Emma [Annotated]

Finished Emma and I’d say it was a very interesting book. It’s not really a romance — more like a look into how society worked in that time. You get to read about people who feel real, with problems that still kind of exist even now. The writing is beautiful, and even though it took me some time to adjust to the pace and style (classic book stuff), once I got into it, I really enjoyed it.That said, it was a bit too long. Some details felt unnecessary and didn’t really add to the story. But overall, I think it was a great read — thoughtful, grounded, and very Jane Austen.

Basically, there's a lot of tea in this story. Emma gets involved in everyone else's business and ends up ruining her "friendship" with Harriet, a 17-year-old girl she "adopts" after her governess marries and leaves her and her father alone. Emma tries to help Harriet improve her situation but ends up meddling in her love life, which leads to Harriet marrying the very person Emma didn't like. Also, Emma sends Harriet away so she can be with the guy that Harriet also liked. Despite the initial struggle, I ended up loving the way Emma messes up. I found the book hard to read at the beginning and had to look for an audiobook, but it quickly becomes more engaging. I thought Mrs. Bates's monologues were unnecessary, but I understand they were included to develop her personality. The characters like Mr. Elton, Mrs. Elton, Jane, Frank, and Mr. Woodhouse made me feel like I was watching a reality show. This book is mainly about things happening in Emma's life. I highly recommend it for the tea.

Jane Austen’s ’Emma’ is a tale that has always been a favourite but it has been some time since I had read it and from page one I was once more happy to be back in the village of Highbury.Every mess Emma makes is one you see coming, and you can not help but agree with both Mr Woodhouse and Mr Knightly when they beg her to stop. But she is a dreamer, and a dreamer must never be brought down to Earth even if her interfering nature does bring trouble to all those she loves. Austen writes her in such a manner that you cannot help but love her despite her follies and naivety towards her actions, and I know for certain I will return again to not only Emma but the other much-loved stories of Jane Austen.Mr Knightly was the ideal man when I first read Emma at twelve, and he’s still the epitome of a caring gentleman now many years later. He hides his affection for Emma so well that you barely catch a hint of what is going on behind his more stoic words and actions but I think it is his constancy in the lives of both Woodhouses that permits us a glimmer of the heart he keeps hidden from harm. He is her voice of reason, her sounding block, and the one man Emma argues with and shows her true self, too. I always loved that she herself is unaware of not only her own heart’s desire but Mr Knightly’s until he is courageous enough to open himself up to her scorn or refusal. I'm so glad I re-opened this classic novel and returned to a world unbeknownst to Jane Austen? Made it a novel that always finds a home upon many a shelf.