All About Austen

Jane Austen is one of my favourite authors. Her delightful Regency novels have inspired a whole genre of modern-day writers who write Regency Romance. The talented Miss Austen only wrote 6 books, and I thought I would reread them all to see if I could determine my favourite. Below, then, is my list of Austen novels, from least favourite to most. (And, yes, I know Austen left an unfinished novel, The Watsons, which I have not included on my list.)

#6: Northanger Abbey
This is my least favourite of Austen's books. It's one of her earliest works, and while other early books were reworked, Northanger Abbey was not and I think it shows. It's Austen, so it's still better than a lot of books out there, but it's not my favourite and is really only in my collection for the sake of completeness.

I see where Austen was going with the parody of the Gothic novel, but a lot of the humour is really time-specific. And Catherine Norland is not Austen's most memorable heroine. She did grow on me a little by the end, but at times she's as annoying and silly as Lydia from Pride and Prejudice! However, it's interesting to read to compare with the later Austens and see how her talent developed. The talent is there - it just needs some refining.

#5: Mansfield Park
I think of this book as "What happened to Lydia at the end of Pride and Prejudice". The situation in which Fanny Price's mother finds herself in the novel is how I think Lydia ended up after Pride and Prejudice. I don't hate this book - but it's just not as good as Austen's other works.

Perhaps part of that is heroine: Fanny Price. Poor little meek, quiet, put-upon, shy Fanny Price. She is overlooked by everyone and treated as the poor cousin by her whole family. She does not have Emma's strong will nor Elizabeth's sparkling wit. She's also a bit of a prude. (By today's standards.) Further, a lot of the characters surrounding Fanny are more interesting, such as Mary Crawford and Fanny's cousins Maria and Julia.

That said, the book is still an interesting read and tackles some darker subjects than other Austen books - slavery hovers around the edge, divorce, elopement, playacting. It is a reflection of the times, and I am happy at the end for the happy ending of Fanny Price and rejoice in the downfall of evil Aunt Norris. Aunt Norris has to be one of the most reprehensible characters that Austen has ever created. If you like a quiet, moral heroine, then Mansfield Park is the book for you.

#4: Emma
Yes, Emma comes in at #4. Yes, sacrilege, I know! I don't hate Emma, it's just that there are other books that I like better. The problem is Emma herself. She is so perfect that she is almost insufferable. She has wealth, beauty, and independence. She is the Queen Bee of her little world, and she knows it! However, Emma does realize her blind spots by the end of the novel, and everything wraps up satisfactorily.

One of Jane Austen's strengths is that she creates stories so excellently. Her novels always take place in the middle of a story, not the end. There are certain events that happened to create the situation in Emma, and the reader is left wondering what will happen at the end of the story. The story in Emma is about Emma Woodhouse, but it's intertwined with the story of poor Jane Fairfax, silly Harriet Smith, and the wayward Frank Churchill. I am drawn to Jane's story and would be interested in a companion book to Emma (written by a modern author) called Jane about the story of Jane Fairfax. I would love to hear the events of Emma from her point of view.

One final thing about Emma - the movie Clueless is loosely based on it. Clueless is one of my most favourite movies of all time. So, now, when I read Emma, I keep picturing the scenes from Clueless in my head!

#3 Sense and Sensibility
This is the first Jane Austen book that I read, and it still has a special place in my heart. Austen does an excellent job here of contrasting Elinor's sense with Marianne's sensibility - and showing that Elinor feels just as strongly as Marianne, but is better able to conceal her feelings.

I love the sisterly bond that Austen creates here - which is unique in all her books. Emma doesn't seem to have a close relationship with her sister, Elizabeth is close only to Jane (the rest are too silly), Fanny Price is separated from her sister, Catherine Norland's sisters don't really factor into the story, and Anne's sisters are terrible people! Of course, this kind of leaves out Margaret - but she is so much younger that she doesn't really factor into the story at all.

Again, the real story seems to have happened before Sense and Sensibility started with the events in Colonel Brandon's life. I would like to read more about his early life - but by a competent author! So far, I haven't read anything from an author based on Sense and Sensibility that is any good.

This is a good book. I love the sweeping romanticism of Marianne and the events with Willoughby. (Did Austen have a problem with a man whose name began with "W"?) And I love Elinor's strong feelings that she tries to hide behind a facade of good sense to be strong for her mother and sister. Fanny Dashwood joins Aunt Norris in the pantheon of Austen's great villians. And, of course, everything comes right in the end.

Also, the movie adaptation with Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant and Alan Rickman is amazing. Go watch it right now.

#1: Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion
Yes, I have a tie at first place. Don't make me choose! I love both these books equally, and could not pick a single winner. Pride and Prejudice is a perfect novel. The characters, dialogue, plot - all are perfect. But Persuasion and the character of Anne Elliot have my heart.

First, then, Pride and Prejudice. This book is perfect. (Plus, isn't my lovely little copy divine!) The epic romance of Elizabeth and Darcy is one for the ages - their sparkling dialogue and wit makes me wish we talked like that nowadays. Sweet Jane, friendly Bingley, silly Lydia, and hateful Caroline Bingley are just a few of the memorable characters from this best known and best loved of Austen's novels. I can't say anything more than go read this book. It is a perfect English novel. I reread it quite often and notice new things each time. It is a charm and a delight.

The BBC adaptation with Jennifer Ehle and (swoon) Colin Firth is the THE definitive adaptation. Do not watch any others. Mmmm....Colin Firth swimming in the pond....

Sorry, drifted out there for a moment! The only problem with that BBC adaptation is that I've seen it so many times that I picture the actors from it when I'm reading the book. I suppose that's not really a bad thing...

Finally, Pride and Prejudice has what has to be one of the greatest opening lines in literature: "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."

And, finally, Persuasion. I know this book is not everyone's cup of tea, but I love it. I love the character of Anne Elliot. Anne is gentle and quiet, easily persuaded because she doesn't have the power to cross the wants of other people. Elizabeth Bennet is someone I'd want to have in my circle of friends for her wit and generous heart. But Anne Elliot would be my best friend with her gentle good sense and loyalty.

Anne Elliot is a lovely girl who is surrounded by a silly and selfish father and sister. Parted from her great love by a well-intentioned mother-figure friend, she has not found another. I like that Anne is a little older than Austen's other heroines and that the book is more about love renewed, than first love. It is a quieter book than Pride and Prejudice - autumn to its spring. But the love story in it is just as passionate as that of Elizabeth and Darcy - more so, maybe for the years separating the characters. The final climatic scene with the exchange of letters is tense and exciting - and it's just an exchange of letters! It is just another example of Austen's terrific writing style.

I value Pride and Prejudice as a witty acquaintance who makes me smile. I love Persuasion as a gentle friend who tells me her heart.

So, there you have it, faithful readers, my favourite Austens. What's your ranking? Disagree? Agree? Is Colin Firth the best Darcy of all time? Is that just a silly question? Debate in the comments below!