Danielle Walls’s Reviews > Emma > Status Update

Mr. Elton moving on so quickly felt quietly poignant, underscoring how little Emma was ever truly seen by him despite everything that occurred. Throughout this volume, I noticed Mr. Knightley smiling more, defending Emma more openly, and engaging with her in ways that felt warmer and steadier. It feels like he is beginning to see her growth in real time, even as Emma herself is still learning how to recognize it.

Volume One felt calm and almost lulling, yet beneath that quiet Emma’s confidence often replaced reflection. She is intuitively aware of others but blind to what sits closest to her, a gap revealed in the “poor Harriet” moment that echoed her father’s self-centered sympathy. By the end, I felt tenderness rather than judgment, seeing Emma as a young girl beginning to grow into herself.