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    Emma
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    Emma
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    Emma
    Audiobook (abridged)6 hours

    Emma

    Written by Jane Austen

    Narrated by Fiona Shaw

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    Penguin Classics presents Jane Austen's Emma, adapted for audio and now available as a digital download as part of the Penguin English Library series. Read by the actress Fiona Shaw.

    'I never have been in love; it is not my way, or my nature; and I do not think I ever shall'

    Beautiful, clever, rich - and single - Emma Woodhouse is perfectly content with her life and sees no need for either love or marriage. Nothing, however, delights her more than interfering in the romantic lives of others. But when she ignores the warnings of her good friend Mr Knightley and attempts to arrange a suitable match for her protégée Harriet Smith, her carefully laid plans soon unravel and have consequences that she never expected. With its imperfect but charming heroine and its witty and subtle exploration of relationships, Emma is often seen as Jane Austen's most flawless work.

    Part of a series of vintage recordings taken from the Penguin Archives. Affordable, collectable, quality productions - perfect for on-the-go listening.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin UK Audio
    Release dateJul 26, 2012
    ISBN9780718198329
    Author

    Jane Austen

    Jane Austen (1775–1817) was an English novelist whose work centred on social commentary and realism. Her works of romantic fiction are set among the landed gentry, and she is one of the most widely read writers in English literature.

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    Reviews for Emma

    4/5

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    • 3/5
      Jane Austen's Emma has the distinction of being one of the few novels that I have greatly enjoyed, despite thoroughly disliking its heroine. The vain Miss Woodhouse, whose bumbling attempts at matchmaking lead to such distress for her friends and acquaintances, is perhaps best appreciated as a comic character. As a romantic heroine however, she is appalling...Despite my impatience with the titular character, Emma is a wonderful novel, as engrossing as it is entertaining, told with Austen's inimitable charm and wit. The characterization of Miss Bates is particularly amusing, although the author never descends to the malice shown by her main character. All-in-all, well worth the reader's attention.
    • 4/5
      I recieved this book through a GoodReads giveaway. Thank you to Goodreads and the author for making this possible!

      This is the first book I've read by Sarah Graves so I have no history with this series but I enjoyed it very much! I'm sure there were things I didn't catch since this is pretty far along in a series but whatever they were, they didn't change my enjoyment of the book.

      This book falls into the genre I think of as Contemporary American Cozies, my favorite genre! It's not as soft as some, it does have a few hard edges, but it's definitely still comfort food for the cozy reader. It's set in Maine, which is always a great setting for mysteries, and has a female sleuth with a distinct identity as a home repair addict.

      There were a lot of characters and a lot of intertwining story lines. In fact, that's the only reason I didn't give it 5 stars. It jumped from story line and POV to story line and POV a little more often than I was completely comfortable with but that was a minor distraction.

      The race to the finish at the end where all the story lines are tied up was great! It was definitely a page-turner and impossible to put down. A very fun read. I'll be going to back and starting at the beginning with this series!

    • 5/5
      Emma is one of my favorite Jane Austen characters (I think I've raed this one more than P&P). And watching the 2009 Masterpiece Classic version of Emma is so much fun. I love how silly and simple they portray Harriet.
    • 5/5
      I read this book perhaps 20 years ago, and since then I have seen filmed versions of it so many times that I didn't think the book could hold any charm for me any more. How wrong I was! Films can never equal Jane Austen's wit. This book is told with a hilarity that held me transfixed, turning pages. The films canvas many chapters in mere seconds, and they can never capture the thoughts and characters of Austen's figures as the book does. It will not be so long before I read this work again.
    • 4/5
      I have enjoyed re-reading Emma this time more than I ever have before. Listening to Nadia May's narration of the audiobook no doubt contributed to this. This novel demonstrates Jane Austen's genius: she gives Emma Woodhouse a whole range of faults - including conceit, vanity, pride and immaturity. And yet Emma is real and she is likeable. She makes you cringe, but you cheer for her when she recognises her mistakes and tries to make things right. Other characters are equally masterful: Miss Bates' sympathetic silliness, Mrs Elton's sheer awfulness, Mr Knightley's calm good sense. I love them all, even though spending the afternoon with some of them would be a major trial!
    • 2/5
      Not the biggest Jane Austin fan, as I find her subject matter not as engaging as some would have me believe. It's a well written book, and her humor is definitely there, but I just don't get the same feeling from Emma as I did from say, Pride and Prejudice. It was alright, but still, I needed to force myself to finish this one off.
    • 4/5
      Very funny and witty, but not one of my particular favorites. It’s more along the lines of Northanger Abbey where it’s very obvious what Austen is making fun of, but there’s only so much to do with a character. Also, very confusing when you have two people referred to as Mr. Knightley which Is not good when one of them is supposed to be the love interest. Still, a good read.
    • 4/5
      Re-read these days and am still just loving this!
    • 5/5
      Emma meddles in everyone else's love affairs, with unforeseen consequences, while also completely oblivious of her own love for family friend Mr. Knightley.This is my favorite Jane Austen.Read in college (early 1990s).
    • 5/5
      Jane Austen. Enough said - the greatest of romance writers.
    • 5/5
      eBook

      I really don't know what to say about this. Austen is, as always, a delight to read, and even the fact that you can see what's going to happen from early on in the book (I bet there will be a secret engagement!) doesn't spoil the pleasure.

      Emma's a great character if for no other reason than that her flaws actually make her a bad person, which seems strange for what I expect out of an Austen book. The fact that she's redeemed by the end doesn't change the fact that for most of the book, she doesn't seem to deserve the advantages she's been given.
    • 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
      After reading and loving Pride and Prejudice, I decided to really take my time with Emma and thought it wouldn't come anywhere close to P&P. I am surprised to say that I liked it even better! Having seen a couple of the video adaptions of this, I was already familiar with the story and knew all the major plot points. What you don't get as well in the movies however is the incredible transformation in Emma's way of thinking. It was so beautifully written and yet was also incredibly funny. I loved every single character (even the annoying ones) for what they brought to the story. Also, Mr. Knightley was just completely wonderful. Overall, I have to say that Emma is my new favorite novel. It had everything I want out of a book.
    • 4/5
      Emma is the kind of coming of age story only Jane Austen could produce. Emma Woodhouse seems the perfect young lady; pretty, rich, attentive to her elderly father, polite to all the lesser peoples around her. But she is also as prone to cruelty and silliness as any child. She fancies herself a matchmaker, and makes some efforts at that. Events transpire to bring her back to her senses, and she begins to mature into a sensible woman. What would the moral of the story be? - An Austen heroine always gets her man.
    • 4/5
      Det är svårt att tro att man kan bli så intresserad av vardagslivet i ett litet samhälle i 1800-talets England. Men det blir man. Det finns en varm, humoristisk ton genom hela boken som gör den till en riktigt fin läsupplevelse. Bra sommarläsning! "Emma" är en kärlekshistoria men också en utvecklingsroman, där man får följa huvudpersonens mognad till ung kvinna. Mitt bestående intryck är alla de trevliga miljöskildringarna - man går på middag, ställer till med dans, åker på utflykt och går på visiter och promenader. De verkar ha det så trevligt i Highbury!It's hard to believe that you can become so interested in the everyday life in a small town in England, two centuries ago... But it gets you. There is a warm, humorous tone throughout the book that makes it a really nice reading experience. A very good choice for your relaxed summer reading! "Emma" is a love story but also a story where one can follow the main character's maturation into a young woman. My lasting impression is all the nice environment descriptions - you go to dinner, get up to dance, go for trips and walks and visit people. They seem to have such a nice time in Highbury!
    • 5/5
      Jane Austen's finest. Her language and imagery is vivid and exquisite as always. However, the plot in Emma is so much more extravagant with its twists, turns, and love triangles. It is no wonder that novelists and movie makers today are still trying to match it's genius and modernizing it as they did with Clueless.It is easy to see why Jane Austen has remained one the of the best authors of all time.
    • 4/5
      Emma is the fourth published Jane Austen novel. Emma Woodhouse is the spoiled, rich, younger daughter of the widowed Mr Woodhouse. Her father, Henry, is naïve, self-centred, a borderline hypochondriac and the ultimate pessimist. Emma lives at home with him, looks after him and has no plans to ever marry because of this. She is a strong-willed and snobbish 20-year-old with a rather dull life who fancies herself an excellent matchmaker. Most of her friends and acquaintances indulge her. Only George Knightly, the elder brother of her sister Isabella’s husband, John, is critical of her behaviour. He takes her to task for meddling in others’ lives. As with all novels of this era, compared with today’s offerings, the reader has to be patient and allow the story to build. There’s also getting one’s head around the language used. It took me a few instances of the word “nice” to realise that what it meant then (foolish, stupid, senseless) was not what it means today. The garrulous Miss Bates is a source of humour and there is plenty of talking at crossed purposes. This novel seems to point to the importance of status and appearance in Miss Austen’s world. Another Austen classic.
    • 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
      I remember reading a foreword in my first edition of Emma -- was it by Margaret Drabble? -- where it was mentioned that Jane Austen thought no one would like the character of Emma but herself.

      At first, I thought she was right. I didn't much care for Emma the first time I read the book. I occasionally wanted to smack her smug face. I certainly didn't think she deserved Mr. Knightly and sometimes thought a dotty spinsterhood was her appropriate fate.

      But I read the book again and I changed my mind.

      Emma isn't the most likable of fictional characters, at least at first, but this is what makes her so splendid. She grows during the book -- something that is always an effective part of a novel for me. She makes mistakes and then learns from them (although she does have to make the same mistakes a few times to really get the point, but so many of us do the same). As I read the book again, I realized what irritated me so much about Emma was how very much she resembled me and many people I knew, in that way that seeing your own worst qualities reflected in someone else is irritating like nothing else. Emma is a mirror, and she does not reflect a flattering portrait.

      Once you get over that little hurdle, it's a very funny, very clever book. Austen has her sharp, sardonic wit at the ready and she uses it to show us the little micro-environment that is Highbury in great but never dull detail. We see the proud, the foolish, the overly reserved, the overly demonstrative -- and, unusually, a bit of all of these are in Emma. She is a more rounded, complete character than Austen has created in her previous books. By the time I'd finished the second read, I was nearly as fond of Emma as Austen.
    • 5/5
      Jane Austen's "Emma" is another of her great romance novels. The heroine in this case is Emma Woodhouse -- a rich woman who runs her father's household and has no real inducements to marry. She has a high opinion of her own opinions and sets about matchmaking for a friend in much more uncertain circumstances than she is. All this could mesh together into an insufferable main character, but Emma is completely charming and likeable, even when her behavior is infuriating. Her gradual realization of where her own hopes lay and to her blindness about others is the heart of this wonderful book. The book is so well-written that the characters seem to leap off the page (which is why there are so many film adaptations, I suppose.) I think this is one of Jane Austen's best (though not quite equal to "Pride and Prejudice."
    • 5/5
      a girl who wants to do right by fixing others and gets stucked when it comes to herself...amusing
    • 4/5
      This was an audio book that I downloaded from my library's electronic library site. At over 15 hours it took me a long time to get through it but I'm glad I listened to it. The narrator, Nadia May, was excellent and managed to convey the humour just by the nuances of her voice.The story is pretty familiar to anyone who has read much of Austen's work. Young woman of the upper class has no real wish to marry but realizes by the end of the book that she is in love with someone who has been around for a long time. This only occurs after she tries to match make for her friend with some disastrous near misses.I don't completely understand why Austen is so revered. I find her stories trivial but the characterizations do add a lot.
    • 4/5
      I most recently read Emma as the introductory novel in a class at the Newberry Library. The class was entitled "Jane Austen's Heirs" and following the introductory refreshing reading of Emma the course included novels by such "heirs" of hers as Virginia Woolf, Rebecca West, Elizabeth Bowen, Barbara Pym, and Anita Brookner. The theme of course was Austen and Emma is one of the best of her novels to read and use as a model for the typical Austen novel.Before she began the novel, Austen wrote, "I am going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like." In the very first sentence she introduces the title character as "Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich." Emma, however, is also rather spoiled; she greatly overestimates her own matchmaking abilities; and she is blind to the dangers of meddling in other people's lives and is often mistaken about the meanings of others' actions.While Emma differs strikingly from Austen's other heroines in some respects, she resembles Elizabeth Bennet and Anne Elliot, among others, in another way: she is an intelligent young woman with too little to do and no ability to change her location or everyday routine. Though her family is loving and her economic status secure, the quotidian details of Emma's everyday life seem a bit dul; she has few companions her own age when the novel begins. Her determined though inept matchmaking may represent a muted protest against the narrow scope of a wealthy woman's life, especially that of a woman who is single and childless.And of course there is the classical balance of the novel's structure that, combined with the beauty of Austen's writing style, makes this novel a favorite of readers and writers, particularly those mentioned above, ever since it was published.
    • 5/5
      I refuse to use the word review as it would be insulting to one of Britain's greatest classic writers. I am a huge fan of Miss Austen and Emma did not disappoint in any way at all. Beautifully written with the usual descriptive scene setting that we have come to expect from this author. I love Emma who is a wonderful character full of charm but with flaws, so human. The reader wonders how can she be so blind to what is actually going on around her. It is her sense of goodwill to others that lends her tendency to read situations so incorrectly. I have seen the BBC production with Romola Garai in the lead role and when reading the book I could only picture Michael Gambon as Mr Woodhouse as his characterisation was so fitting. I found myself transported to Hartfield and could just imagine such a setting. I love the way Jane Austen always introduces characters of ridicule and Mrs Elton in particular was insufferable and also, the garrulous aunt of Jane Fairfax, Miss Bates.
    • 3/5
      Emma clearly is not the typical heroine but, as Austensaid herself, “a heroine whom noone but myself will much like.” Shehas too many disagreeable features, too many hasty, mistakenjudgements and actions. At the same time, perhaps precisely thanks toher imperfection that she is one of the heroines with which we caneasily identify ourselves. Well, I dislike her anyway :P. Anyway, this is a fun read, since though everything's seen under Emma's eyes, Austen put in a lot of hints so that observant readers can predict what comes next and who goes with whom :P. Each new read renders many more details ! Also, some of the characters, Miss Bates or Mrs Elton for example, is truly comical. Btw if you enjoy this book. definitely watch both BBC's and Gwyneth's version. The mean of the two Emma is precisely my ideal Emma xD
    • 5/5
      This great classic of early 19th century English literature tells the story of Emma Woodhouse, a wealthy young woman of twenty-one years of age who has all the desirable attributes of beauty, intelligence and good breeding on her side, but has no intentions of marrying. She likes to think of herself as a talented matchmaker and decides to take young Harriet, a trusting and unsophisticated, though very pretty girl, under her wing. She proposes to educate Harriet and teach her the refinements of the upper classes to prepare her for a brilliant match to a real gentleman. Emma is a heroine that many readers find unpleasant, and her archness and snobbery combined with willfulness and naiveté certainly set her up for humbling experiences. Though I can't say I thought her especially likeable, I did think her rather amusing and I found the process by which Emma grows into womanhood to be delightful. Even the predictable ending was gratifying, which I should mention to those who don't know me, signals a great change in my attitude towards Jane Austen's work. I should say that I would probably never have appreciated, nor rated this novel so highly if it weren't for the excellent tutoring of an LT member who explained patiently and at length some of the historical elements and customs which most modern readers such as myself weren't aware of. This in turn gave me a much greater appreciation for all the subtleties and humour in the play on social conventions which Austen is most known for.
    • 4/5
      Very good, but I don't think I'm ever going to desperately want to read it again. It seemed very long, and often tedious, and it was very predictable. But I loved the ending!
    • 5/5
      Having just lost her former governess and companion to marriage, Emma Woodhouse fears that her life is about to become far more dull. However, upon making the acquaintance of Harriet Smith, the illegitimate daughter of a mystery individual who lives at the local boarding school, Emma takes Harriet under her wing. Despite the disapproval of her long-time neighbour and friend, Mr. Knightley, Emma strives to marry off Harriet. She quickly learns though that matchmaking is far more difficult than she expected and the chances for heartbreak for more than just Harriet are high.Emma was the first Jane Austen novel I ever read and thus, it always has a special place in my reading history. The tale of rich and spoiled Emma Woodhouse stirring up trouble in Highbury with her matchmaking efforts is always amusing. Emma and Mr. Knightley's verbal sparring is thoroughly enjoyable, particularly given his annoying habit of always being right. The supporting characters are equally sparkling and full of foibles that never cease to amuse. Of course, there is the requisite misunderstandings between the primary characters and the ultimate happy ending and marriage that makes these novels such a comfort. No matter how many times I read it, Emma remains witty and charming.
    • 4/5
      Emma Woodhouse sets out to be a matchmaker for her single female friends although her efforts are not very successful. This story chronicles the day to day life of women in the Regency period. Emma shows a few characteristics of an early feminist movement by trying to show that women do not need to be married to be happy. This is a classic tale and one of my favorite Austen novels.
    • 5/5
      I love electronics, cars, and all things made available by modern technology. But reading Emma (or any Austen, really) makes me want to live back in the 1800's. So lovely.