Emma

by Jane Austin

When I first started with this book, it took a little while to get into it. Many of the terms and language took some getting used to, and it also took some time to distinguish which people were being discussed. Was it Mr. Knightly or Mr. Knightly? And when a Miss became a Mrs. sometimes she was still referred to as a Miss. It was a bit confusing. But after a while, I settled in and was able to enjoy the story.

Just as with Sense and Sensibility I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved reading about all the social engagements, and could just see all these well-dressed people parading about the park. And I could completely identify with Emma, and her constant desire to play matchmaker, and then realizing the horror of selecting the wrong match for someone. This novel was fun and engaging, albeit a tiny bit predictable, but that didn't spoil the book for me a bit.

In addition to being a major movie with Gwyneth Paltrow, Emma was also twisted and turned and adapted in a teen version? The movie Clueless is loosely based on Emma, and at one point in the book I though, I know this dialogue, and racked my brain until I stumbled upon the movie Clueless. And after thinking about it, while the movie claims to be loosely adapted, I think they did a fantastic job staying true to the heart of Emma in making the movie- even right down to the Mr. Elton/Elton character.

I truly enjoyed reading Emma, and will certainly continue to make my way through Jane Austin's other books. They are just so engaging and delightful, and worth a few hours on a balmy afternoon.