Welcome to Litsy!

Emma being asked to comment on Mrs. E and only responding that she is "very elegantly dressed" is the original Shady Aretha moment and it absolutely sent me. ? Anyway, we're starting to see Emma's growth now. Mrs. W and Knightley hint that she hasn't been behaving well toward Jane and Emma internally agrees. She also recognizes that though she dislikes the Eltons, its her role as a leader in society to throw them a dinner- and she does! Progress!

How goes your September? Have you finished reading this month's 'Then' - Emma? I've just started. But I did add the very autumnal Signature Gilded Edition to my collection. (I'm up to 9 Emmas.) As well as the very summery Mansfield Park. Peacock Pride and Prejudice is my favorite. Now if only Northanger Abbey would be released. 🦚📖 📚

#janeaustenthenandnow
#everythingemma
#pemberlittens

I'm reading ahead, but I can't stop! Mrs. E brings a new energy to the book when she appears and I love how much Emma detests her. And even though I know she's set up to be vulgar and unlikeable, I always feel a strange empathy for her at first in being transplanted to a new place. And is her condescending "adoption" of Jane Fairfax in the coming chapters so different from Emma's relationship with Harriet? Where are you on Augusta, #PemberLittens?

Frank actually shows up in Highbury! Emma is charmed by his easy gregariousness but Knightley sizes him up as an affected, preening fop. Meanwhile, the Coles are throwing a party and Emma is dying to reject their invitation - but then it doesn't come?! How absolute dare! When it belatedly shows up, she actually agrees to grace them with her presence and even condescends to sing and play for them. And then Jane performs after her and *crushes it*.

#BookReport

I continued my yearlong reads on the right

I continued Tombland #ShardlakeBR, Emma #PemberLittens #JaneAustenThenAndNow & started Brideshead Revisited #HashtagBrigade

I continued A Thousand Feasts

I finished The Healing Season of Pottery

I started Krakk, but I didn‘t get that much reading in & it was due back at the library yesterday, so I put it on hold.I‘m on the wait list again

I read Ambjørnsen‘s latest short story collection

What news! Elton is engaged to one Miss Hawkins of Bristol. He swans around in triumph over his hot, rich wife-to-be, but Emma clocks the truth ‐ she's pretty enough but she has no real class or connections, and worst of all, her family money was made in some totally dubious way. The narrator throws some shade here and I'm curious about your thoughts, #PemberLittens - does the new Mrs. E have slave-trade connections? (Article link in comments!)

Today's chapters give us the backstory on yet another orphaned kid from Highbury, Jane Fairfax. Niece to the chatterbox Miss Bates, Jane is being raised and educated by friends of her father, the Campbells. Emma suspects some drama between Jane and the husband of her foster sister, but Jane isn't spilling any tea. Worse, she knows Frank Churchill and *refuses* to gossip about him, offering only vague generalities, which Emma finds unforgivable.

So much happened in Emma while I was in the woods! Most recently Frank Churchill still hasn't arrived to celebrate his father's marriage. Mr. Knightley tears him to shreds while Emma's all, "Lay off, he's sure to be charming!" To be fair, Emma knows a thing or twelve about "tempers to manage" and cuts Frank some slack. After managing her entire family's emotional load just a few chapters ago during the dinner from Hell, her outlook totally tracks.

Free at Amazon today: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DKVZQKK2/?coliid=ISNIPO5T5BE64&colid=1VG92PRS10QV5&p...

#Pemberlittens #JaneAustenThenAndNow

So, full review time. I liked that Mansfield Park was an art emporium and Fanny a burgeoning artist. The death of Sir Thomas was sad but a great motivator for all of the selfish habits of the family to come to light. I suspected the murderer from the beginning but the whole motive wasn't overly obvious either. I enjoyed the slight change in Mary Crawford, to be more sympathetic & trying to gain real friendship with Fanny. The ending was satisfying