Favorite Jane Austen novel?

[ToeInTheWater]

Jane Austen came up in a Family Life topic, and as an “Austenite” myself (even was in a JA club in college) I was curious as to who else liked her novels.

I get a feeling *Pride and Prejudice *may come out on top just because it’s the most well-known, it was an official book I read for English class in high school.

But I actually liked Persuasion best. It featured a somewhat unconventional heroine, not young and vivacious like Elizabeth Bennett, or as socially active as Emma Woodhouse. But she managed to make this quiet heroine very appealing. As opposed to, say, Mansfield Park, I can see what she tried to do with Fanny Price but I don’t think she quite succeeded, though part of that might be my modern sensibilities interfering.

 

[LilyM]

Jane Austen came up in a Family Life topic, and as an “Austenite” myself (even was in a JA club in college) I was curious as to who else liked her novels.

I get a feeling *Pride and Prejudice *may come out on top just because it’s the most well-known, it was an official book I read for English class in high school.

But I actually liked Persuasion best. It featured a somewhat unconventional heroine, not young and vivacious like Elizabeth Bennett, or as socially active as Emma Woodhouse. But she managed to make this quiet heroine very appealing. As opposed to, say, Mansfield Park, I can see what she tried to do with Fanny Price but I don’t think she quite succeeded, though part of that might be my modern sensibilities interfering.

Read all of Ms Austen’s work, studied two of her novels in school, even went to the Jane Austen Museum in Bath, England, last year

STILL think Pride and Prejudice is the best.

 

[RPRPsych]

Persuasion, hands down.

Though Emma is a close second, and Mansfield Park often gets unfairly bashed.

I wish Miss Austen were still with us; I’d love to see her give Twilight and its associated nonsense the Northanger Abbey treatment.

 

[ShrodingersCat]

I really enjoyed Mansfield Park! I like them all though.

 

[Robyn_p]

Persuasion, hands down.

Though Emma is a close second, and Mansfield Park often gets unfairly bashed.

I wish Miss Austen were still with us; I’d love to see her give Twilight and its associated nonsense the Northanger Abbey treatment.

I need to give Mansfield Park another go because 16 year old me was too grossed out by the cousin romance plot and gave up on it. I know that was actually pretty common back then but I wasn’t able to get into it because of that.

Put me down as another P and P fan though. There’s a reason it’s the most popular.

 

[ToeInTheWater]

I need to give Mansfield Park another go because 16 year old me was too grossed out by the cousin romance plot and gave up on it. I know that was actually pretty common back then but I wasn’t able to get into it because of that.

Put me down as another P and P fan though. There’s a reason it’s the most popular.

Pride and Prejudice certainly has a lot that makes it a classic. A spunky heroine, an alluring hero, a dashing yet dastardly villain, and an unforgettable cast of supporting characters.

I think Mansfield Park is likely the most difficult book to appreciate from a 21st century perspective. Not really because Fanny is in love with her first cousin, though. It can be difficult to see why the Crawford siblings were considered so morally repugnant; well, at least where Mary was concerned.

Henry, on the other hand, is obviously meant to be the libertine “bad boy” who features as a villain in pretty much every Austen book. He claims to have reformed when he courts Fanny, but Fanny steadfastly refuses to wed him despite much pressure from her family, and Henry later proves that he never fully reformed.

 

[LittleWay92]

I love Pride and Prejudice not because it is well known, but because there is such growth in the characters and there is so much tongue in cheek humor. It is such a witty novel.

Persuasion would probably come second. Its angst-y tone appealed to me more in my teenage years.

 

[Robyn_p]

Pride and Prejudice certainly has a lot that makes it a classic. A spunky heroine, an alluring hero, a dashing yet dastardly villain, and an unforgettable cast of supporting characters.

I think Mansfield Park is likely the most difficult book to appreciate from a 21st century perspective. Not really because Fanny is in love with her first cousin, though. It can be difficult to see why the Crawford siblings were considered so morally repugnant; well, at least where Mary was concerned.

Henry, on the other hand, is obviously meant to be the libertine “bad boy” who features as a villain in pretty much every Austen book. He claims to have reformed when he courts Fanny, but Fanny steadfastly refuses to wed him despite much pressure from her family, and Henry later proves that he never fully reformed.

Also from what I remember Fanny was a bit bland for an Austen protagonist. Especially compared to Elizabeth. That by itself makes it a little more difficult to get into.

I’m sure there is stuff in there that I would appreciate now that I’m older though so I really do want to give it another shot.

 

[ToeInTheWater]

Fanny is certainly introverted and appears to be a meek pushover at first, but she later shows her moral strength. I think another reason the novel isn’t as popular as others, is that her love interest really isn’t someone most modern readers would find attractive. I was happy at the end mostly because Fanny got who she wanted, even though I wouldn’t have. Whereas I think most readers find Mr. Darcy appealing in his own right.

I would like to hear from those who have picked Northanger Abbey! As I personally found it a light read compared to the other novels, and I didn’t quite get the appeal of the hero in that book, either. It is meant to be a satire of Gothic novels popular at the time. Gothic novels being similar to Jane Eyre but even more overwrought and unbelievable.