Emma ~ Jane Austen

Emma fancies herself a matchmaker and a good one at that.  Vowing never to marry she finds enjoyment in finding "matches" for her acquaintances.  But when match after match ends in heartache, she begins to reconsider her matchmaking abilities.  And when her resolution to never marry gets put to the test and she begins to see that the only man she could ever marry is quite possibly in love with someone else, her world threatens to fall apart.

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Being a huge fan of Jane Austen I loved this book! I'd seen several versions of movies, so I knew what was going to happen.  But, of course no movie can fully capture a book, so there were a few surprises for me!
Find it! Read it! Love it!

Sense and Sensibility ~ Jane Austen

Elinor and Marianne Dashwood are two penniless sisters who encounter trials in life and love. They weather the storm of those trials though, and they emerge as mature and fulfilled women.
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I recently reread this novel, and I enjoyed it every bit as much as the first time I read it 15 years ago. One thing that really struck me this time through was how cruel and selfish so many of the characters acted. John and Fanny Dashwood are extremely conceited and careless of others’ feelings; it makes the reader cringe. But it makes the Dashwood sisters’ triumphs that much more celebratory. You want them to have a happy ending so badly, and when it materializes for both sisters you can’t help but rejoice. Another thing I like about this novel is that amidst the bad characters are truly selfless people--people who conduct their lives with dignity and integrity--and those characters have happy endings too.

The story ends joyfully. What else can you ask for? :)

Pride and Prejudice ~ Jane Austen

We’re all familiar with this famous love story between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett. But since I have never written a review on it, and I just reread the story over Christmas, I decided now was a great time to post my thoughts. :)

I like this book immensely. Ms. Austen does a great job of developing the characters personalities; you feel that you are embodying Elizabeth as you read her thoughts. Austen does not describe the characters’ physical characteristics though. I suppose she wanted us readers to determine for ourselves whether Elizabeth was a brunette or a redhead; whether Mr. Bingley had a beard, etc.

The book is long, as is most classic literature, but it is worth persevering to the end when the two main characters finally come together. Personally after having read it so much I pay most attention to the dialogue, which is really the highlight of this book. There are several areas though where it would have been beneficial if Austen had told us who was speaking. I had to reread parts of the conversation so I could decipher who said what.

Another aspect of this story that I truly love is all the letters. Darcy’s letter of defense written to Lizzie is a pivotal point in the novel. Giving the reader important information via a letter makes the book feel more intimate.

I would encourage everyone to read this novel just once. It really is worth all the hype surrounding it.