The Dusty Bookshelf discussion

Anyone reading Emma for the Jane Austen theme read for April....feel free to post, discuss, vent and swoon here:)

Alright, I just started this last night..I'm only on chpater two...and so far, it's a bit flighty...hard to get into...mostly conversation betwix Emma and her father...I've heard just as many bad things as good about this one...but I can't imagine I'll be disappointed with a Jane Austen book...so I know it's only a matter of time before I come to be enchanted with Emma and the cast of characters in her life...I hope!

Alright i'm going to start tonight!!

Yay! Sorry, I started a wee bit early...but I knew there was no way I could fit in another book...

it's actually prefect timing, i just finished my other book. So i'm actually quite free to start reading Emma!

Me too! I finished my Arthurian book...and to stop myself from putting the next one (which is NOT on my dusty list...then again neither was the first, but it was a fun enjoyable read!!)on hold at the library; I started Emma straight away; to save myself!!!

I think my problem with Emma is that I find it so much harder to identify with her than with Jane Austen's other heroines. That said, I really do love Mr. Knightley, and the portrayal of ridiculous (yet familiar) characters seems to follow right where Pride and Prejudice left off. Mr. Woodhouse? Miss Bates? Frank Churchill? They all seem so real, so I often have trouble deciding if I find them more amusing or annoying.

That's funny Catherine...I was just on my way over to this board to state..I'm on Chapter 7...and I can't decide f I like Emma yet or not??? I enjoyed the banter and "argument" between Mr. Knightly and Mrs. Weston as to whether or not Emma and Harriet's friendship was good (for either of them) or not! Now we shall see if Emma can do justice to Miss Smith's likeness in her drawing! :)

Enjoy the book! It is only over the course of multiple readings that I have become so upset at Emma -- perhaps because she hasn't grown up in all the years that I have known her...

Emma's a hard character to decide upon, she's not meant to be likeable to the general public (as stated by Jane Austen herself) but I think you might come to understand parts of her.... hopefully! As for Mr Knightley.... yes Catherine, I 'love' him too ;D Now if only I could get my hands on the real, modern-day version of him :D

Catherine wrote: "Enjoy the book! It is only over the course of multiple readings that I have become so upset at Emma -- perhaps because she hasn't grown up in all the years that I have known her..."

That's funny! I've thought the same thing in books I've re-read as I've gotten older (I can say for certain I've grown up...but perhaps at least grown IN to my responsibilities!:) We shall see...but yes, she seems a bit spoiled...but then she is! ...and that whole status thing...although I adore the time period, truthfully I probably wouldn't do well actually 'living' in it! :)

...and I'll have to pay more attention to Mr. Knightly...can he rival Mr. Darcy??? Hmmm...

I'm only on chapter 3. But knowing a little about the time period, aren't most girls from this era aspiring to get married? It just seemed strange that Emma is content to staying w daddy and spending his money! I guess it's not a bad trade off. Who wouldn't want to be spoiled!!

I guess i have to see what unfolds. Right now i'm having trouble keeping all the names straight and how each one is related to each of the charaters.

I had the same trouble...it seems to have died down a bit with the name throwings...I do hope someone does something to spice it up a bit, or there is some love triangle to make it a wee bit more interesting! Right now it's all Emma, Emma, Emma...Oh maybe that's why the title is Emma! :) LOL:)

April, I wouldn't worry about that for too long, it does get better imo :)

Hayley wrote: "April, I wouldn't worry about that for too long, it does get better imo :)"

Phew...I figured it would:) I remember having the same feelings about Mansfield Park...it just took a while...a long while to really gear up!:)

SPOILER STUFF!


So...I'm a bit ticked at little Miss Emma right now. I can't believe...well yes I can, but it still angered me that she helped poor Harriet turn down Martin! Gahh...Those two would have been perfect for each other:) Oh well...She's got some issues to work out. We'll see what she does now that she's trying to set her up with Mr. Elton (which...I think he's got the hots for Emma and she's too daft to see it!...we shall see...I do like to predict! :)

Oh April - I felt the same way! That was something that really turned me against Emma and made me realise how terrible a matchmaker she actually is ;P

I swear to you it starts making sense.... eventually ;)

April, I have the same feelings, and those are my same predictions. I did enjoy the argument between Emma and Mr. Knightly on this topic of Harriet's marriage proposal. But i do feel aweful for Mr. Martin. He really did like Harriet, and I think Harriet really liked him. Hopefully they will get together by the end of the novel.

Ok...so nothing pivotal has happened . . .but...Mr. Elton sure is being attentive to Emma, especially since poor, poor Harriet is home sick! Ahhh...I want to read more, but time! so little reading time right now! Oh well...just thought I'd check in!

I know how you feel April, I had planned to finish Emma before April and move on to Sense and Sensibility, but no such luck thanks to school. It is an interesting book, not much happens on most of the pages, but you just want to keep on reading anyway, and it's hard to put down.

I know what you mean Jennifer! Even though it's not a 'traditional' page turner as far as excitment level...there's something about it that just makes you want to keep going to see what is going to happen (I felt the same way with Mansfield Park).. . . and it's funny...that was my plan too (to read S&S this month after Emma)...but alas, lots is getting in my way too...

I think I had to get just over halfway through before I felt like I was getting somewhere with this book, it does keep you reading through though :)

This will be the third Jane Austen I've read...and I'm sensing a trend! :) I think she's good at that kind of writing....even thought there aren't blatant mysteries or out right adventure...she tells a good story, and you just want to know more about what is going on...in the character's lives...
Having to split my time between Emma and Paradise Lost, I've only made it to where everyone is leaving (or trying rather) the party in the snow. We'll see if they leave, or if they get talked into staying with the Randalls! But, I can't wait until Mr. Elton professes that it's Emma he's got a hot spot for and not Harriet...(cause I just got a feeling...that's where this is gonna go:)

It's not that I'm not enjoying this book...I just wish something exciting would happen already! Hmmm...I wonder if Emma feels the same? :) About half way through...and I'm thinking any chapter now...any chapter now...something is gonna break!

I've been soo bad, i haven't been able to get into and i haven't been reading. Tonight i'm going to attempt to finish Part 1. but I'm just having difficulty with the old english speaking. Also, i have a feeling this book isn't going to pick up until Part 3. Because it seems to be following the same trend as pride and prejudice. Inwhich the frist two parts were very long and drawn out, and then part 3 comes around and the whole story got soo very exciting.

Yes! That's what I'm figuring too. I am trying to hold out for when that happens. I'm not exactly bored, just indifferent:) Now that Mr. Weston's son has arrived it's a bit more entertaining...but still waiting for the 'real' story! :) I seriously had to skip a couple of pages when Mrs. Bates I think it was, went on and on and on about apples...for petes sake! I couldn't even take it...(and was very proud of Emma for keeping her tongue!:)

FYI, criticisms of Emma from the time that it was originally released through the present commonly refer to it as having no real story or that nothing really happens at all. In the introduction in my version of Emma there is a comment that Emma basically a book about nothing. So, you guys are experience exactly what critics and others have been experiencing with Emma since it's inception.

All that aside however, I did enjoy the book for what it was. I found it to be a window into the character and lifestyle of 19th Century England.

I wouldn't say that Emma is quite a book about nothing. To me, it is a kind of bildungsroman. It is really about the development of Emma's character. (view spoiler)[ Emma goes from being a shallow and self-centered girl to someone who genuinely cares about her acquaintances, and thus worthy of Mr. Knightley, who has had a hand in her development since an early age. Of course, the turning point is the expedition to Box Hill, and how Knightley makes Emma aware of how cruel she has been to Miss Bates. (hide spoiler)] I think that, in general, Jane Austen's novels are more character-driven than plot-driven, which can be a turn-off to those who require a strong plot.

I actually do like the growing of her character...it is fun to 'see' her thoughts about how she does or does not feel badly about something. But, I'm in the middle (or so) of book 2, and Mr. Knightly is pretty sparce...so it will be interesting to hear more from him if we do! :)

I guess the reason I feel like something should happen is the way Jane writes...there is build up . . and interest with Mr. Churchill...while she's (view spoiler)[ quite clear that there relationship is going to go nowhere, this is why she feels she can be herself and let go and dance and have fun...I guess:) And she even questions...if I were to love this man or marry him, but since I'm not it's ok to not question his motives and such . . . (hide spoiler)] you can't help but think there is something else there...or there is going to be! :) It is a fun book...but that's MY constant ever wondering...cause it just FEELS like something is gonna happen! :) And...I love that, so long as I'm not let down by the end...and I haven't been yet! :)

I enjoyed Emma for the pure purpose of fiction to explore the human condition. Miss Bates' dialogue made me laugh and laugh. Emma's superiority of character (NOT!), her unspoken fear of adult responsibility, and her father's willingness to allow her to languish as a child forever make the arrival at womanhood a traumatic and challenging experience that most of us probably cannot relate to because our own circumstances have prepared us. Thus, we have no patience for Emma's flaws.

Ahhh...see I KNEW IT! I knew it would be there, I knew Ms. Austen would NOT let me down! ;) 83% done with the book...and out it comes! Oh, dear....what is going to happen next! (view spoiler)[ I knew eventually this whole Mr. Knightly thing was going to play itself out...but...oh poor Emma to just rue the day she ever made friends with dear sweet Harriet! Because now...Is it going to be Harriet that sweeps Mr. Knightly's heart away! I laughed out loud at one point...then felt so bad for Emma! That whole "don't know what you got, till it's gone" thing just sneeked right up on her and attacked her! Totally in for ALL now...as I can't wait to be able to pick up the book again to see...will she try to thwart Harriet? Will she reveal her now known to herself feelings to Mr. Knightly and see what he does with that? Will she remain a good friend to Harriet and bless this relationship? Ahhh.....Finally...I have some sort of feelings for Emma! I also felt bad for her after her horrible act of unkindness to Mrs. Bates....once known to her, she felt absolutely horrid...and I can relate a bit to that . . . poor poor Emma.... (hide spoiler)]

So. I never had a doubt...and I know I'm not finished yet...but never did I doubt that Jane would GRAB me and not let go!~ Egads...what am I doing on here...I should be reading!

YES!! I'm so glad that people are catching up - I really want to be able to talk to people about this book & soon! I'm keeping an eye on this thread to see your reactions to the end of the book :P

Finis! I enjoyed it! It was very fun...and I won't spoil too much here...but I liked that it ended nice and neat! :)

I finally finished it, partially through a librivox version, but it went well with cleaning. I like the ending, and I liked the beginning, but it seemed like there was a long stretch in the middle where nothing much happened. It was still a really good book, but it is not my favorite Austen. I prefer Pride and Prejudice and Northanger Abbey, but this will definitely get a rereading in the future. Then again, I'm only halfway through her books.

Jennifer wrote: "but it seemed like there was a long stretch in the middle where nothing much happened. "

I noticed that long stretch of blandness too! Glad you liked the start and beginning though :D I don't think this is the best Austen either, but it is still a good, shorter read imo ;D

I'll have to read through this once I read the book! It's next on my list after my current read. (:

I just finished this last week. I had a hard time with it; long sections were completely pointless and listening on audio I got very confused with the characters as there were two Knightleys and two Bates. Once I got that sorted out, it was much better, but the long debates about whether to go out in the snow or whether to have a ball, etc, got very tedious. The movie versions are better, imo.