November Books 10) Emma

[nwhyte]

10) Emma, by Jane Austen

I had read Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion previously, and frankly liked them more. Emma Woodhouse is a manipulative snob, and while the author clearly disapproves of her manipulations and occasional rudeness, she entirely endorses the snobbery. The unfortunate Harriet, whose emotional life is Emma's plaything, turns

Comments

[shana]

It's the only Jane Austen novel I didn't like and won't reread. Even if it did strongly limit my choice of Freshman English classes.

[here_be_dragons]

I know several people who consider "Emma" to be Austen's best (including, probably, J.K. Rowling, who apparently used Austen's technique of narrative misdirection in the book to guide her own writing). I agree with you, though. Emma is rather horrible, and I had a hard time enjoying the book. I found myself not wanting her to end up happy (Knightley is too good for her, really, and it was difficult for me to believe that he would want to be with her). Of course, there is always a lot of culture shock when reading Austen - she did live in a different world. For some reason this book was more challenging for me in that respect than any of her others.

[ephiriel]

I have to admit a preference for both P&P and Persuasion. While the book Emma was alright the character of Emma didn't appeal to me and therefore the book remains in the finished pile and not the to be revisited pile.

[uitlander]

I pathologically hated this book at A-level, and have refused to read any other Austen because of it. As you say, Emma Woodhouse is a manipulative snob and the book is quite detestable.

[lizatgreenside]

I hated this book so much for the same reasons. But I hated "Madame Bovary" an awful lot too - occurs to me that the only female protagonists I've really wanted to give a good slapping are both called Emma. How weird.

[sciamanna]

OMG yes. Emma Bovary is even worse than Austen's Emma. *And* I had to read it in French for class. I was rarely so underwhelmed by a book I had to read -- as in, "Why is this considered such a masterpiece?"

[lizatgreenside]

It wasn't that, with me. I don't think I'd have hated either Emma if the writing hadn't been so damn good; both were just pretty ruthless portraits of women I really had no time at all for! If you haven't been completely put off by Flaubert, "Salammbô" is seriously weird.