Book Review: Mansfield Park

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

Classic. 488 Pages. 4 Stars

Synopsis:

Taken from the poverty of her parents’ home in Portsmouth, Fanny Price is brought up with her rich cousins at Mansfield Park, acutely aware of her humble rank and with her cousin Edmund as her sole ally. During her uncle’s absence in Antigua, the Crawford’s arrive in the neighbourhood bringing with them the glamour of London life and a reckless taste for flirtation. Mansfield Park is considered Jane Austen’s first mature work and, with its quiet heroine and subtle examination of social position and moral integrity, one of her most profound.

My Review:

Working through my goal to read all of Austen’s books (as well as a running list of other classics I’d like to make my way through). I’m thankful my best friend and I have been buddy reading these so I have someone to talk to! Cause boy did I have a lot to talk about with this one.

So, it must be prefaced that Austen is an incredible writer (duh). I love her wit and perspective. I love the time period and her work is classic for a reason. I think it’s also fair to consider Pride & Prejudice and Sense & Sensibility her two most famous works. Personally, I enjoyed those two more than this one. However, I think much of why I didn’t love Mansfield Park as much was actually Austen’s whole point in writing the story.

First of all, it took me forever as a kid to realize Fanny Price was not the same as Fanny Ferrars/Dashwood. But alas, the two are as different as different could be. And though Fanny Dashwood is a comically horrible person, Fanny Price is annoyingly demure. Fanny was sweet and kind and all the things, and perhaps it’s my modern sensibilities, but there were a few moments I just got irritated at how self-deprecating she was. She couldn’t have her own thoughts because of course she was mistaken and Edmund’s declaration of how she felt and thought must be right. (See the satirical Austen at work here?) I know Fanny was raised to doubt herself and always believe others to be right above herself, but it didn’t exactly endear her (or the others) to me (looking at you, Edmund).

That said, I do relate to Fanny’s impossible position of being at home neither in her father’s house or in her uncle’s. Not of her own choices or direction, she’s become an alien in both places. She’s a mix of both and that creates pain and yearning in either place. Something I can deeply relate to. I appreciated the dichotomy of her situation and really enjoyed seeing her come to the realization of where she truly felt at home (as well as the other characters coming to finally see her as true family, too).

It’s a beautiful story, actually. The more I think on it, the more I appreciate the genius and nuance of it. Though we shouldn’t stoop to attempting to judge classic novels by our modern senses of pacing, etc., I still struggled with the slower beginning of this one. I was definitely a little bored until the Crawfords shoed up. Once we started dealing with playacting shenanigans, I became much more invested in the story.

I swear through the whole book I kept telling my best friend “these characters are absolutely and thoroughly absurd!” The characters of P&P and S&S are endearing and I adore them, but the characters of Mansfield Park are all ridiculous in some way or at some point (or just completely from start to finish in some cases). Again, I imagine this was much Austen’s delight and point. The absurdity of it all is laughable! But it did make me shake my head quite a bit. I honestly can’t say I loved any of the characters, but some of them grew on me and several still have merit. I liked Tom’s arc and I liked the uncle a lot. I also enjoyed Susan’s bit. Edmund, Mary, Julia, and Moriah (and even on occasion Fanny, as already mentioned) just had some unbelievably silly personalities and moments.

Anywho, a funny story, a classic, very cleverly written, as is Austen’s trademark. Definitely worth making time for! Though still not my favorite of her works. Looking forward to tackling Emma next!

More On GraceBought

If you liked this story, check out other books by Austen:

Pride & Prejudice and Sense & Sensibility