Emma

Rating:
Summary: Her finest novel
Review: Though Persuasion is my sentimental favorite, I regard Emma as Austen's finest novel overall. She is at the top of her game and everything works: the dialogue, character development and, did I mention, the humor? While teaching Emma in my AP English class this year, I realized that many less talented readers read right over the irony and scathing remarks. Jane Austen is so very funny that she makes better readers out of those who take the time to read her carefully. I have to admit that the movie version of Emma with Emma Thompson is quite good and does the novel some justice. It also helps a first time Austen reader get a flavor for how things looked and sounded in this time period. If you haven't yet started to enjoy Austen, pick up Emma and you won't be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: A bit too close for comfort!
Review: Jane Austen feared that nobody would like "Emma," a rather spoiled character with a tendency to be a bit of a know-it-all. Perhaps the reason we don't like Emma is because she reminds us too much of ourselves. Nevertheless, Emma has become one of my favorite characters, and if you enjoy classic romance stories, she'll probably become one of yours. A word to first-time readers of Austen: if you're expecting a quick pace, think again! The beauty of Austen lies in her wit and the extraordinary plot twists -- keep reading, they'll come!

Rating:
Summary: Romance is Nuts!
Review: This book is well-written for a love story. The outcome fits the story line perfectly. Jane Austen does a good job on having Emma manipulate peoples lives so they fall in love with one another. Then Austen has Emma going hay-wire because of her mixed feelings and she kind of gets a taste of her own medicine. Her love set ups are not going as she had planned. Then everything hits her all at once. I love it! I would recommend this book is great if you like romance and all of the mushy stuff. Jane Austen did it again.

Rating:
Summary: Not a Masterpiece, But Still Timeless!
Review: Well, Jane Austen was not a Charles Dickens. This work lacks the superb construction of Charles Dickens' novels. The images are there, but Austen does not put you there the way Dickens can. Also Austen's work does drag at times even though it is only about half the length of Dickens' full length books. But aside from that, it is a pretty good novel. The book is pleasantly funny with some touching moments. Emma herself is well drawn as a young woman who thinks she knows what is best for everyone, and later learns that sometimes it is best to let people make their own decisions. In all honesty, this is not uncommon at all. I find it very interesting that the recent movie "Clueless" was able to portray this story in a modern day setting. (The names were all changed, but anyone who read "Emma" could tell the movie was based on it.) Mr Knightley is memorable as the embodiement of reason. Harriet is fine as the poor girl caught in the middle. If you like this book, I suggest the movie with Kate Beckingsale as Emma.

Rating:
Summary: A lovely book, but long at times!
Review: I found this book extremely interesting, and it held a very unique story line, which seems at times hard to come by in many recently published books. I enjoyed the main character, Emma, whose character was so incredibly... fun, (mainly) mature, rommantic, and exciting all in one. Her want to match everyone with a lover reminds me very much of the premise of the novel A Midsummer Nights Dream. Though some parts extend and go into more detail than it seems necessary, the book is overall worth reading!

Rating:
Summary: Book Review of Emma
Review: By E.G. (AP)

"Seldom, very seldom does complete truth belong to any human disclosure; seldom can it happen that something is not a little disguised, or a little mistaken..." This was a hard lesson for twenty-one year old Emma Woodhouse to come by. Emma takes on the role of a matchmaker, believing it is in her power to arrange marriages. Predictably, Emma eventually fails at her task. Failure causes Emma to lose innocence and become less ignorant to what in fact she can control.

Emma is of a rich family; she's good looking, and she's clever. Emma is held in awe by most, especially her father who believes she is flawless. With such qualities and ideals at her disposal, Emma has very little to distress or vex her. The same circumstances convince her that she will never marry and promote naivete making reality a hard concept for Emma to grasp.

Emma lacks knowledge of societal expectations especially where marriage is concerned. Taking place during the Victorian time period, one was expected to marry inside his class. Emma doesn't grasp this ideal which leads to failure and disappointment in her pursuit of making matches.

Emma tries to acquaint Mr. Knightley with Harriet and to a certain extent, Jane. Emma discovers that she's once again led herself and Harriet astray. This instance in the book along with the knowledge that Mr. Knightley is one of few that can see faults in Emma, foreshadows an eventual change in plot. This is also the point in the story that a change in Emma's character becomes evident.

When reading Emma, allow yourself plenty of time. There are many intricate details Involving who's interested in who that are interwoven into the plot and would be easy to pass by if not reading leisurely. It may be helpful to read a passage twice if you find yourself questioning what just took place. In order to fully enjoy the story; don't hurry through the book.

A few of the characters have similar names. Sometimes the only thing separating one person from another is a subtle Miss or Ms. This can be frustrating if you don't fully grasp whom the book is speaking of. Again, read slowly and reread a passage if there's confusion about who the talked of subject is.

Some characters are void of the story for an extensive amount of the book. This is also frustrating, as it may be hard to recall what role the character plays. It's beneficial to jot down character names and a few descriptors about them so when they reappear, their role can be recalled. Or, you may want to take time to flip back in the book and reread the scene in which they first appeared.

Jane Austen did an exceptional job of writing satirically in order to portray silly ideals that Emma and society held. The standards for which marriages were arranged by become superficial and absurd through Austen's diction. Because it is apparent to the reader that Emma is chasing a dead end with her beliefs of who has taken interest in who, it's humorous when Emma comes to this realization herself. Austen chose exaggerated adjectives of perfection to describe Emma this creates a snicker because obviously Emma is not perfect but rather naïve.

Emma recalls memories of high school dance date set-ups that went wrong. It's comical to think back on either playing the role of matchmaker or having been the victim of a matchmaker when the quest for a date to the homecoming dance or prom is thrown into full effect. Most times the involvement of a third party misconstrues things much like Emma did. Feelings can be hurt similar to those of the characters in Emma making the matchmaker feel foolish but hopefully providing a lesson to all involved.

Rating:
Summary: An Okay book
Review: You must have patients to read this book. The basic story line is really good.

Emma lives in Highbury and has a way of getting into everyone else's business. She's witty, popular, rich, and beautiful. If you've seen Clueless then you'll know the ending and the major points of the story.

It's one of those books where when you need something to read it's there. Pride and Prejudice is better.

Rating:
Summary: Not Quite Pride & Prejudice but Close
Review: If I could do it over again, I would read Jane Austen's Emma before I read her Pride and Prejudice. Unfortuanately that was not the case. I loved it nonetheless. Emma combines witty humor and a fun cast of characters that makes for very enjoyable reading. It does not read as quickly or as easily as Pride and Prejudice, but it is still great fun!

If you have seen the movie Clueless starring Alicia Silverstone, then you know the basic plot. The 1995 movie was adapted from Jane Austen's novel, which was published in the 1800s. The Miramax version of Emma is done very well and should be viewed after reading the novel, not before. It would make the reading even slower.

Emma Woodhouse is a young woman who is the socialite of her small English town of Highbury. She is beautiful and wealthy and popular; everything that girls nowadays want to be or imagine themselves to be, so she is not terribly hard to relate to. She is not terribly smart but humorously clever and witty.

This novel displays this young woman's journey to self-discovery and love; along the way she humorously meddles in everyone's lives. Her romantic blunders are extremely fun to read about. I recommend this novel to any avid reader, but I should caution you against reading Pride and Prejudice beforehand, but if it is too late, do not hesitate to read it. And even though it may drag a bit, bear with it; the ending is reward itself!

Needless to say Emma will always have a place in my heart and on my bookshelf.

Rating:
Summary: I'll try not to give away the ending...
Review: Emma is Jane Austen at her best, the work of a writer in her prime. While earlier novels such as Northanger Abbey and Pride and Prejudice are extremely witty and well-plotted, none are as clever, interesting or satisfying as Emma, in its depiction of the frivolous preoccupations of the landed gentry in eighteenth century England.

The plot centres around Emma Woodhouse, the young, beautiful and clever daughter of a hypochondriac father, who amuses herself by attempting to play cupid to her friends and neighbours - with predictably painful results. Austen's characterisation is delightful: characters such as Mr Woodhouse and Miss Bates are brilliant comic creations but are never in danger of becoming caricatures, like Dickens' characters sometimes do. Meanwhile Emma herself is a complex mixture of intelligence and thoughtlessness, kind-heartedness and self-satisfaction, and is superbly realised. Austen's dialogue is as delicious, and frequently hilarious, as ever - she reveals the finer nuances of her characters through the things they say, intentionally or otherwise - and shows how intuitively insightful and compassionate she was.

As in most Jane Austen novels, all situations resolve themselves into a happy ending, though whether this tendency was prompted by a genuine positivity and warmth of feeling or a playful sense of irony, nobody is sure. Regardless, Emma is a tremendously satisfying read.

Rating:
Summary: Emma by Jane Austen
Review: I found Emma to be a very enjoyable novel. Jane Austen's characters are always very realistic, Emma reminded me of a few people I know! Austen may have been one of the first writers to have realistic female characters, instead of the stereotypical virtuous and good hearted maidens or wicked and evil seductresses, we have realistic books about real people. Its true that Emma gets annoying at times and sometimes you feel like slapping her in the face, but you really can't help liking her. I count Emma as one of the greatest heroines in literature. The plot itself is very entertaining and lively, of course, its not very suspensful, you know from the start Emma and Knightly are going to get married. Emma is a very good novel and I recommend it to anyone thinking of trying out Jane Austins books.