Having had it on my
bookshelf for years, I have no idea why I’ve only just got round to reading Emma.
For me, no one writes
quite like Jane Austen, capturing the individual characters in such a lifelike
and sensitive way and turning the everyday into the eventful. This is one of
those books that makes you want to curl up by the fire with a cup of tea and
forget about all the things you have to do until you’ve finished reading.
Emma is the exuberant heroine
and the combination of her wilfulness with her fallibility inevitably leads to
the comedy-serious mixture for which the writer is renowned. Sometimes we are
drawn to like and support her, at others Emma comes across as snobbish and naïve.
Naturally, the plot is based around her search for suitors (for herself as well
as on behalf of her friend Harriet) against a general backdrop of social
hierarchy, family relationships and flirtation. The bachelor Emma scopes out
for Harriet has reserved his affections for Emma, but Harriet has already
fallen in love with him. Emma’s meddling leads to Mr Elton’s departure,
followed by a string of new problems. Yes, it’s pretty much a 19th-century
Gossip Girl.
Admittedly, it’s not
going to replace my all-time love for Pride
and Prejudice but Emma is
definitely a book I’ll be reading again and again. One of the standout points, though its been said countless times before, is how relevant the themes and ideas remain today. As you might expect from an
Austen classic, it’s completely relatable and a total joy.
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