During the last few months, I have been slowly but surely working my way through all six of Jane Austen’s novels, and I’m happy to say I have reached the end. While more non-prolific readers are more familiar with “Pride and Prejudice” and “Emma” because of their acclaimed screen adaptations, I decided to work through her less known works.
1. “Sense and sensibility”
This is one I had read before, and I knew before I even pursued this task, “Sense and Sensibility” would remain at the top of my list.
“Sense and Sensibility” follows the Dashwood sisters, Elinor and Marianne, who are moved out of their estate with their younger sister and widowed mother, following the death of their father. The novel recounts their coming of age and encounters with romance.
In many ways, I would argue that “Sense and Sensibility” is one of Austen’s more simpler works, as there is not a very complex plot or many surprises. However, this quality is one of the reasons why this book is my favorite of hers. It reminds me a bit of “Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott, which simply follows the life paths of the March sisters, without overly complex plotlines. At its core, “Sense and Sensibility” is about the relationship of sisters and family, not love.
My love of this book may also have a lot to do with the fact that I personally resonate with Elinor, and when I first watched the 1995 adaptation, I absolutely swooned for Hugh Grant, who plays Edward Ferrars.
2. “Persuasion”
Move aside “Pride and Prejudice,” Jane Austen’s most romantic novel is actually “Persuasion.” You heard me. Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy’s love story is certainly swoon worthy, and one of the most iconic enemies to lovers scenarios, but personally, their story does not hold a flame to the slow burn of Anne Elliot and Captain Frederick Wentworth.
“Persuasion” follows the independent Anne Elliot, who, per the advice of a close friend, broke off an engagement with Frederick Wentworth 7 years ago. Years later, while the Elliot family is in financial ruin, Wentworth makes a return, now wealthy and famous for his military service.
I fell deeply in love with this story, and was surprised to find how modern the novel feels. I would categorize “Persuasion” as one of Austen’s most easily digestible reads, but most importantly, I would categorize it as her most romantic one. Without spoiling the particulars, I will admit that the final love declaration scene had me nearly jumping out of my seat with glee—it’s that’s good.
After reading the book, I, of course, had to watch the new Netflix adaptation of the book, which received mostly negative reviews. However, I’ll take this moment to briefly defend the film. While the film takes creative liberties in modernizing some of the language and turning Elliot into an emboldened and loud narrator, I still think the film is charming and retains the overall sentiment of the novel.
3. “Northanger abbey”
While Jane Austen is typically known as a romance writer, “Northanger Abbey” pushes these boundaries. Catherine Morland, the youngest Austen protagonist, is 19 and has a deep love for Gothic literature. When invited to visit the Northanger Abbey estate in Bath, Catherine imagines the estate to be out of one of her beloved Gothic novels, and lets her imagination run wild. And, of course, there is romance along the way, with the well-read Henry Tilney.
“Northanger Abbey” does have elements of romance, but Austen mainly wrote it as a satire of Gothic literature and classic Gothic tropes. I enjoyed this book because I found Catherine to be the most relatable of Austen’s heroines, as a result of her young age and naivete. She finds herself in bemusing situations, and radiates innocence, which is refreshing in Austen’s work.
Another quality I loved was how much introspection readers receive into the mind of Catherine Morland. In many ways, I feel like I know Catherine’s character more personally than the rest of Austen’s heroines, simply because of the stream of consciousness style in which Catherine is depicted.
I would recommend this book to people who want to begin with a less daunting Austen read, as it is the shortest, and are interested in a book that has romantic themes, but the romance is significantly less of the plot.
4. “Pride and prejudice”
Ms. Bennet and Mr. Darcy’s relationship is certainly Jane Austen’s most iconic, and for rightful reasons. My reason for ranking “Pride and Prejudice” at #4 most likely has to do with the fact that I personally prefer the friends to lovers trope, not the enemies to lovers trope.
“Pride and Prejudice” follows the quick-witted Elizabeth Bennet and her at-times caustic relationship with the proud Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, more commonly known just as Mr. Darcy. The story also deals with themes of property and propriety, as the Bennet daughters must marry well, for they will not inherit their father’s estate after his death.
While the romance is certainly captivating, I most admire the way “Pride and Prejudice” serves as a vehicle for social commentary, specifically on property and the institution of marriage. Austen uses all of her novels to comment on social institutions of the nineteenth-century, but I would argue it’s most obvious and prevalent in this novel.
This book has an iconic film accompanying it, and even if you are too daunted by one of Jane Austen’s novels, I would recommend watching the 2005 film.
5. “Emma”
Although this novel is not necessarily my favorite, ironically, both the 1996 and 2020 film adaptations of them are my favorite Jane Austen films.
“Emma” tells the story of the titular Emma Woodhouse, the sometimes naive, sometimes vain and almost always immensely loyal woman. Although she is determined herself not to marry, she spends her free time playing matchmaker with her neighbors and friends. However, love, too, finds a way into her life in more ways than one.
What I like about this novel is that there are many side characters who get deserving plots and stories, so the story does not just revolve around Emma. However, my issue with this book also relates to that, as the novel is on the longer end, and there were times when I felt like the novel was dragging on.
“Emma” may be fifth overall for me, but on the bright side, it also possesses my favorite Jane Austen quote of all time, spoken by Mr. Knightley who says, “If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more.”
6. “Mansfield park”
This novel tells the story of Fanny Price, who is sent from her impoverished family at 10-years-old to live with her wealthy aunt and be raised. She grows up the underdog, mistreated by her cousins and always looked down upon as the poor one.
This novel focuses more on childhood than any of Austen’s other novels, which I enjoyed. By including much of Fanny’s childhood, the romance in this book is absolutely a slow burn, but at times, it is too slow. My favorite aspect about this novel is its adamant focus on class difference and property wealth, but my least favorite characteristic of the novel is how long it is. Similar to “Emma,” at times I felt the novel was dragging on, but at other times, I was absolutely enamored by the story and was barely conscious of how many pages I had read.
I would argue that Fanny is Jane Austen’s most ordinary heroine, and some critics dislike her for this reason, but I think it is a strength of the novel.
If you’re a fan of “Bridgerton” and searching for something else related to the Regency Era to consume, I highly recommend reading something by Jane Austen. Her novels certainly exemplify range, and I feel confident that everyone could find an Austen novel to love.