Emma - Jane Austen

This book was first published back in 1816, i read this book after my mother was raving about how good it was but it didnt have the same effect on me, i found it long winded and boring at points. Ok so the story goes, Emma is a young woman living in an upper class society in england who gets pleasure from matchmaking. Emma trys her hand at matchmaking with her friends Harriet and mr elton. Firstly Emma has to convince Harriet to refuse a marriage proposal from a local farmer which doesnt take too much work as Harriet isnt too bright, this done Emma now needs to get Harriet and mr Elton together but this poses a bit more of a chalenge as Mr Elton ...  Read the complete review

Let me introduce you to Emma Woodhouse, a "handsome, clever, and rich" young woman, who lives in the small town of Highbury with her nervous old father. Emma firmly believes she has no intention of marrying anyone but she's quite happy to engage in match-making schemes for her friends. She's lively and charming and quite used to getting her own way but when it comes to love, she is utterly clueless. The novel opens with a brief introduction to Emma, her father, Mr Knightley and the Westons. Mrs Weston nee Taylor was Emma's governess and friend for many years before securing a happy, comfortable home with Mr Weston. Despite ...  Read the complete review

Jane Austen starts 'Emma' as if she's spitting plumstones into a bowl. Listen: "Emma Woodhouse, Handsome (ping), clever(ping), and rich (ping), with a comfortable home and happy disposition (ping, ping), seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence (ping), and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her (ping, ping)". She carries on 'pinging' for much of the front page. We are given a rather tight-lipped list of pro's and con's. Emma, we are told has: "a disposition to think a little too well of herself" (bong - plumstone hits edge of dish), ...  Read the complete review

The novel opens with Emma's father Mr Woodhouse complaining gently about their recent change in circumstances: Emma's best friend, who was once her governess, has recently married and moved about a mile away. Mr Woodhouse is a comic character who wants everything to stay exactly the same as it always has been, although he's sympathetically drawn. He's clearly devoted to his daughter, and frequently worries aloud about illnesses, draughts, and people being inconvenienced. As his idea of inconvenience doesn't necessarily make sense, there's some humour throughout the book whenever he appears. The enter novel covers daily walks, visits and conversations ...  Read the complete review

"Emma" is an interesting novel that offers its readers something of a lecture on the importance of reading closely and reading well. it is a tale of misinterpretation, alrgely on the par of the young heroine who cannot read the intentions of those around her, and who is prone to all sorts of mistkaes based on misinterpretation. The plot carries this theme through - anyone who does not readd closely will be repeatedly surprised by the events as they unfold, but attention will make it easy enough to work out who is actually in love with whom. Emma as a character tends to get something of a bad press, so I would like to spend a few moments speaking in her ...  Read the complete review