Reviews with content warning for Classism - Emma

Reviews tagging 'Classism'

Emma by Jane Austen

46 reviews

phantomgecko's review against another edition

lighthearted slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Obviously class (and wealth) is an important part of any Austen novel. But it just felt more odious in this one because of Harriet Smith.

In the beginning, Emma tells Harriet if she marries a common farmer, she could not associate with her anymore. In the end, Harriet marries a common farmer and Emma stops associating with her. This fact is kinda glossed over and rationalized with the discovery Harriet wasn't gentry anyway.

The intimacy between her and Emma must sink; their friendship must change into a calmer sort of goodwill; and, fortunately, what ought to be, and must be, seemed already beginning, and in the most gradual, natural manner.

Gross. And yeah, I know that's how it was back in Jane Austen's time. But it's still ridiculous. Emma had only the slightest of character growth. The recognition that people are just people, and the British caste system is bs and a rejection of that system would have really endeared her to me.

As it is, Emma is a snob in the beginning, middle, and end of the book. I did not like her, therefore I did not much enjoy the novel.

Unrealistic expectations or not, my least favorite Austen novel thus far.

Content Warnings

pich's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful lighthearted slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This was just gossip stretched out for over 400 pages, though I mean that in a very good way.

Content Warnings

katie_345's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful reflective relaxing slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This book was a great read. I thoroughly enjoyed it even though it was slow paced and not much happened. This book (allthough trivial) focus’s on the everyday life similarly to other classics. This was fun and calming to read. :)

Content Warnings

duarshe's review against another edition

Go to review page

funny relaxing slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

It took so long to finish this book that is being hard for me to realize that I'm not going to be reading Emma's schemings anymore. To be honest, I'm a little sad.

Many people may criticize Emma for being so faulted of character but it is obviously the interesting part of the story. She has such a wrong worldview that we cannot trust her as the focalizer of the omniscient narrator. Such a technique, Austen. So while the novel goes on we only discover what the other characters think when they actually put words into it. (That was my English major talking, I'm sorry).

Spoiler

Also, it is hard for me to get over the fact that Mr. Knightley is 16 years older than Emma, and literally saw her as a baby. He even said that he fell in love when she was THIRTEEN (which means he was TWENTY-NINE). Mr. Knightley walked so that Jacob Black could run lmfao. But the true villain of the story is Mr. Frank Churchill. You're telling me that you were secretly engaged all along and you treated your fiancée like shit since the start. Boy... Poor Jane indeed

All in all, it is really a great novel. The only thing I would only get rid of is half of the unsubstantial conversations between some characters (half of Miss Bates' monologues).

Content Warnings

puttingwingsonwords's review against another edition

Go to review page

funny lighthearted slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

cleotheo's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Content Warnings

sirenricobooks's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful informative lighthearted reflective relaxing slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

erica_cronje's review against another edition

Go to review page

funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Let's see, what do i think of Emma?
I thibk this was a good place to start my classics journey, thanks to the movie i knew what was going to happen, or roughly knew at least, and that helped. It also helps that the novel is very lighthearted in nature, making it easy to relax whilst reading, i honestly chuckled a a few lines, really enjoying myself.

As for the characters, they are clearly flawed, as is almost the entire plot of the novel, Emma's faults being to clear despite everyone seeming to think her perfectness itself. I enjoyed Emma's little moments to feminism seeping through, something the film lacked a bit, but it is understandable since it is not one of her main characteristics, but it was nice to read in any case.

Spoiler

I especially enjoyed the handling and change in relationship to Jane and Frank with Emma after she discovers their engagement, for the first time, Emma truly sees that she could have had not better friend than that in Jane since they are quite alike, and Frank is much more bearable and I enjoy the atmosphere created when they are all friends, laughing at their past selves and simply enjoying each other's company.

All in all, this was a really enjoyable novel to read, lighthearted and fun, with some marvelous quotes, and I am happy I am starting my classics journey with Emma.

Content Warnings

natashaleighton_'s review against another edition

Go to review page

funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

lea_kellerr's review against another edition

Go to review page

lighthearted tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I had to read this for my academic writing class and it was a pain to get through. The ending was foreseeable, the characters annoying and overall it was just a very slow and boring read.

Content Warnings

More...