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Evelina
by
Frances Burney's first and most enduringly popular novel is a vivid, satirical, and seductive account of the pleasures and dangers of fashionable life in late eighteenth-century London.
As she describes her heroine's entry into society, womanhood and, inevitably, love, Burney exposes the vulnerability of female innocence in an image-conscious and often cruel world where so ...more
As she describes her heroine's entry into society, womanhood and, inevitably, love, Burney exposes the vulnerability of female innocence in an image-conscious and often cruel world where so ...more
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Paperback, Oxford World's Classics, New Edition, 455 pages
Published
July 18th 2002
by Oxford University Press
(first published 1778)
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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

Once upon a time in a rural home, many miles from any city lived a girl of seventeen of exquisite beauty with a country parson the humble Reverend Arthur Villars, a kindly old man of the cloth, her foster parent; Evelina of obscure birth, the rest of her name in doubt, maybe Anville...no, it's as good as any, besides one is required... she loved and knew no other guardian... from an epistolary novel of 1778. This lady needless to say unsophisticated in the ways of the world is about to set heart
...more

Who'd have thought that reading the long interior monologue that is Ducks, Newburyport would lead to reading the long interior monologue that is Evelina—but that's exactly what happened. Lucy Ellmann mentioned Jane Austen's Persuasion so often in Ducks that I got the urge to reread that book, and in it, I found an intriguing reference to Fanny Burney's novel, Cecilia, so I read that one too, which led me to be curious about what else Fanny Burney had written, which is how I ended up reading Evel
...more

A delightful read! A mix of Wilde's humor, Austen's perception, and Collins' intrigue. Even in those moments where I suspected exactly where the story was going, I felt so much pleasure in watching it unfold that it was not a moment's concern.
Poor Evelina, thrust upon the world without any armor but her good character to save her from the assaults of unscrupulous men, wanton women, ignorant relations and downright cruel associates, plods her way through the maze with a grace that makes you laug ...more
Poor Evelina, thrust upon the world without any armor but her good character to save her from the assaults of unscrupulous men, wanton women, ignorant relations and downright cruel associates, plods her way through the maze with a grace that makes you laug ...more

I like neither the book nor the audiobook narration. I rate them here separately. Both I am giving one star.
I have not read many Georgian books, and this was supposed to be funny, so I thought I would give it a try. I was also curious because Jane Austen loved this author. I have tried to like the book, but I have utterly failed. The humor didn’t work for me. I would spot a line that clearly was meant to be funny, but I didn’t even crack a smile. The humor is satire, often related to what is all ...more
I have not read many Georgian books, and this was supposed to be funny, so I thought I would give it a try. I was also curious because Jane Austen loved this author. I have tried to like the book, but I have utterly failed. The humor didn’t work for me. I would spot a line that clearly was meant to be funny, but I didn’t even crack a smile. The humor is satire, often related to what is all ...more

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

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

3.5★
This is the oldest work I have ever read by a female writer.
I enjoyed this book at the start & 18th century life (particularly in London) really came alive for me! & I admired Evelina's courage when she was left vulnerable in so many situations.
¾ the way through & my enjoyment started to ebb. This is because Evelina was left vulnerable in so many situations! By this time I had realised ( duh!) that I was reading a satire, but a lot of it felt quite repetitive & I was thinking, "Just get on w ...more
This is the oldest work I have ever read by a female writer.
I enjoyed this book at the start & 18th century life (particularly in London) really came alive for me! & I admired Evelina's courage when she was left vulnerable in so many situations.
¾ the way through & my enjoyment started to ebb. This is because Evelina was left vulnerable in so many situations! By this time I had realised ( duh!) that I was reading a satire, but a lot of it felt quite repetitive & I was thinking, "Just get on w ...more

Nov 15, 2014
shakespeareandspice
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
classics,
own-in-print
The only thing that halts this from being a 5 star read is that while this book is clearly very satirical, there were some parts of the novel that somewhat made me uncomfortable. (view spoiler)
However, I do wish more novels such as these e ...more
However, I do wish more novels such as these e ...more

Maybe 3.5. I did enjoy this, but it took me a little while to get into; for me the stronger section was the last quarter. The letter form didn't entirely work for me, but Evelina is an interesting character, and it's a fun read. I can certainly see how Burney inspired Jane Austen, although I have to say I much prefer Jane Austen!
...more

This is an engaging novel, as well as a historically interesting one. I can see why it was a hit at the time. It’s uneven, and rather diffuse for modern tastes; and the plot is artificial and implausible. On the plus side, though, it has a real freshness and zest about it; Evelina is an appealingly imperfect heroine; the satire can be sharp; and Burney handles the unforgiving structure of the epistolary novel far more deftly than most.
Burney published Evelina anonymously at the age of twenty-si ...more
Burney published Evelina anonymously at the age of twenty-si ...more

Saw With Manners
"How in the world can you contrive to pass your time?"
"In a manner which your Lordship will think very extraordinary; for the young lady reads."
First the good news: Evelina is a story about introverts in love, and it has moments that are lovely. I recognized my introverted wife in several passages. Burney has an insightful touch with characterization, and an engaging writing style. Evelina is rarely compelling to read, but it's usually pleasant.
Now for the bad news: unfortunately ...more
"How in the world can you contrive to pass your time?"
"In a manner which your Lordship will think very extraordinary; for the young lady reads."
First the good news: Evelina is a story about introverts in love, and it has moments that are lovely. I recognized my introverted wife in several passages. Burney has an insightful touch with characterization, and an engaging writing style. Evelina is rarely compelling to read, but it's usually pleasant.
Now for the bad news: unfortunately ...more

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

If you think about the heroines in 18th century literature, most of them have a rather arduous time, e.g., Moll Flanders’ hard knock life (Defoe), Clarissa’s determination to endure and persevere (Richardson), Pamela’s dull, methodical virtue (Richardson), or Emily’s inability to understand the floor plan (Radcliffe). In contrast, Evelina's character exudes spontaneity, and the book—particularly set against the darker novels of this age—seems sunny in comparison.
Her novel is a true bildungsroman ...more

Fanny Burney is like Jane Austen in pupal stage. Her novels use the same marriage plot as the frame for social satire; but what was in Burney’s writing the promise of this premise was only elevated to high art by Austen. Evelina is supposed to have been Jane Austen’s favorite novel, and indeed one can often find echoes of familiar Austen characters or phrases in the book, betraying how deeply familiar it was to her (it was published in 1778, when Jane Austen was a toddler). One can’t read “Remem
...more

Well... This novel left me with feelings of dissatisfaction that threaten to overshadow all the initial enjoyment I got out of it.
Primarily, it is that I believe the epistolary format was inadequate for the story, it only allows a mere glimpse into the setting through a very narrow and deficient slit. We're confined to read everything mostly through Evelina's version of events in letters to her guardian, Mr Villars, and given that the heroine is an ingénue bordering on helpless maiden or silly p ...more
Primarily, it is that I believe the epistolary format was inadequate for the story, it only allows a mere glimpse into the setting through a very narrow and deficient slit. We're confined to read everything mostly through Evelina's version of events in letters to her guardian, Mr Villars, and given that the heroine is an ingénue bordering on helpless maiden or silly p ...more

Fanny Burney's Evelina is a book I have often heard about but never seemed to get around to reading. I'm glad I did. You can certainly see why Austen praised Burney so much, and it is evident that Evelina functioned as a template for Austen's novels.
This novel gives us a clear and candid look at a young woman as she tries to navigate her way around and through society. There are the literary tropes of the title character initially not knowing the full story of her background, male suitors both ...more
This novel gives us a clear and candid look at a young woman as she tries to navigate her way around and through society. There are the literary tropes of the title character initially not knowing the full story of her background, male suitors both ...more

Catching up with the classics #12
I had such high hopes for this novel. Hyped as THE ladies’ read of the late eighteenth century, it was so insipid I wanted to throw my phone and stop the audio play. It had its shining Austen-esque moments (there is even a Willoughby), but not enough to satisfy.
Evelina learns how to deal with posh society at the hands at the not so well meaning adults in her life. In fact they are fairly selfish and conniving. She is a new born babe utterly clueless, artless, an ...more
I had such high hopes for this novel. Hyped as THE ladies’ read of the late eighteenth century, it was so insipid I wanted to throw my phone and stop the audio play. It had its shining Austen-esque moments (there is even a Willoughby), but not enough to satisfy.
Evelina learns how to deal with posh society at the hands at the not so well meaning adults in her life. In fact they are fairly selfish and conniving. She is a new born babe utterly clueless, artless, an ...more

5 Stars - Superb book!
I am genuinely surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. Not because I expected to not enjoy it but because I really didn't think I would enjoy it that much - no other real reason. (I'm a bit of a skeptical reader but this one won me over). I don't remember why I put this on my to-read list but I'm glad I did!
Fanny Burney was Jane Austen's predecessor and inspiration, really. I was hoping I would see some hints of Jane Austen in this book and I definitely did! In this part ...more
I am genuinely surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. Not because I expected to not enjoy it but because I really didn't think I would enjoy it that much - no other real reason. (I'm a bit of a skeptical reader but this one won me over). I don't remember why I put this on my to-read list but I'm glad I did!
Fanny Burney was Jane Austen's predecessor and inspiration, really. I was hoping I would see some hints of Jane Austen in this book and I definitely did! In this part ...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 Bu
...more

It was quite cute, in the end, wasn't it?
...more

This was quite an unexpected delight. I generally find books from this era a little hard going; taken overall I enjoy them but the long winded and often oppressively religious and virtuous heroines can be a little trying to my patience at times. Evelina, the eponymous heroine, was a pleasant surprise. Yes, she was virtuous but she didn't make a parade of her virtue and didn't write a single line of poetry! I can't remember if she ever even fainted but I don't think that she did. What she did do
...more

"Evelina, the first and best of Fanny Burney's novels, tells the story of a young girl, fresh from the provinces, whose initiation into the ways of the world is frequently painful, though it leads to self-discovery, moral growth, and finally, happiness. Hilarious comedy and moral gravity make the novel a fund of entertainment and wisdom. Out of the graceful shifts from the idyllic to the near-tragic and realistic, Evelina emerges as a fully realized character. And out of its treatment of contras
...more

every time evelina tells a dude to go fuck himself, my lifespan gains 14 years!!
also mrs selwyn is a butch lesbian and i will not hear otherwise
also mrs selwyn is a butch lesbian and i will not hear otherwise

I can't believe I have done it. I have finished it! Ok, I can't tell I have read the whole book, because I skipped many, many paragraphs, but still...
I'll start with good things.
The story (I mean the whole Evelina's background and how it was revealed) was really good. When I think of it I see an engaging and interesting base for a novel.
Next, the characters gave additional value E.g. Captain Mirvan and Madame Duval gave the funny side. Sir Clement Willoughby and young Branghton messed in the mai ...more
I'll start with good things.
The story (I mean the whole Evelina's background and how it was revealed) was really good. When I think of it I see an engaging and interesting base for a novel.
Next, the characters gave additional value E.g. Captain Mirvan and Madame Duval gave the funny side. Sir Clement Willoughby and young Branghton messed in the mai ...more

Oct 30, 2018
Sotiris Karaiskos
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
classics,
18th-century
In the last few weeks I have been reading books of the 18th century to learn more about the history of British literature and to understand the influences on later writers. Of course, in these later writers is my beloved Jane Austen, who was a fanatical reader of the novels of the time. Some of her favorites were those written by the author of this book and were, in fact, the ones that influenced her most and gave her the inspiration to seriously start writing.
This influence becomes apparent fro ...more
This influence becomes apparent fro ...more

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.
...more

I know the exact date I read this book because right after I finished reading it - aloud, to my boyfriend - we eloped!!! We've been married seven years and while other couples have a song, we have a book...Evelina.
...more

This 1778 novel reminded me of Georgette Heyer and Jane Austen, except for the epistolary writing. Despite the somewhat predictable plot, the satirical social commentary is a lot of fun (especially for those who are familiar with the social mores of Georgian England).

It's just impossible for me to read an 18th century novel about social mores without a bit of condescension. I know it's a bad way to approach any book but I can't help it. (it's funny, I've never read Jane Austen that way even though she wrote a mere 3 decades after Burney.) There's a kind of serene pastoral delight in reading a book so free from self-consciousness and unhindered by cynicism, where characters pour forth their feelings in exuberant speech, unburdened by irony or satire. I have a
...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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The Readers Revie...: Evelina - Week 7 | 30 | 27 | Jul 18, 2020 04:48AM | |
The Readers Revie...: Evelina - Week 6 | 58 | 26 | Jul 17, 2020 06:12AM | |
The Readers Revie...: Evelina - Week 5 | 49 | 27 | Jul 14, 2020 06:33AM | |
The Readers Revie...: Evelina - Week 4 | 38 | 28 | Jul 13, 2020 01:12AM | |
The Readers Revie...: Evelina: Reading Schedule | 31 | 67 | Jun 28, 2020 11:48AM | |
The Readers Revie...: Evelina - Week 2 | 39 | 32 | Jun 23, 2020 05:00PM | |
The Readers Revie...: Evelina - Week 1 | 47 | 47 | Jun 21, 2020 02:16PM |
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