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Emma in Love
Book by Tennant, Emma
229 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1996
1 person is currently reading
114 people want to read
About the author
Emma Tennant
92 books37 followersSince the early 1970s, when she was in her mid-thirties, Emma Tennant has been a prolific novelist and has established herself as one of the leading British exponents of "new fiction." This does not mean that she is an imitator of either the French nouveaux romanciers or the American post-modernists, although her work reveals an indebtedness to the methods and preoccupations of some of the latter. Like them, she employs parody and rewriting, is interested in the fictiveness of fiction, appropriates some science-fiction conventions, and exploits the possibilities of generic dislocation and mutation, especially the blending of realism and fantasy. Yet, although parallels can be cited and influences suggested, her work is strongly individual, the product of an intensely personal, even idiosyncratic, attempt to create an original type of highly imaginative fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 26, 2011
This book makes no sense. At all. I just... It was terrible. And I didn't understand it. I felt like I was reading the worse sort of fanfic.
Seriously.
Because Emma is a petulant child. Knightly is a confused, unhappy father figure. And Miss Bates is randomly spitting out curse words for no apparent reason. And the plot. OMG. The plot. Wherein Frank abandoned Jane at the alter, married someone else and then turned up four years later with a
Seriously.
Because Emma is a petulant child. Knightly is a confused, unhappy father figure. And Miss Bates is randomly spitting out curse words for no apparent reason. And the plot. OMG. The plot. Wherein Frank abandoned Jane at the alter, married someone else and then turned up four years later with a
June 11, 2023
This is one of the worst books I have read so far and I intend not to read anything worse than this because it is impossible. Austen fans will detest every page of it. If you are not an avid reader of Austen novels, you may tolerate it, or at least not feel such a shock. The plot is too boring and the event, can never, in millions of years, take place in the Austen’s World. She has turned lovable Emma into … I don’t exactly what or is it proper to tell the general audience what Emma is in 'love with'. I skimmed through most of it.
This is far from a great sequel, simply melodramatized garbage. I wonder why we can't give minus stars.
This is far from a great sequel, simply melodramatized garbage. I wonder why we can't give minus stars.
January 31, 2021
The book intrigued me as I really love "Emma" by Jane Austen but as soon as I had read the first sentences of this book I knew that it couldn't come even close to Austen's masterpiece.
This book is lacking in so many ways. It is confusing and the characters don't resemble the original ones. I really loved Emma's character development in "Emma" but in this book it seems she has forgotten what she had already learned and has to start afresh. The relationship between Emma and Knightley has surprisingly changed and Emma is constantly annoyed which really gets boring after a while.
In the beginning the story does seem to be connected but later on you don't know why or how certain things happen.
I was really hoping this book might be a great addition to Austen's world. But it really isn't. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.
I'm sorry to say but anyone claiming this book is a great sequel to "Emma" probably hasn't read Jane Austen's book or hasn't understood what Austen is trying to say with her book at all.
This book is lacking in so many ways. It is confusing and the characters don't resemble the original ones. I really loved Emma's character development in "Emma" but in this book it seems she has forgotten what she had already learned and has to start afresh. The relationship between Emma and Knightley has surprisingly changed and Emma is constantly annoyed which really gets boring after a while.
In the beginning the story does seem to be connected but later on you don't know why or how certain things happen.
I was really hoping this book might be a great addition to Austen's world. But it really isn't. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.
I'm sorry to say but anyone claiming this book is a great sequel to "Emma" probably hasn't read Jane Austen's book or hasn't understood what Austen is trying to say with her book at all.
May 2, 2015
The first fanfic-book I've ever read. And possibly the last.
I find it very convenient - you have already-established characters; a plot you can fall back on; loyal, curious or crazy fans willing to pursue the fate of their favourite characters, and, in 20th century, the freedom of speech and choice of whatever topic you want to bring up.
It's probably the commerciality that caused my dissatisfaction with Emma in Love. Not the weird plot of the sequel, not even the sometimes illogical alterations in characters' behaviour or personality. Had it been well thought-out and well-written, it could have made an independant piece of literature - free from prejudices and exposed to the 'readience' as a completely new book.
What I see here is a short prose with familiar names and places, flashbacks reminding me of a nice 19th-century book, and full of topics selected according to a research among contemporary young female readers ("revolt, frown and never feel satisfied until everything's done at your pleasure!") and bestseller publishers ("they're all straight, this is not gonna sell.."). Please, do not get me wrong - I once was a teenager, and the theme of sexuality is as interesting as finding one's identity or discovering one's values. I only mean that in this book the combination of all the above-mentioned features blinds the book's message and tries to make it a "must-have".
Profitable indeed. But only if we buy it. *
I find it very convenient - you have already-established characters; a plot you can fall back on; loyal, curious or crazy fans willing to pursue the fate of their favourite characters, and, in 20th century, the freedom of speech and choice of whatever topic you want to bring up.
It's probably the commerciality that caused my dissatisfaction with Emma in Love. Not the weird plot of the sequel, not even the sometimes illogical alterations in characters' behaviour or personality. Had it been well thought-out and well-written, it could have made an independant piece of literature - free from prejudices and exposed to the 'readience' as a completely new book.
What I see here is a short prose with familiar names and places, flashbacks reminding me of a nice 19th-century book, and full of topics selected according to a research among contemporary young female readers ("revolt, frown and never feel satisfied until everything's done at your pleasure!") and bestseller publishers ("they're all straight, this is not gonna sell.."). Please, do not get me wrong - I once was a teenager, and the theme of sexuality is as interesting as finding one's identity or discovering one's values. I only mean that in this book the combination of all the above-mentioned features blinds the book's message and tries to make it a "must-have".
Profitable indeed. But only if we buy it. *
November 4, 2015
La mia recensione o, meglio, la mia stroncatura su "Emma in Love" la potete trovare qui:
May 27, 2025
Got this a few years ago at the Toronto Reference Library bookstore. I love the cover and it was a decor on my bookshelf for so long until I finally decided to read it. I first read the reviews and was shocked how negative they were... I did not find the writing that bad, but the whole plot, and tbh Emma's Jane Austen too, is just boring to me. Maybe if I liked Jane Austen books, I would like this one better!? Who knows but it was not my cup of tea and now im sad cause i cant keep a bad book and i hvae to deprat with this beautidul cover :(
July 29, 2025
Slightly frivolous and portraying a Mr Knightley I didn't recognise but enjoyable nonetheless
January 3, 2013
When I read some reviews on Tennant's novels I was afraid I won't like the books at all. After reading Emma in Love I think I'll give Tennant another try.
Even though the reader encounters the well known character's from Austen's Emma, there is a change in their description. They feel and act differently, Tennant tried to make them more up-to-date (doubts about their happiness and well being, non-Austen deviances, ...) and I think she partly succeeded. Emma's doubts about her marriage and her contradictory feelings for her husband are completely understandable given the facts about their relationship.
But it seems that Tennant chose only some of the copmlex characteristics of the heroines and heros and built up her novella solely upon these. What I missed was Emma's playfulness and self-confidence.
Also the plot seemed a bit dull to me - if these were not popular Austen's characters, I doubt that I would bother to read/finish the book.
In general, Emma in love certainly has many good qualities but the potential of the story was not fulfilled. Tennant stopped somewhere half-way between Austen fan fiction and mature sequel of an everlasting classic.
Even though the reader encounters the well known character's from Austen's Emma, there is a change in their description. They feel and act differently, Tennant tried to make them more up-to-date (doubts about their happiness and well being, non-Austen deviances, ...) and I think she partly succeeded. Emma's doubts about her marriage and her contradictory feelings for her husband are completely understandable given the facts about their relationship.
But it seems that Tennant chose only some of the copmlex characteristics of the heroines and heros and built up her novella solely upon these. What I missed was Emma's playfulness and self-confidence.
Also the plot seemed a bit dull to me - if these were not popular Austen's characters, I doubt that I would bother to read/finish the book.
In general, Emma in love certainly has many good qualities but the potential of the story was not fulfilled. Tennant stopped somewhere half-way between Austen fan fiction and mature sequel of an everlasting classic.
June 12, 2016
*spoiler alert*
Tennant has a delightful Austen voice. This is the first thing one notices and it is also the reason this book is good reading.
The first part of the book is, in fact, excellent; both in terms of the writing and in the plot developments. However, in the last chapters, Tennant seems to start rushing towards her conclusion.
In the last three chapters, everything happens with the Baroness, Jane Fairfax's secret is revealed and we figure that Emma isn't really interested in Captain Brocklehurst other than in his being a very fine figure indeed.
While I'm not happy with the ending as such, it is delightful to read a book that is so close to the Austen tone and deals with her characters in this way.
Tennant has a delightful Austen voice. This is the first thing one notices and it is also the reason this book is good reading.
The first part of the book is, in fact, excellent; both in terms of the writing and in the plot developments. However, in the last chapters, Tennant seems to start rushing towards her conclusion.
In the last three chapters, everything happens with the Baroness, Jane Fairfax's secret is revealed and we figure that Emma isn't really interested in Captain Brocklehurst other than in his being a very fine figure indeed.
While I'm not happy with the ending as such, it is delightful to read a book that is so close to the Austen tone and deals with her characters in this way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2009
Like Joan Aiken, Emma Tennant does a decent job trying to continue where Austen's story ends.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews