Welcome to Litsy!

We are plagued with more chapters focusing on Henry Crawford. This time he proves he has a knack for reading Shakespeare aloud and though she tries to hold strong, Fanny is *into it*. But then he swiftly ruins any progress he made by talking about what kind of preacher he'd be: snobbish, ineffectual, and desperate for adoration. I can't adequately express how much I truly despise this man and how much I love that Fanny sees right through him.

Henry shows up to drop the news that he used his connections to get Fanny's brother promoted and oh, btw, he's totally in love and wants to marry her. She is well and truly flabbergasted and I love the narration of her perspective here: she reflects on his manslut ways (above) and while he's plying her with flowery sentiments, she "considered it all as nonsense." Sir Thomas, though, can't believe she rejected him and ruh-roh...this won't end well.

"He had vanity, which strongly inclined him, in the first place, to think she did love him, though she might not know it herself; and which, secondly, when constrained at last to admit that she did know her own present feelings, convinced him that he should be able in time to make those feelings what he wished."

She said NO Henry!

#Pemberlittens
#JaneAustenThenAndNow
#MusingsOnMansfieldPark

"She had no one to take her part, to counsel, or speak for her. Her only friend was absent."

#Pemberlittens we all know that Jane Austen was brilliant. But this scene. Edmund is gone. Fanny has no one. She may be blotchy from crying but she doesn't waver. It's a turning point for me. I recognize her strength of character.

#MusingsOnMansfieldPark
#JaneAustenThenAndNow

Edmund leaves for his ordination, and while Fanny is relieved that he's going through with it, Mary Crawford is miserable- but her spirits lift when Henry announces his intention to marry Fanny. Yes, what started as a cruel joke at her expense has somehow morphed into a twisted white knight fantasy in Henry's mind. He laments how "friendless, neglected, forgotten" she is and reflects in self-satisfaction on how he will be her rescuer. Fucking UGH.

Today in the continued self centered drama of Henry Crawford: "No—You must be aware that I am quite determined to marry Fanny Price.”

#Pemberlittens mid month check in. Sorry I've been a bit absent for this Readalong. I had to have Stress Test. Days up to it have been stressing me out. Results are in. All is well! Looking forward to quiet end of July.

How's your month going? Are you doing 2 Chapters A Day of Mansfield Park? Finished reading?

Lmao I love Fanny so much. The girl is going to the first party of her entire life and all we get is, "She had hardly ever been in a state so nearly approaching high spirits." Nearly approaching! We stan a self-possessed, stoic queen. ? Honestly, though, it's gonna be a banger of a night: Edmund came in clutch with his own gift so the necklace question is answered, and he engaged her for two dances. What could go wrong? (Answer: Henry Crawford.)

Gather round, folks: Sir Thomas is throwing a ball and everyone's mad excited. Fanny has a dilemma, though: William brought her a cross which she's been wearing on some ribbon, but that imitation bling isn't gonna cut it on the big night. She goes to Mary Crawford for advice and Mary offers her an old chain of her own. But what seems a nice gesture is inappropriate as hell because the chain came from Henry and now Fanny is in a moral gray area!

"She could not be convinced that he had not, for Miss Crawford, complaisant as a sister, was careless as a woman and a friend."

Mary Crawford is definitely not your friend!

I'm loving the illustrations in my 1996 Book of the Month edition.

#Pemberlittens
#MusingsOnMansfieldPark
#JaneAustenThenAndNow

Let me tell you now of my deep hatred and dripping disdain for Henry Crawford, a vile, manipulative, misogynistic manwhore who is out specifically to sow trouble for his own amusement. In today's chapter, he delightedly announces his plan to win Fanny's affection and then break her heart just because she didn't fawn over him at dinner and he feels entitled to every woman's flattery and attention. I would eat this fucker's heart in the marketplace!