Reviews with content warning for Misogyny - Mansfield Park

Perhaps one of my least favourite Austen novels, alongside Emma (I said what I said), I did certainly enjoy some of the themes explored in the book, I just couldn't quite get on with Fanny's character. I certainly felt like Edward was the absolute worst hero out of the Austen books. I'm not going to lie, I was annoyed that Fanny didn't refuse him. Sub-par in my opinion.

I felt like Fanny was the most quiet of the heroines in the Austen novels, she was more moralistic, but generally very passive, never speaking her mind. Due to her upbringing, its clear this behaviour is instilled in her. She is surrounded by more colourful characters which are clearly more dramatic and provide a lot of the plot-line due to their eccentricity, which Fanny, and therefore the reader, passively experiences. Although, in a way, this passivity of Fanny surrounded by her eccentric characters actually demonstrates an element of steadfastness and loyalty to her Christian virtues, rather than being swayed by the other's behaviour.

I also liked how the novel not only explored standard themes of marriage, friendship and class, but also added the theme of slavery in here with Lord Norris being a slave-trader, living in a house named Mansfield Park (named after a slave-trader who adopted a mixed-race girl and forcing her to live as an outsider). This novel was telling of the way in which richer families engaged with that aspect of their history and was an insightful element.

Despite these interesting elements of the novel, I found that Fanny's placidity meant there wasn't as much for the reader to engage with and generally found it hard to follow sometimes. The purpose is obviously to portray Fanny in a certain way, but for reader engagement and expectation, it does let it down a little.

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handsome_enough_to_tempt_me's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.25

FIRST OFF: THIS IS NOT A ROMANCE NOVEL. THAT’S NOT THE POINT, AND IF YOU CAME OUT OF MP THINKING THE ROMANCE WAS THE POINT YOU’RE W R O N G
um anyway this is kinda complicated bc Fanny is literally the most annoying person on the planet but also there were some super interesting themes throughout and like as far as literary analysis goes it’s great but plot character no
except I actually have the most toxic crush on Henry Crawford but whatever

also wtf for Fanny not marrying Henry like hun that man is hot and rich and will probably get tired of you after six months but it’s 1816 what else do u have to live for?? take his money is what I’m saying here

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emberysing's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.75

As many classics, it was almost overwhelmingly intricate and slow in the beginning, but was engrossing in the latter half, and paid it all off.

After finishing Pride and Prejudice, there is a different level of complexity in Mansfield Park that I loved all the more. The protagonist, while endeared to the reader, is not so likeable as she could be, and all the faults of the antagonists are almost balanced by their positive attributes. The level of greyness—and somewhat more realness of humanity—Austen gives her characters in this book is beautifully done.

I do think that it was a bit cruel though to leave some of the mc’s relations dwindle sadly off into the sunset at the end. However, my only complaint is that there isn’t enough of Susan to satisfy me, but that’s my own partiality for her speaking.

Now I think I can understand a bit better why my mom likes this sort of novel—but I will still carry my preference of fantasy until the day I die.

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