Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

Emma

By Jane Austen

I did enjoy this book overall because once I disciplined myself to slow down my reading I was able to appreciate the lovely English and the developing of the varied characters. It is a book that takes us slowly and gently through a way of life in a different era where status, breeding and duty were paramount. Not an exciting book -no real mystery or fireworks but it certainly improved my concentration and introduced me to a lot of new words 8/10

Written almost 200 years ago at a time before England became over populated and travel in speed and distance was confined to real horsepower, communities were insular and self centred. Thoughts, actions and conversations were very narrowly constrained but were expanded to fill the idle time. The story is of a widower and the younger of his two daughters. She occupies herself endeavouring unsuccessfully to arrange other people's matrimonial affairs. The ending is to everyone's satisfaction including her own 8/10

I did not enjoy it because reading it became such an absolute chore. The long descriptions became monotonous and the early 19th century language seemed flowery. Maybe we are so in tune with modern literature where there is "more action " appreciation cannot be given to the classics. Historically the era of the 1800s when life was simple and rather mundane is beautifully described but the book was not ,for me, enjoyable reading. It is humorous often but the snobbery of that era was very apparent 6/10