Reviews

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

jessicasanderson's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

kdawn999's review against another edition

5.0

How could I have once thought Fanny an inferior heroine?! Somehow on my first read I was duped, as other characters in the book are, by Fanny’s seeming quietness and lack of self esteem, but the truth is Fanny is a warmly intelligent and delightfully judgmental person. This read I was wholly invested in the villainously cruel treatment of her by nearly every other character. She’s a little Cinderella cornered in the attic of a luxurious house. Edmund really does esteem her, though, yes, it’s hard to feel okay about cousin love. I read this book in agonies and suspense on how they would ever manage to get together—despite already knowing the end. Now I’ve probably got to give Sense and Sensibility another chance.

2013 review: Austen is polished as ever in Mansfield Park, but her heroine is less compelling than her others. It's not P&P, but it is well-crafted and blessedly ironic. Though the romance is disappointing, the characters play so well off one another and the dialogue is genius.

mb13_books's review against another edition

Want to read it some other time. 

bungadinding's review against another edition

4.0

Hng, IMO ceritanya lebih seru daripada Pride and Prejudice... tapi sekaligus lebih melebar kemana-mana, ngalor ngidul dan bertele-tele, hahaha. Memang gayanya Jane Austen seperti ini ya. Feel-nya ganti2an antara seneng sama sebel selama baca buku ini; sebel karena sering pingin nabokin tingkah tokoh-tokohnya, atau pingin protes sama Ms. Austen kenapa alurnya malah dibikin begini padahal menurutku lebih baik kalau dibikin begitu, dst, tapi seneng terutama di deskripsi yang indah-indah (aku ini mudah disenangkan sama cerita tentang pesta dansa dan sejenisnya ._.)

Sebenernya mau ngasih 3,5 bintang aja. tapi dibonusin 1/2 lah, ternyata endingnya sesuai keinginanku :p

trus detail penggambaran kehidupan Inggris late 18th/early 19th centuries juga bagus, banyak masukan referensi buat yang lagi riset-riset kehidupan taun segitu macam aku ini, meskipun di sini yang disorot lebih bias ke kaum aristokrat & menengah ke atasnya sih.

stellamcvey's review against another edition

hopeful lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Nooooo Jane Austen don’t become an evangelist your so sexy aha

But in a real way this book had the worst characterisation, pacing, and romance of any of her other novels. It was pretty boring because Fanny’s defining character trait was being a drip. 

jess_xen's review

challenging hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

3.5

 

Not my favorite work of Austen’s, but enjoyable enough. I could see the themes of her other works woven through this and enjoyed the bitingly witty dialogue that Austen is known for. 

I enjoyed my stay at Mansfield Park, but I found myself unable to connect with the characters. Fanny is certainly not my favorite heroine, and I was rather unmoved by most of her woes. It was only when she would be talked down to by Miss Norris and her cousins that I felt a wisp of anger for her, but she was so lukewarm and passive in her responses and very unlike, say, Elizabeth Bennett, that I found it hard to root for her. 

I would be interested in a literary analysis of this work as I know it has been considered controversial since it was published. I wish I had read this in a book club format so I would be able to discuss the grey themes throughout. On my initial reading, however, I was not impressed. 

3 ½ stars  

heidi_meredith's review against another edition

fast-paced

4.0

Similar to Dickens' 'Hard times', in premise and moral lesson. 

emrodav's review against another edition

1.0

Okay but like. How does anyone read this book? I only got through it because I forced myself to listen to the audiobook.

It’s just...so dull. And I like Jane Austen usually! But this one just had nothing going for it for me.

Fanny is boring as hell (though I understand her character because of the way she was treated by her aunt). Edmund is oblivious and has no appeal. Everything takes three times as long as it should. There’s just no spark like there is in Jane Austen’s other books.

I just. Did not enjoy this one. At all.

mollymadworld's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is just a classical soap opera, I loved every second of it and watching it all unfold. I truly hated some of these characters by there excellent design and some of them were truly endearing to me.

do cousins always have to end up together though?

eleanormia96's review against another edition

lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Beautifully written with full and fascinating characters, but doesn't feel like a love story (despite all the yearning and marriage politics). 

Fanny is sometimes pitiable and childish, but is hard not to like for her depth and warmth despite how poorly she's treated.

Edmund is a very uninspiring love interest whose only redeeming feature seems to be that he's the only one that doesn't bully Fanny.

I'd much rather have seen character growth for Henry instead of the slightly Freudian ending we're left with. But still an intriguing and engaging book nonetheless.