Evelina

Apr 04, 2011 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Moira

Recommended to Elizabeth by: Jane Austen

Shelves: boston-janeites, 2011, bio-memoir-diaries-letters, in-by-of-england, reviewed, jane-austen-made-me-do-it

Something strange happened in England in the early nineteenth century. Virginia Woolf describes it well in Orlando. A chill overcomes the country; it grows dark and cloudy. Houses grow ivy and men grow beards. The light, bawdy humor of the eighteenth century pastoral dissipates into the fog. The laughing men and women turn romantic, and Gothic, and the rise of the railway coats everyone in ash. But before the Industrial Revolution, before the Reign of Terror, before Napoleon and the wars, there...more

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Jan 29, 2009 Shala Howell rated it 3 of 5 stars

I read this because I was curious to know more about the novels Jane Austen herself read. And I must say that while this book has its strong points, its main effect is to increase my respect for how Austen reshaped the novel form. Burney's book is amusing, but the characters seem to be defined almost entirely by a single characteristic. They are either all good or all bad, entirely proper or thoroughly vulgar, fully conscious or fainted dead away. There is little development of character through...more

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Mar 22, 2008 Brad rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read Evelina for a class examining the British novel. The epistolary nature of this novel makes it an interesting read because everything communicated has already happened. I found the social customs and faux pas' of the era to be somewhat fascinating. The story is both funny and serious, sweet and sour, and happy and sad. It has twists that you would never expect to see. If you enjoy books like Pride and Prejudice, you would extract much enjoyment from Evelina.

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Feb 09, 2011 Bill Kerwin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 18th-c-brit, epistolary

This is a very good 18th century epistolary novel. The prose is precise and elegant, the voices of the various letter writers are well delineated and individualized, and the author makes us admire the heroine and fret over the difficulties which obstruct her happiness. The two lovers—the naive Evelina and the elegant Lord Orville—exhibit sentiment and good sense even in the midst of misunderstandings in a way that looks forward to Austen, and the misunderstandings themselves are both credible an...more

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Jul 13, 2010 Wealhtheow rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical

Written more than thirty years before Austen’s first novel was published, it concerns eighteenth century society rather than nineteenth century. As such, I found myself constantly at a loss. Before reading this book, I thought I had a good handle on the manners of the period. I know the difference between a barouche, a phaeton, and a curricle, and that a lady would never stand up and leave a conversation, and that men knew classical languages and women, only modern. And yet, I was utterly confus...more

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Jan 15, 2013 Valerie Derbyshire rated it 5 of 5 stars

As some other reviewers have already stated, Evelina is pretty much standard Eighteenth Century fare. It concerns the fortunes of the timid Evelina, a young girl who has grown up in rural retirement, and her first adventures into polite society. The story - mainly told in the form of easily digestible and very entertaining letters primarily from Evelina to her guardian - then unfolds to relate Evelina's troubled parentage - Mum marrying noble Lord Dad in secret, Dad then denying that the marriag...more As some other reviewers have already stated, Evelina is pretty much standard Eighteenth Century fare. It concerns the fortunes of the timid Evelina, a young girl who has grown up in rural retirement, and her first adventures into polite society. The story - mainly told in the form of easily digestible and very entertaining letters primarily from Evelina to her guardian - then unfolds to relate Evelina's troubled parentage - Mum marrying noble Lord Dad in secret, Dad then denying that the marriage ever took place, Mum dying in poverty and disgrace leaving Evelina behind, & c & c. Of course, if Dad would only recognise her, Evelina would be worth a small fortune and very eligible indeed. If, as it seems likely at the commencement of her story, Evelina is destined to remain in obscurity, then she's only got her natural endowments to fall back on.

Fortunately (or unfortunately, if you consider some of the adventurers she falls victim to) of natural endowments, she is considerably blessed, and soon she is catching the eye of all and sundry in "Town" (that's that London to you and me), Bristol and Bath and Wells. Specifically she catches the eye of the dissolute Sir Clemence Willoughby who proceeds to make a nuisance of himself for pretty much the entirety of her adventures and his polar opposite, Lord Orville, who is a terribly nice, polite man (and worth a fortune - a winning combination if ever there was one).

The letters, as I have said, are easy to read and very entertaining. The character portrayals are vivid and, in some cases - as in the cases of Madame Duval and Captain Mirvan - utterly hilarious. Indeed, the epistolary format of the novel, makes it much easier to read and digest than the usual eighteenth century novel. Allegedly, Burney has been criticised in the past for lack of description of certain elements but it's not something I would say was a fault of the book. I found that the scenes were vividly painted; and if we haven't got an accurate representation of how Evelina actually looks (difficult to find a reason to describe yourself in a letter to someone who allegedly knows you quite well, after all) it doesn't really matter - she's young, she's beautiful - what else do we need to know? Some people have also argued that the storyline is "obvious" and that it's clear from the very beginning that Evelina is only ever destined to have a happy ending - and it's true, that the reader is never in any doubt that Evelina is never really in any danger, even when she falls into the society of the two ruffians at the firework party, or when she becomes parted from her friends in the "dark walks" - but to this, I say, so what? Doesn't everyone love a happy ending?

There are some very comic scenes in this book - I particularly enjoyed the outrageous Madame Duval falling in the muddy puddle and ruining "her cloaths". I also enjoyed Evelina's terrible snobbery towards the society of her cousins after spending so much time with the wealthy Mirvan family. This dreadful snobbery aside, however, Evelina is utterly charming.

Bloom writes in the introduction to this book that "this novel has entertained readers for over two centuries". Can't argue with that. (less)

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May 13, 2013 Kristen Lemaster rated it 4 of 5 stars

I will readily admit that most 18th century British literature just doesn't work for me, but Evelina is every bit the exception to that. Evelina is such a wonderfully complex, sympathetic, and vulnerable character, whose clumsiness translates into charm and naivety translates into pure intentions, but she is also hypocritical and judgmental and perfectly flawed as she tries to shed her country upbringing and assimilate into the London city life. Burney has done a fabulous job at pacing the plot,...more

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Mar 05, 2013 Justin Evans rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

I'll admit that reading 18th century fiction is sometimes harder than I'd like it to be. The authors either don't know, or just don't abide by, the rules of fiction that we're all used to. But more and more often I'm struck instead by the sheer joy and verve that animates 18th century novels, and that often seems to have gone missing in the twentieth century--and, obviously, this very much the case with Evelina. There's not a whole lot of unity to the tale, and there are plenty of scenes that Bu...more I'll admit that reading 18th century fiction is sometimes harder than I'd like it to be. The authors either don't know, or just don't abide by, the rules of fiction that we're all used to. But more and more often I'm struck instead by the sheer joy and verve that animates 18th century novels, and that often seems to have gone missing in the twentieth century--and, obviously, this very much the case with Evelina. There's not a whole lot of unity to the tale, and there are plenty of scenes that Burney includes for no reason other than that they're funny and or mortifying (e.g., random monkey attack towards the end of the novel. No, really.) But it turns out that the funniness, sentiment and mortification of these scenes is more than enough justification. Burney is funnier than Fielding, more touching than Richardson, and a better writer than everyone but Swift at his best--and this is her first novel. I'm looking forward to the others. If you're really into Austen, and can handle some rougher edges and a more satirical narrator, this is a great book for you: Evelina herself is the Great English Heroine a few years after Clarissa, and a few years before Lizzie Bennett.

The most interesting part of this book, though, is the way Burney plays with the modes of eighteenth century fiction: she gives us satire, sentiment, farce, social commentary, bawdy wit, and sententious BS in almost equal doses. And most impressively of all, you can sense that Burney is in total control of all of them, recognizes that each mode lines up well with a way of life as much as with a literary fashion (sometimes this is made obvious in the novel, as Mrs Selwyn stands for satire and Villars stands for sententiousness), and is willing to give each a say--before, ultimately, coming down on the side of Selwyn's satire and Evelina's proto-LizBennettian irony (which itself develops throughout the book rather than being, as in Austen, constant from the start of P&P). She wields a kind of authorial control that very few twentieth century anglophone authors can (Anthony Powell, William Gaddis, J. G. Farrell and Muriel Spark come to mind as possible comparisons).

PS: this edition is great, too--lovingly and helpfully annotated and introduced. (less)

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Jan 18, 2013 Zeborah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, romance, women-authors

The first two thirds of this or so are rape culture as horror story: every single man Evelina meets corners her with importunities. If she rejects him politely, he ignores her and carries on; if she tries to walk away he stops her, or goes with her, and carries on; if she resorts to other means she's scorned (by the world and even herself in hindsight) for her impropriety and it results in a new man accosting her with even greater rudeness. And then the first man returns another day unperturbed....more

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Oct 29, 2012 Stephanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, historical-fiction, humor, romance

I cannot wait to find this book so I can add it to my collection.

Evelina is a young woman growing up in England during the end of the 18th century, a time of very particular courting rituals, a very rigid class structure, and very limited social mobility for women. Due to strange circumstances surrounding her birth, Evelina is raised as a gentry woman and first discovers the delights and disasters of a life in society while traveling into London for a visit with some family friends. Told complet...more

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Aug 26, 2012 Joy rated it 2 of 5 stars

OK, yes, I read this just because Fanny Burney was an influence on Jane Austen. And now I feel I have covered this hole in my literary education and have no further need to read more Burney. Really, this was interesting mostly just because of how much it made me appreciate Austen. In Evalina, the characters were plainly either good or bad, their orientation toward good or evil was telegraphed immediately and did not change, the conflict arose from external forces or coincidences instead of from...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Arukiyomi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Context: Listened to this as we encountered a landslide on the road to Mt Wilhelm, PNG’s highest peak (4507m)which the wife successfully climbed while I succumbed to altitude sickness at 3,700m.

Review: Another book that reveals where Austen got all her ideas from. This 18th century novel in epistolary form (letters) tells of the coming of age of Evelina, a young girl who is of uncertain parentage and who is pretty clueless when it comes to what society says, does and thinks.

Unless you’re awar

...more

Context: Listened to this as we encountered a landslide on the road to Mt Wilhelm, PNG’s highest peak (4507m)which the wife successfully climbed while I succumbed to altitude sickness at 3,700m.

Review: Another book that reveals where Austen got all her ideas from. This 18th century novel in epistolary form (letters) tells of the coming of age of Evelina, a young girl who is of uncertain parentage and who is pretty clueless when it comes to what society says, does and thinks.

Unless you’re aware of the legacy of this novel, there’s nothing particularly startling about the characters or the tale itself. Evelina meets various characters along the way with them all quite neatly falling into two camps: those who are kind and sympathetic to her naivety and those who take advantage of it for all they’re worth. Typically, she sails through it with just the merest bruising of the emotions and a few tears here and there and ultimately, all ends well.

Apart from the nicely packaged ending, there’s more that Austen borrowed. This one actually contained one of the more famous elements of Pride and Prejudice when Evelina supposes the exact opposite state of a particular man’s heart leading to many an awkward moment in his presence. And there are also elements that Dickens must have borrowed too as various skeletons come out of the closet, particularly towards the end.

While I appreciated the legacy and the story was okay, the epistolary straightjacket that writers insist upon rarely does them credit. And so it was the case here. Evelina is a remarkable woman. Remarkable that is for her near photographic memory it seems. I have no idea why an author, deciding on the restriction of making their novel a series of letters, then proceeds to write letters that are in effect chapters of sentimental novels. What is the point? If you’re going to write a letter, write a letter. If you’re going to write a novel, write a novel.

So, an important book with lots that inspired later writers and some interesting characters.

OPENING LINE

Can any thing, my good Sir, be more painful to a friendly mind, than a necessity of communicating disagreeable intelligence?

99TH PAGE QUOTE

This far into the book, some of the plot might be revealed. If you want to see the quote, click to (view spoiler)

CLOSING LINE

This might give the game away. If you want to see the last line, click to(view spoiler)

RATING

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May 14, 2012 Sasha rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: grad-school

In this 18th century novel (and precursor to Jane Austen's novels), the naïve young heroine, who has been raised in relative social isolation, finds herself exposed to the customs of polite English society on a trip to London with friends. She attends plays and operas, and learns proper etiquette for socializing in public through painful interaction (with gentlemen in particular). Unpracticed in maintaining public composure, Evelina laughs at the affected manners and speech of some gentlemen, an...more

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Feb 08, 2012 Annoushka Lyvers rated it 4 of 5 stars

Written in the epistolary form (letters between characters), EVELINA was assigned to me in my 18th Century Lit class and I'm glad it was. Evelina and Orville are a couple you can't help but root for, especially when both of their families (excluding Villars) are painfully unpleasant. In fact I think that's what I appreciated most. The obnoxious family members, selfish aunts, prankster uncles, haughty sisters, and shallow relationships were written with such honesty that I could relate to Evelina...more

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Jan 22, 2012 Catherine rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bookcrossing

( a 9/10 5 start)

Well that didn't take long, did it? For reasons that you don't really want to know about, I've picked it up at some very odd times of day and have probably kept reading it far longer than I should each time.

I was curious about this but hadn't been expecting to enjoy it, and on reading the dedicatory ode and the note to the publishers et al wondered if I'd survive the experience. However once the story got going and Evelina's letters to her guardian became more relaxed, it was ra...more

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Dec 28, 2011 Nicholas Armstrong rated it 4 of 5 stars

Oh how I love my romantic comedies. I'm sure this has more to it than that, social commentary, gender commentary, etc., whatever, but I like it for the characters, the story, and the comedy. As a comedy, it is a fairly impressive example of blending older comedic styles and tropes, like commedia dell'arte, into contemporary themes of the time, such as sensibility. But that is all beside the point. The point is, the characters are actually crafted rather well, the epistolary form it is written in...more

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Oct 01, 2011 Karly Abreu rated it 5 of 5 stars

A delightful coming-of-age comedy of manners, Frances Burney's Evelina paved the way for the works of other women writers, such as Jane Austen, to write honestly and humorously about society and relations. This charming story focuses on the innocent young Evelina, who has lived a sheltered life in the country with an honorable old minister. She travels to London for the first time, and finds herself an object of fascination and attention wherever she goes. Told in a series of letters, Evelina he...more

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Sep 07, 2011 Jade rated it 3 of 5 stars

As one of the early English romance novels, I enjoyed it. Being an early novel, you won't see the strong female characters seen in Jane Austen or Charlotte Bronte, but keep in mind these are improvements these woman made in response to reading Burney's novels. The epistolary style gives a slanted insight into the mind of Evelina which I thought was entertaining to read because she writes these to her adopted father, so I found myself wondering if she was as angelic and if all of her reactions we...more

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Jan 25, 2011 Sherwood Smith added it

Shelves: fiction

This reread struck me with just how thin the veneer of civilization is. Burney was in her mid-twenties when she wrote this (and had probably been writing versions of it for ten years); the central romance is very nearly bloodless, Evelina and Lord Orville being such paragons. Their relationships is only interesting when Evelina thinks he wrote her an offensive letter, but one can just make out some human interest in the two when Orville keeps coming across Evelina in the most surprising places....more This reread struck me with just how thin the veneer of civilization is. Burney was in her mid-twenties when she wrote this (and had probably been writing versions of it for ten years); the central romance is very nearly bloodless, Evelina and Lord Orville being such paragons. Their relationships is only interesting when Evelina thinks he wrote her an offensive letter, but one can just make out some human interest in the two when Orville keeps coming across Evelina in the most surprising places. They scarcely exchange fifty words for nearly half the book, possibly longer, but his delicacy as he keeps coming to her rescue secures her interest, surrounded as she is by a vivid range of comical figures.

When one considers that this novel, which was a huge best seller the instant it came out, did a great deal to make novels respectable, the reader gets a sense of just how rough and bawdy eighteenth century literature was. Casual cruelty to animals, the race between old women (a bet, arranged by people who purport to be part of high society), Captain Mirvan's persecution of Madam Duval and how funny everyone found it--polite society was a dangerous place.

Vivid and apparently realistic within the confines of comedic broad strokes are the various marriages as well as what society was like for middle class, gentry, and lords and ladies; Vauxhall was clearly in its decline (Tom Branghton's gleeful recounting of what it was like there the last night of each season, when basically there was a riot and women running about "skimper scamper" screaming and people smashing out lights), Ranelagh was at its height; we see a night at the opera and a couple of plays (she talks about current favorites and names real performers), as well as Bath, bathing, etc.

Also interesting is seeing the ghost of Jane Austen, as it were, in places, like Orville's first, unconsidered put-down of Evelina, who, being a total innocent, behaves oddly at her first ball, is a reminder of Darcy's put-down of Lizzie Bennet the first time they all meet at a dance. Certain lines also evoke Austen.(less)

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Sep 08, 2010 Esther rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: audio-book, classic

This was a well-written and refreshing book - my explanation for the two stars is that the plot was no great shakes, and even though I liked it, I didn't love it. The thing that makes "Evelina" different from the Austen or Bronte-type novels of manners is, well, rudeness. And it's a relief. It was almost modern at points; where Evelina, stuck with her horrible classless relatives, then runs into some of her more refined acquaintances and wants to sink into the ground with embarrassment? Who can'...more

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Nov 30, 2009 Tuppence rated it 4 of 5 stars

The story is written through several letters, mainly to or from the main character, Evelina. They are written in a lengthy, narrative style and carries the story along solidly from Evelina's viewpoint. Letters to her or about her are only included to pull our heroine back on course, or to give our heroine an opportunity to "dust herself off" before proceeding with her adventures.

Evelina is your classic heroine of the age in which this novel was written. She is stunningly beautiful- so beautiful...more The story is written through several letters, mainly to or from the main character, Evelina. They are written in a lengthy, narrative style and carries the story along solidly from Evelina's viewpoint. Letters to her or about her are only included to pull our heroine back on course, or to give our heroine an opportunity to "dust herself off" before proceeding with her adventures.

Evelina is your classic heroine of the age in which this novel was written. She is stunningly beautiful- so beautiful that all men instantly worship her even to the detriment of their current relationships. She is well-educated, pure of heart, religious (though not to a fault), naive, unaffected, obsessive about manners and propriety, and there is an assumption of her being accomplished. She has her share of fainting fits and bursts of tears when she was overwhelmed.

On the surface, we follow Evelina's progress from a typical, expected tragic past that will eventually end with typical, expected great rewards. Her letters are filled with her interpretations of her life as seen from her naive innocence. Her inability to mingle in a "fast" London society and her unwillingness to step apart from a very strict code of etiquette creates some awkward situations that moves the story along with typical, expected results.

However, the author has almost a naughty and indecent sense of humor that makes the story anything but tedious and boring. In one scene, for example, Evelina is: predictably overwhelmed by her surroundings, unnerved by the unclear communication style of the men around her, and seeks help of two nearby women. She has the sense something is amiss, but in her innocence she isn't fully aware of what exactly it is. The author, however, subtly informs us that Evelina has not only been walking unescorted in an area frequented by prostitutes, but the men were suggesting they partake of her "services" and her attempt at polite communication was actually an invitation for a "transaction." The two women to whom Evelina clung for assistance were in fact prostitutes. They quickly understood Evelina was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and took advantage of the fact to toy with her. This and other scenes are indeed bold to be written by any writer of the time, especially a female writer. Perhaps this is one of the main reasons the author remained anonymous at the time of its publication!

While Evelina's story drones on in much the typical format, the author continues to add her touches of wit and keeps the story lively, exciting, and humorous. From time to time you can't help but roll your eyes at Evelina's stupidity. While she is in the story lovable by all, she is to the reader insipid to the point of actually being repellent. This doesn't detract from, but rather adds yet another depth to the story as the reader is almost maliciously glad Evelina meets with such misadventures. The reader enjoys the wickedness and catastrophe inflicted on Evelina.

The author portrays the other characters as caricatures: the perfect gentlemen, the perfect lech, the swearing sailor, the fop, the snob, the poor clergyman, the brassy shop-owner's daughter. While in most stories this would be tedious, here it only helps. They all remain firmly in their supporting roles, and their predictability of nature foreshadows the next event and mix-up in Evelina's life giving the reader a delicious bit of "meanness" to savor.(less)

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Jun 05, 2011 Wrenaria rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: british, classics

If you enjoy Jane Austen, do give this book a go. I found to be quite delightful and has a similar feel to an Austen work, though written in an epistolary form. I did find some of the middle parts were a little tedious to me, mainly because some of the characters involved were less interesting to me than others, but mostly I really enjoyed the story and variety of characters. I did think Evelina could come off as a little vain at times in her narrative, as many of the anecdotes related to her be...more

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Aug 01, 2012 William rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Apart from Captain Mirvan and Mrs Selwyn, most characters are quite boring.

This book documents a time when it was acceptable and legitimate to complain about the company of people of lower social status. I have a lot of sympathy for poor Evelina when she has to spend a month with her grandmother Mme Duval and spend time with the low-brow Branghtons.

From a gender perspective: I was amazed by the amount of harassment Evelina gets from men as soon as she lacks protection. I'm afraid this must have...more

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May 31, 2011 June Louise rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, pre-20th-century, classics

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book had been sitting in my bookshelf for way too long, as I have been indulging myself in my favourite genre of nineteenth century fiction for the past few months. However, I thought it would be interesting to read this novel from the previous century which had inspired Jane Austen, among I daresay many others.

This was a decision that I have not regretted. It is a fantastic satirical novel, parts of which made me laugh out loud. The story is very easy to follow, despite being written in t...more This book had been sitting in my bookshelf for way too long, as I have been indulging myself in my favourite genre of nineteenth century fiction for the past few months. However, I thought it would be interesting to read this novel from the previous century which had inspired Jane Austen, among I daresay many others.

This was a decision that I have not regretted. It is a fantastic satirical novel, parts of which made me laugh out loud. The story is very easy to follow, despite being written in the form of a continuous flow of epistles.

As far as the main characters are concerned, well - Evelina sometimes appeared to be a bit *too* naive and innocent, and I just wanted to yell at her to use her common sense! Lord Orville was the real gentleman, who, right from the first mention of him, one knew was going to "get the girl". Sir Clement Willoughby was what one might call a "sleazeball"; flirty, charming, but with real commitment issues. Captain Mirvan was the joker, the prankster; if he didn't like someone he would end up tormenting them out of their wits, as Madame Duval and Mr Lovel both discovered.

Madame Duval I could not stand! She seemed to get whatever she wanted by the most unpleasant and stubborn means, and she deserved everything that the Captain and Willoughby gave her when they pulled the M DuBois practical joke on her. That was probably one of the most comical moments in the book.

The Branghtons were another meagre crew - unfortunately related to Evelina, which she tries to conceal firstly from Willoughby and then from Lord Orville, but to no avail.

I think the one fault I have with this novel is that it ends a little too quickly. The last few chapters/letters seem to cram everything into them: Evelina meeting her father, proposed wedding, the wedding itself...but yet not a lot is said from Rev Villars point of view (Evelina's guardian since infancy), save for one letter at the very end. It just seemed that for a 406 page book, it was a bit sudden, as if Burney was keen to get it finished.

Other than that, it is a treasure, and a novel that I am glad to have read - and will no doubt re-read again in the future.
(less)

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May 13, 2011 Nicole rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone who enjoys romances with plenty of drama, that are far from sappy or ridiculous!

Recommended to Nicole by: Jack Lynch

Shelves: education, absolutely-buying

At last I have finished reading what I fondly call 'my' Evelina! And it was a great read! I dare say I never enjoyed a romance that was so realistic and filled with so many social happenings that were nonetheless enjoyable! Or, at the very least, those which I could endure with good things in mind or the grand humor of other characters to support it. For a book that was written so long ago, it's a fantastically engaging novel for those who love the drama of social circles and romances not swiftl...more At last I have finished reading what I fondly call 'my' Evelina! And it was a great read! I dare say I never enjoyed a romance that was so realistic and filled with so many social happenings that were nonetheless enjoyable! Or, at the very least, those which I could endure with good things in mind or the grand humor of other characters to support it. For a book that was written so long ago, it's a fantastically engaging novel for those who love the drama of social circles and romances not swiftly sped into. It took its time and I found myself warming to the idea of it becoming an eventual romance simply -because- it was so patient and trying whenever the subject was brought up! Seriously! Not even a -mention- of "love" until you were nearly at the very end of the book! And as one who can easily be sickened by most superficial and false "romances," if I can even call them that, this was a -real- romance built up not on fluttery affections, womanly stupidity or sluttiness, and piggish vulgarity and assumption on the man's part.

MIND YOU... the novel was -not- wholly bereft of that, but those types of characters inside the book you could freely disdain and not have to worry about them getting the upper hand in the end. In fact, that's one of the best compliments I can pay this novel! Whether you liked or disliked a character, they wound up being treated justly and fairly according to their own personalities and the stupid or smart things they did. You didn't have to worry about stupid people getting the better end of the stick, because there's always absolutely AWESOME people--like Mr. Mirvan, his wife and daughter, Lord Orville, Mr. Macartney, or Mrs. Selwyn--to balance out all the stupid people in the book that make you want to smack them, vehemently spit in their faces, or just outright beat the crap out of them for being dirty scoundrels. And I mean, borderline ASSAULT dirty! Trust me, the words wouldn't be so vicious if they didn't give me ample reason in a handful of parts that certain groups of young men were considering some sort of sexual assault, or at least were likely to lead up to it.

But even as to the characters, there were some that at first glance seemed like they weren't that bad, that ended up not even a few "chapters" later to be the most obnoxious and disgusting of people! Mr. Lovel and Mr. Willoughby come quite swiftly to mind. And then there were those that just came off as PURE EVIL from the moment you met them it seemed! And good Lord! With absolute snobs like the Madame Duval and the Branghton family, who can wonder at the desire that comes to mind to slap them in the face a few times and push them down a flight of stairs?! Alright, so I'm over-exaggerating that part. One of the interesting things that it would be a crime to leave out of my commentary is that, whether a character is good or bad overall in your mind, each one of them had a chance of doing the opposite. Sometimes characters I liked ended up doing things that I completely disagreed with and couldn't help but feel disappointed about. At other times, I actually remember breathing sighs of relief when Mr. Obnoxious came in and did or said something to save Evelina from some situation of emotional embarrassment or some real physical danger. It truly balanced out the characters, every single one of them! Even the characters you would normally term "minor" had a role to play, and more often than not, they always appeared multiple times throughout the novel! You didn't just meet them once and then never see them again, you actually got to see different sides of them, and even if they didn't change much, you really got a full view of who they could be. There was VERY little, if -any- flatness at all to the characters in this novel, and that functioned as one of the primary points of compliment and enjoyability. Mind you, every character got their own just ends, as bad or gentle as they deserved, as far as I'm concerned. And that's another great part about this book, that no matter how much you cared or didn't, you don't have to deal with the obnoxious rats throughout ALL of it, because there's always someone better to come along and save you with a MUCH better part to read! The fact that most of the chapters were pretty short too made reading them all great!

On that note, the manner in which the novel was written is, as far as I'm concerned, one of the most skillful and engagingly used methods of the "corresponding back-and-forth by letters" style that I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Frances Burney, as the author, used this method so skillfully that no matter what turn happened, she -realistically- used the time periods between letters to change the stories, to affect whether or not someone knew a particular piece of information, to fill up time, and even as a route to turn the story in many cases to a completely different line of events than you thought would originally happen! At each new letter we'd read where the main character, Evelina for the most part, was writing from, and sometimes find ourselves surprised when she was suddenly corresponding from London and not the house of her friends! To what had this change in location occasioned?! It was a wonderful method of keeping the plot going, and even when you're sitting there thinking, "Oh no, now we have to wait for THIS person to respond before the current storyline can go any further," you're immediately entertained by some new plot or incident that the delay now gave us a chance to have happen! It was brilliant! It was expert in its execution! And even when you were reading parts you thought you couldn't stand, the method of writing is so easy that you flow along with it anyway, and find yourself reading further before you've even had a chance to react fully to what was going on lines before! It's amazing that this turned out to be so engaging for something so... so... normal!

That is the difference and where Burney's excellence really shines in this novel. The fact that she could take a -very- realistic situation, but she could nonetheless fill it with dramatic, hilarious, frustrating, unbelievable, delightful, and then altogether attention-keeping events that never ceased to play on the emotions of the reader! I am certain that while it's not as jam-packed with "action" as an adventurous tale, it was capable of definitely holding its own against one, because, unlike those tales, this was a story that one could -relate- to and offer -real- opinions on, from their -own- experiences in life! You were able to not only -believe- the characters, but half the time you forgot they -were- just made up! You would be so busy getting excited over this or that, or getting upset and astonished at him/her, that you could find yourself easily picking sides and keeping favorites. It was a wonderful experience for a novel to be so relevant, even considering the time period and issues it was written to have in mind! Perhaps it came off as a little dated, but even with those things taken into consideration, anyone with a mind for the realistic happenings in a young teenager's life would find this an enjoyable read.

As for the main character herself, Evelina is charming to begin with, but like the novel was meant for her experience, she is naive, and therefore she makes a GREAT many mistakes and incites a LOT of the things that happen in the novel. But throughout all of the things that she gets dragged into and accidentally brings upon herself, she still comes off as someone that tries her best to be polite and respectful, and yet is wonderfully perceptive and intelligent as well. The things she doesn't understand and the way she has troubles in dealing with the highly social behavior of everyone she meets makes her life difficult, yet she still always holds her own, and when she gets carried away by the crowd (sometimes literally) she still appeals to the good nature of those around her, always managing if not on her own then with the help of others (this is many times the case) to remove herself from those crazy situations. Nonetheless, throughout it all, she remains critical, but likewise easy to relate to. She's not going to be carried off by the first man that treats her kindly, and she won't stand to be treated like she's expected to do something for any guy that tries to take advantage of her either. Perhaps my greatest complaint with Evelina throughout the book--although considerably less towards the end of it--is that she often stumbled and held back what she wanted to say. I felt personally that if she had spoken more and stuck to her own choices instead of letting others influence or command her around so much, then she would have been a much stronger character. Yet, at the same time, I came to realize by the end of the novel that if she -had- done any of those things, she would have very likely not have ended up as happy as she did. By being so critical and perceptive, and yet so polite, she kept one thing that we're often liable to forget can really be a sign of character not just for that time period, but in any time: and that was her ability to -be- polite -no matter- the company or situation she had, which is a LOT to say once you've seen the types of company she really had to endure, poor girl. Truthfully, she leaves behind the feeling not of disappointment, but of satisfaction and relief! You feel that the ending of the book is justified, that everything worked out in a way that, though you may not have known just how it would, still made you appreciate her methods and recognize just how capable she was of handling the things she went through. She learned a lot, and grew a lot, but she never lost who she was, and that's a feat worthy of my respect over any claims I may have to minor disappointments here or there that her actions brought to my mind.

Overall, Evelina--both the novel and the character--is a wonderful experience. Would that most young women had the sense of value and virtue that Evelina did, without the stupidity! For while Evelina was innocent, she was -not- dumb. Thank the Heavens for that! She was a charming character throughout the book, and one you -can- find faults in, but likewise, -every- character had their faults in this book, but it was these things that made the characters so realistic and relatable. And this book survives on its characters, for if you had other people in the same situations, they could not have made it as entertaining as some of them did! Whether this is your cup of tea or not, I can promise you one thing, you'll almost never be bored! If you're not pleased with the girly tales, well there's always some kind of internal riot being caused or another! And the annoyances are enough to keep you going until something that catches your attention comes up. It is by no means an intense read, however, but it's got all the drama anyone would desire out of today's generation. Trust me! Pleeeenty of drama! It's a longer book, but take a read! Ignore the time period and the minor changes in how things are done, and you've got the basics for a really entertaining story. Read it on a rainy day, and prepare yourself to be carried away by your emotions! Trust me, you'll want to get riled up for this one! It's a joy in and of itself to do so! <3(less)

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Jan 18, 2013 Maureen Kudlik rated it 5 of 5 stars

If you love Austen, Fanny Burney's Evelina is a predecessor to her work. In fact, Burney was Jane's role model. The novel functions as an Epistle and regards a young woman's coming out into the world in 1700 London. Evelina, progressing from a country girl living with a male father-figure guardian, moving to the 'big city' and becoming somewhat Londonized, the novel centers on Evelina growing up in proper society (above Evelina's current status level), attending assemblies, acquiring proper fema...more

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May 27, 2012 Lynne rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

After having re-read (most of) Austen the last few months, it's funny to revisit 18th century novels and see the gap between earlier novels and Austen. Austen's characters are so much more fleshed out. Evelina the character resonates with me on some levels...the indecisiveness, the wanting to make sure you're being proper and all that...but overall, the characters are flat. As with Cecilia, the minor characters, over time, aggravate me to no end! Selwyn was funny, as a satirical woman, and I lik...more After having re-read (most of) Austen the last few months, it's funny to revisit 18th century novels and see the gap between earlier novels and Austen. Austen's characters are so much more fleshed out. Evelina the character resonates with me on some levels...the indecisiveness, the wanting to make sure you're being proper and all that...but overall, the characters are flat. As with Cecilia, the minor characters, over time, aggravate me to no end! Selwyn was funny, as a satirical woman, and I like some of the critiques that come out of her mouth. I like that those critiques are just baldly out there. But I skimmed like crazy through many of the minor character parts (and I know I missed some details).

It's funny that Burney is true to life on some of the annoying characters...it can seem like people are just surface level and annoying. But I've always found, as Austen shows, that the more you know someone, the more you, obviously, get past surface impressions. So, reading Evelina just makes me appreciate Austen all that much more. I wonder if Austen talks at length about Burney in letters...I wonder how Austen thought of her novels in relation to Burney: as an extension, growth out of, better product than Burney...if Burney was a model to show Austen what she did and did not want to do with her own novels...

It's also just fascinating to me to think that London was like the London that Burney describes--really?? Such dissipation...which makes me wonder how accurate her view was. It also makes me think, well, no wonder there is this notion of cities being evil and country life being good. And so strange that the rich go back and forth. And so crazy how these ridiculous rich people have all this money and do nothing for it...not so different today, but I don't think there's the extent of inherited wealth in the US. Maybe I'm wrong, not sure.

And, it's also scary thinking about how paper-thin and all-important a woman's reputation was. So many unspoken rules and so many ridiculous rules. Just being seen with someone could be so improper. Blech!

Overall, I do appreciate how Burney has shaped her novels, but Austen has greater depth, I think, which I love. And, I suppose that subtlety is part of it, too; Austen is more understated. You have to give more to her, and you get more out of her work. Plus, just having more flesh-and-blood type characters.

Funny...I "own" a copy of this as an ebook! maybe I should have searched for an ebook version to include...(less)

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Jul 04, 2007 Annie McCarty rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: people who like Jane Austen

This is a wonderful, Austen-esque book that Pride and Prejudice, Emma, and Sense and Sensibility fans will enjoy. It was actually published before Austen began writing, and Francis Burney was one of her main influences. Written in epistolary form, it's very charming. Not quite up to par with P&P in my opinion, but if you've a hankering for a good 18th century chick lit novel, then grab this one off the shelf.

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Jul 10, 2012 Alicia Fenney Watts rated it 4 of 5 stars

In a crunch for time (reading this for a graduate English class in Oxford), I decided to half-read, half-skim this book, expecting it to be as bland as the Jane Austen I had been reading. However, a few "letters" in and I was hooked. The last fourth of the book was a page-turner. Although it ends as you think it will (she marries Orville), there are SO many plot twists and turns and revelations that I never saw coming. It reminded me a lot of Victorian sensationalism towards the end. I think MOS...more

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Dec 01, 2010 Robin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: owned

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