Welcome to Litsy!

Extended family is gone, and everyone remaining is in a food coma or napping after our annual Christmas day brunch, so I'm catching up on this month's books. I finished my reread of Emma for #Pemberlittens #JaneAustenThenandNow, and I loved it as much as ever! I'm resigned to the fact that I'll have to finish the last 3 books of the challenge in the new year. @Crinoline_Laphroaig

Happiest of birthdays, Jane Austen! 250 years old and more vital than ever! This is my 1920 Bigelow and Brown illustrated edition.

Tweets About Emma, Part 1: What resonates with you, #PemberLittens? 😂 #JaneAustenThenAndNow

Frank actually shows up in Highbury! Emma is charmed by his easy gregariousness but Knightley sizes him up as an affected, preening fop. Meanwhile, the Coles are throwing a party and Emma is dying to reject their invitation - but then it doesn't come?! How absolute dare! When it belatedly shows up, she actually agrees to grace them with her presence and even condescends to sing and play for them. And then Jane performs after her and *crushes it*.

What news! Elton is engaged to one Miss Hawkins of Bristol. He swans around in triumph over his hot, rich wife-to-be, but Emma clocks the truth ‐ she's pretty enough but she has no real class or connections, and worst of all, her family money was made in some totally dubious way. The narrator throws some shade here and I'm curious about your thoughts, #PemberLittens - does the new Mrs. E have slave-trade connections? (Article link in comments!)

Today's chapters give us the backstory on yet another orphaned kid from Highbury, Jane Fairfax. Niece to the chatterbox Miss Bates, Jane is being raised and educated by friends of her father, the Campbells. Emma suspects some drama between Jane and the husband of her foster sister, but Jane isn't spilling any tea. Worse, she knows Frank Churchill and *refuses* to gossip about him, offering only vague generalities, which Emma finds unforgivable.

So much happened in Emma while I was in the woods! Most recently Frank Churchill still hasn't arrived to celebrate his father's marriage. Mr. Knightley tears him to shreds while Emma's all, "Lay off, he's sure to be charming!" To be fair, Emma knows a thing or twelve about "tempers to manage" and cuts Frank some slack. After managing her entire family's emotional load just a few chapters ago during the dinner from Hell, her outlook totally tracks.

I'm keeping up with my two chapters a day, even if I'm not keeping up with posting! Taking time out this week for some camping and hiking and time offline, and it's been wonderful. I'm still truly attempting to find good in Emma with every chapter and it's not easy, can't lie. Especially when she's manipulating Harriet into refusing Robert Martin and completely misinterpreting (willfully or not? Let's debate!) the situation with Elton. UGH!

Day 2 and Emma is already testing my commitment to finding the good in her! We did see her tending lovingly to her father once again in these chapters. And she's lonely and isolated and needs a friend, so how nice that she invites Harriet Smith to come hang! Too bad she immediately launches a campaign to shame Harriet about her crush on Mr. Martin, who might not be rich but knows what a woman *really* wants! (A song performed by a shepherd's son.)

I'm really going to try to give Emma the benefit of the doubt this time! Today I'm calling out two things: first, Emma's evident care for her aging, anxious father; the girl has spent all of her teens graciously managing his emotional and mental health. Second, Mrs. Weston, a whole adult, apparently started treating Emma like a bestie when she was 13?! 😬 Not to be all 2025 about this, but I think we can confidently call Emma a parentified child.

Today the #PemberLittens start the Austen work that challenges me most- because while I admire the skilled construction of this world and the way all the action unfolds, I just don't like the central couple. Will this be the re-read that makes me see the light on spoiled, shallow Emma and scolding Knightley? I'm kicking off with a tattered paperback to see me through a rustic camping trip, then switching to a gorgeous Folio edition. Let's begin!

Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her.
#Emma #JaneAusten #book #books #firstline #openingline #bookart #bookartist #bookattitude #bookaholic #bookaholics #Classics #Romance #Fiction #HistoricalFiction #Literature #Audiobook #Historical #19thCentury

10 of 100 with one DNF.

@Dabbe
#ThreeListThursday

#FeelinTheLove catch up from yesterday

A favorite #LoveQuote with my favorite Emma edition.💛

“If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more.”

Penguin Classics advertised this beauty in their recent email!

#PemberLittens

#summersouls #picnic

"Emma's very good opinion of Frank Churchill was a little shaken the following day, by hearing that he was gone off to London, merely to have his hair cut... There was an air of foppery and nonsense in it which she could not approve." Reading Emma is always a mixed bag for me, as I detest her snobbery and conceit, but you have to hand it to her on this one! Frank Churchill, fuck alllllll the way off; foppery and nonsense indeed. #PemberLittens

This was the only Austen remaining that I hadn't read yet, although I've seen many adaptations so I knew the story. It is not my favorite of her books and it seems so long even though it is about average for her books. Emma annoys me and Frank Churchill is insufferable. Knightley is a redeeming factor, with his shy little love confession. And Miss Bates is a hoot throughout. She is by far my favorite character.
#AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville

Jane Austen is the #AuthorAMonth for January. I actually started Emma last month and listened to a third of the audiobook. I haven‘t listened at all this month. I had decided before the #AuthorAMonth list was posted that I would listen to every Jane Austen book, hopefully in 2024. So, while I didn‘t finish Emma this month, I will finish it sooner rather than later. Wish me luck on My Jane Austen Journey.

Jane Austen is an author I really want to love. I could watch movie adaptations of her novels all day. But I just can‘t capture the nuance in her writing when I read her books. I‘m going to keep on trying, though.

#AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville

And I‘m off! January #AuthorAMonth started.

@Soubhiville

But, in spite of these deficiencies, the wishes, the hopes, the confidence, the predictions of the small band of true friends who witnessed the ceremony, were fully answered in the perfect happiness of the union.
#Emma #JaneAusten #lastline #closingline #book #books #bookart #bookartist #bookattitude #bookaholic #bookaholics #bookshelf #bookshelves #Classics #Fiction #Romance #HistoricalFiction #Literature #Historical #Audiobook #19thCentury 💘💘

#Emma #JaneAusten #book #books #booksoflitsy #bookobsessed #bookobsession #bookoholic #bookoholics #bookperson #bookpeople #bookpassion #bookpicture #bookpictures #bookphoto #bookphotos #bookphotograph #bookphotographer #bookphotographers #bookphotography #bookart #bookartist #bookattitude #bookaholic #bookaholics #bookshelf #bookshelves #bookshelfie #Classics #Fiction #Romance #HistoricalFiction #Literature #Historical #Audiobook #19thCentury 💚

Im starting this today and was thinking about how I didn't remember where I got it. I flipped through to count the chapters and found this bookmark. Dutton's North Hollywood was my first bookstore job. It was heaven on earth. My coworkers were warm and hilarious, the building was funky (in a good way), and I discovered so many books there. I had worked there about a year when the owners announced they were closing the store. (Continued in comment)

Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her.
#Emma #JaneAusten #firstline #openingline #book #books #bookart #bookartist #bookattitude #bookaholic #bookaholics #Classics #Fiction #Romance #HistoricalFiction #Literature #Historical #ClassicLiterature 🧡🧡🧡

📩 July 5th, 2022
This book took me AGES to finish. I found it slow, dense, a bit monotone at times... and then the interesting bits come at the end of the book!
I pushed myself to finish it, since it's a classic, but I hesitated A LOT if it was worth my time and effort to go all the way.

Some very strong contenders for #LetterE but this was my ultimate choice. Probably my favourite Austen.

#alphabetgame
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

But, in spite of these deficiencies, the wishes, the hopes, the confidence, the predictions of the small band of true friends who witnessed the ceremony, were fully answered in the perfect happiness of the union.
#Emma #JaneAusten #lastline #closingline #book #books #bookart #bookartist #bookattitude #bookaholic #bookaholics #bookshelf #bookshelves #bookshelfie #bookshelfies #shelfie #shelfies #Classics #Fiction #Romance #HistoricalFiction ❤️❤️❤️

My latest book haul 📚
#Emma #JaneAusten #TheNutcracker #AlexandreDumas #book #books #bookyourself #bookunion #bookutopia #bookunicorn #bookunicorns #bookunhaul #bookish #bookishfeature #bookishfeatures #bookishlife #booksoflitsy #bookobsessed #bookobsession #bookoholic #bookoholics #bookperson #bookpeople #bookpassion #bookpicture #bookpictures #bookphoto #bookphotos #bookphotograph #bookphotographer #Classics #Fiction #Romance #Literature 💝💝💝

This was a fun story. It‘s definitely one of my favorite Jane Austen novels. I really enjoyed reading it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#Emma #JaneAusten #book #books #bookcollection #bookcollector #bookcase #bookcases #bookcover #bookcovers #bookcoverdesign #bookcoverdesigner #bookclub #bookclubs #bookvibe #bookvibes #bookvsfilm #bookvsmovie #bookbag #bookbags #bookbinding #bookbeau #bookblog #bookblogger #bookbackpack #Classics #Fiction #Romance #HistoricalFiction

#Emma #JaneAusten #book #books #booknerd #booknerds #booknerdsunite #booknerdy #booknook #booknation #nerd #nerds #nerdsunite #nerdy #bookmark #bookmarks #bookmarket #bookmarkets #bookmoment #bookmoments #bookquote #bookquotes #bookqueen #bookquirk #quote #quotes #bookworm #bookworms #bookwormlife #bookwormproblem #bookwormproblems #bookworld #bookword #epicreads #bookend #bookends #bookending #bookedit #Classics #Fiction #Romance #Historical 💘💘

Emma is an amazing story, it's funny, lighthearted, and an amazing friends to lovers slow burn.
I read this right after Mansfield Park and it felt like a breath of fresh air.
Mr. Knightley is the typical Jane Austen love interest that I hate to love because they‘re too good to be real, such a kind, mature, and compassionate soul.
Definitely on my top 2 Jane Austen novels.

Full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4206683163

“Yes, you see, you understand my feelings - and will return them if you can. At present, I ask only to hear - once to hear your voice?”

“If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more.”

“My dearest Emma,' said he, 'for dearest you will always be, whatever the event of this hour's conversation, my dearest, most beloved Emma - tell me at once. Say "No," if it is to be said.
Emma was almost ready to sink under the agitation of this moment. The dread of being awakened from the happiest dream was perhaps the most prominent feeling.”

“She saw that there never had been a time when she did not consider Mr Knightley as infinitely the superior, or when his regard for her had not been infinitely the most dear. She saw, that in persuading herself, in fancying, in acting to the contrary, she had been entirely under a delusion, totally ignorant of her own heart - and, in short, that she had never really cared for Frank Churchill at all!”

“Whom are you going to dance with?' asked Mr Knightley.
She hesitated a moment, and then replied, 'With you, if you will ask me!
Will you?" said he, offering his hand.”

“Emma felt must draw everybody's eyes and, excepting her own partner, there was not one among the whole row of young men who could be compared with him. (…) Whenever she caught his eye, she forced him to smile but in general he was looking grave.”

“A woman is not to marry a man merely because she is asked, or because he is attached to her, and can write a tolerable letter.”

So I actually loved a lot of this - Emma is quite the character, and I found the film to really bring it all to life for me! The reason I've rated it so-so is that the pacing was a bit slow for me and I found it to drag at points. That said, I am putting some of this down to this being my 4th Jane Austen in a row, so I'm going to read something else for a bit before reading the last 2 of her books!💫

Next up: Purple Prose: Bisexuality In Britain!

Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her.
#Emma #JaneAusten #firstline #openingline #book #books #bookaddict #bookaddicts #bookaddiction #bookaholic #bookaholics #bookshelf #bookshelves #bookshelfie #bookshelfies #Classics #Fiction #Romance #Historical

It‘s been a lifetime since I‘ve read any Jane Austen.. I loved the development of Emma‘s character , all the gossip & intrigue. I enjoyed the formality of the writing , the language being so proper… a nice change from all our modern slang & a pleasure to read. Thankyou @sprainedbrain for the daily updates , they were perfect & kept the reading moving along nicely. Looking forward to reading Persuasion with you #Pemberlittens

Ironic that I just read this line:

"It was the middle of June, & the weather fine..."

☺

"Have you anything to send or say, besides the 'love,' which nobody carries?" I love Mr. Knightley's occasional quips like this. Really, why do we all feel compelled to "send our love" or even "tell her hello" when it doesn't really mean anything? Chapter 45. #pemberlittens

Emma is the best. She is so self-absorb through most of the book and then she‘s comes out with lines like these! Favorite chapter yet! 😂😂#pemberlittens

Today's Chapter @sprainedbrain reminded me of this prompt from 4 years ago from @RealLifeReading Challenge. I always think #smugmarrieds when I read it. 😆
#Pemberlittens #emmaeveryday

How I am celebrating 🎉 #graduationday @KVanRead I‘m so glad you put this wine on my radar! My mom searched until she found it my graduation gift and I love it! #pemberlittens I ordered this version of Emma today because I can always celebrate by getting a book and Emmas a favorite ❤️

#MayCharacters - Meddles: How could such a word be used to describe this fabulous individual? Much better served by words like caring, curious and clever. Yes, she gets it all wrong on Harriet‘s behalf thus ‘meddling‘ gets the upper hand. But she means well. She hopes to find an upgrade husband for Harriet thus sweet ‘matchmaker‘ is to my liking (although her selection skills need some drastic improvement🥴). I like her as she is...endearing Emma!