Emma, Jane Austen
I came very late to an appreciation of Austen’s work — via a copy of Northanger Abbey some previous student had annotated with rather astute observations, actually. Emma is definitely not my favourite of Austen’s works; it seems to drag, and the whole situation is just embarrassing, with Emma being so stuck up and arrogant, but so naive. I’m not honestly sure why the character she marries in the end actually loves her, since he is a man of taste and discernment. Sure, she realises she’s been an idiot, but I’m not entirely sure she realises why and how not to do it again.
Since I get really bad second-hand embarrassment, then, it’s perhaps not surprising that Emma isn’t my favourite Austen, nor Emma my favourite of her heroines. Austen’s writing is still witty, her eye for character and the ridiculousness of people exacting, but… I just don’t like it. I’m glad I’ve now read it, but I wouldn’t read it again, and I recall enjoying Austen’s other novels rather more than this one, which felt like a chore.
There, Mum, are you happy I’m not a cuckoo in your nest now?
This is the next Austen on my to-read list, and I’ve long been aware that Emma is not the most likeable of protagonists, almost an anti-heroine as it were.
Curiously, this has always seemed to me to be a kind of challenge, a dare to find something — anything — positive to say about her when I finally get to meet her. If you’ve found her wanting then I see I’ve got a real uphill struggle!
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She’s not a bad person, and she means well… she’s just also a snob and not very self-aware. Sigh.
Emma is also my least-favourite Austen novel. I didn’t like her at all, she’s spoiled and clueless. Ugh. I’ll have to re-read this at some point, though, it’s been 10 years since I read it, I think.
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I don’t really recommend the endeavour! I got less out of this than all the other Austen books combined, I think.