Classics > Jane Austen Classics > by Title (First Letter)

Advantages: inspiring, humorous
Disadvantages: none

Pride and prejudice undoutedly is the most famous love story in enlish literature Because it points out the most fundamental function of courtship(or even all relationships), that is to find someone to complete ourselves, to become the ideal self through learning from out partners. Darcy and Lizzy are the two protagnists of this novel, before they meet each other, each of them has his weaknesses yet they do not realize by themselves. Basically, ...
...and expressing effectively because of his background, education and practical abilities, Lizzy has too much prejudice because of her brilliant conversing skills and so tend to judge too hastily. After their experiences with one another, both of them overcome their major phychological barriers form learning , Darcy becomes more easy-going and spirited, Lizzy becomes more patient and sophisticated. Their union represent a new ruling class--a combination ... Read review

Advantages: Witty, brilliant characters
Disadvantages: Quite lengthy, as predictable as any other love story

Emma makes for superb reading, better in my opinion than Austen's rather more popular Pride and Prejudice. Austen writes, as always, with great wit and puts forward a rather tongue-in-cheek insight into the life of a young woman, very conscious of social order and hierarchy, whose failed attempts at match-making and trying to understand the relationships between the people around her lead her to realise that she cannot ever comprehend the ways of ...
...Emma contains some excellent characters, my favourites being the talkative Miss Bates, who, although irritating is depicted as very worthy, humble and grateful to those of better social standing than herself and is overall a truly endearing character, and the repulsive Mrs Elton whose puffed up view of herself makes her perfectly detestable. I would always recommend Jane Austen as an excellent example of period romance writing, and Emma is the favourite ... Read review

Advantages: for a true austin fan you need completeness!
Disadvantages: a fragment and a juvenillia

...of the back Lady Susan is a 'juvenillia' - a minor work by the immature Austin. It is written in the form of letters between the major charactors, a popular device at the time and I believe how PnP was originally conceived. However as Austin seems to have realised this does place a certain amount of constraint on the possibilities of plot as it relies on at least 2 charactors at all times being only able to communicate by letter, but not prevented ...
...and in the character of Lady Susan you can see, perhaps a forrunner of Emma. The plot itself is fairly conventional but what makes it stand out is that most of the letters, and hence view point, are written by Lady Susan the 'villan' of the piece. The Whartons is merely a fragment a couple of chapters long, incomplete at the time of Austin's death. It certainly seems to have had the potential to rival the rest of her work, but because of this it ... Read review

Advantages: clearly written, wonderful characters
Disadvantages: a little unbelievable

Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice was my introduction to the so called Classics. Having studied a few Dickens at school, I wasn't really that impressed, but a chance purchase of this book changed my mind. A classic romantic novel, Mr Darcy meets Elizabeth Bennett and begins to fall in love. However, she dislikes him, allowing herself to be influenced by how others think of him, and by some out right falsehoods from a friend. When she rejects his ...
...sisters actions threaten to bring disgrace to the whole family... I wont spoil the rest! If you have seen the BBC version, or seen the film, then you should definately read this book, so much is missed out, it really is worth the effort. Elizabeth Bennett is a brilliant character, and in many ways Austen was far ahead of her time, creating a character who knows her own mind, and won't simply go along with what others would have her do if it doesnt ... Read review

Advantages: Jane Austen - undeniably one of the greatest female authors
Disadvantages: A little long winded but it is nothing if you enjoy reading her books

The book is typical of Jane Austen's style, character developement at its best and at the same level, possibly Jane Austen at her best. All Jane Austen's novels reflect situations happening in her own life and situations relating to the time itself. Her ideas of feminism and the like are obviously way before her time and she must be applauded for this. Generally an enjoyable book with highs and lows, a little long winded but as with everything you ... Read review