Mansfield Park (Modern Library Classics)

It's true that Fanny Price, the heroine, is different than most of the main characters of Jane Austen's books. She is timid, not energetic, not witty, and fearful for the first few chapters. Elizabeth Bennett she is not. The story, though, is more about how others discover and come to appreciate her many good qualities: loyalty, intelligence, gentleness, excellent listening skills, and capable of feeling sympathy for almost anyone. Although many people think she doesn't notice what goes on at Mansfield Park - which include scandalous flirtations, lack of respect for authority, and a particularily nasty aunt who berates Fanny into submission - Fanny sees all. This is especially important when her dear cousin Edmund falls in love with the witty, vivacious Mary Crawford, whose morals are questionable at best and views of life is superficial and materialistic.

Meanwhile, Fanny has to deal with Mary's wealthy brother Henry, who switches from toying with Fanny's cousins' affections to declaring passionate love to Fanny herself. Fanny's big problem - and one that frustrates most readers - is that she is almost never in the position of speaking her own mind, being a young unmarried woman who originally comes from a poor family. It's not so much about Fanny finding her voice as it is about others learning that to listen to it. This is most evident in Sir Thomas, her uncle, who is very much used to do things his own way, and with whom Fanny is not in a position to share, to warn him, about the troubling Crawfords.

This is Austen's most conservative book, so I understand why it may not be her most popular. But for readers looking for a challenge, who don't mind a sublte protaganist, and who can be very patient, I highly reccommend this title. It was the second Austen book I've ever read and is now one of my absolute favorite books of all time. I'll leave with one last word - for anyone who's ever spent a Saturday night alone, wishing to have friends who understood them, this is for you.

Mansfield Park got better as I read on...

The characterizations are typical of Jane Austen: alive, distinct and vivid. Sir Thomas Bertram as Fanny Price's father is vindicated especially when compared to Mr. Price (Mansfield vs. Portsmouth is a part of this distinction). Mrs. Norris's treatment of Fanny is deplorable; her move to the morally banckrupt permanently cements her personality. Fanny herself is not my ideal heroine. Her timidity and repression could use a good dose of Elizabeth Bennet's wit and Emma Woodhouse's confidence. Then again, she would not be Fanny anymore. ..

Recently I've been on an Austen kick to read everything of hers that I can get my hands on. After eagerly devouring "Emma," "Sense and Sensibility", "Persuasion" and many of her other novels, I started "Mansfield Park" with equal eagerness. I enjoyed every part of the book up to the very end. The characters were well drawn, each a distinct and unique personality that I've come to expect in Jane Austen's works.