Emma by Jane Austen - a review.

Title: Emma.

 

Author: Jane Austen (O.o I did not know that her name was spelled with an E instead of an I until just today. So the label on this post will still say Jane Austin, instead of Jane Austen. Funny thing to not notice, right? EDIT 12/22/14: I've just got an changed the label because otherwise it would annoy me.)

Synopsis: Beautiful, clever, rich - and single - Emma Woodhouse is perfectly content with her life and sees no need for either love or marriage. Nothing, however, delights her more than interfering in the romantic lives of others. But when she ignores the warnings of her good friend Mr Knightley and attempts to arrange a suitable match for her protegee Harriet Smith, her carefully laid plans soon unravel and have consequences that she never expected.
(From Goodreads, because I couldn't think one up.)

My rating: 9/10 stars.

Things I didn't like/things you should know: I can't think of a single thing that was wrong about this book, in terms of cleanness. Emma takes God's name in vain a few times near the end of the book.... But that's about it.
One thing, however, annoyed me. Numerous times throughout the book, instead of saying, "I went to the store and bought some apples because I am going to make an apple pie," Jane Austen wrote, "She went to the store and bought some apples because she is going to make an apple pie." She would put it in quotations, but write it as if it weren't in quotations. That annoyed me.

My thoughts: This was a great book! I'm a fan of Jane Austen anyway. Emma doesn't quite top Pride and Prejudice (or Sense and Sensibility... though I'd need to re-read that one before making up my mind entirely), but it is a wonderful book! I especially loved the last 19 chapters (part three, in my version). The last 19 chapters is when all my favorite parts happen - the ball, Box Hill, the proposal.... *dreamy sigh.*
Emma is very well-written and has Jane Austen's usual humor, which I love.
What I really loved about this book, though, was the character development. The book takes place over a period of about a year and Emma learns and changes through that year. You can see her innermost thoughts, and can see how her mistakes make her into a better person. She's a totally different person by the end of the book, than she was at the beginning. I love seeing that in literature.

Would I recommend this book? Yes! To fans of books like Jane Austen's, Emma will delight.

And if you don't want to read the book.... go watch BBC's 2009 version of Emma! It is amazing! Very accurate to the book, I think - and just beautiful to watch.

 

Live long and prosper!

Top Tuesday: Top Eleven Period Dramas.

I am starting something new. Every Tuesday I will post a list of my "Top ______ _______'s."
Today, I will be starting with my Top eleven favorite period dramas. I will start with the highest number and end with my number one favorite.
(Also, just by the way, I have seen at least five more period dramas than those on the list, but since they didn't make a huge impact on me, they won't be listed).

11. Cranford.
Cranford is a lively drama set in a small town in the 1840's.

Cranford is run by the ladies, who love to gossip and tell all sorts of stories.
Cranford (and Return to Cranford) is full of fun, lively characters who do hilarious things (like dress up the cow in pajamas and put a bird in a hoop skirt).
I enjoy Cranford, although it's a bit too sad.... Everyone dies! Well, not everyone. But a whole lot of people die - and I don't like stories where people die all the time. (MOFFAT!!!)

10. Sense and Sensibility (2008).

I did a review (of sorts) here.

9. Mansfield Park (1983).

Mansfield Park is one of the less-popular Austin novels... and the film adaptions don't do too well either, I think. I, however, love Mansfield Park. I don't know what it is about it... I just love it. This particular version is probably my favorite because it's the one I saw first, and I really like the actress who plays Fanny. I also love it when Fanny goes home... Her family is so strange.
I've seen one other version of Mansfield Park... One starring Billie Piper as Fanny. I really enjoyed that one as well... But for some odd reason, I don't remember much of it. Maybe because half the time I was going, "Rose! Rose! Why are you in the 1800's Rose? Did the Doctor drop you off?!" and the other half of the time I was going, "MR. ELTON! How come you aren't despicable in this one? You're so nice! How is that possible?!"

8. Downton Abbey.

 

Most people have heard of Downton Abbey. It's one of those popular British shows that everyone loves... Kind of like Doctor Who, Sherlock, and Merlin. It's set in the early 1900's, and shows the rich life of the Crawley family, and their servants. The social structures collapse during the First World War (which takes places in Season 2) and master fights next to servant.
It is all very interesting and a great show (although there is some questionable material).

7. Persuasion (1995 - It was a very good year.... for Jane Austin films....)

 

Because it's Jane Austin. And I love this adaption, even though I haven't seen any other ones, and even though I haven't read the book, and even though I have no clue if it's accurate or not.

6. Sherlock Holmes, starring Jeremy Brett.

THE best interpretation of the Sherlock Holmes books that I have seen. It is so accurate to the books. Jeremy Brett would read each script and if something wasn't like the books, he would make the writers change it.
He looks like Sherlock Holmes, he acts like Sherlock Holmes, he IS Sherlock Holmes.

5. The Scarlet Pimpernel (1982).

 

I saw this recently and oh my word... It was amazing! I have heard great things about it and boy, my sources were right. Now I really want to read the book (though I've heard the movie version is different from the book).
I laughed so hard at some parts... Great movie. "Sink meh!"

4. Sense and Sensibility (1995).

 

Colonel Brandon = Alan Rickman! Enough said.
Hee hee kidding.
Sense and Sensibility is one of my favorite Austin books, and this version with Emma Thompson is great. She's a wonderful actress. Everyone else fits their parts well also. Except maybe Edward... I have yet to find a perfect Edward.

3. Master and Commander.

 

I'm not entirely sure this counts as a period drama... But whatever, it's one of my favorites.
The music is amazing, Russell Crowe is amazing, the doctor dude whose name I never remember is amazing... It's all great. Plus it takes place on a ship! I love stories that take place on ships, on stories where people are on a ship that gets shipwrecked.
Anyway, it is one of my all time favorite movies. (Warning: There is one use of the F-word.)

2. Pride and Prejudice (1995 - told you it was a good year for Jane Austin adaptions).

This is one of those period dramas that I will never get tired of watching... Even though it is six hours long. It just has a way of drawing you in... Ask my dad! We started watching it with him and then my mom and I went on our big trip over the summer and he finished watching it without us!
This adaption of Pride and Prejudice is also the most accurate to the book that I've seen.

And now... *drumroll* my favorite period drama.....

1. Emma (2009).

 

This is another of those period dramas that I could watch over and over and over again.
Emma is by far my mom and I's favorite. I haven't read Emma, but from what I gather, this version is very close to the book.
Plus the costumes are beautiful! And the music is wonderful! And the actors are brilliant! (See Jonny Lee Miller on the right? Sherlock Holmes from Elementary!)

And there you have it! Tomorrow I will try my best to comment on every one's blogs... since I haven't for a few days. I have been reading all your posts, though!

Live long and prosper!

Day 16: A short wishlist with pictures.

I like how they have to say a "short" wishlist.

Anyway, I don't want too much... I'm pretty happy. I wouldn't mind a few CD's so I guess that's what I'll post.

The Essential Glenn Miller. (Doctor Who made me remember how much I love this guy.)

Spiked! by Spike Jones. (It's not as bad as it looks... Well.... Haha. I'll just play a song for you after the picture of the album.)

The Doris Day Christmas Album. (Mostly for the song "Snowfall" which is my favorite winter song... Plus I LOVE Doris Day's voice!).

And finally.... the Soundtrack for Star Wars #4: A New Hope. (Star Wars has some of the best music ever created. John Williams was at his height when he wrote the music).

Yup, that pretty much sums it up.

Well... Except for this:

NOT the boat. Or the doll. The dress. I love that dress. It hasn't come out yet, though (6 more days!) so I'm not sure if it counts.... The dress reminds me a lot of one that Emma wears in Emma 2009.

Mixed with:

Soooooo pretty. I love the costumes from Emma 2009. I would wear every single one of them.

So long farewell! Thanks for all the fish! Live long and prosper!

On the mend!

It was thought that I had strep throat or possibly mono, so I was brought into the doctor's office yesterday to be tested. They did the strep throat test right in the office and it came back negative (yay!) but for the mono test, they had to draw blood.... I'm not terrified with needles or blood, but I don't like them. Especially when I'm the one getting a shot, having blood drawn, or bleeding.
My veins are so deep, they had to poke me 4 times.... It was nasty. And then the test came back negative.... I didn't have to be poked 4 times after all! *Sigh* Oh well, at least I don't have mono!
My sore throat has gone away (although my voice keeps coming and going) and I'm not sneezing anymore. Or blowing my nose. (I believe I went through three tissue boxes!) I'm still coughing, which is horribly annoying....
I also have an ear infection. It is what has been making me have a fever and be sick for the past week.
I'm taking some medicine for it.... But I'm not allowed to eat wheat (bread, crackers, pasta, etc.), dairy (milk, cheese, alfredo sauce, etc.), or sweet things (juice, candy, pudding, yogurt, most fruit, ice crea, practically everything else you can think of). I am, however, allowed to have meat, most vegitables, leafy greens, watermelon, and strawberries!

While being sick, I've been watching Jane Austin movies.
Namely, Pride and Prejudice:

The 6-hour version starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle! I love this version, it's so amazing. Plus it's super long, which is good when you have an afternoon to spare because your sick.

I've also been watching Emma (I'm actually watching it right now for the second time in a week):

The 4-hour version! Also a good one to watch when you have a free afternoon or evening to spare because your sick.
This version of Emma was made in 2009 by the BBC and it is amazing!
See the guy on the right, in the picture (the young guy)? His name is Jonny Lee Miller. He's playing Sherlock Holmes in a new series that the CBS is making. It's called "Elementary."
I am not happy about "Elementary."
I have many reasons for this, the number one being that the CBS is making Watson a girl.
There are other reasons, of course. Like, "Elementary" is set in present day (like BBC's "Sherlock"). "Elementary" is set in New York (instead of London, where the books are set). Watson is a girl. Jonny Lee Miller, although a fantastic actor, doesn't look like Sherlock Holmes (after Jeremy Brett and Benedict Cumberbatch playing Sherlock Holmes, I don't think another actor could ever come close to looking like Holmes). Evidently, the plot line is that Sherlock Holmes is a former Scotland Yard investegator (not a private consulting detective like that books?????) who goes to New York with his friend Joan Watson (who is a girl...). They go to New York because Sherlock Holmes is a recovering drug addict and he has to go to rehab. Watson is a GIRL!
It sounds very far off from Sherlock Holmes, if you ask me. And Watson as a girl?! That can't work. It's impossible. I refuse to believe it.
I don't think I'll be watching "Elementary."
It sounds too far off from Sherlock Holmes and there's already another Sherlock Holmes series which holds my attention. BBC's "Sherlock" may be modern, but they keep it near the stories.

Speaking of "Sherlock." Season two FINALLY aired in the United States! I saw the first episode ("A Scandal in Belgravia" based off of "A Scandal in Bohemia" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle) on Sunday night and I eagerly anticipate the second episode!

Now I shall post this so I can give "Emma" my full attention.