Mansfield Park

One of my very favorite Jane Austen books - timeless themes (ex: struggles to meet family expectations, generational gaps, daily challenges with practicing one's virtues and values...) I have such a soft spot for Fanny and her persistence of goodness and kindness in spite of her hardships and trials (*a bit of a Cinderella story and an ending that I can get behind :) :) ) I also appreciate how Austen's own convictions come through this novel alongside the witty and thoughtful dialogue penned throughout

Okay. I’ll start with positives
Writing is funny, self-aware, biting at times, and overall pleasant and flowy in that Jane Austen way
With this said I will probably never reread this book, and I’m not totally convinced I summarily enjoyed it. It is the most controversial (and least popular) Austen novel and it is obvious why; it seems to advocate for social conservatism through a protagonist that is not captivating, funny, or particularly intelligent. I don’t think the main takeaway is that a woman need be chaste and demure to be suitable- knowing other Austen works this can’t be the case- but I don’t see a really nuanced articulation of these traits’ value that would suggest a more complex moral of the story, that gives women more agency. I think there are some opportunities for nuance and philosophical reflection (particularly in Lady Bertram and Mrs. Price’s similarities, and the living contexts of their children) but they are not explored or developed I FEEL
Also the ending is egregiously rushed, and the first 100 pages were boring as HELL

Not nearly as witty and fun as her later novels. I had to force myself to keep at it. It finally got kind of spicy at the very end. I'm going to now allow myself to watch the movie I keep seeing on my Britbox (or maybe PBS Masterpiece).

Reread I think this is definitely one of the more underrated and complicated books by Jane Austen. Like most Austen novels, it follows a young woman, Fanny Price, who comes from a poor family but is raised by her wealthy relatives as she tries to figure out where she fits in the social order of the time. It’s also written in the usual Austen style – a scathing social commentary disguised as romance, tucked neatly under polite conversation. The themes fall right into that space too - what counts as acceptable behavior, how morality is shaped, and how much of who we become is influenced by the people raising us. Let me start with the adults. Sir Thomas, a plantation owner, does take in a child who needs a home, but he’s also distant and overly authoritative, and not entirely blameless for how entitled and unchecked most of his children turn out, with maybe Edmund as the exception. Mrs. Bertram somehow turns being delicate, vague, perpetually tired, and completely unaware of anything beyond her own comfort into a full-time personality. And Mrs. Norris is the kind of person who would expect applause for breathing if she could manage it. So, what could such adults hope to produce in terms of morals or integrity among the children in their care? When it comes to the young people in this book, as well as young people in general, whether wealthy or poor, raised with comforts and a sense of entitlement or faced with struggles beyond their years - will make mistakes. And if we are fortunate, at least some of them will learn from their mistakes and make amends. In the case of this book, adults, too. I love how Austen gives voice to such a wide range of personalities and then shows who evolves, who doesn’t, and who hovers frustratingly in between.

Loved it soooo much! Hated most of the characters though except for Sir Thomas, Fanny and, sometimes, Edmund. But mostly I absolutely despised Mrs. Norris: worst character ever, accompanied only by Henry.