Should I keep going with Mansfield Park?

[GatoradeMeBitch]

I've been reading Jane Austen's novels while I'm stuck at home. Emma and Pride & Prejudice I was already familiar with; Sense & Sensibility and Persuasion I knew from the film versions but it was nice to finally read the full stories; and Northanger Abbey was a pleasant surprise, funnier than I expected.

But Mansfield Park reminds me of how I felt about reading classic novels when I was in secondary school. I'm at the part where they're discussing putting on a play. It's so dull. Is it worth persevering with?

Pondskimmer and Pelleas - have you read Colleen McCullough's "The Independence of Miss Mary Bennett"? Jane would be turning in her grave, as it is pretty terrible, but I though it was hilarious.

I quite liked it by the end, but I didn't enjoy Northanger Abbey so clearly our taste isn't the same! I'd persevere, agree with pp that it's a bit more about the 'minor' characters than some of her other novels.

YY to the TV adaptation. Worth watching. And Sylvestra Le Touzel has the best name ever

Her version of Fanny is watchful and quiet but appealing.

Hippee I haven't but I will look for it - I'm desperate for lockdown book recommendations, so thank you!

No, @Hippee, I generally have zero patience with modern ‘sequels’, which get so many things wrong and are tone-deaf in terms of style — that sounds awful! That’s why I was surprised at how good Mansfield Revisited was — I thought JA made a decent fist at JA’s irony and moral toughness, and intelligently got rid of all the central characters from MP to leave the field clear for Susan, Tom, Julia and the Crawfords.

Have you read Joan Aiken’s Deception? Set in the Regency, written in the same light Austen style, about two identical girls who meet at school and one stands in for the other in her big Northumberland family while the first sets off to convert ‘savages’?

It's one of my favourites but I can't stand northangar abbey - horses for courses and all that

Pelleas - I'm not sure I would exactly "recommend" it. I would rather reread Georgette Heyer for my Regency fix.

Pondskimmer - I can't bear the Emma Tennant ones. Will definitely look out for the other Joan Aiken one. Thanks.

Like several other posters, I didn't like it at all when I first read it, but very much enjoy it now. Actually, Emma is my least favorite Austen.

When a novel appeared more than 200 years ago and has been adapted a lot for tv and film, the concept of ‘spoilers’ is ludicrous.

Well it’s not in this concept is it, when answering someone who you know is midway through the book for the first time.

Is that Colleen ‘thorn birds’ McCullough writing an Austen sequel? Fabulous. I wonder if it is on Kindle.

Hippee If it's so bad it's good, I think I'd find it funny.

I agree that sequels often miss the mark - as with film versions, the authors don't seem able to resist giving the characters modern characteristics (feistiness and feminism in their present day sense rather than their Regency guise) and writing from a 20th/21st Century perspective of social equality. That was essentially what was wrong with the recent Sanditon continuation on ITV.

It’s probably the only Austen novel I wouldn’t bother reading again. I love the others but this one was just ok. It’s quite long and there’s definitely more exciting things out there to read so I wouldn’t feel bad for giving up on it or ‘take a break’ from it and go back to it another time (or not).

Iamthewombat Yep. I think I probably enjoyed it because I wasn't invested in Mary Bennett beforehand. Not great literature though

Mansfield Park was the first JA I read as an adult and I was blown away. I felt it was a really satisfying read. After reading her other books I would probably place it 3rd after P&P and Persuasion. I keep meaning to re-read it to see if I still get the same buzz. Northanger Abbey is my least favourite and now I'm wondering if I should re-read that as well after comments on here.

Well, having looked up something to remind myself (Mr RushWORTH, ooops) I found it on Project Gutenberg and have just read the whole thing and Oh My Goodness.

Forget the plot, forget the heroine, just read the words! Honestly, I was practically reading the whole thing out loud to myself, there's so much there.

You need to read the Tony Tanner introduction to the Penguin Classcs edition to MP to get full joy out of the book. So enlightening.

Agree that Tony T anner gives good intro.

Also, if anyone fancies a bit of Jane Austen fun, Bitch in a Bonnet is currently 99p on Kindle.

I generally really like Jane Austen books. I have just finished Persuasion.
Mansfield Park I have attempted twice in the past however and I've sacked it off. Found it boring.
Not a fan of Emma either though tbh.

Austen is always worth it - but Mansfield Park is definitely the dullest of the six books. Fanny Price is such a pious little dullard. The second half gets quite juicy though. Stick with it I say

And yes Fanny was Austen's favourite protagonist- but Austen always wrote in favour of propriety, civility and order, above juiciness and scandal. The winners in her books are the sensible ones who don't do something life destroying like speak too loudly at balls (the dancing kind - not sure there are many testicles in JA novels)

I've said it before on here but will say it again: Fanny and the book would both be improved by a good shag with either Henry or Maria, or, indeed, both.

I agree, Glummy, I read that MP was written in response to a rapidly changing world which was not to JA's liking.

I read MP last year and so it's moderately fresh in my mind, and I remember thinking "ick" at cousin marriage, which obviously would not have been so ick at that time, and also "eh?" at the hang-wringing about performing a play. I have just finished No Name by Wilkie Collins, and although written a little later, still has outrage about acting, even at home. Clearly acting, particularly for women, is seen as only half a step away from prostitution. In fact at one point in No Name a governness is sacked because it has come to the employer's notice that her sister has been performing in "entertainments" in private houses.

It's funny that what raises an eyebrow now - eg old blokes eyeing up 17-year-olds or mating with a cousin - is quite acceptable in the past, whereas we can't really fathom why putting on a play in your front room is considered absolutely shocking. I suppose these issues could make a tv/film adaptation of MP problematic.

@IrmaFayLear yes re prostitution, in fact in some languages "actress" and "prostitute" are the same word. Up until the early 20th century acting for women was very scandalous and looked down upon. When Juan Peron married Eva Duarte (Evita) there were shock waves and calls for his resignation - I suppose it's today's equivalent of the PM hooking up with Vicky Pollard

It’s not my favourite but I’ve always thought that the section where Fanny goes back to visit her family in Portsmouth contains some of JA’s best writing. It stood out for me for some reason.

The first time I tried to read MP I was much younger, also influenced by the TV series which i didn't give my whole attention to, so I got bored with it. But !!!! on recently rereading (properly) I LOVED it.

I also heard about it's background which is controversially about slavery and the settling of a young black illegitimate girl with her relatives who were a posh family living in Kenwood House in Hampstead . JA was imagining how her life there would be.

I do think that Edmond who was a 'good' person (unlike her other vicars!!) maybe wouldn't have been soo smitten with Mary C. But it was obviously sex appeal JA didn't really talk about that in her mature novels.