Started Reading: April 4, 2007
Finished Reading: April 5, 2007

After watching the ITV films days ago, I had the inclination to reread Jane Austen’s novels once again and, impressed by the film, I started with Northanger Abbey.

I was reminded why I liked the novels. Unlike the other historical romances I had read in the past, Austen’s are closer to reality - heroines with flaws, heroes without ducal titles, etc. Sometimes there are Cinderellas, but there are also times when there is no elevation in fortune. The characters don’t exactly lust for each other (LOL) and, in this novel’s case, the girl’s affection was a reason for the man to take her seriously and in the due course of things, fall in love with her.

I like Catherine - her innocence and ignorance are endearing. I know how those traits could endear a person to another, and I am not surprised that Henry eventually loved her for being so artless, open, and trusting. I loved Henry Tinley, too, especially at the time where he was playing games with Catherine in Bath. He was very kind to her, even after her accusations of his father, that I could understand how it made Catherine feel more guilty about her folly. Isabelle (sp?) served well as the heroine’s foil - for she was all lies when Catherine was all honesty, more cunning and less innocent. In short, a perfect example of a woman who uses her wiles.

The novel was short, but nevertheless enjoyable. =) I’ll be reading Mansfield Park and Persuasion next.

I was able to indulge myself with the ITV adaptations of Jane Austen’s novels. Being a fan, I was glad to have watched them. I enjoyed them very much and would encourage others to watch them as well. It quenched my thirst for Victorian-era movies and it’s something that isn’t Pride and Prejudice. I’m glad that they did films of her other novels, even to just remind everyone that Pride and Prejudice isn’t her only work, LOL.

Emma - physically, the characters were not as I originally imagined them to be, and there were times I thought that Mr. Knightly did not have the strength of character that I imagined he possessed. The Mr. Knightly in the 2007 adaptation was neither able to get my attention nor impressed me, as much as he did in the book itself. Emma did well as a spoiled daughter of a wealthy man, used to giving orders and having her ways (though more toned down than the image I created of her from reading the novel - with less qualities of a ‘man’) and Harriet Smith was not as stupid as I thought her to be - in the movie at least. In the book it seemed she had less sense. Meanwhile, Emma’s father was quite out-of-character. He wasn’t the old man resigned to being sick, stuck at home, and needy of her daughter. He was more…say, healthy? And outgoing.

Mansfield Park - it is my favorite among the Jane Austen novels but the movie was the least. In fact, it was a disappointment. Fanny Price looked different in my imaginations, but it was her altered personality that I disliked so much. The movie was not very faithful to the Fanny Price of the novel. She had too much strength of character, too much confidence, too much joy. (more…)