Not if you're Emma, the very big fish in the rather small pond. But for a young woman who knows everything, Emma has a lot to learn about herself. Ever alive to the uproarious nuances of human behaviour, and both the pleasures and pitfalls of village life, beloved author Alexander McCall Smith's Emma is the busybody we all know and love, and a true modern delight.
Not if you're Emma, the very big fish in the rather small pond. But for a young woman who knows everything, Emma has a lot to learn about herself. Ever alive to the uproarious nuances of human behaviour, and both the pleasures and pitfalls of village life, beloved author Alexander McCall Smith's Emma is the busybody we all know and love, and a true modern delight.
- ISBN:
- 9780007553860
- 9780007553860
- Category:
- Contemporary fiction
- Publication Date:
- 01-11-2014
- Publisher:
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Country of origin:
- United Kingdom
- Pages:
- 368
- Dimensions (mm):
- 234x153mm
- Weight:
- 0.55kg
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Reviews
2 Reviews
Alexander McCall Smith’s retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma was an enjoyable light read. Not having read the original, I can’t say how it compares but it seems like an interesting adaptation. At first I wasn’t really sure which time period it was supposed to be set in because the language seems too formal and old fashioned for the present day. There was a good mix of characters- some were likeable, some were not, my favourite being Mr. Woodhouse. The storyline was somewhat predictable but a pleasant novel nonetheless.
After taking credit for introducing her governess and best friend, Miss Taylor, to her husband, the spoiled and beautiful Emma Woodhouse becomes interested in match-making. However, when her attempts to find a match for the naive and dim-witted Harriet Smith go awry, she nearly misses her own chance at romance.
Adapting a well known and much loved novel such as Jane Austen's Emma to a modern setting was always going to be a challenge, one I feel that Alexander McCall Smith has risen to successfully. McCall Smith has managed to capture the charm and witty humour of Jane Austen without it feeling rehashed or overdone.
My one disappointment in this novel was the failure to bring it completely into the 21st century. At times I forgot that it was set in today's world as there was little to separate it from the original time period except the use of modern transport and technology.
An enjoyable read for both those new to Emma and lovers of the classic alike.
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