Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (1814)

Jane Austen impressed me first time around with Pride and Prejudice... could the follow up novel be even better?

The author must have set out to show she had more than one good plot in her, creating a heroine whose situation and character could hardly be more different from P&P's Lizzie Bennett. The story centres around the amusingly named Fanny Price (all the more perfect for being set in a time when marriage was very transactional) who is as timid and insecure as Lizzie was determined and confident.

Placed in the care of her rich and kindly but severe uncle at the age of 10, we see Fanny grow up to be a young woman while falling in love with her cousin Edmund. Fanny and Edmund then arouse the romantic interests of Henry and Mary Crawford, a brother and sister staying with their neighbours. The Crawfords eventually prove themselves to be highly unsuitable and true love wins out, uniting the 2 cousins at the novel's close.

What was good about this book

Just as with Pride and Prejudice it's hard to believe this book was written 200 years ago, thanks to the fast pace and accessible style. The rascals of the story, the Crawfords and mean Aunt Norris, are especially well portrayed. There were some nicely unpredictable situations, and Fanny's eventual fate doesn't become clear until very near the end.

What was bad about this book

I imagine most modern readers will find it hard to warm to shy and cautious Fanny or the excessively pious and moralising Edmund. The fact that love between cousins has fallen out of favour a little over the past two centuries makes it harder to root for them getting together, and I found the selfish and careless Crawfords growing on me instead.

The ending is the worst part of the book, with the reader learning of some of the more exciting events only through letters received by Fanny rather than first hand. The happy ending is hurriedly described in a few lines and I was left feeling like I had been cheated out of another 20 pages or so. 

Lastly, despite the huge scope for innuendo arising from the name of our heroine, Austen gives us only one line to snigger over, as the womaniser Henry Crawford remarks "No, it is 'Fanny' that I think of all day, and dream of all night."

Rating 6/10 - Jane shows promise but must be more consistent in the quality of her work.

Coming Next "Our Mutual Friend" - which I have a feeling may be a little edgier.

Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen (1813)

A timeless search for love in the classic blueprint for romance novels - could it set my heart racing?

The first thing that struck me about this book, particularly in contrast to the book I had just put down (Dombey and Son), was the rapid pace at which it introduced me to all the main players and whisked me off to their first ball within the first couple of pages. By the time the ball was over it became clear that amongst the five Bennet sisters central to the plot it was Elizabeth, the 2nd eldest, who was to be our heroine.

Intelligent, independent and determined, Elizabeth has all the qualities that would find favour in a modern romance, so it surprised me that I had never heard her name before picking up the book. This contrasts with the widely known name of her love interest Mr. Darcy, who has somehow become one of the most famous characters in all of romantic fiction despite remaining rather taciturn from start to finish.

After a series of false starts and set backs, Elizabeth and Darcy (whose first name, Fitzwilliam, is barely mentioned) are eventually united at the novels close. The story would actually have been successfully concluded a lot quicker were it not considered ill-mannered to plainly state your feelings about anything.

What was good about this book:

Elizabeth is a very well-written character, in whose minor imperfections I imagine most readers can see something of themselves. The book provides a fascinating insight into a world where women's ambitions were narrowly constrained to marrying well, and a reminder of how difficult simple misunderstandings would have been to resolve without Facebook or text messages. It's impossible not to root for Elizabeth as she eventually prevails over Darcy's snobby aunt and sniping admirers, and the story comes to a pleasing if predictable feel-good ending.

What was bad about this book:

The story lacks the bite of my favourite "love story" Wuthering Heights, and one often has to resist the urge to give the characters a shake/slap as they dance around the most important moments of their lives. There are no surprises to be found as the inevitable happy ending arrives.

The verdict: 

A lighthearted classic of the genre - I'll be going back for more Austen.

Score: 8/10