Do you love Jane Austen or want to “dig her up and beat her over the skull with her own shin-bone”? (Phrase borrowed from Mark Twain).
Why? (for either answer)?
Favorite and/or least favorite Austen novel?
First of all, let me just say that I had no idea there are people out there who DON'T like Jane Austen! Really? What's up with that? I can't even imagine. Why would readers not like her? I'm baffled.
And so, I guess it goes without saying that yes, I'm a Jane Austen fan. Her books are just simply... simple and wonderful. They capture emotion and real life. I love that the plots are simple but the feelings are complex. I love the soap opera feel, the crazy stuff that happens, the misunderstandings and the relationships the are made and broken all over the place. And yes, I love that they are happy endings!
It's really hard for me to pick a favorite. I would probably have to go with Pride and Prejudice, even though that is perhaps the expected and normal response. But it just has it all. I think Emma is the one that is lighter and fluffy, Persuasion is deeper and heavy. Sense and Sensibility is also a bit deep and sad in parts. Mansfield Park and Northanger Abbey, I just really don't know those ones as well! (Ha, I've only read them once, whereas the others are all multiple times now, I'm beginning to lose track of how many times I've read Pride and Prejudice ) So, yeah, I should maybe read them again someday and then I can remember what I thought of them!
How about you? Team Jane Austen or not? Can you name a favorite of hers?
Definitely Team Austen! My fave will always be P&P although I love and/or like all of her books.
ReplyDeleteI think that every time something or someone has a cult following, they automatically have a cult hating. ;) My personal favorite is Emma.
ReplyDeleteTeam Austen all the way. Persuasion is my favorite, but I love P&P too.
ReplyDeleteI am just as puzzled as you on how someone could hate Austen. She is one of my favorite authors still ever since I read Pride and Prejudice for the first time. Which same as you is still my favorite, though I love all of them I still have a soft spot for P&P. I've reviewed it here, if you could check it out it would be great :D
ReplyDeletehttp://thehouseofliterarymirrors.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/pride-and-prejudice-by-jane-austen.html
Totally Team Austen. And my fave's P&P. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm an Austen fan!!! I think Pride and Prejudice gets WAY too much attention though. I personally like some of her other books better. I love Emma, and I love Northanger Abbey! Mr. Knightley for the win!!!
ReplyDeleteI think it's weird that other classic authors (Twain and Charlotte Bronte) hated on her so much. I think they were just jealous!
ReplyDeleteLove Austen :) All of them. Well, except Mansfield Park because I have that on my CC list to read!
I didn't think it was possible to dislike Jane Austen, but apparently Susan doesn't like her either. What the heck?!
ReplyDeleteI have loved Jane Austen for so many years now! It's a tie between Persuasion and Pride and Prejudice for my favourites - I love them both so very much. P&P because of Elizabeth, *Mr Darcy* and the Bennett family and their escapades. Persuasion because it's almost the perfect novel, of love regained. Both always leave me feeling so happy after reading them.
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