up most of the tension for the whole story. It turns out, though, that "playing" with this is all Austen does; she proves herself to be conservative, and none of her characters rock the boat by marrying outside of their class.I will say, in relation to the above comments, that one of the things that puzzled me about this book was that it's considered a masterpiece of narrative misdirection, and is said to end with a monumental twist. Narrative misdirection, perhaps, but it was one that never really sucked me in. It was obvious Emma was convincing herself of things that were not true. Mr. Elton was clearly was courting Emma, not Harriet, and for Emma to be blind to that made me stop trusting her judgement, so later in the story I didn't buy into any misdirection. As for the ending, there were no surprises there - it ended exactly the way I'd expected it to end. (From the very first time we see his name, I knew she'd end up with Knightley, and all the other pieces were equally easy to fit into the puzzle). Perhaps because I'd heard there was a twist at the end, and read it with a mind to figure out what it could be, I was more careful in my reading than I might have been otherwise and I did figure it out, where others might not have. But, assuming that the book would have a happy ending for Emma (which I was certain it would), there was really no other way for everything to work itself out in the end, so I'm not sure just what the big "twist" is supposed to be. (Although, for a short time, I thought perhaps Frank Churchill was just wacky enough that he was interested in Miss Bates). I thought the book was fun, and I enjoyed following Emma's train of thought, but early on I stopped seeing things solely from her point of view, so I wasn't surprised by anything at all. (If I'd thought that the book might end unhappily for Emma, I might have suspected that Knightley would have set his sights on Harriet. It was clear, though, that Austen liked Emma far too much to leave her love-less at the end of the book). So, a great book, but one of the biggest surprise endings in literature? No, I don't think so. I can't decide if this is now my favorite Austen, or if P&P still holds that honor. I did enjoy Emma and Knightley at least as much as Elizabeth and Darcy; perhaps more, since they were always genuinely friendly to one another, even when they disagreed. But in the end, I will say that I still like Elizabeth Bennett better than Emma Woodhouse. Emma is lovely, but her ill-conceived manipulations were heavy-handed at times. (Even though, of course, there wouldn't have been a story without them).
    • 3/5
      I probably would have liked Emma more if I had finished it. . .It was alright. I mean, I had some difficulty around the middle section of it, it kind of slowed down and I STILL cannot get around the old-fashioned language of it. I'll have to read a paragraph like 10 times before I understand.Great story, though. Maybe I'll read it again when I'm a little more intelligent.
    • 5/5
      A wonderful book. You will thoroughly enjoy reading this book.
    • 4/5
      I always thought I wasn't an Austen fan, but Emma made me rethink my position. Far more engaging than Pride and Prejudice, imo.
    • 4/5
      After reading Jane Austen's two best works - "Pride and Prejudice" and "Sense and Sensibility", reading the first parts of "Emma" was hard. I felt disappointed because to me Emma doesn't seem to be an interesting heroine. She's not as likeable as Elinor Dashwood, or even her lively and unrestrained sister Marriane. And definitely Emma is nowhere as interesting as Elizabeth Bennet! I was also a bit bored, as to me the plot was not as nearly as interesting the the other two. To me Emma is rather annoying, and the story is just a story of a girl growing up and learning about life by stumbling on mistake after mistake. The other characters there are certainly VERY annoying - like the incessant talker Miss Bates and Emma's always worrying father Mr Woodhouse.But I realised I was maybe being unjust. I was expecting interesting love affair like that between Lizzie and her Mr Darcy, while Jane is actually offering something different. And actually the further I read the book the more endearing it was. It was a bit dragging at first, but as the plot thickens it was back like when reading "Pride and Prejudice" and "Sense and Sensibility", I couldn't put the book down. And the book does have those ingredients that are standard (and lovable) in Jane's book - secret love affairs, money problem, good looking gentlemen and non gentlemen, and gentle, restrained romance. In the end, though not as deeply impressed as when reading the other two books, I still regretted that the book had to end and I won't be able to know what became of Emma and her beau years later.As in her other books Jane Austen managed to convey and describe clearly the sociology of her time. As always I felt thankful I didn't live in those days where geeks and socially inept person like me would definitely be an outcast, being talked about, gossiped and pitied by the neighbours. I can imagine what Emma and Mrs Weston would say, "Oh that poor Miss ....., she is so quiet and awkward, lacking in style. No wonder she's an old maid!"
    • 4/5
      An extremely enjoyable and often hilarious slice of Georgian life featuring the spoiled, snotty, but also weirdly lovable Emma who is very convinced she understands how everyone feels even when she is repeatedly proven wrong (even about herself). Austen has the ability to draw characters that are simultaneously pointed caricatures and lovingly individualistic portraits. It is no wonder she published her novels anonymously during her lifetime, because I'm sure her friends, family, and acquaintances could find themselves in these pages. Not sure how I made it this long without reading this one, but I'm glad I finally did.
    • 5/5
      I’m sure much has been written about the longevity of Jane Austen’s works of proper English life during the early 19th century, but you have to wonder why, at this time, her novels of keen social commentary immersed in drawing room drama and provincial balls, continue to enjoy such a wide readership. When you consider the lack of manners today, it’s hard to understand why so many of us enjoy her social commentary of a time long past. But enjoy them we do and Emma is no exception.Emma Woodhouse proudly proclaims to all who will listen that she never intends to marry. Rather she spends her young life meddling in those of others, mainly playing matchmaker, to mostly disastrous results. Nothing seems to stop her though, to the detriment especially of her young, decidedly lower class, friend Harriet. Emma’s object is to raise Harriet’s station in life. Early on in the book, I did not find Emma appealing at all. I mean, she was methodically destroying Harriet’s life. For someone who was so obviously aware of the importance of the English hierarchy regarding class, it never occurred to Emma that by matching Harriet with a young man of higher station she would thereby lower his and that just wasn’t going to happen as her friend, Mr. Knightly, points out.At any rate, Emma cannot be convinced of her own folly and along the way we are treated to Austen’s trademark satire and biting wit. She doesn’t fail to provide for a few deliciously drawn supporting characters including Emma’s father, who is scared of his own shadow and the possibility that someone, anyone will suffer from the fatal effects of a draft; his neighbor Miss Bates, whose non-stop chatter absolutely grates on the nerves and the obsequious prattler Mrs. Elton. How these people exist and even thrive in each other’s company is beyond the pale. A conversation between Emma and Mrs. Elton went like this:”’My brother and sister will be enchanted with this place. People who have extensive grounds themselves are always pleased with anything in the same style.’ Emma doubted the truth of this sentiment. She had a great idea that people who had extensive grounds themselves cared very little for the extensive grounds of anybody else, but it was not worthwhile to attack an error so double-dyed.”As the narrative progresses Austen tosses the omniscient reader bits of information that enable you to piece together the clues and come to the proper conclusion. My early misgivings about Emma are soon overcome as I realize that she actually considers her meddling to be a service and, at heart, she is trying to help poor Harriet. Once again when Mr. Knightley points out her faulty thinking it becomes apparent that Emma is actually “faultless in spite of all her faults.” This made her endearing to me although Austen claimed before the book was even written, “I am going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like.” Well, I liked her and loved her tale. Highly recommended.
    • 4/5
      A character driven novel where most characters are drawn by their dialog. The thoughts of major characters are also revealed. Emma seems to grow up in the novel from an extremely spoiled controlling brat alway sure she knows best to a more likable, more self reflective lady. It is believable, however, in that even in the end Emma still views events in a self centered manner. For the most part all of the characters are believable although perhaps Miss Bates is too too talkative, Mrs. Elton too, too obnoxious, and Mr. Woodhouse too, too cautious.
    • 5/5
      This is my fourth reading of Emma. My appreciation for Emma seems to grow with every reading. I started out on the Kindle but ended up listening to the last part on audiobook read by Juliet Stevenson. Let me just add a note on the humor in Emma. I appreciated it more this time. Like Mr. Wodehouse, the hypochondriac, and his diet plans:"Mrs. Bates, let me propose your venturing on one of these eggs. An egg boiled very soft is not unwholesome. Serle understands boiling an egg better than any body. I would not recommend an egg boiled by any body else; but you need not be afraid, they are very small, you see—one of our small eggs will not hurt you. Miss Bates, let Emma help you to a little bit of tart—a very little bit. Ours are all apple-tarts. You need not be afraid of unwholesome preserves here. I do not advise the custard. Mrs. Goddard, what say you to half a glass of wine? A small half-glass, put into a tumbler of water? I do not think it could disagree with you." And Juliet Stevenson take on Mrs. Bates is fantastic. So funny how a simple question by Emma (how are you?) end up with an account of the whole day's minor details. I laughed a lot. Also the foolishness of Mrs. Elton and her meddling.
    • 2/5
      Don't get the fuss. Did not enjoy.
    • 4/5
      Austen is such a craftsman with words, but I do not find her plot lines that interesting. Still it is a pleasure to read such a well crafted narrative. I liked "Pride and Prejudice" better. She would be my favorite author should she write about war and violence.
    • 4/5
      Love this book and the way Emma is determined to never fall in love and yet does with her best friend. What a fun story and the characters and the romance is great.
    • 5/5
      I enjoyed reading this a whole lot more than I expected to. The language is fantastic, certain bits of dialogue strike me as very original (example: "the extent of your admiration may take you by surprise" is so much more artfully coy than "are you in love with her?"), and the characters are well drawn. But I probably would have overlooked reading this classic, as I've been steering clear of the romances, were it not for "The Rhetoric of Fiction" by Wayne C. Booth. In his study of narrative as rhetoric, he devoted a full chapter to an analysis of "Emma" as a fantastic example of well-employed narrative strategy being used to resolve the challenges of an unsympathetic lead. After that, I had to see it for myself.Jane Austen sets up what appears on the surface to be an easily told story: a wealthy young woman suffers from snobbishness, then learns the error of her ways. The trouble being, most readers aren't predisposed to like a snob, so what to do? By telling the story from Emma's viewpoint, we get inside her head and find out she's not really a bad person despite her singular downfall. Told from any other character's perspective, we'd hardly be as likely to realize this and wish her well.This solution produces another problem: how to ensure the reader is aware of Emma's fault and can then monitor its being addressed? The author uses two methods: distant narration at the beginning, in which the narrator blatantly states (telling, not showing! to good effect) Emma's weakness before subtly handing the narrative over to Emma herself. From that point on, the author employs humour to make the progression in her character entertaining.Then it's the humour itself that presents a challenge. We might be in danger of laughing at Emma vindictively, when her false perceptions fail her. Happily the humour is so carefully crafted and presented that, together with our sympathy being won, we are able to enjoy Emma's misperceptions and their results in a less malicious way.These points are all Mr. Booth's and I doubt I'd have arrived at them independently. I definitely would not have assumed them in advance. A large part of what made this book enjoyable derived from my prior understanding of its strategic crafting. Whether Jane Austen consciously gave it thought or no, she used the only narrative approach that would have succeeded. She conveyed Emma's weakness through a positive use of telling, then used humour to superior effect so that the novel is comedic without being farcical. This insight made it a joy to read. Additionally, I was even glad to already know how the book ended (normally I hate spoilers, I'll give none here), because I could appreciate the extra layers of dramatic irony that otherwise require a second read to capture.As the introduction to my edition says, "Emma" is a novel that can be read too easily, and in which nothing of much consequence appears to happen on the surface. It would have been in keeping with my normal tastes to declare "boring!" and grant 3.5 stars instead of five. Defending the novel now against that alternative self, I'd point to the intervening two hundred years since its publication and how easily I can fall prey to reading with 21st century eyes. That and, when I'm merely reading for pleasure sometimes the craft goes over my head. If you are prone to making the same errors, I recommend some pre-reading about this novel before jumping in because the difference it makes is remarkable.
    • 4/5
      Emma is a lovable character even with all her faults and misjudgments. She seems to be forever misjudging people and putting her own ideas in place of the reality. She attempts to match make on behalf of her friends but does not do so well at it. In the end it is her own match that secures the happy ending.
    • 5/5
      While most Austen novels read alike to me, Emma stands out primarily due to our protagonist and title character who, despite her good intentions, is so hysterically self-absorbed that every good deed she attempts ends up an utter disaster. It really is a funny novel and the best of the bunch, in my opinion.
    • 4/5
      Not my favourite of Austen's books, certainly, and I cannot see the attraction in the eponymous heroine. Furthermore, the book feels terribly over-long, and when the big reveal arrives, as it does in all of Austen's fiction, it is particularly unsurprising.
    • 1/5
      I can't stand this novel!! It's so slow. It's like watching baseball