'Emma' by Jane Austen

 

Emma (1815), handsome, clever and rich. None of which apparently can keep a young girl out of mischief! Vivid, flawed and interesting characters as always with Austen's novels. I loved how she used an omniscient narrator that sees into the minds of the characters (particularly Emma herself). It makes the plot fun and ironic because as readers, we get to know what they're all thinking and how they react to one another. It's like being in the middle of raunchy gossip, without the consequences.

One strength of this novel is the pacing. The events unfold at a good rate and Austen sets the stakes up high for her characters. I did enjoy the infamous Box Hill picnic where everything goes wrong and the reading about the journey of Harriet. A poor girl that Emma takes in to matchmake, which was bound to end sourly. As fun as the drama is, it's brilliant how much can be learned about 19th century society from Austen's works. The pressures of marriage, class issues, wealth, snobbery and gender roles. She also does a brilliant job of exposing the hypocrisy of elite individuals, getting in a subtle laugh as she goes. Definitely one of her best works.