Emma (spoilers)

[sevencrows]

I love Emma as a character. I loved how she was shallow and whimsical, and I do wish more characters were flawed but interesting. It's not my favorite Austen book, but it's a good read!

[lwahls2]

Book lovers everywhere might hate me for saying this but the only reason I want to read this book is because the movie is coming out. I’ve never been interested in it until now. Your comments don’t inspire me to read it but I might have to regardless!

[VSuraj]

I didn’t like Emma’s character at first, but then she sort of grew on me. It was funny to see her implement her matchmaking schemes, only for them to backfire. It was only after reading comments here that I realized it was intended as a comedy, and that’s what it turns into, a comedic tale with a happy ending. Once you can get past the pompous air of the first few chapters, then the drama starts.

I wish that Emma’s sister (can’t remember her name) could have been featured more. It seems like she ended up in an unhappy marriage, so it would have been nice for her to find some happiness also.

[Carolreads30]

I never read this book, but I have seen previews of the movie and it looks really interesting. I have had several friends that have gone to see it and say that it was not good at all. Many report they have left the theatre while the movie is still playing.

[RKeinath]

I am one that enjoys Jane Austen's Emma as the characters flaws are different from what I might consider the normal heroine of the age. I am not sure Emma Woodhouse is even a heroine in the same sense of Elizabeth Bennett. In the first paragraph we are told of Miss Woodhouse's personality, and it is not the sort that fits the heroine type. In fact, it is that first paragraph that cinched the name for my cat. Part of what I like about Emma is that the characters are so different, so flawed, and yet still able to find what Jane Austen promised for her characters all along. This novel is definitely not for everyone though, even if they love all other things Jane Austen.

[mlh6fn]

It feels validating to read through these replies that also didn't enjoy Emma as much as the rest of Austen's novels! I understand objectively that Emma is supposed to be comedic with how out of touch and vain she is and I do see that humor, but I couldn't reconcile that with how painful it was to see all these innocent lives manipulated. I'm too empathetic to be able to step back and find the comedy while the futures of these poor women are played with. That being said, I'm still very interested in watching the newest Emma movie adaption

[Sithmi]

Emma is an interesting novel. But ehen compared to other works of Jane Austen, i think pride and prejudice is better than Emma.

[Wildflowertheorist]

I'm a Jane Austin fan. To me it is Emma's flaws that make her real. She's annoying but we love her because she does eventually learn from her mistakes and she is humble enough in the end to admit that she is wrong. It is also funny to see how deep she gets herself into scrapes. I especially like when the Mr Elton proposes and she is so horrified to think that he would. She is naively smug and it bites her in the end. Yes, Emma is a piece of work. That's sort of the point.

Exactly! I agree 100%. And I love love love Emma to bits. She is honestly one of the most relatable characters

[Juliana Jacinto]

Oh my God, do not get me wrong here, but I think the same of all of Austen’s book, and that’s what makes me read them. Austen is my exception in reading life. I would love to start a small group to discuss classic books online once a week. Please contact me on insta if you have interest, at juju “dot” jacinto. See you.

[Sabahat Kamran]

Emma is the first Jane Austen novel I read. I enjoyed her writing style but did not enjoy the character of Emma. I might have enjoyed her more if I thought she had grown up during the book, but she didn't for me and she never faces any consequences for her schemes.

[Sav Sparkman]

I am still glad that I read Emma, and I adore Jane Austen novels. However I will say this was one of my least favorite books of hers to read because of the characters. I too found many of them to be quite annoying, and Emma herself made decisions that drove me crazy! Many of them were full of complaints and the long running, self-absorbed rounds of dialogue were so difficult to get through. But the fact that I was able to develop such negative opinions about imaginary people, to me says how effective Jane Austen is at creating developed characters!