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Available
Series
Description
"The summer after university, Emma Woodhouse returns home to the village of Highbury, where she will live with her health-conscious father until she is ready to launch her interior-design business and strike out on her own. In the meantime, she will do what she does best: offer guidance to those less wise in the ways of the world than herself. Happily, this summer brings many new faces to Highbury and into the sphere of Emma's not always perfectly felicitous council: Harriet Smith, a naive teacher's assistant at the ESL school run by the hippie-ish Mrs. Goddard; Frank Churchill, the attractive stepson of Emma's former governess; and, of course, the perfect Jane Fairfax. This Emma is wise, witty, and totally enchanting, and will appeal equally to Sandy's multitude of fans and the enormous community of wildly enthusiastic Austen aficionados"--… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member jillrhudy
Charming! The character backstories were quite brilliant, although possibly there were too many of them. AMS seeks to answer questions such as, why was Frank raised by the Churchills? Who is Mrs. Goddard, and how did Harriet end up an orphan? Why is Emma so taken with Harriet? How can Emma manage a
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true change? If this modern retelling has a fault, it's that the second part and the romance between Emma and Mr. Knightley are cut short, and some of the modern references are not so modern. For instance, twentysomethings do not email each other, ever. If you don't like Alexander McCall Smith's style (he often writes his characters' thoughts into his novels) then you won't like Emma, because it's quite characteristic of the author. AMS has particular fun with Mr. Woodhouse. He also points out that if you think social stratification in England has changed all that much in two centuries, you are completely mistaken.This is the only Austen retread I've ever enjoyed at all. Show Less
LibraryThing member Clara53
I admit, I was very, very skeptical about "the modern retelling" of Jane Austen's "Emma", even though it was by one of my favorite writers, A.McCall Smith (who, I might add, is excellent at the several series that he writes, but so far I've not been crazy about his individual works). Plus,
YET - from the very first page McCall Smith proved me wrong with his most refreshing, amusing nuances and insights into the known plot. By his clever humor, McCall Smith is so close to J. Austen. Some things that Austen just hinted on in passing, he explored further and in detail. He was totally in tune with her book, except for one character's path: the vicar was supposedly eager to marry into money, and did so in Austen's "Emma", while the vicar in the "retelling" got a girlfriend who herself was hoping she was marrying into money, thinking him richer than he was.
It is funny: with another author certain sentiments expressed by McCall Smith might have appeared "sugary" and preaching-like, but his ruminations on vicissitudes of life come through as totally sincere, unpretentious, and appealing.
I was going to give the book 5 stars (it was that good!) but I had to take one star away - for the simple reason that the plot was not his (even though he did elaborate on all of the characters in a most amusing way).
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retelling of a classic always seems such a "stretch" - as though the writer has exhausted his share of imagination. (But then, again, this is where you are reading NOT out of curiosity about the plot, but for sheer enjoyment of the writing style).YET - from the very first page McCall Smith proved me wrong with his most refreshing, amusing nuances and insights into the known plot. By his clever humor, McCall Smith is so close to J. Austen. Some things that Austen just hinted on in passing, he explored further and in detail. He was totally in tune with her book, except for one character's path: the vicar was supposedly eager to marry into money, and did so in Austen's "Emma", while the vicar in the "retelling" got a girlfriend who herself was hoping she was marrying into money, thinking him richer than he was.
It is funny: with another author certain sentiments expressed by McCall Smith might have appeared "sugary" and preaching-like, but his ruminations on vicissitudes of life come through as totally sincere, unpretentious, and appealing.
I was going to give the book 5 stars (it was that good!) but I had to take one star away - for the simple reason that the plot was not his (even though he did elaborate on all of the characters in a most amusing way).
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LibraryThing member GirlWellRead
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
I wanted to like this book, I really, really did...but...it failed. McCall Smith attempts to transport Emma into modern times and the whole thing feels kind of forced. The language for one, is not reflective of modern times, it still
I wanted to like this book, I really, really did...but...it failed. McCall Smith attempts to transport Emma into modern times and the whole thing feels kind of forced. The language for one, is not reflective of modern times, it still
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reads with too much formality and McCall Smith relies on rephrasing instead of rewriting/retelling. The original Emma is not a likeable heroine and neither is McCall Smith's Emma and I think he should've left her alone. Show Less
LibraryThing member etxgardener
There have been many, many updates to Jane Austen's novels, but rarely is there one as charming as this one by the King of Cozy, Alexander McCall Smith. Smith seems to be pitch perfect as he brings the story of Emma Woodhouse into the 21st Century, and in doing so, is able to illustrate just how
A delight from start to finish, this is the perfect summer read.
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self absorbed and narcissistic Emma is until she sees the light with the help of George Knightly.A delight from start to finish, this is the perfect summer read.
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LibraryThing member Nickelini
An updated version of the classic Jane Austen novel of the same name. This is one of those books that readers give either 5 or 1 star reviews.
The Good: The writing is good, as I think one could expect from Alexander McCall Smith (I'm not sure though--I've only read one other book by him). He even
The Not So Good: The character Emma doesn't make much of an appearance until well into the book. The first several chapters are Mr Woodhouse's story, and some of her governess Miss Taylor (who I don't even remember from the original). George Knightly has a tiny part, and when he ends up with Emma at the end, I had to wonder why since we didn't see him throughout the story.
Mr Woodhouse, who in this novel is 9 months older than me (we are in our early 50s), acts like an old man. He has anxiety issues, particularly around food and germs. This seems like a clever update on Austen's character, but in the execution he mostly just annoyed me. Harriet Smith was also often annoying in her ditzyness. But Emma . . . I didn't like Austen's Emma, but this one. This one . . . obtuse, privileged, entitled, and occasionally a biotch.
I think that Emma might be a difficult story to bring forward 200 years. At times this novel really didn't feel like today's UK, unless things are very different in small town Norfolk.
Rating: A balance between pretty good and eh. That means 3 stars. I was entertained even though I did roll my eyes now and then.
Recommended for: People who don't mind a book where 90% of the characters are twits.
The Good: The writing is good, as I think one could expect from Alexander McCall Smith (I'm not sure though--I've only read one other book by him). He even
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manages to make little pointed Austen style jokes. The overall atmosphere of the book is quite cozy and pleasant. There are lots of interesting little tidbits and tangents.The Not So Good: The character Emma doesn't make much of an appearance until well into the book. The first several chapters are Mr Woodhouse's story, and some of her governess Miss Taylor (who I don't even remember from the original). George Knightly has a tiny part, and when he ends up with Emma at the end, I had to wonder why since we didn't see him throughout the story.
Mr Woodhouse, who in this novel is 9 months older than me (we are in our early 50s), acts like an old man. He has anxiety issues, particularly around food and germs. This seems like a clever update on Austen's character, but in the execution he mostly just annoyed me. Harriet Smith was also often annoying in her ditzyness. But Emma . . . I didn't like Austen's Emma, but this one. This one . . . obtuse, privileged, entitled, and occasionally a biotch.
I think that Emma might be a difficult story to bring forward 200 years. At times this novel really didn't feel like today's UK, unless things are very different in small town Norfolk.
Rating: A balance between pretty good and eh. That means 3 stars. I was entertained even though I did roll my eyes now and then.
Recommended for: People who don't mind a book where 90% of the characters are twits.
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LibraryThing member gbill
While this is a re-telling of ‘Emma’, you wouldn’t have had to read Jane Austen’s classic or remember it to enjoy this version. A. McCall Smith is delightful in exploring the characters and updating the story to the present, and there are several characters and scenes that are quite funny.
Quotes:
On happiness (and art):
“Emma was happy. She realized that happiness is something that springs from the generous treatment of others, and that until one makes that connection, happiness may prove elusive. In Italy with George, that thought came even more forcefully to her when, in a small art gallery in an obscure provincial town well off the beaten track, she saw a seventeenth-century picture of a young man giving his hand to a young woman. And the young woman takes it and holds it, cherishing it, as one might cherish something that is fragile and vulnerable, and very precious. The eyes of the woman are not on the young man, nor upon the hand that she holds, but fixed on the one who views the painting, and they convey, as do so many of the figures in art that would say anything to us, this message: You do it too.”
On kindness:
“…she had been able to make that sudden imaginative leap that lies at the heart of our moral lives: the ability to see, even for a brief moment, the world as it is seen by the other person. It is this understanding that lies behind all kindness to others, all attempts to ameliorate the situation of those who suffer, all those acts of charity by which we make our lives something more than the pursuit of the goals of the unruly ego.”
On love:
“…love was as powerful as the ocean itself, as embracing, as strong as the sea is. Love. She was like a child playing with a newly learned word; there was the same sense of delight, of discovery. She was astonished by its force, and was struck by the insight that it seemed to bring with it. It was as if a great searchlight had been switched on in the darkness and was bathing all before it with its light, its warmth. Now the world made sense because she could see it. Now she knew why she should cherish what she saw about her: other people, the world itself, everything. Embarrassment had stopped her saying it, but now she saw that embarrassment for what it was, and it lay dismantled before her, the ruins of selfishness, of pride, of insensitivity.”
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Some examples that come to mind are Mr. Woodhouse’s hypochondria and irrational fears, Miss Bates’s silly and scatterbrained verbal meandering, and Mr. Woodhouse watching impotently as his older daughter goes off on a motorcycle with a young man he’s hired to take her picture. We also of course have Emma and her endless scheming, ultimately leading to her own enlightenment and a very strong ending. For who hasn’t had the painful realization that he or she is not as good a person as they’ve always believed themselves to be? It makes me want to go back and re-read the original, and yet stands on its own. Well done.Quotes:
On happiness (and art):
“Emma was happy. She realized that happiness is something that springs from the generous treatment of others, and that until one makes that connection, happiness may prove elusive. In Italy with George, that thought came even more forcefully to her when, in a small art gallery in an obscure provincial town well off the beaten track, she saw a seventeenth-century picture of a young man giving his hand to a young woman. And the young woman takes it and holds it, cherishing it, as one might cherish something that is fragile and vulnerable, and very precious. The eyes of the woman are not on the young man, nor upon the hand that she holds, but fixed on the one who views the painting, and they convey, as do so many of the figures in art that would say anything to us, this message: You do it too.”
On kindness:
“…she had been able to make that sudden imaginative leap that lies at the heart of our moral lives: the ability to see, even for a brief moment, the world as it is seen by the other person. It is this understanding that lies behind all kindness to others, all attempts to ameliorate the situation of those who suffer, all those acts of charity by which we make our lives something more than the pursuit of the goals of the unruly ego.”
On love:
“…love was as powerful as the ocean itself, as embracing, as strong as the sea is. Love. She was like a child playing with a newly learned word; there was the same sense of delight, of discovery. She was astonished by its force, and was struck by the insight that it seemed to bring with it. It was as if a great searchlight had been switched on in the darkness and was bathing all before it with its light, its warmth. Now the world made sense because she could see it. Now she knew why she should cherish what she saw about her: other people, the world itself, everything. Embarrassment had stopped her saying it, but now she saw that embarrassment for what it was, and it lay dismantled before her, the ruins of selfishness, of pride, of insensitivity.”
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LibraryThing member AdonisGuilfoyle
The Jane Austen Project is what I like to think of as 'car crash fiction' - you know you should avert your eyes from the suffering of others, but sometimes you just can't help staring. Even an early glimpse at the horrific smash-up that is Alexander McCall Smith's modern retelling of Emma didn't
Oh, where to start. I think the basic problem with McCall Smith's Emma is that old balancing act of trying to stay rigidly true to the original while creating a fresh twist on two hundred year old characters. The interwoven threads of Austen's plot have undergone the 'jigsaw puzzle in a charity shop' treatment, with too many missing pieces to recreate the picture on the box. Emma, for instance, no longer has the excuse of a sheltered upbringing amongst doting family to excuse her behaviour - having been to school, and university, McCall's Emma is basically just an acid-tongued bitch. George Knightley still lives next door, but although we are told how pally he and Emma have become since she returned home (to Norfolk!), there is little evidence and even less chemistry. Emma tries to foist Harriet on Elton, but Elton drunkenly rejects her friend, then crashes into a ditch on his way home. (I was actually dreading the modern take on Elton 'making violent love' to Emma!) And Jane and Frank need not have bothered attending - I got the distinct impression that the author's notes ran as follows: 'Jane F. - orphan, Campbells, blah blah - PIANO!'
McCall Smith also spends far too much time wandering off on tangents - we learn more about the previous owner of Randalls and the solar panel installer called Ronnie who runs off with Knightley's one and only girlfriend - and attempting Austen-style 'social commentary' - religion, international adoption and historical guilt - than developing the characters or the plot. I love Austen's novel so much because the characters come alive for me, and even though nothing seems to happen on the surface, the reader cares so much for the everyday lives of Highbury that even a cancelled ball and an outing to Box Hill are worth reading about. Not so here. The characters are off-kilter, the dialogue is stilted, and Alexander McCall Smith is obviously struggling - and failing - to understand the heroine throughout. Is she a closet lesbian ('I am not interested in girls. I'm just not') or just generally sex-obsessed ('Emma beamed with pleasure. Sex. Miss Taylor and James Weston')? Either the author was inspired by Emma Tennant, or Emma's situation does not translate well to the modern day.
What I imagine was supposed to be a wry parody of Austen's longest and cleverest novel - McCall Smith is very fond of poking fun at 'old fashioned' references to governesses, gentlemen farmers and making up numbers at dinner parties - has actually turned into more of a haphazard York Notes summary of the source material. Reading this revised edition, however, would likely only confuse any lazy first-time readers - even more than watching the 1996 film adaptation! - and any lover of Austen (and Emma in particular) should keep their distance. Revisit the original characters instead!
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put me off (but I did wait for a library copy - no way in hell was I paying £10 for the dubious dishonour!) Reader, take heed - the low star reviews of this disastrous reworking are there to spare future pain!Oh, where to start. I think the basic problem with McCall Smith's Emma is that old balancing act of trying to stay rigidly true to the original while creating a fresh twist on two hundred year old characters. The interwoven threads of Austen's plot have undergone the 'jigsaw puzzle in a charity shop' treatment, with too many missing pieces to recreate the picture on the box. Emma, for instance, no longer has the excuse of a sheltered upbringing amongst doting family to excuse her behaviour - having been to school, and university, McCall's Emma is basically just an acid-tongued bitch. George Knightley still lives next door, but although we are told how pally he and Emma have become since she returned home (to Norfolk!), there is little evidence and even less chemistry. Emma tries to foist Harriet on Elton, but Elton drunkenly rejects her friend, then crashes into a ditch on his way home. (I was actually dreading the modern take on Elton 'making violent love' to Emma!) And Jane and Frank need not have bothered attending - I got the distinct impression that the author's notes ran as follows: 'Jane F. - orphan, Campbells, blah blah - PIANO!'
McCall Smith also spends far too much time wandering off on tangents - we learn more about the previous owner of Randalls and the solar panel installer called Ronnie who runs off with Knightley's one and only girlfriend - and attempting Austen-style 'social commentary' - religion, international adoption and historical guilt - than developing the characters or the plot. I love Austen's novel so much because the characters come alive for me, and even though nothing seems to happen on the surface, the reader cares so much for the everyday lives of Highbury that even a cancelled ball and an outing to Box Hill are worth reading about. Not so here. The characters are off-kilter, the dialogue is stilted, and Alexander McCall Smith is obviously struggling - and failing - to understand the heroine throughout. Is she a closet lesbian ('I am not interested in girls. I'm just not') or just generally sex-obsessed ('Emma beamed with pleasure. Sex. Miss Taylor and James Weston')? Either the author was inspired by Emma Tennant, or Emma's situation does not translate well to the modern day.
What I imagine was supposed to be a wry parody of Austen's longest and cleverest novel - McCall Smith is very fond of poking fun at 'old fashioned' references to governesses, gentlemen farmers and making up numbers at dinner parties - has actually turned into more of a haphazard York Notes summary of the source material. Reading this revised edition, however, would likely only confuse any lazy first-time readers - even more than watching the 1996 film adaptation! - and any lover of Austen (and Emma in particular) should keep their distance. Revisit the original characters instead!
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LibraryThing member eenerd
Cute comedy of manners, lots of well developed characters too.
LibraryThing member MickyFine
In this updated version of Jane Austen's Emma, Emma Woodhouse has come home to Highbury for the summer after completing her degree. While she plans to start her own interior design business in the fall, Emma's summer is free to use as she likes. And, of course, there is nothing Emma wants more than
For fans of Austen's original novel, McCall Smith's retelling will be delight. Interestingly, the novel spends a great deal more time developing the back story of the original novel. However, this means that readers spend more time with Mr. Woodhouse, who remains hysterical in his anxieties. I found it surprising how much more I was affronted by Emma's meddling in the modern context than in the classic novel. Perhaps there's something about Austen's language that makes Emma's foibles more endearing than being able to view her as entirely snobbish and flawed in the 21st century setting. That being said, any Austen fan will utterly enjoy this updated version.
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to arrange the lives of the people around her to what she perceives to be the best advantage.For fans of Austen's original novel, McCall Smith's retelling will be delight. Interestingly, the novel spends a great deal more time developing the back story of the original novel. However, this means that readers spend more time with Mr. Woodhouse, who remains hysterical in his anxieties. I found it surprising how much more I was affronted by Emma's meddling in the modern context than in the classic novel. Perhaps there's something about Austen's language that makes Emma's foibles more endearing than being able to view her as entirely snobbish and flawed in the 21st century setting. That being said, any Austen fan will utterly enjoy this updated version.
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LibraryThing member tjsjohanna
I've read my share of Emma re-tellings. This is the first that stands fully on its own. While so many details come right from Jane Austen's original tale, the emphasis is soundly on the character development of Emma. Mr. Smith paints a more realistic and less flattering version of Emma's
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interference with those around her. And her growth is consequently more satisfying. Show Less
LibraryThing member anyanwubutler
This is fun, but Emma Woodhouse is still an entitled, mean, bored, rich and treats her friends like they are her paper dolls, even set in the present. At the end of the novel, nearly everyone is newly married or living together, usually not because of Emma’s shenanigans, at trying to match make.
Here, she has graduated college in Bath and most of the action takes place in the summer after that and before she begins her interior design ‘business.’ She, like some of the characters are so wealthy they don’t need to work. I enjoyed this a great deal, as I was rather sure I would, since it is written by Alexander McCall Smith, and I quite enjoy his No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency novels.
First edition, signed, ARC from Goodreads and Pantheon received 4/17/15.
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Here, she has graduated college in Bath and most of the action takes place in the summer after that and before she begins her interior design ‘business.’ She, like some of the characters are so wealthy they don’t need to work. I enjoyed this a great deal, as I was rather sure I would, since it is written by Alexander McCall Smith, and I quite enjoy his No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency novels.
First edition, signed, ARC from Goodreads and Pantheon received 4/17/15.
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LibraryThing member etxgardener
There have been many, many updates to Jane Austen's novels, but rarely is there one as charming as this one by the King of Cozy, Alexander McCall Smith. Smith seems to be pitch perfect as he brings the story of Emma Woodhouse into the 21st Century, and in doing so, is able to illustrate just how
A delight from start to finish, this is the perfect summer read.
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self absorbed and narcissistic Emma is until she sees the light with the help of George Knightly.A delight from start to finish, this is the perfect summer read.
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LibraryThing member brangwinn
The story is nice…what more can I say, but Emma really hasn’t been translated into a modern character. The original Emma is better. I couldn’t like this Emma, she seemed so spoiled.
LibraryThing member cbl_tn
'Everybody can be happier than they are.' {Emma} said. 'They may not know it – yes, I accept that – but that doesn't mean to say that they can't be made happier. Other people can make them happier; other people can arrange happiness for them.'
She was sure that she was right...And just as she
Emma Woodhouse is a privileged young woman. She has no interest in men or marriage. She has plans to start an interior design business when she returns home after completing a university degree, but those plans are put on hold when she adopts a mission to make other people happy. Happy as defined by Emma, of course. She is opinionated and believes that she knows better than the individuals involved what is best for them. She'll learn just how little she really knows about people and relationships.
Readers unfamiliar with Jane Austen's Emma may enjoy this book more than Austen's fans will. It's typical McCall Smith, with a moral tone reminiscent of his Isabel Dalhousie series. McCall Smith's Emma is even less likeable than Austen's Emma. Austen's Emma is thoughtless, but rarely intentionally rude or dishonest. McCall Smith's Emma is arrogant, lying, and sometimes cruel. He gives readers little evidence of any change in Emma's character that would make her more attractive to a good man like George Knightly.
McCall Smith begins his story earlier than Austen's. Most Austen fans will view this as a weakness since the back story is developed at the expense of familiar plot elements from Austen's Emma. Readers see very little of George Knightly either on his own or with Emma.McCall Smith leaves out the misunderstanding between Emma and Knightly over her feelings for Frank Churchill and his feelings for Harriet Smith that adds so much emotion and tension to the love scene in Austen's Emma. I'm a fan of McCall Smith's writing, but I'm afraid this one is badly done.
She was sure that she was right...And just as she
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worked out what she thought about this, she realized, too, that this was something she could do with her life. She could make people happier by helping them to find happiness. It was very simple, really; all that was required was a willingness to take the initiative and show people where they should look.Emma Woodhouse is a privileged young woman. She has no interest in men or marriage. She has plans to start an interior design business when she returns home after completing a university degree, but those plans are put on hold when she adopts a mission to make other people happy. Happy as defined by Emma, of course. She is opinionated and believes that she knows better than the individuals involved what is best for them. She'll learn just how little she really knows about people and relationships.
Readers unfamiliar with Jane Austen's Emma may enjoy this book more than Austen's fans will. It's typical McCall Smith, with a moral tone reminiscent of his Isabel Dalhousie series. McCall Smith's Emma is even less likeable than Austen's Emma. Austen's Emma is thoughtless, but rarely intentionally rude or dishonest. McCall Smith's Emma is arrogant, lying, and sometimes cruel. He gives readers little evidence of any change in Emma's character that would make her more attractive to a good man like George Knightly.
McCall Smith begins his story earlier than Austen's. Most Austen fans will view this as a weakness since the back story is developed at the expense of familiar plot elements from Austen's Emma. Readers see very little of George Knightly either on his own or with Emma.
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LibraryThing member seasonsoflove
This is a great retelling of a great classic.
Setting the story of Emma in present-day England, McCall Smith's flowing writing style perfectly compliments the pace of his characters in their countryside.
Our title character grows up, goes to university, and comes back with plans to start an interior
This is a really enjoyable read. It's cozy, and comfortable, and fun.
Setting the story of Emma in present-day England, McCall Smith's flowing writing style perfectly compliments the pace of his characters in their countryside.
Our title character grows up, goes to university, and comes back with plans to start an interior
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design business. She hosts dinner parties, interacts with the cast of characters we love from Austen's classic, and attempts to become an unofficial matchmaker. Along the way, she learns a lot about herself, including some realizations she may not like, but definitely needs.This is a really enjoyable read. It's cozy, and comfortable, and fun.
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LibraryThing member jamesju
An entertaining modern day satirical retelling of Jane Austen's classic
LibraryThing member BookConcierge
Audio performed by Susan Lyons
This is book 3 in the Austen Project series, wherein authors take on Austen’s classic novels, reimagining the scenarios in contemporary times. In this outing, Mini Coopers replace carriages, and cappuccinos take the place of tea, but the characters, relationships and
21st century Emma is still a wealthy, exasperatingly obtuse young woman with too much time on her hands and no real job to keep her mind engaged. Harriet Smith is her friend and pet project.
If you’ve read the original you’ll find yourself anticipating certain scenes – When does Emma meet Frank Churchill? When will Mr Elton get his signals crossed? When will the picnic happen? I actually found this a little distracting because I was looking forward to what might happen instead of paying attention to what was going on. That’s my failing, not the author’s.
I enjoyed this light romantic comedy, but it is not as good as the original. That is probably entirely to do with the time frame. Austen’s Emma was exasperating as she meddled in others' affairs and acted on the basis of misread social cues. However, I could understand her in the time frame of the Regency period. She was merely a product of her situation and social class; and her final realizations, however slow to come about, were all the more rewarding. But the modern Emma just has no such excuse for her superior manner. I cannot imagine how a college-educated young woman (even one from such a high social standing) would be so blind to the differences in people, and so clueless as to how snobbish she was being. I just could not like her at all.
Also, while Alexander McCall Smith included all the characters of Austen’s original – Vicar Elton, George Knightly, Isabella & John Knightly, Miss Taylor and Captain Westin, Miss Bates, Frank Churchill, and Jane Fairfax – he didn’t give them as much page time as Austen gave them. This modern Emma focused much more on the title character, and I missed those other people and their interactions.
The audio version is capably performed by Susan Lyons. She has good pacing and sufficient skill as a voice artist to differentiate the various characters. This is particularly helpful in the many scenes where two (or more) women are speaking.
This is book 3 in the Austen Project series, wherein authors take on Austen’s classic novels, reimagining the scenarios in contemporary times. In this outing, Mini Coopers replace carriages, and cappuccinos take the place of tea, but the characters, relationships and
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basic scenarios remain the same.21st century Emma is still a wealthy, exasperatingly obtuse young woman with too much time on her hands and no real job to keep her mind engaged. Harriet Smith is her friend and pet project.
If you’ve read the original you’ll find yourself anticipating certain scenes – When does Emma meet Frank Churchill? When will Mr Elton get his signals crossed? When will the picnic happen? I actually found this a little distracting because I was looking forward to what might happen instead of paying attention to what was going on. That’s my failing, not the author’s.
I enjoyed this light romantic comedy, but it is not as good as the original. That is probably entirely to do with the time frame. Austen’s Emma was exasperating as she meddled in others' affairs and acted on the basis of misread social cues. However, I could understand her in the time frame of the Regency period. She was merely a product of her situation and social class; and her final realizations, however slow to come about, were all the more rewarding. But the modern Emma just has no such excuse for her superior manner. I cannot imagine how a college-educated young woman (even one from such a high social standing) would be so blind to the differences in people, and so clueless as to how snobbish she was being. I just could not like her at all.
Also, while Alexander McCall Smith included all the characters of Austen’s original – Vicar Elton, George Knightly, Isabella & John Knightly, Miss Taylor and Captain Westin, Miss Bates, Frank Churchill, and Jane Fairfax – he didn’t give them as much page time as Austen gave them. This modern Emma focused much more on the title character, and I missed those other people and their interactions.
The audio version is capably performed by Susan Lyons. She has good pacing and sufficient skill as a voice artist to differentiate the various characters. This is particularly helpful in the many scenes where two (or more) women are speaking.
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LibraryThing member mmoj
In this version of Emma, Alexander McCall Smith does a terrific job on Emma's father, Mr. Woodhouse, I could see more of a story about just him. In Austen's version I felt that Mr. Woodhouse was a bit quarrelsome. I didn't think as much of the rest of the characters, especially Emma and George
All that being said, I think that while I didn't get Austen's wit and compassion for those less fortunate (Emma is especially is a utter "rich-kid" in this version) I did get Alexander McCall Smith's story-telling throughout the story.
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Knightly. And to have Harriet claim to do what she did at the end, I didn't like at all!All that being said, I think that while I didn't get Austen's wit and compassion for those less fortunate (Emma is especially is a utter "rich-kid" in this version) I did get Alexander McCall Smith's story-telling throughout the story.
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LibraryThing member thebookmagpie
The Austen Project is a group that have commissioned six modern-day authors to tackle one Austen novel each, and set it in a 21st century setting. We’ve already had Sense and Sensibility, written by Joanna Trollope, which really was almost an exact retelling of the original, except people
And now Emma. I’ve just finished rereading the original, as you can see from my most recent review. Out of the three so far, this book is by far the most dear to me in its original form. I love Alexander McCall Smith – not only is he my fellow countryman, but he, for a long time, worked in the same field that I plan to go into, although his speciality is medical law. So I expected a fair amount from this retelling. Unfortunately, it didn’t deliver.
The first problem is that AMS spends the first 100 pages of the novel going into life at Hartfield prior to the beginning of the original novel. This was definitely a good idea, and there’s a lot of merit in it. I enjoyed the story of Mr Woodhouse’s birth, some of the interaction with Miss Taylor, and, most especially, getting a snippet of John and Isabella’s courtship. However, this comprises more than one quarter of the novel itself. This left only 260 pages in which to tell the story of the original book in its entirety. The “history” part often drags, with people musing on what Emma will turn out to be like, child as she is at that time. Except this isn’t particularly interesting for the reader as we already know what Emma will turn out like! I read modernisations like this to see the take the author has on the events as they happened in the book, not for deep insights into the characters which are pretty impossible given the nature of the retelling.
Secondly, several events from the original are omitted completely. There’s no strawberry picking, barely any Mrs Elton, the Box Hill picnic is curtailed so as to be unrecognisable, and the events between this point and Mr Knightley’s proposal are compressed in such a way that several minor but important events are missing in action. Again, I don’t expect retellings to be point for point faithful (although the preceding two largely have been) but I felt like it was a waste to spend so long on the “history” part of the novel only to then omit so much of what was interesting and dramatic about the original. Characters get very little development – there’s very, very little Jane, and hardly any Mr Knightley at all! It’s hard to imagine why he falls in love with Emma when he barely speaks two words to her throughout this version.
Worst, however, may be some of the inexplicable changes made to established events in the original. The lesbian undertone in Harriet’s and Emma’s relationship was, I thought, almost well done at first – I mean, who hasn’t been utterly mesmerised by the sheer beauty of someone of the same sex almost to the point of wondering if it’s romantic before realising that it’s just aesthetic? However, the weird nude drawing scene was, I thought, poorly done. Frank pretending to be gay made absolutely no sense at all – a double bluff that just left me more confused than sympathetic. The revelation that Mr Knightley had been confiding in Harriet, whom in this version he seemed to think abjectly stupid, was just bizarre, and that Harriet had been seeing Robert all along was even worse – Harriet herself didn’t seem to have had any idea of this until she actually said the words.
The thing is – and this is broadly a criticism of all the modernisations, though most particularly this one – is that there are easy to find analogues for a lot of the stuff that goes on in these. Okay, no one has a ball anymore, but couldn’t they go to a posh club night opening? That’s just one example, but there are plenty of times in this book where the changes made just didn’t make sense and actually made it feel more antiquated rather than less.
It’s not terrible. There are some great moments – the opening about the Cuban missile crisis, some of Emma’s asides are hilarious – but it’s just enough to make it as entertaining as the other entries in this series. I give Emma five out of ten.
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occasionally (and I really do mean occasionally) mention things like mobile phone. However, all the key events take place, and I always find it amusing when modern storytellers contrive to have this happen despite the obvious problems they must run into (for example, in S&S, you can hardly have the scandal be, in the modern day, that Marianne was alone with a man for all of half an hour!). Then Val McDiarmid took on Northanger Abbey, which proved to actually be pretty good, despite VM obviously having no idea how to approximate text messages from a teenager.And now Emma. I’ve just finished rereading the original, as you can see from my most recent review. Out of the three so far, this book is by far the most dear to me in its original form. I love Alexander McCall Smith – not only is he my fellow countryman, but he, for a long time, worked in the same field that I plan to go into, although his speciality is medical law. So I expected a fair amount from this retelling. Unfortunately, it didn’t deliver.
The first problem is that AMS spends the first 100 pages of the novel going into life at Hartfield prior to the beginning of the original novel. This was definitely a good idea, and there’s a lot of merit in it. I enjoyed the story of Mr Woodhouse’s birth, some of the interaction with Miss Taylor, and, most especially, getting a snippet of John and Isabella’s courtship. However, this comprises more than one quarter of the novel itself. This left only 260 pages in which to tell the story of the original book in its entirety. The “history” part often drags, with people musing on what Emma will turn out to be like, child as she is at that time. Except this isn’t particularly interesting for the reader as we already know what Emma will turn out like! I read modernisations like this to see the take the author has on the events as they happened in the book, not for deep insights into the characters which are pretty impossible given the nature of the retelling.
Secondly, several events from the original are omitted completely. There’s no strawberry picking, barely any Mrs Elton, the Box Hill picnic is curtailed so as to be unrecognisable, and the events between this point and Mr Knightley’s proposal are compressed in such a way that several minor but important events are missing in action. Again, I don’t expect retellings to be point for point faithful (although the preceding two largely have been) but I felt like it was a waste to spend so long on the “history” part of the novel only to then omit so much of what was interesting and dramatic about the original. Characters get very little development – there’s very, very little Jane, and hardly any Mr Knightley at all! It’s hard to imagine why he falls in love with Emma when he barely speaks two words to her throughout this version.
Worst, however, may be some of the inexplicable changes made to established events in the original. The lesbian undertone in Harriet’s and Emma’s relationship was, I thought, almost well done at first – I mean, who hasn’t been utterly mesmerised by the sheer beauty of someone of the same sex almost to the point of wondering if it’s romantic before realising that it’s just aesthetic? However, the weird nude drawing scene was, I thought, poorly done. Frank pretending to be gay made absolutely no sense at all – a double bluff that just left me more confused than sympathetic. The revelation that Mr Knightley had been confiding in Harriet, whom in this version he seemed to think abjectly stupid, was just bizarre, and that Harriet had been seeing Robert all along was even worse – Harriet herself didn’t seem to have had any idea of this until she actually said the words.
The thing is – and this is broadly a criticism of all the modernisations, though most particularly this one – is that there are easy to find analogues for a lot of the stuff that goes on in these. Okay, no one has a ball anymore, but couldn’t they go to a posh club night opening? That’s just one example, but there are plenty of times in this book where the changes made just didn’t make sense and actually made it feel more antiquated rather than less.
It’s not terrible. There are some great moments – the opening about the Cuban missile crisis, some of Emma’s asides are hilarious – but it’s just enough to make it as entertaining as the other entries in this series. I give Emma five out of ten.
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LibraryThing member sweetiegherkin
Pretty, clever, and rich Emma Woodhouse meddles in the lives of those around her in the small town of Highbury, with sometimes disastrous results.
This novel is among the legions of Jane Austen-inspired books that have emerged over the past couple of decades. In this case, McCall Smith tackles
As for the modernization, things get a little murky. Yes, obviously some things are clearly very different from Jane Austen's day, like women going to college and everybody motoring about in their cars. But other things are left oddly old-fashioned, such as Mr. Woodhouse seeking to "marry off" Isabella by featuring her photograph in a Country Life magazine, a still rather significant age gap between Emma and Mr. Knightley, the idea that Harriet can't provide for herself with her job but must find a wealthy man to pamper her, that Miss Taylor is still known as a "governess" to the young Woodhouse girls, and parental figures dying off rather than divorcing, moving, or some other way of removing them from the picture. Somehow it all just doesn't mesh well as a "modernization," although past examples of this done well indicate that Austen's novels can transcend time ... but usually only if each individual element isn't followed quite strictly but the story is simply kept in the right spirit.
Speaking of spirit, the character of Emma is rather different here, in my opinion. In Austen's novel, Emma is snobbish and naïve but rather clueless about both of those traits. She's ultimately likable, even if she does some pretty stupid things. This Emma is deceptive and down-right mean-spirited at times. She's really not a likable person at the end of the day and her plans often don't seem to have anyone's best interests at heart. Some characters seem fairly true to the original, like the hypochondriac Mr. Woodhouse and the unworldly Harriet, while others are unlike their original counterparts, such as Miss Taylor, who comes across as rather stern here. Small oddities are given to certain characters, like Mrs. Goddard baking pot brownies and Mr. Weston being a gym rat, which are neither improvements nor detractions in and of themselves.
Charlotte Bronte famously hated Austen's novels for lacking "passion," and that criticism could fairly be laid at the feet of this modernization. Despite Emma's various schemes (and later regrets over what she's done), there's not much feeling that her matchmaking plans had any effect. For example, Phillip Elton does not do anything that seems to indicate he has romantic interest in Harriet; Harriet does not seem in the least bit affected to learn that he was seeking to impress Emma rather than her. Likewise, there is zero chemistry between Emma and George Knightley, who rarely even share scenes together, and it honestly seemed at times that Emma was more attracted to Harriet than anyone else .
There is a fun twist at the end in which the reader learns thatHarriet has been secretly -- and successfully -- matchmaking herself , but the reader has to plough through the rest of the book to finally reach that one interesting tweak to Austen's framework. One other significant change to Austen's original work is that we see a lot more of other characters' perspectives, most particularly that of Mr. Woodhouse, and there is a great deal of the beginning part of the book devoted to Mr. Woodhouse as a young widow raising his small children, the securing of Miss Taylor as governess, Isabella finding a husband, etc. While I enjoyed this to some degree, it seems like the problem I mentioned above of the lack of passion and real connection between characters is a result of so much of the book focusing on early life and not the "main" action of the plot.
On the plus side, Susan Lyons was a great narrator for the audiobook version and did an excellent job differentiating all the characters and using the appropriate accents as needed.
Overall, I was entertained by this novel but didn't think it was anything of real substance and found some of the character/plot changes (or lack thereof as the case may be) to be odd and ineffective. I'd much prefer the real deal of Austen's original novels any day or even any of McCall Smith's own works.
This novel is among the legions of Jane Austen-inspired books that have emerged over the past couple of decades. In this case, McCall Smith tackles
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updating the story of Emma to a modern setting, with less than stellar success. I'm not an Austen purist per se and I've liked other works by McCall Smith, so I was curious about this one. Buyer beware this book is not at all a pastiche and is much more McCall Smith than it is Austen. That means it has some of McCall Smith's more charming literary quirks, like digressing into philosophical ramblings at random times throughout the story. It also means that it has some of McCall Smith's more annoying literary habits like repeating a joke to the point of beating it to death (e.g., in this book the "BMW something-something" and the "way to the railway station" were way past amusing after the tenth or so mention).As for the modernization, things get a little murky. Yes, obviously some things are clearly very different from Jane Austen's day, like women going to college and everybody motoring about in their cars. But other things are left oddly old-fashioned, such as Mr. Woodhouse seeking to "marry off" Isabella by featuring her photograph in a Country Life magazine, a still rather significant age gap between Emma and Mr. Knightley, the idea that Harriet can't provide for herself with her job but must find a wealthy man to pamper her, that Miss Taylor is still known as a "governess" to the young Woodhouse girls, and parental figures dying off rather than divorcing, moving, or some other way of removing them from the picture. Somehow it all just doesn't mesh well as a "modernization," although past examples of this done well indicate that Austen's novels can transcend time ... but usually only if each individual element isn't followed quite strictly but the story is simply kept in the right spirit.
Speaking of spirit, the character of Emma is rather different here, in my opinion. In Austen's novel, Emma is snobbish and naïve but rather clueless about both of those traits. She's ultimately likable, even if she does some pretty stupid things. This Emma is deceptive and down-right mean-spirited at times. She's really not a likable person at the end of the day and her plans often don't seem to have anyone's best interests at heart. Some characters seem fairly true to the original, like the hypochondriac Mr. Woodhouse and the unworldly Harriet, while others are unlike their original counterparts, such as Miss Taylor, who comes across as rather stern here. Small oddities are given to certain characters, like Mrs. Goddard baking pot brownies and Mr. Weston being a gym rat, which are neither improvements nor detractions in and of themselves.
Charlotte Bronte famously hated Austen's novels for lacking "passion," and that criticism could fairly be laid at the feet of this modernization. Despite Emma's various schemes (and later regrets over what she's done), there's not much feeling that her matchmaking plans had any effect. For example, Phillip Elton does not do anything that seems to indicate he has romantic interest in Harriet; Harriet does not seem in the least bit affected to learn that he was seeking to impress Emma rather than her. Likewise,
There is a fun twist at the end in which the reader learns that
On the plus side, Susan Lyons was a great narrator for the audiobook version and did an excellent job differentiating all the characters and using the appropriate accents as needed.
Overall, I was entertained by this novel but didn't think it was anything of real substance and found some of the character/plot changes (or lack thereof as the case may be) to be odd and ineffective. I'd much prefer the real deal of Austen's original novels any day or even any of McCall Smith's own works.
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LibraryThing member whitreidtan
My book club tries to read a classic every year. And I love Jane Austen. So you'd have thought I'd be thrilled to re-read Emma, wouldn't you? In fact I tend to dislike Emma the character rather a lot. Having read it multiple times already in my life, and disliking her more each time I read it, I
Starting back with Mr. Woodhouse's birth and early life, McCall Smith fleshes out what makes the distracted, hypochondriacal man tick. Once that is established, he moves on to Emma's childhood and upbringing, explaining satisfactorily how two young girls in the present day would end up with such an old fashioned thing as a governess. The back story that doesn't come with Austen's Emma is actually rather protracted here but since the characters have already been rounded out by Austen, having more history on them, explaining how they came to be who Austen made them is rather nice. The plot, an immature and meddling young woman trying to pair up all the wrong people because of her own unintentional snobbishness and preconceived notions, is maintained and there are certainly moments of humor. Because the focus on adult Emma, recently finished with her interior design degree at university, and her matchmaking doesn't happen quite as early as in the original, the secondary characters are not nearly as full and integral to the story here, leaving the focus on Emma's unchecked unkindnesses to those she professes to love and her unasked for interference in their lives. McCall Smith's Emma seems to have a dawning self-awareness sooner than Austen's Emma though, which is not a bad thing. In contrast, Mr. Knightley is far less present in this novel than he was in the original. The courtship is foreshortened and the ending is speedily dispensed with in about two pages.
Although I've focused on the differences between the Austen and the McCall Smith, this is easily read by those who have never read the original. In fact, people looking for a one to one concordance between the books will be disappointed. Some situations have been left out and others elaborated on in ways that Austen could never have imagined two hundred some years ago. But this isn't Austen; it's McCall Smith and reads like it. McCall Smith is a charming writer and his version of Emma is a satisfying one. He has modernized it but not beyond all recognition. There are still some small threads that are oddly old fashioned but readers familiar with his gentle, courtly manner of writing will not be surprised. Not a bad re-telling over all and one that many Austen fans will appreciate, as will those folks coming to the story for the first time.
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decided that discretion was the better part of valor and opted to skip it this go-round. Instead, I picked up this modern retelling of the tale by Alexander McCall Smith to see if I could muster up more sympathy for her in a more modern setting. And I did, at least to an extent. McCall Smith does a good job of capturing and updating Austen's Emma without entirely losing the things that made the plot run.Starting back with Mr. Woodhouse's birth and early life, McCall Smith fleshes out what makes the distracted, hypochondriacal man tick. Once that is established, he moves on to Emma's childhood and upbringing, explaining satisfactorily how two young girls in the present day would end up with such an old fashioned thing as a governess. The back story that doesn't come with Austen's Emma is actually rather protracted here but since the characters have already been rounded out by Austen, having more history on them, explaining how they came to be who Austen made them is rather nice. The plot, an immature and meddling young woman trying to pair up all the wrong people because of her own unintentional snobbishness and preconceived notions, is maintained and there are certainly moments of humor. Because the focus on adult Emma, recently finished with her interior design degree at university, and her matchmaking doesn't happen quite as early as in the original, the secondary characters are not nearly as full and integral to the story here, leaving the focus on Emma's unchecked unkindnesses to those she professes to love and her unasked for interference in their lives. McCall Smith's Emma seems to have a dawning self-awareness sooner than Austen's Emma though, which is not a bad thing. In contrast, Mr. Knightley is far less present in this novel than he was in the original. The courtship is foreshortened and the ending is speedily dispensed with in about two pages.
Although I've focused on the differences between the Austen and the McCall Smith, this is easily read by those who have never read the original. In fact, people looking for a one to one concordance between the books will be disappointed. Some situations have been left out and others elaborated on in ways that Austen could never have imagined two hundred some years ago. But this isn't Austen; it's McCall Smith and reads like it. McCall Smith is a charming writer and his version of Emma is a satisfying one. He has modernized it but not beyond all recognition. There are still some small threads that are oddly old fashioned but readers familiar with his gentle, courtly manner of writing will not be surprised. Not a bad re-telling over all and one that many Austen fans will appreciate, as will those folks coming to the story for the first time.
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LibraryThing member PlanCultivateCreate
DNF after the first 70 pages. Couldn't get into this version.
LibraryThing member ChazziFrazz
Emma Woodhouse has money, a luxurious home with her father, is opinionated, has all sorts of advice and no life worries. She has just completed her time at university and is now home. She will launch her interior design business and spend the summer matchmaking. Things she feels she excels at.
Being
Written along the lines of Jane Austin's works, the story line takes you through the summer and Emma's matchmaking project. Feeling that Emma knows best, she is not afraid to speak her mind, even it it hurts peoples' feeling. She prides herself on speaking the truth and what is on her mind. Along the way she finds that people don't always want to hear the truth as abruptly as she can put it. She also wakes up to the fact that maybe she isn't as much in the right and know as she thinks.
I enjoyed McCall Smith's writing style, but I did find Emma irritating at times. There are parts that do make you smile and parts that make you cringe and glad you don't have a friend like Emma.
Being
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summer, there are opportunities for dinners and picnics to bring couples together. There is Harriet Smith, beautiful looks, a bit dim, not well off and working as a teaching assistant at a language school. Jane Fairfax, a new comer who seems a bit distant but is young and unattached. George Knightley, neighbour and brother-in-law. Frank Churchill, visiting from Australia. All single and in need of matchmaking, in Emma's opinion.Written along the lines of Jane Austin's works, the story line takes you through the summer and Emma's matchmaking project. Feeling that Emma knows best, she is not afraid to speak her mind, even it it hurts peoples' feeling. She prides herself on speaking the truth and what is on her mind. Along the way she finds that people don't always want to hear the truth as abruptly as she can put it. She also wakes up to the fact that maybe she isn't as much in the right and know as she thinks.
I enjoyed McCall Smith's writing style, but I did find Emma irritating at times. There are parts that do make you smile and parts that make you cringe and glad you don't have a friend like Emma.
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LibraryThing member Figgles
Charming, I read this immediately after reading the original which may not have been a good move, but it's still a light as air 21st Century re-telling of Jane Austen's Emma. Emma is, as in the original, unaware of her own privilige and snobbery and has a well meaning desire to order the lives of
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others. Again, she learns from her mistakes and becomes a little humbler and a lot more self aware. As a West Australian I really enjoy McCall Smith's introduction of a WA angle (with Frank Churchill and Jane Fairfax ending up living in a Vinyard in the Margaret River Wine region!). Don't expect Austen, but do enjoy this! Show Less
LibraryThing member DrFuriosa
A delightful and fresh update of Jane Austen's classic, full of acerbic wit. Ms. Austen would approve. My one complaint? A sad dearth of Knightley.