Mansfield Park in Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge

May 20, 2010 Kristen rated it it was ok

Shelves: book-club

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. "Mansfield Park" has been called Austen’s “most profound and perplexing novel,” and it truly is perplexing. Part of Austen’s appeal to me has always been that she created strong, intelligent female characters who, within the confines of their families and social structures, assert themselves and demonstrate that they have a mind and presence all their own. And then Fanny Price comes along.

As protagonist of “Mansfield Park,” she is the anti-Austen heroine. Fanny is the epitome of a wet blanket – "Mansfield Park" has been called Austen’s “most profound and perplexing novel,” and it truly is perplexing. Part of Austen’s appeal to me has always been that she created strong, intelligent female characters who, within the confines of their families and social structures, assert themselves and demonstrate that they have a mind and presence all their own. And then Fanny Price comes along.

As protagonist of “Mansfield Park,” she is the anti-Austen heroine. Fanny is the epitome of a wet blanket – weak, timid, with no confidence in herself, and really no personality to speak of. Plucked from her family at the age of 10 and brought to live with her affluent aunt, uncle, and cousins, she is a woman with no clear sense of family and where she belongs, and this certainly does inform her personality. She is thought to be beneath her wealthy cousins, but she no longer fits in with her less advantaged biological family, who just don’t know what to do with her. It may be that because she does not have a strong family model in which to operate, and because she is in many ways rootless, that she cannot be like the other Austen heroines. And that may have been Austen’s point. But the resulting character, and subsequently the novel, creates a world in which you have little emotional investment in the story and its inhabitants.

How I wished to have the swelling of heart that I felt when Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet finally unite, or when Eleanor realizes that Mr. Robert Ferrars has been married to Lucy, not the Mr. Edward Ferrars of her heart! But instead, after a 400-page slog through “Mansfield Park,” I learn two pages before the end of the novel that at some point in the future (spoiler alert here) Fanny marries her cousin Edmund, who is basically the only man who has ever been genuinely nice to her. Eww factor aside, the simple fact that Edward has clearly loved Fanny “as a sister” throughout the novel, and in no place do I see where his love moves from filial to romantic, makes the ending completely unsatisfying

Perhaps I am reading too much into it, but “Mansfield Park” strikes me with a bit of bitterness on Austen’s part. As one of her last novels, which she wrote as an older unwed woman, it almost feels like her image of love has changed, and she wonders just how many marriages can be truly based on love. The patched-on nature of the conclusion of “Mansfield Park” seems to suggest this, and her own satire on religion and morality also seem to suggest that she no longer possesses the bright-eyed optimism of her youth. I think I’ll stick with her earlier novels from now on.
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Mar 12, 2007 superawesomekt rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: british-literature

Wow -- I remember being kind of bored by this book when I first read it (perhaps at 14 or 15). What a difference this time! I'm not surprised I didn't care for it before (I hadn't cared for Persuasion either), I think Emma was a 'prime favourite' at the time. The delicate character of Fanny Price is one that today's society does not appreciate, although I do think that many readers who have qualities in common with the heroine probably appreciated her sooner than I did.

I only wish the conclusion ...more

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Aug 22, 2007 Vanessa rated it did not like it

Shelves: 2007

I was glad to see the other reviews on goodreads and find that I was not the only one incredibly disappointed by this book. Fanny and Edmond have none of the spark I have found in the protagonists of Austen's other works, and the evil Crawfords are far more sympathetic to me then the Bertrams ever could be. The back cover of my book calls it the most "intricately plotted" of her works; I personally would call it convoluted, as well as underdeveloped. ...more

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Jan 26, 2011 jen8998 rated it really liked it

Mansfield Park seems quite the departure from Austen's other work. Fanny Price, her quiet heroine, fades into the background for most of the book and seems almost a cipher. The romance takes a backseat to social and political commentary. This isn't my favorite Austen novel but it was interesting as a window into that time period in England. ...more

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Jun 24, 2012 Marisa added it

Shelves: igiveup, audiobooks

Another audio book that vanished from my phone before I could finish it. I didn't really care if I finished this one or not, though. Sorry, Jane, I was just really bored with this. Too much seemingly pointless dialog, too many characters, and even though I didn't finish it I'm pretty sure I know how it ends. Maybe I should try reading it instead. ...more

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May 22, 2007 Kecia rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, 1001-books, england

My second favorite Austen novel after P&P. Fanny Price is just too sweet! I was rooting for Edmund to notice her practically from the very first page. Aunt Norris is one of my favorite Austen characters too...because she is such a piece of work!

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