A review by beccakatie
The Complete Novels of Jane Austen, by Jane Austen
5.0
Emma: I really enjoyed Emma, and I found the characters provided a variety of personalities. Each of them were clearly flawed, which, personally made me feel a deeper connection to them, as they came across as relatable and real. Austen commented that Emma was a character only she would love, and I did find her attitudes and judgement of others grating. However, I do appreciate she did change through the course of the novel, becoming more understanding of others positions and feelings, even though she did retain many aspects of her snobbishness and self-importance. Personally, the lack of a specific plot worked for me, as I found the novel to be able to be more of a study of the characters and their society.
Northanger Abbey: I'm not a huge fan of the gothic genre, so I was really excited to read what is typically billed as a parody of it. I wasn't disappointed, I loved the characters and the dismantling of the traditional gothic tropes. It felt like a very accurate portrayal of friendship and understanding who is truly there for you, and I loved the romance and drama of the ending. Austen's narrative style and tongue in cheek humour when writing about the traditional heroines and novel reading. As I work my way through this collection, I appreciate more and more Austen's style of commentary on society, and even across the centuries, how relatable she makes her characters and the situations they find themselves in.
Pride and Prejudice: This is the Austen story I am most familiar with, and I’ve always loved it. I’ve actually read Pride and Prejudice before, a few years ago but couldn’t really remember it when it came to reading it this time. I loved the characters, they were a perfect balance between the complex histories and personalities of people such as Elizabeth and Darcy, as well as lighter entertainment in Mr Collins. The wittiness of the characters, and the humour in this book really shine through, and you cannot but help be transported into the rooms of Longbourn, Netherfield and Pemberly.
Northanger Abbey: I'm not a huge fan of the gothic genre, so I was really excited to read what is typically billed as a parody of it. I wasn't disappointed, I loved the characters and the dismantling of the traditional gothic tropes. It felt like a very accurate portrayal of friendship and understanding who is truly there for you, and I loved the romance and drama of the ending. Austen's narrative style and tongue in cheek humour when writing about the traditional heroines and novel reading. As I work my way through this collection, I appreciate more and more Austen's style of commentary on society, and even across the centuries, how relatable she makes her characters and the situations they find themselves in.
Pride and Prejudice: This is the Austen story I am most familiar with, and I’ve always loved it. I’ve actually read Pride and Prejudice before, a few years ago but couldn’t really remember it when it came to reading it this time. I loved the characters, they were a perfect balance between the complex histories and personalities of people such as Elizabeth and Darcy, as well as lighter entertainment in Mr Collins. The wittiness of the characters, and the humour in this book really shine through, and you cannot but help be transported into the rooms of Longbourn, Netherfield and Pemberly.