Welcome to a new reading vlog! Here I read the first books of the year for me, each one a completely different genre.
Tag Jane Austen
December Book Haul | A box set of classics, the new book in my favourite series, & more!
End of the Year Reading Vlog | Christmas, Birthdays, Chloe Brown, and Pride & Prejudice
A Full Week of Reading a Classic, a Fantasy, and a Romance | Reading Vlog
Join me as I bring you along on a full week of reading. I go back and forth between three different genres and try really hard to meet my reading goals by the end of the week.
My Top 5 Favourite Reads of 2019 | Wrap up
1. Emma by Jane Austen – I’m honestly surprised and happy that I was able to get through an Austen novel, but the fact that I actually enjoyed it makes me even happier. I know Emma is not a well liked character, I mean she wasn’t written to be liked, but I absolutely loved her. Her schemes made me laugh and her desire to analyze her wrongdoings and grow from them made me appreciate her. This was really entertaining and I think this will remain my favourite Austen novel even when I finally pick up the rest, mostly because of Emma’s character. Mr. Knightley was also a great character and I loved their banter and overall dynamic.
2. Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin – This is the last book I read this year and one that I was instantly intrigued by because of the synopsis and all the hype. It was even compared to a Sarah J. Maas book, which anyone who knows me knows that that means I’m one hundred percent going to pick it up. This book made me laugh, it made me angry, and it gave me feels. I loved the marriage dynamic between Lou and Reid, a witch and a witch hunter, because I was waiting for Reid to find out she’s a witch after they fell in love. It left me curious at the predicament they were in and questioning how it was going to turn out. This book was far from perfect though, I did not want to be reading about the sexism even though it was meant to be hated, and the ending was not developed as well as I had expected. Even so, I’m excited to pick up Blood and Honey.
3. Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo – This was the end to the Shadow and Bone trilogy, and though the beginning was difficult to get into, because it took me so long to pick this up that I had forgotten who most of the side characters were, it eventually became a captivating read. One of the best aspects of this book was Alina travelling with her Grisha group, characters who were never really together in the previous books, and planning the demise of The Darkling. I’ve heard so much about the ending of this, though I never knew what the ending actually was, so I was anticipating to know what everyone was talking about. I think my overall opinion, that I enjoyed this book, even the ending, is very unpopular.
4. Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare – I read the whole trilogy this year and Lord of Shadows is officially my favourite one out of the three. It gave me nostalgic feelings because so much of it took place in London and the London institute, a throwback to The Infernal Devices. It also had so much angst between Emma and Julian, and I do like romantic angst even if it hurts to read. We also got to really get introduced to Kit Herondale. And, of course, my favourite couple from the trilogy, Diana and Gwyn, began to develop. There was just so much good stuff packed into this book. (And no I will not accept that that ending happened).
5. The Kingdom of Copper by S.A. Chakraborty – Here it is, my favourite read of the year. This was everything I love in a book. I enjoy books that take place in the middle east, that have magic and romance and are politically-driven. With beautiful descriptions and my love for all three characters, Nahri, Ali, and Dara, and their chapters, this became a near-perfect read. I’m so glad I picked up the first book on a whim when I came across it at the book store. I know this entire series will become an all-time favourite of mine. It includes so much complexities that leave me on the edge of my seat and it’s unpredictability will always keep me intrigued.
Emma by Jane Austen | Book Review
Book: Emma
Author: Jane Austen
Series: Standalone
Genre: Classic
My Rating: 4/5 Stars
“Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her.”
*Read for my 19th Century Literature and Culture class*
So I read a Jane Austen novel?
I never thought I’d see the day. Not because I had no desire to pick one up, but because classics have a tendency to overwhelm me.
Emma has an ideal situation. She’s well off in terms of wealth and class and has the privilege of being her own authority. So what else is she to do with her time but find entertainment and pride in her match-making skills. But when she befriends Harriet, who possesses a lower-class status, and spares no efforts to match her with a higher-class man, Emma learns the hard way how things can go wrong when she meddles in other people’s lives, especially when the desired outcome is realistically impossible. With the help of Mr. Knightley, a family friend, Emma is able to pinpoint her mistakes, analyze her actions, and develop from them. Yet her schemes do not end there, especially when Frank Churchill finally makes an appearance in Highbury and the mysteries of Jane Fairfax come to light, intriguing her immensely.
Going into Emma, I pretty much had no idea what to expect, especially because it wasn’t a book I was considering to read on my own. But when I saw it listed in the course syllabus, I realised I’ve heard about it but don’t know what it’s about. I’m very familiar with Pride and Prejudice, a little familiar with Sense and Sensibility, but that’s as far as my Austen knowledge goes. So you can imagine how pleasantly surprised I was when I picked up Emma and instantly started enjoying it.
One of the first aspects that really captivated me was the humor. When I read that Austen intended Emma to be an unlikable heroine,
“I am going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like.”
I was pretty far into the book and already knew how I felt about this infamous protagonist. So naturally I was confused by Austen’s statement because I did not find Emma to be unlikable at all. On the contrary, I understood the humor and found her to be extremely entertaining and funny.
“I lay it down as a general rule, Harriet, that if a woman doubts as to whether she should accept a man or not, she certainly ought to refuse him.”
That’s not to say she doesn’t make some drastic mistakes. More like cringe-worthy unnecessary mistakes. So yes, she is definitely far from perfect, but that’s what made her more intriguing. At first, I was worried she befriended Harriet for her own selfish reasons and that she wouldn’t care about her beyond her own schemes. But I was pleased to find that after a misunderstanding Emma was absolutely devastated and conscious about her responsibility towards Harriet’s disappointed reaction. Her development towards self-reflection made me appreciate her character more. Putting an end to her match-making days really showcased a sign that she was experiencing growth.
“With insufferable vanity had she believed herself in the secret of every body’s feelings; with unpardonable arrogance proposed to arrange every body’s destiny.”
I found Austen’s cast of characters in Emma to be extremely unique. Emma’s father, for example, added a strange perspective on the paternal role, essentially needing Emma to be his parent because of his easily fragile state. But I adored their dynamic. It was refreshing in a sense. Seeing Emma run a household and hold so much agency, power, and wealth without the need of a husband or strong father figure was not something I expected from a classic.
Though that doesn’t mean the expected tropes were entirely omitted, which is where Mr. Knightley comes in. From the first instance that he and Emma were arguing and teasing each other, (which was a surprise because I always expect stories like this to constantly have characters be complimentary and proper towards each other), I knew the signature romance and courtship plot was going to bloom between them at some point, despite Emma’s efforts against this kind of fate. Even though I believe Mr. Knightley to be my favourite male character by Austen, (his kindness and good intentions made me swoon), I did not particularly like that he was always right and that he scolded Emma like a parent.
“I have blamed you, and lectured you, and you have borne it as no other woman in England would have borne it.”
Yeah… not a fan of that aspect to their relationship.
In terms of the writing, it took me great efforts to concentrate and understand the way the language was worded. I had to reread sentences, paragraphs, pages, to really grasp what was being said. Other then this frustration, my first Austen reading experience was a delight.
By the way, the 2009 BBC miniseries for Emma is the adaptation that I recommend.
stephiebooks.wordpress.com 