Emma - Jane Austen

A departure from the subsequent thriller-review series underneath, this book I'm reviewing is an all-time favourite Social Comedy (the reason behind it being that this reviewer has never laid her hands on a thriller book, shame on her). Yes, yet another Jane Austen Classic, but unlike any of her other books. The heroine of this book is an exact opposite of P&P's Elizabeth Bennet. Unlike any of her other heroines, Emma Woodhouse is NOT polite, sincere, sensible or thoughtful. Tricky, huh? Well, it must've been so for Austen, because she has deemed Emma as her greatest and most favourite creation.

Getting right down to the story of the novel, Emma Woodhouse is a rich, elegant, beautiful and witty young lady of 19, who is the stereotypical "Popular Girl" of the Victorian age. She gets everything she wants, everybody loves her, and she rules. After her elder sister gets married and moves out of the house, she is the mistress of everybody, and she rather likes to think herself smarter than all other mortals, so she decided to bestow her kindness on her earthly neighbours through her best social skill:- Matchmaking! She makes all kinds of ironic and disastrous matches, creating a sort of havoc in her perfectly prim and proper society. But of course, no one can refuse her. No one except, the 38-year-old handsome, dashing, thoughtful and conveniently rich Mr. Knightley , Emma's sister's brother-in-law. He is like Emma's conscience, while Emma will only pay any heed to Mr. Knightley alone. But nothing stops her from her matchmaking, and she goes on and on trying to make other people fall in love, remaining blissfully clueless about her own true love.

This book is light, funny, witty and nothing else. It's not romance, it's obvious from the first chapter who is destined to end up with who, it's not a character in-depth analysis book, and doesn't pretend to be! It's the ultimate ancestor to romantic comedies. Those of you like that genre will love this book. But I suggest you pick up an abridged version. Because Emma in it's original classic Victorian English? Trust me, the first chapter will put you to sleep.....like it did with me!