Since we swiftly finished Shutter Island, the book club decided to go straight on to the next book, Mansfield Park by Jane Austen. Since Austenites the world over know the plot, I won’t repeat it but these are just general thoughts I have after reading it for the first time in years.

I’ll admit I’m one of the many who find it a bit boring compared to Austen’s more beloved novels. Fanny is a passive, moral character that readers would be good to emulate but not so much fun to read. My friend pointed out that Fanny is much like CInderella, steadfast in her sense of self and never giving into peer pressure while being ignored and verbally abused by the idle rich around her. Putting her in that light made Fanny more tolerable but still stale.

Nonetheless, the flaws of the characters are much more obvious now that I’m older. The Crawfords are the epitome of the rich playing around without consequence or consideration to the feelings of others. Even Mary, the more interesting one, is much more nasty than I remember, and Henry is a vain cad.

But Edmund is also unlikable in this. He’s just as self-involved as his siblings, leaning on Fanny for moral support and internal confidences and literally doesn’t notice her feelings towards the end. I mean when the whole Crawford-Rushworth scandal breaks, he doesn’t even comfort her (non) feelings about Crawford throwing her over for Maria. He aks her to think about his disappointment that Mary is a jerk! Honestly, Fanny is settling as Edmund is willing to compromise what he knows is right and wrong because he has the hots for Mary. Too bad Fanny didn’t get a chance to fall in love with someone else. I know she had few options to see the outside world but let’s face it, she only cared for Edmund because he showed basic decency. He seems as fickle as Romeo in my opinion.

However, it is such fun to read the old-timey phrases like saying Fanny was “knocked up” instead of tired or that the characters had intercourse over the weeks instead of communicated. The innuendos were hilarious out of context!

So what are your thoughts on Austen’s underrated novel? Comment below!