Emma

Written by Jane Austen

Narrated by Juliet Stevenson

Arrogant, self-willed and egotistical, Emma is Jane Austen’s most unusual heroine. Her interfering ways and inveterate matchmaking are at once shocking and comic. She is ‘handsome, clever and rich’ and has ‘a disposition to think too well of herself’. When she decides to introduce the humble Harriet Smith to the delights of genteel society and to find her a suitable husband, she precipitates herself and her immediate circle into a web of misunderstanding and intrigue, from which no-one emerges unchanged.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Naxos Audiobooks
• Release date: Jun 7, 1996
• ISBN: 9789629544478

Jane Austen

Born in 1775, Jane Austen published four of her six novels anonymously. Her work was not widely read until the late nineteenth century, and her fame grew from then on. Known for her wit and sharp insight into social conventions, her novels about love, relationships, and society are more popular year after year. She has earned a place in history as one of the most cherished writers of English literature.

Reviews for Emma

[kimmr_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have enjoyed re-reading Emma this time more than I ever have before. Listening to Nadia May's narration of the audiobook no doubt contributed to this. This novel demonstrates Jane Austen's genius: she gives Emma Woodhouse a whole range of faults - including conceit, vanity, pride and immaturity. And yet Emma is real and she is likeable. She makes you cringe, but you cheer for her when she recognises her mistakes and tries to make things right. Other characters are equally masterful: Miss Bates' sympathetic silliness, Mrs Elton's sheer awfulness, Mr Knightley's calm good sense. I love them all, even though spending the afternoon with some of them would be a major trial!

[coffeehag · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I read this book perhaps 20 years ago, and since then I have seen filmed versions of it so many times that I didn't think the book could hold any charm for me any more. How wrong I was! Films can never equal Jane Austen's wit. This book is told with a hilarity that held me transfixed, turning pages. The films canvas many chapters in mere seconds, and they can never capture the thoughts and characters of Austen's figures as the book does. It will not be so long before I read this work again.

[melissarochelle_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Emma is one of my favorite Jane Austen characters (I think I've raed this one more than P&P). And watching the 2009 Masterpiece Classic version of Emma is so much fun. I love how silly and simple they portray Harriet.

[daptolibrary · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Reading Austen can be a challenging thing in these modern times. Living in a world where visual entertainment is king and pretty much anything can be said in print, the florid language and social propriety of an Austen novel can leave some readers struggling and in some instances exhausted!That’s not to say our club disliked Emma (per se). There were those who found delight within the many pages and, as most lovers of Austen do, found themselves totally ensconced within the social whirlwind of the early 1800s. And although not everyone had managed to finish, there was determination amongst the ranks to do so. We had a great discussion on the Regency era and the importance of social standing, the class system and the all-important family lineage. We all felt Austen’s writing was clever in its orderly and efficient depicting of life among the gentile. And in a world where fictional entertainment was confined to either the theatre or the novel, her stories played an important role in the literature of the day. So, the general opinion was that, as a book club, ticking an Austen novel off our to-read list was an imperative. The fact that we found both pleasure and a new found respect for the classics made this month’s read more than worth our while.

[koeniel · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

After reading Jane Austen's two best works - "Pride and Prejudice" and "Sense and Sensibility", reading the first parts of "Emma" was hard. I felt disappointed because to me Emma doesn't seem to be an interesting heroine. She's not as likeable as Elinor Dashwood, or even her lively and unrestrained sister Marriane. And definitely Emma is nowhere as interesting as Elizabeth Bennet! I was also a bit bored, as to me the plot was not as nearly as interesting the the other two. To me Emma is rather annoying, and the story is just a story of a girl growing up and learning about life by stumbling on mistake after mistake. The other characters there are certainly VERY annoying - like the incessant talker Miss Bates and Emma's always worrying father Mr Woodhouse.But I realised I was maybe being unjust. I was expecting interesting love affair like that between Lizzie and her Mr Darcy, while Jane is actually offering something different. And actually the further I read the book the more endearing it was. It was a bit dragging at first, but as the plot thickens it was back like when reading "Pride and Prejudice" and "Sense and Sensibility", I couldn't put the book down. And the book does have those ingredients that are standard (and lovable) in Jane's book - secret love affairs, money problem, good looking gentlemen and non gentlemen, and gentle, restrained romance. In the end, though not as deeply impressed as when reading the other two books, I still regretted that the book had to end and I won't be able to know what became of Emma and her beau years later.As in her other books Jane Austen managed to convey and describe clearly the sociology of her time. As always I felt thankful I didn't live in those days where geeks and socially inept person like me would definitely be an outcast, being talked about, gossiped and pitied by the neighbours. I can imagine what Emma and Mrs Weston would say, "Oh that poor Miss ....., she is so quiet and awkward, lacking in style. No wonder she's an old maid!"

[Shiyu He · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wonderful story . Hopefully, I’ll also meet or have met my Mr.knightly .

[valnewhope · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

It didn't stand up to rereading. Unlikeable characters leading vapid lives.

[mbmackay · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Jane Austen's fourth published work, and a little different from the earlier novels in having a flawed heroine. Emma is spoilt and gets things wrong - making her more realistic than earlier leading characters. Other characters in the book are also vividly drawn - the hypochondriac father, the slightly careless mother (Emma's sister) etc. Austen continues to demonstrate her talent for "describing, not telling" in which she minimises the input of the omniscient narrator and allows the events and conversation to tell the story - very modern. Read as ebook March 2011.

[underthebookpile · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Emma is a classic novel that still delights after all this time. It follows the spoilt but well-intentioned titular character as she develops schemes to fix her friends up with suitable husbands. For the most part, they all backfire, leaving some of her acquaintances worse off than they were before. Despite this, you can't help but still like Emma. All of the characters, including her, are very well developed and have humorous quirks and interactions throughout the story. Folks who like the movie "Clueless" might like this book as it is the very closely related basis for the film.

[schmal06 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Even though many people I know who have read the book dislike the main character, I liked her very much. She wasn't nearly as perfect as Elizabeth or Elinor, but it was her many flaws that made her so appealing to me. She just seemed more real. I found the book very witty and loved reading it.

[thornton37814 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Emma Woodhouse sets out to be a matchmaker for her single female friends although her efforts are not very successful. This story chronicles the day to day life of women in the Regency period. Emma shows a few characteristics of an early feminist movement by trying to show that women do not need to be married to be happy. This is a classic tale and one of my favorite Austen novels.

[hobbitprincess · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A delightful book, if not a little irritating in parts. I've read this at least once before, but it's been a few years. Emma lives with her father and fancies herself a matchmaker who will never marry herself. She learns a few lessons along the way that turn her from a spoiled, annoying young woman to someone who is kind and caring. My only complaint with this book is that Mr. Woodhouse and Mrs. Elton annoy me to tears. Otherwise, this is a good read.

[odinblindeye · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Not the biggest Jane Austin fan, as I find her subject matter not as engaging as some would have me believe. It's a well written book, and her humor is definitely there, but I just don't get the same feeling from Emma as I did from say, Pride and Prejudice. It was alright, but still, I needed to force myself to finish this one off.

[libraryscat · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I read Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility when I was much younger. I loved them both, so I read them over and over rather than tackle any of Austen's other works. After reading Emma, I am in love all over again. Reading the classic works reminds one of what writing should be - certainly styles change, but it is the reflection of society, the exploration of what is good and what is bad, that creates the magic in reading.Austen's title character Emma finds that while manipulating the lives and thoughts of others, almost always hoping for their best interests, she almost lets go of what is found to be most dear to her. As she moves through her very regimented, but delightful, life the reader catches glimpses of English country life, the social stratification of the times, love and sadness, and finally delight for all.

[lisamaria_c · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Of all of Austen's books I've read, this one is lightest in tone and the most comedic. No one comes close to death or is disastrously spirited away. The closest thing to a tragedy is being snubbed at a dance. I don't remember liking Emma as a character much at first, but she slowly won me over, and she has one of the more interesting arcs of any of Austen's characters. All Austen protagonists grow, but I think she arguably travels the farthest as a result of her comeuppance. One delivered as a result not of her own humiliation but because of words of reproach that make her aware of having hurt someone else. I'm not sure ultimately what to make of her drifting away from Harriet Smith. I think in the end there's still plenty of social snobbery in Emma, and I'm not sure if Austen would in any case disapprove given the class roles of her time. (Although it does seem Mr Knightly, the hero of the tale has no problem having a mere farmer as a friend.) Austen makes you wonder about her characters even after you close the book because she creates a whole community within Emma. And so many of the people within it, like the Eltons, are great comedic characters. Like so many of Austen's novels, Emma isn't a museum piece but a truly fun read with delicious satiric touches.

[aeolvey · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Love it, love it, love it!

[womblingstar · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love Austen, and this book is one of her best. The character of Emma is great. She is a fun person and really human. She is a romantic that wants everyone to be happy, but makes so many mistakes along the way. I like the era the novel is set in, with everyone very much set in their social status. The other characters are great, my favourite being Miss Bates.

[simonea_533972 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The thing I like most about Emma is the fact that she is not perfect, like a lot of other novel characters. What adds to that, is the fact that, as a reader, you pick up on a lot of things that Emma doesn't realize, so you can sort of gloat about her naivety. The mini-series that was recently made is very good, and for me added to the fun I had while rereading the book.

[lalaland_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Love it! Love the interaction between the love interests, and how it changes depending on what people/socity say/think.

[mhanover10 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Maybe I shouldn't have listened to this as an audio book because I found it kind of boring. I'm looking forward to listening to more of her books.

[cloggiedownunder · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Emma is the fourth published Jane Austen novel. Emma Woodhouse is the spoiled, rich, younger daughter of the widowed Mr Woodhouse. Her father, Henry, is naïve, self-centred, a borderline hypochondriac and the ultimate pessimist. Emma lives at home with him, looks after him and has no plans to ever marry because of this. She is a strong-willed and snobbish 20-year-old with a rather dull life who fancies herself an excellent matchmaker. Most of her friends and acquaintances indulge her. Only George Knightly, the elder brother of her sister Isabella’s husband, John, is critical of her behaviour. He takes her to task for meddling in others’ lives. As with all novels of this era, compared with today’s offerings, the reader has to be patient and allow the story to build. There’s also getting one’s head around the language used. It took me a few instances of the word “nice” to realise that what it meant then (foolish, stupid, senseless) was not what it means today. The garrulous Miss Bates is a source of humour and there is plenty of talking at crossed purposes. This novel seems to point to the importance of status and appearance in Miss Austen’s world. Another Austen classic.

[maryanntherese · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Jane Austen's tale of rich, accomplished Emma Woodhouse. Too used to her own way, and too full of her own self, she forays into matchmaking. What will Mr. Knightley say?

[dmsi-2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Seeing the movie Emma with Gwyneth Paltrow piqued my interest in the book. I am currently reading the novel and loving it!

[trikle · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A book about Emma, a young lady in high society whose favorite passtime is making matches amoung her family and friends. When she tries to match a new found friend, Harriet, who is the daughter of nobody knows whom, she runs into trouble. Although Emma is adamant that she will never get married, we get the pleasure of watching as she herself falls in love, very much to her own surprise and consternation.

[mojomomma_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A classic I never got around to reading until it came up as a freebie download on my Kindle. In honor of my daughter Emma, who is NOT named after Miss Emma Woodhouse, who turned out to be a very poor match-maker.

[rebeccaann_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This novel has kind of a bad rep amongst Austen fans. Though I haven't seen any statistics, I would hazard a guess that this book and Mansfield Park are probably tied for least favorite Austen book ever. I don't agree with these statements. I love Emma!Emma Woodhouse is a big fish in a small pond. She's good at everything she tries, she's beautiful, she's charming, she's very smart as well as very rich. She fancies herself the source of many marriages. She wants for nothing. She desires no man, preferring to take care of her father rather than search for a husband for herself. This sets her apart from all of Austen's other heroines (whose sole purpose of their respective book seems to be securing an advantageous marriage both in fortune and in love). Though she’s usually polite, Emma is a snob. Her natural privileges in life lead her to believe she can set up and arrange her friends like chess pieces in her game of matchmaking and it’s this sense of superiority that is the root of so much misfortune in this book. In that sense, Emma could be considered to be both the protagonist and the antagonist of her own novel.I love this novel for several reasons. I feel of all Austen’s heroines, Emma is the most flawed. She hurts people many times over throughout the book, albeit unintentionally. Her matchmaking attempts hurt Miss Smith, Mr. Knightley, Mr. Churchill, and Miss Fairfax. Her snobbery and gossipy nature leads her to potentially ruin Miss Fairfax’s reputation and to insult Miss Bates in a very hurtful manner. But the thing is, no matter how much Emma screws up, she never means to hurt anyone. All her intentions are good. It’s her methods and her inability to really consider anyone’s feelings but her own that make her so unlikable. I felt like Emma was playing tug of war with my heartstrings all the way through. Half the time I loved her and found her spunky nature irresistible and the other half of the time I wanted to slap her silly. It’s because of her flaws, though, that I think the ending of this book is so poignant. After she insults Miss Bates, Emma has to really consider her nature and how she really isn’t as good a person as she had originally thought. Speaking from experience, that is a hell of a bitter pill to swallow and I think the fact that Emma can overcome that makes her so much more admirable. She hit rock bottom in the eyes of those she loves and she managed to come out of the other side a stronger person with much better morals. That takes a lot of bravery and that’s the primary reason I love this book.This book also has some of the best characters in Austen canon (in my opinion). Mr. Woodhouse cracks me up every time he says something. Mrs. Elton, as well, I find simply hilarious. She’s the woman who thinks she so much better than every one else that you want to be around her just to see how she’ll embarrass herself next. And Miss Bates is probably one of the most annoying yet sympathetic characters ever. I feel for her and her lack of luck as far as her fortune goes, but her ability to ramble on and on made me groan every time she opened her mouth.And the layers that are present in this story! Every time I read it, I find new things to admire. Austen truly was at her literary best when she wrote this. It’s amazing to sit there and reread a scene, trying to see it from the eyes of every character present. Every single time I do this, I see another meaning to the words. There are hidden meanings and double meanings to everything. I don’t know how Austen did it, but the fact that she did makes this quite possibly one of my favorite books to reread.It’s true that as far as action goes, not much happens. They wander around Highbury a lot and that’s about it. It’s primarily driven by dialogue so I understand why a lot of people don’t like it. But this is still one of my favorite books of all time. I love everything about this book, especially the mischievous, playful, beautiful Emma Woodhouse.

[ainjel-3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Honestly I found this to be one of the harder Austen novels to read. The plot wasn't as captivating as some of her other works, nor were the characters as interesting. Mr. Knightly and Emma are, of course, exceedingly interesting, but everyone else I found rather blah and dull which might have been the point. Emma is an absolute scoundrel and I was constantly reminded of the Austen quote where she tells her sister I believe that Emma is a protagonist only she will like. There are a lot of interesting choices and techniques used in this novel that require some more pondering and close reading, but I will say this: Emma is not the best Austen novel, but it is probably one of the best literary pieces she produced.

All in all, I would recommend this book to the dedicated Austen fans, but I probably wouldn't recommend it as a starter into Jane Austen literature.

[4sarad_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I had a hard time reading this book because I really disliked the main character, Emma. She seemed like such a snob that it wasn't much fun reading about her. I also didn't care much for Austen's style of dialogue. Even the action in the story took place only in dialogue. It was interesting to discover quiet early on that the movie Clueless was based on this book. I had no idea!

[khoov00 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I thought that this book would be one of my favorite Jane Austen books since it is sort of the feminist "you don't need to get married to be happy" type of story. The thing is that I just couldn't quite get into her character and the story fell a bit flat for me. That said, it is still a very enjoyable read and I think it only pales in comparison to Jane's other works that I love so much. The weird thing is that I love, love, love (and so does my husband) the movie "Clueless" which is a modern day adaptation. I guess no matter how cultured you believe you are sometimes a bit of chicklit (referring to the movie version) is still fun. I would still recommend this book and actually purchased this as part of a Jane Austen set for my niece as a present.

[tzelman_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An engaging meddler in this conservative novel about class and romance. Austen values discretion but creates talkers.