Title: Emma

Author: Jane Austen

Pages: 446

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: T4MC - A author; Classics - Reread; Monthly - April;  Books to Movies; Bingo - 4 rereads

How I Got It: Own It!

Book: Every time I read Emma, I like it more and more.  I remember the first time I read the novel, I hated Emma.  I thought she was selfish and immature.  And she is, but that's only at the beginning.  In the novel, we see a great growth arc.  Emma starts to realize her faults and tries to change them.  I just love the entire story.  And this novel has some great side characters.  I loathe Mr. and Mrs. Elton. but that's okay, I'm supposed to.  I laugh at Miss Bates and Mr. Woodhouse.  I adore Mr. Knightley.  And I might say, that I partially loathe Miss Fairfax and Frank Churchill.  In all the characters, we get a great rounded out cast.  At this point, I think Emma is my third favorite Austen.

Gwyneth Paltrow version 1996:

This movie version has some great qualities.  The side character actors pull off their scenes well.  Alan Cummings is gorgeous as Mr. Elton.  I really love Jeremy Northam as Mr. Knightley.  My favorite scene of his is when he chastises Emma for her treatment of Miss Bates.  Spot on! While I love these characters, I'm not a huge fan of Gwyneth Paltrow as Emma.  She's too old acting.  She comes off as mean instead of just insensitive.  And the archery scene irks me way too much. I just can't get completely behind this one.

2009 Miniseries:

I love this version.  Romola Garai has that childlike countenance that makes me believe her as a young slightly naive lady.  Michael Gambon is great as Mr. Woodhouse.  He delivers those great unintentionally funny lines with ease.  Although, if I'm not looking at the screen, my mind always got to Dumbledore.  Tamsin Grieg is a great chatty Miss Bates.  I just want to invite her to my house for tea.  But the prize goes to Johnny Lee Miller as Mr. Knightley.  Almost every line has a tinge of sarcasm.  I definitely fall for him in the first scenes.  This version does a great job with the book's content.  It doesn't deviate too much and hits all the good scenes.  This is my favorite movie version.