Sunday, March 23, 2014

Mansfield Park (Classic)


Mansfield Park - Jane Austen This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot.wordpress.com by express permission of this reviewer

Synopsis
A young girl, Fanny, is sent to live with her rich relations as a sop to their guilty conscience for how they treated her mother when she made a culturally poor matrimonial choice.
Fanny, a shy retiring girl, must navigate the pitfalls of growing up amongst her cousins, whom all but one are spoilt brats and bring no credit to the family name.

My Thoughts
Wow, what a difference a couple of years makes. When I read this back in '06, everything was overshadowed by the ending, where Fanny marries Edmund, her first cousin who she had loved since a young girl.

This time around I was able to savor the story and just enjoy Austen's writing.

Fanny is almost the polar opposite of Elizabeth Bennet. She is shy, sickly, given to much introspection, tries to please everyone and when she can't due to her principles, will say the barest necessary to show she doesn't agree.

Austen's characterization of the society was a joy to read even while being a scathing commenting. The other son and 2 daughters were contrasted against Edmund and Fanny and their lack of character made the book work. Other "minor" characters, such as the Crawfords, showed us more of a society that was rotting from within and how that affected peoples lives.

This was a slow read, in that the pace set by the characters is mostly sedate and moving easily from one point to another. Not until the end do things feel rushed, when Austen throws everything up in the air and we get to see how it all falls down. Interest-wise I found myself wanting to read this even on days that I don't normally read my "Classics Club" book. Austen is just that good.

And this is the kind of romance I like. No steely gazes like diamond drills or heaving bosoms or softporn. This was REAL romance and I find myself wishing for more books like this. I guess I shall have to be satisfied with Austen's 7.

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Author: Jane Austen

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