Synopsis
Emma Woodhouse is one of Austen’s most captivating and vivid characters. Beautiful, spoilt, vain and irrepressibly witty, Emma organizes the lives of the inhabitants of her sleepy little village and plays matchmaker with devastating effect.
Rating
★★★★★
Introduction
One of my reading goals this year is to read at least one classic per month. There are so many classics that I have either not yet read or want to read again, so I’m happy to make this a priority.
I chose Emma as my first classic since I hadn’t read it before and the main character shares a name with my beloved late great-grandmother.
Thoughts
What a delightful read this was! Although I’m not sure that I was supposed to, I adored the haughty and interfering main character, Emma. She was moody, nosy, and not always pure of heart, which made her ever so human and very amusing.
The book Emma is a great example of Austen’s superb understanding of human nature and society. She takes care to paint the opinionated Emma as a bit of a feminist who works tediously to gain some control in a man’s world, one manipulative deed at a time. If you can look past the frivolous conversations, you will find a wealth of wisdom and humor in this story. It has a satisfying arc, too!
Austen is one of the few authors who can turn everyday minutiae into absolute entertainment. Her wonderfully developed characters and settings offer a glimpse into another time. And that look at characters such as Emma is still marvelously valuable and relevant today.
Quote
“It’s such a happiness when good people get together.”