Jane Austen

New chronology and further reading; Tony Tanner's original introduction reinstated Edited with an introduction and notes by Flora Stafford.

Emma

Storm

It darted through her, with the speed of an arrow, that Mr Knightley must marry no one but herself!

Common sense would have directed her to tell Harriet, that she must not allow herself to think of him, and that there were five hundred chances to one against his ever caring for her. - ‘But, with common sense,’ she added, ‘I am afraid I have had little to do.’

She liked his open manners, but a little less of open-heartedness would have made him a higher character. —General benevolence, but not friendship, made a man what he ought to be. — She could fancy such a man.

Frank Churchill seemed to have been on the watch; and though he did not say much, his eyes declared that he meant to have a delightful evening.

The ladies here probably exchanged looks which meant, ‘Men never know when things are dirty or not;’ and the gentlemen perhaps thought each to himself, ‘Women will have their little nonsenses and needless cares.’

Victoria Justice

Layla

cerys

Liss

Jane Austen's sparkling and flawless comic masterpiece is the story of Emma Woodhouse- rich, charming, spoilt, obsessed with matchmaking and blind to everyone's faults - including her own. Although Austen described Emma as a character 'whom no one but myself will much like', her wit and her gradual self-realization make her one of the author's most remarkable, believably imperfect heroines.

Lynn

This was just okay. Maybe I had higher hopes for this book since I heard great things about Emma. I’d expected a tale of coming of age and recognising one’s faults. But this story just felt very stale and fell a little flat for me. The events were very run-of-the-mill and there were few characters I liked and the rest I just didn’t feel much of anything for. Overall just a very meh book that was way longer than it needed to be. I’m sure there’s great motifs and other literary elements that make this ‘great’ classic - it just wasn’t for me.

Celestine Taevs-Nakaya

Not me falling in love with unloveable characters again.

Klára Kováčiková 

i just wanted to like this more than i did but here we are

Cici Pearson

jane austen never disappoint is real i love every details of this book i live for friends to lovers trope i love emma i love mr knightley i love everything about this book

gita

Meghan Navoy

I enjoyed this so much! Having seen Clueless a million times and the Gwyneth Paltrow version of Emma once, I was really curious to read the original material. Jane Austen is an expert at making everyday life so interesting and charming.

Very unexpected book, goes along with Jane Austin's style of writting, yet diffrent than her other works. Was pleasantly suprised by it as Emma is actually represented as having qualities that are truthfully flaws, yet it suits the woman of her status. I love that her flaws were shown perfectly, yet it's clear that she isnt a bad person. 

Tijana

It was witty and emotional, I loved the characters and grew attached to them. One of my favorites! 

Ania Wysoczanska

Anna Ureta

What a nightmare.

I don't recommend anyone use this version to listen...

The audible chapters are cut incorrectly, making it only twelve chapters, each over an hour long. 

If you're someone who needs to rewind, or needs to refresh on what you just read I DO NOT recommend this particular version of the audiobook. 

The reader is good, everything is fine, but for someone who needs to rewind chapters and reread.... I barely understood what was going on. The only reason I did know was because of the recent film adaptation.

Jamieson

emma woodhouse vc: im blonde, im skinny, im rich, and I'm a little bit of a bitch








genuinely funny in parts, loved the set up of the different awkward situations. loved loved emma as the protagonist. but it was definitely boring in parts

3.5*. Liked it more than S&S but less than P&P

Em💫

Maria Elkoro-Iribe

** spoiler alert **
           lo siento mucho, pero es que ha sido terrible literalmente le dice que no a uno por pobre y luego dos chavales le rechazan y dice pues me voy con el pobre

I’ve attempted to read Emma multiple times since 2016, and it has been unsuccessful. Emma is at first an annoying protagonist, and while that doesn’t necessarily change, it is easier to deal with if you get far enough to become involved with other plot lines. Overall I recommend it, but be prepared to push through the first few chapters

Meghan Schmidt

Harry L

I don't think I've ever been as annoyed with characters in a book and yet loved them as much at the same time! Everytime anything happened I had to go find someone to rant at about it before hurrying back to read on!

Gayathri Jinesh

This was the fourth of Austen's novels that I read. Though almost as long as Mansfield Park, it's slightly more readable and relatable. This book strays from the flock of Austen's straightforward romance by the protagonist's declaration in the first chapter that she doesn't intend to marry, ever. 

Emma prides herself in being a masterful matchmaker. Emma prides herself in being perfection personified. In fact she takes up the task of  molding Harriet Smith, an illegitimate young girl with no connexions atleast to a small degree to the likeness of herself. 

Enter Jane Fairfax. She is beautiful and accomplished. She had no governess like Emma had to guide her through her youth. Yet her musical skills surpassed Emma. Despite being poor, she was better than Emma and the latter couldn't help but acknowledge that. The only fault in Jane Fairfax that could be found was that she is 'reserved.' Considering how people in this book can't stop talking their head off?, Jane must be one of the few sane people in the book. If written from Jane's point of view, this would have been like any other romance novel. 

The Hartfield residence where Emma lives with her insanely hypochondriac father Mr. Woodhouse (reminiscent of Lady Bertram from Mansfield Park), is at a walkable distance from Bates' residence (where Jane Fairfax lives) and Donwell Abbey. 

Mr. Knightley lives at Donwell Abbey. He provides healthy criticism for Emma's shenanigans. He is normal, hence boring.
Readers entertainment depends on Miss Bates, there are pages of conversation with only her in it.

And Mrs Elton who's so full of herself, the fact that something doesn't concern her is incomprehensible to her. Of course everything is about her, depends upon her, cannot exist without her, would crumble without her. 

Emma meddles in the natural course of events pertaining to people's relationships resulting in, umm.. complications. 
I vaguely remember writing this in some other review, but it is appropriate here too. 
If not for the uncommon combination of beauty and precision in writing, unique to Austen, this story would look like nothing other than a soap opera. Jealousy, check. Matchmaking, check. People poking their nose in affairs not theirs, check. Bad communication prolonging the story, check.


The book is looong, and it requires some serious dedication to finish it. The story and characters are not worth the time and effort they demand. So unless you are hell bent on reading all of Austen's books, you'd better skip this.

Emma (Wordsworth Classics)

Nyriah Browne

Emma (Barnes & Noble Classics Series) (Barnes & Noble Classics)

Arianna M

Emma is a thoroughly delightful book. Every part of it is enjoyable. The characters are so well made that they seem like you could meet them; all in all you feel like you've walked the streets of Highbury once you've done reading.
I must say that, for all that I loved Emma and Mr. Knightley, very much, my favourite character was undoubtedly Frank Churchill. So charming, so loveable, I couldn't resist for a second.

Penguin Cl�sicos publica en una cuidada edici�n esta obra maestra de la literatura inglesa de todos los tiempos, para conmemorar el bicentenario de la publicaci�n original de la novela en 1813. A lo largo de una trama que discurre con la precisi�n de un mecanismo de relojer�a, Jane Austen perfila una galer�a de personajes que conforman un perfecto y sutil retrato de la �poca: las peripecias de una dama empe�ada en casar a sus hijas con el mejor partido de la regi�n, los vaivenes sentimentales de las hermanas, el oportunismo de un cl�rigo adulador... El trazado de los caracteres y el an�lisis de las relaciones humanas sometidas a un r�gido c�digo de costumbres, elementos esenciales de la narrativa de la autora, alcanzan en Orgullo y prejuicio cotas de maestr�a insuperable.�Pero mi locura no ha sido el amor sino la vanidad.� ENGLISH DESCRIPTION Penguin Classics has published this all-time masterpiece of British literature in a special edition to commemorate the bicentennial of the original novel's publication in 1813. Throughout a plot that flows with the precision of clockwork, Jane Austen profiles a gallery of characters who make up a perfect yet subtle portrait of the time: the drama of a lady determined to marry off her daughters to the biggest catches in the area, the ups and downs of the sisters, the opportunism of a sweet-talking minister... the outline of the characters and analysis of the human relationships subjected to a rigid code of customs, essential elements of the author's narrative, reach insurmountable heights of mastery in Pride and Prejudice. "But vanity, not love, has been my folly."

Orgullo y Prejuicio (Edicion Conmemorativa) / Pride and Prejudice (Commemorative Edition)

Paula Pujada

Ankush Swarnakar

Alice Hyman

My first of Austens book and I absolutely loved it. 
Characters are of the first degree perfect. Nuisanced but relatable. I feel that everyone has met at least one Mrs E in their life.
Austen brings interest to a story and characters which could so easily have been boring without her knife sharp observations and understanding of people as a whole
I have immediately moved onto another Austen which must mean a good thing to !

Ciara Dillon

The start and the end was good but the middle was pretty boring

Gisela Ayala 

"It is not a state to be safely entered into with doubtful feelings, with half a heart." 

Emma was such a fun read. It's been a while since I re-read any of Jane Austen's book and this was the perfect one to jump back into. Emma is sort of conceited but such a delightful character. Kind of reminds me of those high school characters in shows - the popular girls - sort of snooty but with good intentions. Am I describing this right?

Nelson Zagalo

Apesar da obra mais popular de Jane Austen ser “Orgulho e Preconceito”, “Emma” é tida pela crítica como a sua obra mais conseguida. Não é caso para admiração: por um lado porque “Emma” tendo sido escrita depois, ganhou com toda a aprendizagem prévia, apresentando-se como natural sucessora de aprimoramento estético; por outro lado, tendo Austen optado por centrar “Emma” à volta de uma personagem principal detestável, facilmente torna o livro menos popular. Neste caso, opto pela opção popular, não pela heroína mas antes porque a progressão artística operada não me agradou.

Antes de explicar as minhas razões, quero dizer que ambos os livros, e posso arriscar dizer todos os restantes da autora que já não conto ler, tratam temas que não me tocam, e antes pelo contrário criam mesmo algum fastio — o pequeno mundo das regras casamenteiras da burguesia inglesa do século XIX. É verdade que serve de cenário, mas não só, condiciona toda a desenvoltura dos personagens, nomeadamente os seus objetivos, motivações e desejos, que da minha perspectiva posso apenas qualificar como frívolos.

Voltando à arte do romance de Austen, devo reconhecer a elevação de patamar conseguido por Austen na sua escrita. Se “Orgulho e Preconceito” é um livro dotado de muito boa prosa, “Emma” vai bastante além, e aproveito para deixar aqui as palavras de Jorge Vaz Carvalho escritas no posfácio à edição da RA:

“Para bem dos pecados do tradutor, é um romance escrito numa prosa incessantemente trabalhada até à forma perfeita, num inglês requintado, de urdidura delicada e sumptuosa, como colcha recamada por exímias mãos femininas.” 

Contudo, considero que o incremento de virtuosismo criador de Austen acaba não funcionando em benefício da obra. Ou seja, a escrita surge mais densa e complexa, dificultando o acesso ao que se vai relatando. Ora não existindo uma verdadeira atração pelas motivações dos personagens, o livro vai-se tornando maçudo e pesado, a ponto de começarmos a torcer o nariz só de pensar que temos de voltar a ele para o levar até ao final. 

No fundo acabo dando razão ao gosto popular, o facto de não ter personagens capazes de desenvolver alguma empatia acaba por tornar todo o texto menos atrativo. Considero contudo que se o acesso textual facilitasse a entrada e a progressão dentro da obra, que o livro acabaria por provavelmente conseguir captar o mesmo nível de interesse de “Orgulho e Preconceito”. Claro que nem assim conseguiria chegar ao ponto de dizer, como alguns leitores, que “Emma” é um 'page-turner', assim como também não consigo estabelecer qualquer analogia com o mundo de “Madame Bovary”.

juno

jane austen books are so fun because theyre like regency era drama storytimes that last for like 8 hours

Emma

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