Mansfield Parkby Jane Austen
First Published: 1814
Everyman's Library 10th edition: 1992
Genre: Romance
Hardback: 488 pages
Rating: 4
Description from the amazon:
Mansfield Park encompasses not only Jane Austen’s great comedic gifts and her genius as a historian of the human animal, but her personal credo as well—her faith in a social order that combats chaos through civil grace, decency, and wit.
At the novel’s center is Fanny Price, the classic “poor cousin,” brought as a child to Mansfield Park by the rich Sir Thomas Bertram and his wife as an act of charity. Over time, Fanny comes to demonstrate forcibly those virtues Austen most admired: modesty, firm principles, and a loving heart. As Fanny watches her cousins Maria and Julia cast aside their scruples in dangerous flirtations (and worse), and as she herself resolutely resists the advantages of marriage to the fascinating but morally unsteady Henry Crawford, her seeming austerity grows in appeal and makes clear to us why she was Austen’s own favorite among her heroines.
My two bits:
In-a-word(s): home is where the heart is
Beware, this edition has a few typo-s. At the start this was a turn-off to me.
After an extended break from Mansfield Park (started it in July), I finally got around to finishing this read.
I think the subtle nature of both the heroine (Fanny) and hero (Edmund) of this story is the reason. Totally unlike Elizabeth and Darcy of Pride and Prejudice. However, after awhile they grow on you.
Great qualities highlighted in this story are quiet strength and perseverance.
Mansfield Park Haiku
faint of heart am I
"I do not wish to" says I
hence, I, get the guy
-vvb
*haiku originally posted here for Bibliofreak's Jane Austen action figure contest
*part of my Everything Austen challenge
Available online for free:
Read it from Girl ebooks
Hear it from LibriVox
*part of my Everything Austen challenge
Available online for free:
Read it from Girl ebooks
Hear it from LibriVox
I adore Mansfield Park, it is my second favorite Austen novel and almost my second favorite book ever. Fanny is a bit annoying as character, but I simply adore Edmund. Edmund Bertram's Diary by Amanda Grange is really good, it is the same story, just from Edmund's point-of-view. :)
ReplyDeleteI didn't enjoy the story the first time I read Mansfield Park, but I read it again and liked the characters more.
ReplyDeleteI have to read this again, asap! :)
ReplyDeleteBy the way love your new look.
I read this one last year and really liked it. I agree with you that it has a slow start, but in the end I thought the time spent getting to know the characters in the beginning was worth it.
ReplyDeleteI hope to read more by Jane Austen this year!
I love this book, but oddly enough, it is the ONLY Jane Austen book for which I actually preferred the movie (despite all of the changes they made).
ReplyDeleteI tried to read this a few years ago, but couldn't get into it, but my book club is reading one Jane Austen book of our choosing for April so I've decided to try this one again! I've enjoyed the movie adaptations...so I know I just need to stick with it!
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