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Emma

by Jane Austen

3.96 of 5 stars 3.96 · rating details · 237,478 ratings · 6,442 reviews

Emma is the culmination of Jane Austen's genius, a sparkling comedy of love and marriage.

Emma Woodhouse is introduced to us as 'handsome, clever and rich' and, according to Jane Austen, a heroine 'which no one but myself would like'. Yet such is Emma's spirited wit that, despite her superior airs and egotism, few readers have failed to succumb to her charm.

The comedy turns...more

Paperback, Penguin Popular Classics, 367 pages

Published January 25th 1994 by Penguin Books Ltd (first published 1815)

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Dec 26, 2011 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Jane Austen fans, all women

Shelves: fiction, brit-lit, regency, owned

This is a book about math, mirrors and crystal balls, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Village life? Sorta. The lives of the idle rich? I mean, sure, but only partially and incidentally. Romance? Barely. A morality tale of the Education of Young Lady? The young lady stands for and does many more important things than that. These things provide the base of the novel, the initial bolt of fabric, the first few lines of a drawing that set the limits of the author to writing about these thous...more

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Mar 02, 2012 Amanda rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Masochists

Shelves: abandoned

My interpretation of the first 60+ pages of Emma:

"Oh, my dear, you musn't think of falling for him. He's too crude and crass."
"Oh, my dear Emma, you are perfectly correct. I shan't give him another thought."
"Oh, my dear, that's good because I would have to knock you flat on your arse if you were considering someone of such low birth."

Yawn. I tried, but life's too short. Plus, I like 'em crude and crass.

Cross posted at This Insignificant Cinder

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Jun 30, 2011 Lora rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, favorites, surprised-me, lib-read, want-to-reread, summer-reads, austenlandia, 1001-r

Although using this trite doesn't mean that the fact is any less true, it is still at the risk of sounding cliché when I say that Jane Austen's classic, Emma, is like a breath of fresh air when juxtaposed to the miasmal novels in the publishing market today; especially for someone who has been on a YA binge of late.
You see, the reason why I went for Emma as my first Austen read is because my mother has seen the latest movie adaptation, and she claims it to be her very favorite. Mind you, she has...more

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Jul 06, 2011 mark monday rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romantika, these-fragile-lives

Jane Austen seems to be a rather divisive figure as of late. You love her for her wit, her irony, her gentle but pointed depictions of manners and love. Or you hate her because she seems to be harking back to an age of prescribed gender roles and stultifying drawing room conversation. I am of the former camp.

Emma may be one of her more divisive novels and the title character one of her more controversial creations. Or perhaps that should be – one of her more irritating creations. She exasperates...more

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Jun 11, 2012 s.penkevich rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, austen

‘Seldom, very seldom, does complete truth belong to any human disclosure; seldom can it happen that something is not a little disguised or a little mistaken.’
Emma Woodhouse, the heroine and namesake of Jane Austen’s last novel to be published within her lifetime, spends her days of leisure playing matchmaker and offering the reader her keen eye for the character of the locals of Highbury. However, this keen eye may not be as accurate as she would wish it to be. Through her inaccurate impressions...more ‘Seldom, very seldom, does complete truth belong to any human disclosure; seldom can it happen that something is not a little disguised or a little mistaken.’
Emma Woodhouse, the heroine and namesake of Jane Austen’s last novel to be published within her lifetime, spends her days of leisure playing matchmaker and offering the reader her keen eye for the character of the locals of Highbury. However, this keen eye may not be as accurate as she would wish it to be. Through her inaccurate impressions of those around her, and of her own feelings, the reader is able to construct a strikingly accurate and detailed portrait of the events and players at hand. Emma is a comedy of social errors that displays Austen as an expert novelist exercising her careful control over the ironies and implications of ambiguous observations.

Austen has a charming method of careful show and tell at work in Emma, and stands back from any authorial instruction to allow the reader to piece the evidence together through the deductions revealed by Emma. She is able to place events out in the open, yet lead the reader astray down a path of thinking that will turn out to be hilariously false and embarrassing for all those involved. Emma, who fancies herself quick witted and wise – which she truly is, although prone to a gross misdiagnosis of events – sets many of her friends and family up for failure and blunder by trying to position their hearts in the direction she sees best. However, these goals of hers rarely work out and, as usually explained by Mr. Knightly, are wholly unrealistic. Take her first blunder for instance, when she tries to place a match between Harriet, a pretty yet dim girl of unknown parentage, with Mr. Elton, a handsome and handsomely wealthy bachelor with an eye for business. Emma, living a life in high society with no concern with finances or needs, is blind to the notion that matches of the time must be ‘smart’ and that a man of his stature couldn’t fathom marrying a girl such as Harriet. Austen uses these mistaken beliefs and faults to highlight the truths of her society, truths that are never fully expressed or detailed other than as the negation of these misdirected observations.

Throughout the course of the novel, Austen paints a portrait of perfection strictly through brushstrokes of imperfection. Characters are revealed primarily through their annoying faults, and often come across as exceptionally irritating at first. There is Mr. Woodhouse and his painfully narrow-minded opinions, who sees marriage as ‘dreadful business’ because it affects a change in the fabric of his society (the governess at Hartfield is married in the novels opening, which causes her to move from Mr. Woodhouse’s home to live with her husband. Although this is a happy match, he only speaks of her as ‘poor Ms. Taylor’ through the entire novel as if his burden of being left behind should blanket over anyone’s happiness and that she should be looked at as being a victim for having to leave his side), and views any aberration from spending a quiet night before his fire as an inconceivable offense. We also have Ms. Bates, who cannot stop talking to save her life, John Knightly who finds pretty much everything in poor taste, Harriet and her lovesick ways, the list goes on. Yet, despite the annoying habits of virtually every character in the book (Emma must also be included, as she is quite grating and arrogant) the reader will learn to love them, especially when juxtaposed with characters whose faults are truly unbecoming and unforgivable. Mrs. Elton, who arrives in the second half of the novel, is pompous, arrogant, conceited and, worst of all, passive aggressive. All the faults of characters that initially aggravate the reader will melt away under the brute force of the truly annoying characters. Plus, as Emma learns, the reader will begin to see these characters as real people, who bleed when cut and grieve when offended. Much like the real people around us, we must learn to accept people for their good qualities, which added up, outweigh the bad ones, i.e. Ms. Bates may not be able to shut her mouth, but she has a good heart and cares for all those around her. Through only seeing faults, we are able to understand the goodness of others: ‘“Perhaps it is our imperfections that make us so perfect for one another!’ When Mr. Knightly scolds Emma for her insult to Ms. Bates, Austen is using him to directly scold the reader for their ill-feelings of such a kind hearted women. We are asked to check ourselves and behave with proper respect that we expect from the characters. There is a very positive message about treating one another right that underlines this novel. Initially, I was annoyed by Emma and took joy in watching Emma falter and fall, but eventually the real satisfaction came from watching her get back up and carry on with dignity.

We are presented with a very unique vision of perfection with this novel. Even the eventual happy wedding which closes this novel is described primarily by its shortcomings, and the ways it failed to meet any quality of standards in Mrs. Elton's eyes. This conclusion offers a perfect summation of the novel in two ways. First, that perfection is attainable despite flaws, and that if in the end we are left with a happy instance, or a character who's positive qualities outweigh their flaws, then we have achieved the sense of perfection allotted to humans beings, a flawed species by nature. Secondly, we see that this wedding was a failure based on Mrs. Elton's opinion, a character depicted as always insisting upon their opinions, style of dress, manners, acquaintances, vacation places, former homes, etc. as superior to anyone else's. This insistance of 'being perfect' of hers is her ultimate flaw, and for something to not meet her expectations makes it seem all the more amiable simply for irritating her (as she is sure to be a source of constant irritation to the reader as well as Emma). Austen shows us that we should aim for what makes us happy and is fitting with our character than for what is truly perfect, a utopian notion that if actually aimed to meet, as in the case of Mrs. Elton, will only appear as snobbery and faulty. All in all, Austen shows us to embrace our flaws as what makes us unique and endearing.

Misdirection is the name of the game in Emma, and it is quite funny to watch how so many different inferences can be deduced from the same set of observations. Austen exploits the double entendre quite masterfully here. The reader must be wary when setting foot out in Highbury, as things are not always what they seem (they must also have pockets full of gold as there is a bit of disdain for anyone not wealthy enough. The characters show, as is fitting with the times, a bit of snobbery. There is a scene when Harriet and a friend come across Gypsies and it can more or less be understood as ‘oh no! Poor people! They will infect us with their poorness and filth! Oh what a dreadful world that I should have to have my eyes insulted by poor people!’. And also Emma often puts forth the belief – which is eventually overturned – that farmers are trashy illiterates.) This is quite the novel to laugh along with, and I found it to be more satisfying than Austen’s other commonly read work, Pride and Prejudice. Here, while still being centered on the idea of smart matches, there is a lot less emphasis on enduring love and such which had turned me off when I had P&P forced upon me as a 15yr old boy. Also, this book seems to still feel relevant and translate well to modern events. Check out the movie Clueless (well okay, 90's events), and you will find the plot cleverly satirized. One would do well to keep in mind that Austen meant much of this novel as satire, so when characters become too irritating or too high and mighty, it helps to realize Austen is poking for at these cliches in the world around her. It is quite fun to laugh at these events along with Austen. I would highly recommend this to anyone, and it would make a great introduction to this wonderful author.
4/5

'One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other'(less)

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Dec 24, 2008 Elizabeth rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: in-by-of-england, tam-lin, reviewed, virginia-woolf-recommends, boston-janeites, jane-austen-made-me-do-it

I don't like Emma.

Don't take that the wrong way. I don't like the character, Emma, not the book. I consider it yet another proof of Jane Austen's staggering abilities that I can't stand the protagonist, but love the book. Well, I sort of love the book.

It's an Austen novel, so it's got all the charm, wit, scathing pain, and tea-drinking of her other novels. I love those parts. Jane (for she is my very good friend, obviously,) writes of the most horrible things happening to people: having their...more I don't like Emma.

Don't take that the wrong way. I don't like the character, Emma, not the book. I consider it yet another proof of Jane Austen's staggering abilities that I can't stand the protagonist, but love the book. Well, I sort of love the book.

It's an Austen novel, so it's got all the charm, wit, scathing pain, and tea-drinking of her other novels. I love those parts. Jane (for she is my very good friend, obviously,) writes of the most horrible things happening to people: having their hopes crushed in public; being embarrassed by someone they thought a friend; being ignored by a potential partner at a dance (don't tell me that isn't horrible - I was a teenager once). She can create the most vivid picture of a social climbing woman -- all airs and pretension -- who makes everyone around her miserable. Rachel McAdams in Means Girls has nothing on Mrs. Elton. It's truly amazing that after all this time these truths about people and society are still current and that one can recognize Mrs. Elton as a character in a Lindsey Lohan movie.

So that's what I love about this book. Jane is a genius. No one else pulls this off as well. But back to my original comment about Emma. As awed as I am by Jane's ability to create these characters, I don't want to hang out with this one. Emma is painful. She's the popular girl in school who is very clever but has no sense. Ever know one of those? She's rich, she's kind, she's talkative, she's amusing. I'm sure she'd get everyone's vote for homecoming queen, but she's so stupid. She's misguided. She's oblivious. She's petty. I couldn't possibly be her friend.

And why is that important, Elizabeth? You don't have to be friends with the protagonist. Do you really like Newland Archer in The Age of Innocence? Mrs. Dalloway? Emily L? Beowulf? (Well, I'd kind of like to meet Beowulf, but I acknowledge that we wouldn't have much to talk about). True, but there is a kind of book I think I should get to like the main character and Jane Austen writes it. Anne Eliot, Elizabeth Bennett, Marianne and Elinor Dashwood, and even Fanny Price are intelligent, clever women. They feel deeply. They think about the feelings of others. They may flirt but they don't get stupid about it (Marianne, I will point out, was absolutely assured of her suitor's affection, she wasn't fabricating anything, and her principles, not the lack of them, led to her behavior. It's wasn't meaningless flirting). I would want to hang out with them any time. With Emma, I want to shout "grow up" and leave as soon as possible.

Jane Austen wrote this book almost in response to the criticism of Mansfield Park. No one liked Fanny Price. They thought her a prig. They felt the book was overly moral and heavy. So Jane produces Emma which is five hundred pages of silliness that is funny, but it just doesn't have the complexity of her last book, or her next book, Persuasion (my personal favorite). There is some fantastic stuff in Emma: if you want to know how Jane felt about the slave trade, read Emma; if you want to write about the concept of "gentility" in nineteenth century England, it's in here; and I'm sure there's a dissertation or two about Harriet Smith, Mrs. Elton, and the politics of marriage. But all the social commentary, for which I love Jane, is caught up in the details of the misunderstanding about the poem, the misunderstanding of who likes whom, and whether or not Emma is going to get invited to the party at the Coles'. I'm convinced that it could have been so much more.

It's worth the read though. It is. It really is amazing. And it does actually pick up in volume III. It took me a month to read the first 300 pages and less than a week to read the last 200. Most satisfying. And now I think I'm going to watch Clueless again.(less)

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Nov 09, 2010 Mariel rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: brown-nosed reindeers

Recommended to Mariel by: too many chicks on the dance floor

I like Emma! I hate Emma! (That was my Gwyneth Paltrow impersonation. More midlantic sounding with an undisguised Southern twanging sound. That song and dance about English Rose Vivien Leigh easily sidling into the role of a Georgia Peach? Manhattan money does English better than swamp trash. In the ice turning into water and water turning into gas, I'm gas. Loud and deadly.) (That's the crowd pleasing fart joke section of my review.)

She had a charmed life and nothing really bad ever happened to...more I like Emma! I hate Emma! (That was my Gwyneth Paltrow impersonation. More midlantic sounding with an undisguised Southern twanging sound. That song and dance about English Rose Vivien Leigh easily sidling into the role of a Georgia Peach? Manhattan money does English better than swamp trash. In the ice turning into water and water turning into gas, I'm gas. Loud and deadly.) (That's the crowd pleasing fart joke section of my review.)

She had a charmed life and nothing really bad ever happened to her. I'm weirdly not comforted by depictions of cozy life when I'm feeling down.
There's a delicate balance for me for stuff like this. With Amelie I'm good. People can be nice, and Paris wasn't icy and watery like the times I got to go (maybe rain clouds just follow my head). Maybe 'cause I like to think I'm the outcast she'd take in. I didn't feel like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman when they didn't let her shop. Emma is sometimes when Roberts got to shop and sometimes "Please sir, may I have some more?" Chef's Boyardee urchined orphan lust. Emma probably would've tried to fix me on a date with someone I'd not be able to stand for five seconds. Wait, so you're saying you DON'T want to be out the outcast she'd take in?
I didn't dislike her for being a meddling snob. She's not Big Sister putting her nose in everybody else's pies, in the bad way. More like the friend who tells you to date their annoying friend because everybody must want what they want. It's wrong but it's not evil (or is it?). I liked that Mr. Knightley didn't love her in spite of stuff. I hate ex boyfriends who constantly nitpicked everything about me. I'd probably have ditched Knightley (me and Mrs. Elton are on intimate terms and can drop titles) for the scolding. He wasn't like that, though. I guess a little bit of maturity helps the medicine go down in the most delicious way.

I loved the community and caring for each other. That I'd never get to live in a place like that stings a little. Or not. They had nothing to do but gossip. How come some places they gossip when they have nothing to do? Other places they tip cows (and we're back to rodeos). In the American south there's sex in haystacks (and then awkward questions from gynos).

Clueless is awesome. I loved Cher's line about Amber being a "monet". "They look great from far away but up close it's just like a big old mess." There's something to be said for that off the very top of the head teenaged way of thinking. (I hope there's something to be said for that because that's how I operate.) Emma is like that. Maybe she's lucky to not have to confront other issues. No one really knows how they'll react in some situations. We just like to think we'll behave a certain way. At least the girl is willing to listen to other people, eventually.
Is it spoiled child syndrome? (I'm the least favorite of four kids so I'd not know first-hand.) Emma has a sister, sure, but she's totally their dad's favorite. I like to guess how many siblings a person has by their behavior. One time I was dead wrong. It turned out the older brothers and sisters were fifteen years older. That's kinda like being an only child. Maybe I'll make theories on this and activities of bored youths... I'd definitely have spied on my neighbors in those days. I see eye-to-eye with Austen on that hobby. (I've had neighbors spy on me. It sucked. Um spying is bad.)

The Kate Beckinsale tv version is okay. I love Samantha Morton (ran a fansite on her for five years *geek*) and she played Harriet. That's a good version to watch for the women. Mark Strong sucked, however. I think he must've thought he was supposed to be playing Mr. Darcy. Where was the humor? (Strong is better these days as a baddie.) Nag, nag, nag. It was badly done, Strong! Strong arm her, why don't ya.
Jeremy Northam is one of the only actors I've crushed on that did not fade away into "What was I thinking?" (How did I ever like Ewan Mcgregor? He's the poor girl's Albert Finney. I'm gonna pay for the real thing, thanks.) Okay, so he satisfies the "hehe so cute" teenage idol crush side of me. The movies are good for different things. Morton is lightspeed hyperdrives better than Toni Collette (not that I don't admire the Kiwi in other things). Collette played Harriett as a cow-eyed no-brain instead of a sweet girl who badly wants to please her only friend.

Don't eavesdrop on people 'cause you might overhear something that's not feel good. It can hurt to examine oneself too much. There are some good things in this book besides my jealous side (I am wearing a green shirt). My dance anthem of the nineteenth century is a lot like my dance anthem of now and from the dull haystack dustbowl days. It's easy to decide you know what is best for everybody else, or judge their motives like they are all selfish Emmas. Maybe somewhat but not all whats. I did like this book a lot.(less)

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Sep 14, 2007 Kate rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: gbr_ire_cmnwlth, fiction, own, pre-1900, favorites

Emma is absolutely wonderful. It rivals Pride and Prejudice for my most-favored Austen. Emma Woodhouse, a sheep in the clothing of a wolf in the clothing of a sheep, is perhaps Austen's most perfectly-developed protagonist. She is complex, witty, scathing, and, in the context of the author's oeuvre, atypically un-self-aware. She features in the most well-executed character transformation I've seen yet in Austen's works. I enjoyed the plot immensely as well, though it took a back seat, in my mind...more

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Jun 03, 2011 Valerie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classic

It was annoying that every single person was described as having all of these qualities or not: if they are amiable, witty, what their status is, and if they are good looking.

However, I wasn't as bothered by Emma as some other people were. Of course I didn't like her all that much when she was talking about how inferior or superior everyone was compared to others. But really I already watched the movie (with Gwenyth Paltrow) so I knew she was a big meddler.

What I didn't expect so much was for M...more It was annoying that every single person was described as having all of these qualities or not: if they are amiable, witty, what their status is, and if they are good looking.

However, I wasn't as bothered by Emma as some other people were. Of course I didn't like her all that much when she was talking about how inferior or superior everyone was compared to others. But really I already watched the movie (with Gwenyth Paltrow) so I knew she was a big meddler.

What I didn't expect so much was for Mr. Knightly to be so against Emma’s friend Harriet. Mr. Knightly can be a tad snobbish too. Emma takes the cake though, the way she looks at others and even her friend. (view spoiler) Poor Harriet.

I can say though that it was nice. It was a nice book; nothing heavy but thoughtful lessons and funny characters. Emma’s father is the funniest character probably because he reminds me of someone I know. What surprised me above all was that I thought it was funny. I mean it’s a classic. I've got to give Austen credit for being able to do that. Or maybe I should give credit to myself for actually understanding the humor. I like that better.

Might be a spoiler ahead
I can see the appeal with Mr. Knightly. He is certainly less rough compared to Mr. Darcy (P&P being the only other Austen book I've read so far). And that speech he made at the end was priceless. I could feel a few of those nice fuzzy feelings coming around.(less)

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Jun 01, 2012 Erin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bragging-rights, own, classics, delicious-writing, little-romance, brings-the-lolz, great-characters, love-geometry, love-the-protag, unreliable-narrator, fictionational-love, five-stars, a-league-of-their-own

Oh, Emma. <3

It's been three years since the only other time I've read this book. This re-read has definitely pushed it more towards the top of my "Favorite Austens" list. So much to love, and all the more so because other people don't appreciate Emma enough. It's lonely at the top!

Why I Love This Book
Emma is such a witty read. Each character has its place and purpose, and they make decisions I can understand instead of doing whatever will move the plot forward most conveniently. I was immerse...more

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Jun 21, 2008 Amy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Of all of Austen's books - and I've read them all several times - I learn the most from Emma. I believe that one of Austen's goals in writing is to teach us to view the rude and ridiculous with amusement rather than disdain. And in Emma we have the clearest and most powerful picture of what happens when we don't do this: when Emma speaks out against Miss Bates. Though rude on Emma's part, we can't help but love her for her mistake and feel her shame because we've all been there. When I feel I ca...more

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Jan 07, 2013 Claire rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 800, classics, england, georgian, jane, novels, read-in-2012, read-in-english, uk, sfida-delle-eroine

Per non ripetere le solite banalità su quanto ami Jane Austen, vorrei soffermarmi sull'edizione.

Quando si è alla quinta o sesta rilettura di un certo romanzo, pur essendo d'accordo (d'accordissimo) con Calvino quando dice che "un classico è un libro che non ha mai finito di dire quello che ha da dire", non ci si aspettano grosse sorprese.
A quel punto diventa utile un'edizione con molte note al testo e illustrazioni, che aiutano a svelare parti più o meno oscure, che siano riguardanti oggetti (wh...more
Per non ripetere le solite banalità su quanto ami Jane Austen, vorrei soffermarmi sull'edizione.

Quando si è alla quinta o sesta rilettura di un certo romanzo, pur essendo d'accordo (d'accordissimo) con Calvino quando dice che "un classico è un libro che non ha mai finito di dire quello che ha da dire", non ci si aspettano grosse sorprese.
A quel punto diventa utile un'edizione con molte note al testo e illustrazioni, che aiutano a svelare parti più o meno oscure, che siano riguardanti oggetti (what's a ~~weekend~~ spencer?) o comportamenti dell'epoca. E in questo senso questa edizione è meravigliosa, mi piazzo sulla mia poltrona e ogni tanto alzo lo sguardo dal libro e sorrido da sola perché ho scoperto qualcosa di nuovo.
Come spiega una di queste note, la Austen nello scrivere usava spesso quelle che si chiamano implicatures, cioè sostanzialmente diceva cose senza bisogno di dirle, suggerendole attraverso l'uso di certi termini o di una certa sintassi. Le cose che stava sottintendendo risultavano chiare a un lettore del 1815, ma passano inosservate a quello di oggi, pur essendo spesso importanti nella caratterizzazione dei personaggi o dell'ambientazione.
Un esempio su tutti è quando dice che il ricco padre di Mrs. Elton è un mercante di Bristol. A un lettore casuale la cosa non dice più di tanto (se non che, pur essendo Mrs. Elton ricca, è normale che Emma la guardi dall'alto in basso, vista l'origine delle sue diecimila sterline), ma andando a scavare, si scopre che Bristol era una base importantissima del commercio degli schiavi, ed essendo questo commercio stato abolito solo pochi anni prima, nel 1807, nell'Impero Britannico, il narratore getta una luce sinistra su quella che fino ad allora era stata solo una professione volgare agli occhi della protagonista.
Ed è proprio per queste spiegazioni dettagliate, che spesso rivelano anche importanti elementi del plot, che non è un'edizione adatta a chi legge Emma per la prima volta.

Anche dal punto di vista puramente estetico è un'edizione bellissima, molto curata: impaginazione, grafica, qualità della carta, le bellissime illustrazioni... Il prezzo non è nemmeno così eccessivo, se si pensa che è di quei libri che non si tengono in libreria con tutti gli altri (è proprio una coffee table edition, 25 cm x 24.), e costa intorno ai 23-25 euro (voglio dire, ne paghiamo 22 per qualsiasi prima edizione di un romanzo destinato a scadere in cinque anni).

E devo dire che, rileggendo Emma così lentamente, godendomi ogni singola parola, lo sto apprezzando ancora di più del solito (possibile? possibile). Pur rimanendo ferma nella mia convinzione che Orgoglio e pregiudizio è il suo romanzo più perfetto per la freschezza e la velocità con cui si legge, mi accorgo una volta di più che questo è il migliore per me. È più complesso dal punto di vista della struttura, confonde il lettore e gli fa credere certe cose per poi prenderlo alla sprovvista, ed è divertentissimo, sapendo come va a finire, scovare tutti gli indizi.

(less)

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Jul 05, 2012 Jason Koivu rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wow, what a lot of effort Austen put into her annoying characters in this one! Just to make sure I'm clear, I'm not saying I didn't like Emma because of this. I mean there are two or three characters that are intentionally annoying and Austen spent a lot of time constructing each, offering up plenty of examples for the reader. Miss Bates is incessantly chatty, okay. Mrs. Elton is bossy, I get it. It's important to establish these traits, but there's a difference between planting seeds and buryin...more

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May 31, 2009 Allison (The Allure of Books) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, 2009, 1001-list

I read Northanger Abbey and Sense and Sensibility a few years ago, but I don't remember them well at all. So, I count this as just my second Austen, Pride and Prejudice being the other.

Just like with P&P, it is easy to get caught up in the story and involved with the characters. That really is a sign of a very well written book-when instead of just noting 'oh-here is the "bad" guy', you get genuinely angry when they are in the story and breathe a sigh of relief when they leave it.

I know the...more

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Jan 27, 2011 K.D. Oliveros rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to K.D. by: 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (2006-2010)

Shelves: 1001-core, chick-lit

I approached this book with some trepidation; my smart lady friend here in Goodreads advised me to bear in mind, while reading Emma, that this book is a satire. Oh well, I did. But the more I try hard to be interested on the Georgian (1714-1830) or even Victorian (1837-1901) period, the more I get to question myself what is the use? I still could not relate to the people and practices of those British eras and what they did in their lives. Single women oogling on single men hoping to get their a...more I approached this book with some trepidation; my smart lady friend here in Goodreads advised me to bear in mind, while reading Emma, that this book is a satire. Oh well, I did. But the more I try hard to be interested on the Georgian (1714-1830) or even Victorian (1837-1901) period, the more I get to question myself what is the use? I still could not relate to the people and practices of those British eras and what they did in their lives. Single women oogling on single men hoping to get their attention, marry so they would not end up as miserable spinsters are just too pathetic for me. Ugh. Yes, that was their time and who am I to criticize classic and beloved works as those? And by the prolific Jane Austen? How dare me.

In my opinion (and I am not an authority on this matter), what makes "Emma" different from Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice is Emma herself. In blunt terms, Emma is a brat: a spoiled 21-y/o brat who thinks that that she can tweak and twitch people around her. After declaring herself never to marry (who cares?) and she looks around matching single people. She thinks that those girls are like Barbie dolls that she can be positioned beside their Erics and each pair will live happily ever after because they have Emma's blessing and Emma is smart enough to know how they should feel and think. Emma is so annoying that I still wonder why Austen chose her to become the title of this book. I mean, had she entitled Pride and Prejudice after its heroine, "Elizabeth Bennet", I would not see a lot of difference, right? Afterall, Elizabeth is definitely more lovable than the clueless, manipulative Emma.

However, Emma, the book, is well-written. Jane Austen (1775-1817) is a glorious writer and the fact that she was able to write about a disgusting (okay, she has a turnaround later when in the end she realizes that she is in love with Mr. Knightley) character is a sure feat. Supposed you open two books by let's say Nicholas Sparks and Mitch Albom and read them side-by-side without looking at their covers (so you do not know their titles and their authors, I bet you would not notice any difference. But if you do the same with any woman classic authors, say Virginia Woolf or Elizabeth Bowen, you can easily spot which is which. Austen's writing is classy, witty, smooth, almost spotless and easy. It does not try to push anything down your throat. She just tells you a story of men and women in her time and she's good at it. (less)

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Feb 21, 2011 Regine rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bucket-list-books, classics, owned, favourites

There's very little in life that gives me more pleasure than reading Jane Austen. Emma is no exception to this rule. In this story, we're taken to the quaint little countryside of Highbury where our title character resides with her father. Being well-settled in life, Emma isn't dependent on any man's fortune for her future well-being. So instead, she plays Cupid to the people around her. Her attempts at matchmaking, although well-meaning, have disastrous, but hilarious results. This spoiled, yet...more There's very little in life that gives me more pleasure than reading Jane Austen. Emma is no exception to this rule. In this story, we're taken to the quaint little countryside of Highbury where our title character resides with her father. Being well-settled in life, Emma isn't dependent on any man's fortune for her future well-being. So instead, she plays Cupid to the people around her. Her attempts at matchmaking, although well-meaning, have disastrous, but hilarious results. This spoiled, yet kind-hearted matchmaker make for one of Austen's most memorable characters.

When I talk to other people about this book, I think that the main concensus among them is, " I loved this book, but I hated Emma", or "God, I couldn't even finish this book because Emma was so annoying". Pffft. Okay, so she's a little bit spoiled, maybe she was somewhat manipulative, and okay, yeah, she did tend to think a little too highly of herself. But, to put things in perspective, Emma was quite ahead of her time. She was clever, well-educated, and completely independent of marriage. She had so many reources, but she didn't know how to employ them, and what's worse is that she lived in such a constrictive society; Her father was an invalid, bordering on senility, her best friend had just been married off, and she was constantly in the company of country bumpkins and high society snobs. Emma Woodhouse just simply worked with what she had. And, unlike another famous literary Emma, she didn't have to resort to prostitution or arsenic to escape the banalities of her life. Furthermore, I think what's most important is that the Emma that we read about at the end of the book isn't the same woman we started off with in the beginning. She comes to the realization of her flaws, and seeks out to improve herself. See, isn't that what growing up is all about?

This is the fifth Austen book that I've read, and out of all of them, it contains the most social commentary. When you think about the time period that Jane was writing in, you realize, "Wow, that was a really shitty time to be alive." There were wars being fought overseas, slavery, colonialization, and oodles and oodles of poverty. But you never really get a sense of that beyond the parlour doors of Pemberley or Longbourne. Now, I'm not saying that this book was a testament to the cruelty of mankind, but there is definitely more exposure to the world outside of Georgian high-society. We were given a glimpse of poverty in the form of Miss Bates and her mother. We see the disdain that the rich have for anyone of lower-class or illegitimate birth in Harriet Smith, and through Miss Fairfax, we also see Austen's take on slavery and the governess trade. Of course, some of these little tidbits are lost on Emma and Harriet's silliness, but pay attention, this book just screams SOCIAL COMMENTARY.

5 big, booming, stars.

And, on a side note, if Austen were still alive today, I would beg her to release a spin-off book bout Jane Fairfax... jus' sayin!(less)

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May 13, 2008 Mike rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Continuing our trip down Jane Austen Blvd! Emma has much the same style that Persuasion does, but with a much, MUCH lighter tone. It can afford it; while Anne spends pretty much all of Persuasion pining for lost love, Emma is far too busy meddling in everyone else's love lives to get too weepy about her own. Where they ever to meet, Emma would role her eyes, tell Anne to get over herself and then arrange some meeting with a local gentry that would probably involve a chapter-long scene where ever...more Continuing our trip down Jane Austen Blvd! Emma has much the same style that Persuasion does, but with a much, MUCH lighter tone. It can afford it; while Anne spends pretty much all of Persuasion pining for lost love, Emma is far too busy meddling in everyone else's love lives to get too weepy about her own. Where they ever to meet, Emma would role her eyes, tell Anne to get over herself and then arrange some meeting with a local gentry that would probably involve a chapter-long scene where everyone farcically talks past each other and ends with said gentleman proposing - to Emma. For her part, Anne would probably have enough sense to politely avoid Emma altogether, but admitting as much would ruin the allegory. Work with me here, people.

Emma also manages to have what may be one of literature's first unreliable narrators. True, Emma and the narrator are generally distinct, only occasionally bleeding together, and even when her internal monologue manages to hijack the story it never comes even vaguely close to what Humbert does in Lolita. Still, I was shocked when I discovered in retrospect that the book had lied to me. I look for that kind of thing in modern writing, but I frankly wasn't expecting it from Austen. The whole joke of Emma is that she imagines herself to be a matchmaker without equal while simultaneously managing to have an astonishingly poor understanding of everyone's actual affections, including her own. She finally, FINALLY comes around in the end, but only after deluding herself (and maybe the reader too, if they're thick like I am) for most all of the story. Despite the rampage of unnecessary emotional destruction Emma leaves in her wake, you can't help but love her by the end of the book. Deep down, she does mean well after all.

The other thing I have to give Austen kudos for here is, once again, excellent characterization. Emma has an unfortunate habit of deciding that other people are conceited, overbearing and annoying, not like her at all! Why, she'd never act like that! And when she inevitably does, she of course rationalizes it and swears, in any event, not to do it again. And then she goes and does it again. If you can read Emma and not find that you have a few character traits in common with her, chances are you're lying to yourself.

Hey, just like Emma does!

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May 19, 2013 Martha rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: jane-austen, own-books, classics

Emma is my first Jane Austen. I am hooked.

When I started reading Emma, it was a very slow start for me (the first two chapters were tough and I almost put it down for another book). A few friends said that Emma wasn’t their favorite and I probably shouldn’t have picked it as my first Jane Austen. Well, I did start it so I was determined to finish it. Maybe it was an omen to read this one first because now I can say without “prejudice” that this may end up being my favorite of all her books. As I...more Emma is my first Jane Austen. I am hooked.

When I started reading Emma, it was a very slow start for me (the first two chapters were tough and I almost put it down for another book). A few friends said that Emma wasn’t their favorite and I probably shouldn’t have picked it as my first Jane Austen. Well, I did start it so I was determined to finish it. Maybe it was an omen to read this one first because now I can say without “prejudice” that this may end up being my favorite of all her books. As I got into the rhythm of her writing, it was easier and easier to read. It is a wonderful and hilarious story! I’m so glad I didn’t give up!

Emma Woodhouse is a spoiled, beautiful, intelligent, and obstinate woman who has no desire to be married. She lives with her father (Mr. Woodhouse) in a very comfortable house and is of want for nothing. Her status in life is such that she does not need to be employed. But, she does have a penchant for matchmaking and this is where the story begins. Emma befriends a pretty young woman of 17 whose name is Harriet Smith. Harriet tells Emma about a fellow down the way named Robert Martin and how very good-humored and obliging he is. This is the start of a confusing matchmaking scheme where Emma is right in the forefront.

The characters Jane Austen created in this novel are unique and diverse in personality. Some of these characters can be very annoying, and others you fall in love. Miss Bates, for example, is a character (literally). The funny way she strikes up a conversation, and then it never ends. Mr. Knightley is a handsome fellow and about ten years older than Emma. He is a good friend of Emma’s father and doesn’t approve of Emma’s matchmaking ideas. He believes she should stay out of other’s love affairs. Frank Churchill is a fun, happy-go-lucky sort and the twists and turns regarding his role in this story are quite a kick.

The main theme of Emma is social status. And, at first I thought, “oh I am not going to enjoy this because I despise the subject”, but as I continued on and finished the book I realized that it is a masterpiece of mockery of this subject. The comical characterizations, the convoluted aspect of the story itself; this book took me by surprise!

Like I mentioned, it was hard for me to get started, but I think this is a pattern for me with every new book I pick up. I have to regroup my brain into the writing style of every new author. I would say that is MY problem, not Jane Austen’s. The point is that I quickly found Emma to be a warm, funny and extremely entertaining novel. I recommend this to everyone who loves a good laugh, and some nice old fashioned romance. Five Stars!
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Jun 11, 2007 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Emma I think is my favourite Jane Austen novel because Emma as a character is so misguided and yet perversely confident in her decisions. Identifying with and sympathizing with Lizzie Bennett and Elinor Dashwood is a walk in the park (although I understand that there are those in the world who prefer Marianne; there is no accounting for taste, but I freely admit that I am an INTJ) -- Emma is more challenging and therefore in some ways more satisfying. Hating that nice Jane Fairfax? Plotting to m...more

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May 07, 2012 Stefan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I don't know what it is about Jane Austen's novels, but I've read two of them now and I find that I really do enjoy them. The characters that she creates come alive on the page and even though nothing terribly exciting happens besides the usual day to day, I find myself drawn into the lives and events anyway.

In the introduction to my version of Emma, there is a comment that Emma is basically a book about nothing. While this is true in a way, Emma is about a lot more than nothing and gives the r...more

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Aug 06, 2007 Lorena rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: desert_island, classics

This one I love because Jane Austen is the hardest on her protagonist in this book...she gives her more character flaws than any of her other heroines, and in so doing, makes her more like most of us than any of her other heroines. Much as most of us would like to believe we are Elizabeths, it's likely that most of us have a lot more in common with Emma than we would like to admit. For all the outer action in this story, most of the change and discovery comes from within Emma herself, which is w...more

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Feb 06, 2008 Mandy rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I can't do it! I can't finish it! I keep trying to get into Jane Austen's stuff and I just can't make it further than 150 pages or so. Everything seems so predictable and sooooo long-winded. I feel like she is the 19th century John Grisham. You know there's a good story line in there somewhere, and if you could edit out 60% of the words it would be fantastic. Sorry to all the Jane Austen fans-you inspired me to try one more time and I failed!

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Nov 09, 2011 Baobhan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm sorry, but I will forever see Gwyneth Paltrow as Emma. Because, let's face it, Gwyneth Paltrow is Emma: A beautiful, well-meaning woman so cocooned in her life of privilege that her opinions and ideas are woefully out-of-touch and misguided. (See: GOOP, her online magazine.)

Also, didn't she match her ex-best friend Winona Ryder with Matt Damon in what turned out to be an ill-fated romance? My case rests.

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Jun 04, 2008 Abigail rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Jane Austen Fans/ 19th-Century Novel Readers

Shelves: literature-classics

Review Temporarily Removed.

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Jan 31, 2013 bookczuk rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorite-author, read-eons-ago, sbs2012-3, stanford-book-salon, worth-the-reread

I don't know how no Jane Austen is reflected on my GoodReads list. My mother would be horrified. If it's any redemption, I went to a New Year's eve party this year, which was a themed costume party. This year's theme (yes, they chose a theme every year, and every year, we go) was Prom Night. Javaczuk pulled out his tux and looked incredibly handsome. I, on the other hand, put on a pair of pajamas, my comfy slippers and pinned a note on my écolletage which read:

It was the hit of the party. Peopl...more

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Dec 09, 2012 midnightfaerie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics

Click here for Jane Austen Disclaimer

Emma by Jane Austen has been on every classic book list I’ve ever looked at. The book is about a woman named Emma who likes to do a bit of matchmaking, even if the couple are very wrongly suited for each other. She’s a bit of a busy body, albeit a cute one, making one fall in love with her and her silly ways. Her plans backfire when she tries to turn one gullible girl away from a man she’s very much in love with, towards another of higher standing even thoug...more

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Feb 09, 2011 Tina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, ebooks, 2011

Original post at One More Page

I wasn't sure what Austen to read this year until my book club did the choosing for me. Emma won as this month's choice of read, so I knew I was going to read it early this year. Then I came across Miss Match by Erynn Mangum and found out it was based on Emma. I didn't really like the former, and that made me wary with this book, thinking maybe I wouldn't like this either (but I kind of doubted that, since this is a classic, and I've liked Austen so far).

Emma i...more

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Jan 07, 2013 Hilary rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: have-reviewed, books-that-make-me-hilary, favorites

I have always loved this most surprising of Jane Austen's books and am reading it again. It really does read like a detective story. Emma, the heroine, has always had my sympathy! She's not perfect and she never will be despite the best efforts of her friend Mr. Knightley to reform her character. The romance in this book is surprising and it really did take the main characters by surprise too. It's an unusual romance with two people who you would never expect to well, actually BE in a romance to...more I have always loved this most surprising of Jane Austen's books and am reading it again. It really does read like a detective story. Emma, the heroine, has always had my sympathy! She's not perfect and she never will be despite the best efforts of her friend Mr. Knightley to reform her character. The romance in this book is surprising and it really did take the main characters by surprise too. It's an unusual romance with two people who you would never expect to well, actually BE in a romance together! Opposites attract and all that I suppose...

The recent BBC production was just wonderful, which is pretty much the reason that I am writing this review. I absolutely loved it. I love both the book and the BBC production! :) It's wonderful when your favorite book is turned into a great movie or television series. Then you may just sit back and enjoy watching it come to life for you. I have nothing to add or to take away from that production. Everyone looked the way I pictured them, acted the way I thought the characters would, the scene at the ball was lively, and so was Emma. G. Paltrow's Emma was never as lively as the character was.

Emma, I've been told by other Jane Austen fans, is a hard character to understand or to like. Well, that was sort of the point. Jane Austen set out to write a book about a character who no one would like but herself. Yet, I do like Emma. I think that she is full of faults but who isn't? She tries so hard to mend them that as a fictional character she wins my admiration. She helps me to bear with my own faults and gives me hope that one day I just might mend them as well.

I never did like heros or heroines in books who were too good to be true or so lost that they might never find their way back. It's just not real. Most of us are somewhere in between and it is the trying to better yourself that makes a hero or a heroine out of anyone really. Emma surely falls into that category.

This character is not as perfect as Lizzy Bennett who almost has no faults and is extremely wise at her age. Emma is not nearly as likable as Lizzy, but that makes me cheer for her all the more when she is able to understand what it was she did wrong and what it was in her life that was so very right. She held on tightly to that person who meant the most to her when she should have. How lucky to have wisdom come to you when you need it most, and to be wise when it's most important! Emma was written by the author at the prime of her genius and it's just a wonderful book.(less)

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Sep 26, 2007 Rebecca rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Just about anyone

Shelves: favorites

I'm a big fan of Jane Austen's work -- in fact, I have the Jane Austen doll from the Unemployed Philosophers' Guild Little Thinkers collection on my desk at work. But Emma is my favorite, and so it's on my "Favorites" bookshelf.

Most people's favorite Jane Austen novel is Pride and Prejudice, and don't get me wrong -- I like Lizzie Bennett just as much as the next middle-class white woman. But Emma does something for me that P&P just doesn't. Maybe it's because Emma isn't perfect. When I read...more

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Jan 27, 2008 Matthew rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'd been meaning to read Jane Austen for such a long time, because whenever I'd seen part of one of the films based on her work I got completely caught up in the language. When I finally read Emma, I had the pleasure of reading it aloud with Stacey, which was lucky because hearing the words made them that much more wonderful. I have a theory that the terse and stilted style in which most modern fiction is written comes about as much because people don't read aloud anymore as because of early 20t...more

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About Jane Austen

Jane Austen (16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction, set among the landed gentry, earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature, her realism and biting social commentary cementing her historical importance among scholars and critics.

Austen lived her entire life as part of a close-knit family located on the lower fr...more

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“I may have lost my heart, but not my self-control. ” — 920 people liked it

“I always deserve the best treatment because I never put up with any other.” — 897 people liked it

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