263 pages
English language
Published June 28, 2014 by Black & White Classics.
"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 protegee, 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.
meh, it's verrrrryyyy boring in Swedish
Completely by chance I managed to leave two of the best Jane Austen novels - to my mind at least - until last so have finished my 2017 Jane Austen Challenge on a high note! I think Northanger Abbey is still very much my favourite, but I was pleasantly surprised by Emma. I had expected this book to be as slow as Sense And Sensibility. However I found it more energetic and I loved Emma's unlikeable traits. Her father's total inability to empathise with anyone who doesn't share his narrow views, particularly on ideal diet and exercise, entertained me and raised several chuckles. The small town life of Highbury is cleverly and often wickedly evoked. Austen's portrayal of Miss Bates frequently seemed uncharitable, but I have known a couple of women who chattered away in a remarkably similar fashion.
I did feel a little disappointed in Austen's abandonment of Harriet. …
Completely by chance I managed to leave two of the best Jane Austen novels - to my mind at least - until last so have finished my 2017 Jane Austen Challenge on a high note! I think Northanger Abbey is still very much my favourite, but I was pleasantly surprised by Emma. I had expected this book to be as slow as Sense And Sensibility. However I found it more energetic and I loved Emma's unlikeable traits. Her father's total inability to empathise with anyone who doesn't share his narrow views, particularly on ideal diet and exercise, entertained me and raised several chuckles. The small town life of Highbury is cleverly and often wickedly evoked. Austen's portrayal of Miss Bates frequently seemed uncharitable, but I have known a couple of women who chattered away in a remarkably similar fashion.
I did feel a little disappointed in Austen's abandonment of Harriet. I felt as though, having served her purpose to Emma, she became then just a minor plot point to tidy away. I would have preferred a stronger resolution to her storyline. Despite being one of the longer books, I felt Emma maintained a pretty good pace throughout, only seeming to drag in the last few chapters, and I wasn't so frustrated with inane conversations as I had been in previous books. Perhaps I have become more attuned to Austen's writing style this year!
Looking back over my challenge I am glad to have finally read all six of Austen's novels - and even more glad than I can't envisage myself ever having to read certain of them again! I will now have a far greater understanding when Austen characters are alluded to in other novels and may even recognise her storylines and plot devices being 'recycled'.
Getting strong 'Clueless' vibes from this book.
A masterpiece. Fantastic in its ability to subtley show the perspective of every character.
Spend some quality time inside Emma's all-too-relatable mind, judging and justifying your fickle thoughts about all your friends and neighbors.
It's annoying to read about people who preach about propriety when they include in it a social system that to me seems immoral. And at times the book seems too verbose.
On the other hand, I did enjoy the intrigues and that Emma had to deduce which person thinks what from small deviations of complete propriety.
Through frustration I enjoyed this book.
Been thinking and talking about this book a lot since seeing the new adaptation and being completely satisfied with it. And I think it’s time for me to take a stand and say: Emma is my favorite Austen, and yes it is a perfect novel.
