Press enter after choosing selection

Mansfield Park

Austen, Jane, 1775-1817. Book - 1814 Adult Book / Fiction / Classic / Austen, Jane None on shelf 1 request on 1 copy Community Rating: 4.2 out of 5

Cover image for Mansfield Park

Sign in to request

Location & Checkout Length Call Number Checkout Length Item Status
Westgate Adult Books
4-week checkout
Adult Book / Fiction / Classic / Austen, Jane 4-week checkout Due 02-16-2024

REVIEWS & SUMMARIES

Library Journal Review
School Library Journal Review
Summary / Annotation
Fiction Profile
Excerpt
Author Notes
Table of Contents

COMMUNITY REVIEWS

Underrated and underappreciated submitted by scooterpie on July 27, 2011, 2:31pm While overshadowed by all her other works, Mansfield Park is easily Austen's most political novel. Dealing with a wealthy family - the Bertrams - right after the abolition of the slave trade, Austen shows the strange apathy over slavery amongst the English upper-class at the time. Fanny - the heroine - is the poor niece of Sir Thomas Bertram who has been sent to Mansfield Park to live with the Bertrams. She mostly does housework and gets scolded by the Bertrams, save for her cousin Edmund.

While there is a romance between Fanny and Edmund, it takes a backseat to the struggle the Bertrams face trying to maintain their wealthy lifestyle after they lose the slaves on their plantation in Antigua. Not much is made of the slaves/slave trade by the Bertrams, leading Fanny (and the reader) to wonder why it is not talked about - surely an intention of Austen's.

Not my favorite submitted by stoutr on June 23, 2014, 8:45pm This wasn't my favorite of Austen's novels, despite being predisposed to like anything written by her. The characters are well-crafted, of course, but too many of them were too irritating and unlikable for me to enjoy spending 400 pages with them. My impression was that Austen hadn't fully developed her inclination towards writing human characters rather than good and bad ones that I enjoyed in her other books. Here, the main character was so good she annoyed me, and most of the other characters were so bad that they were insufferable. The development of the father's character was one pleasant exception.
Austen's insight into the intricacies of her culture are clearly evident, as always.

Mansfield Park submitted by SBNB on July 30, 2014, 9:12pm I think Mansfield Park ranks third in my list of Jane Austen books. I enjoyed the story, but I don't reread it often.

My favorite prose work from the 19th Century submitted by torikaebaya on February 4, 2017, 12:45pm Easily my favorite prose work from the 19th Century (written in English that is). I should have read this in high school but the canon for advanced readers has shifted over the years, so I've just finished it for the first time.

Great Characters submitted by majean on July 21, 2018, 3:28pm I really enjoy the characters in this one. I think you get a better feel for life in the time period than in the other books.

Less romantic, but very thought-provoking submitted by lollycandy on June 23, 2019, 5:15pm In this book, some may complain that it is less enjoyable than Austen's other books. However, I've found that it is thought-provoking when comparing the virtues she describes compared contemporary virtues. I certainly find, in the main character's judgement, an example to remind me of my own virtues. I've found myself remembering Fanny when hesitating to wash the dishes or vacuum something or otherwise procrastinating, and I remind myself of the pleasure that comes from persevering and the pleasure which comes afterwards of getting something done.
Some may complain that the main character , Fanny, is too "good" which makes her less human, I think that the way Austen portrays Fanny is akin to portraying an angel in a painting: you have a limited scope to observe her in, and you are able to reflect upon the contrast of her goodness to the ugly head of greed and imprudence that is rearing its head across from her.
Another difference between Austen's other novels and this one is that she is more cruel to her main character, so there are fewer happy moments scattered throughout, and her satire is more sharp, pointed, and critical as opposed to purely humorous. The plot moves at a medium pace. Overall, I found the book enjoyable in that the plot was interesting, the virtues and vices considered in the book worthy of reflection, and Jane Austen's style of writing is enjoyable to me.

The Classic Story of Fanny Price is One of Austen's More Sober Novels submitted by sVfGI7Glt2pz7GZgVB90 on August 17, 2019, 11:32am Austen tells the familiar story of a young woman, Fanny Price, and her pursuit of the right husband. Fanny is the archetypal poor relative, who is "rescued" from her large and impoverished family to be raised in her aunt's household, Mansfield Park. My favorite line: "Afraid of everybody, ashamed of herself and longing for the home she had left, she knew not to look up and could scarcely speak to be heard, or without crying." Read it to understand the modern discontent with Austen's heroine.

Solid Jane Austen submitted by tkuz5 on June 22, 2021, 8:22pm Another solid story for true JA fans!

Mansfield Park submitted by smgop on July 17, 2021, 9:50am Another great JA novel!

Enjoyable story, but overly meek protagonist submitted by KatieD on August 19, 2021, 3:03pm While I enjoy all of Jane Austen's works, this is one of them I don't find myself coming back to over and over. Fanny, the protagonist, is incredibly meek and shy and the story just more happens around her. She doesn't play much of an active role in her own life at all. That said, it is still an interesting story and I did enjoy reading it.

Boring submitted by bookasaurusray on July 27, 2022, 11:37am Fanny is too annoying to really enjoy this Austen work

Cover image for Mansfield Park


PUBLISHED
various publishers, 1814.
Year Published: 1814
Description: 440 p.
Language: English
Format: Book

ISBN/STANDARD NUMBER
0307386880
0451526295
1593081545
0375757813
0393967913
0679601945
0786885246
9780141439808

SUBJECTS
Young women -- England -- Fiction.
Adoptees -- Fiction.
Cousins -- Fiction.
Children of the rich -- Fiction.
Country homes -- England -- Fiction.
England -- Fiction.
Domestic fiction.
Love stories.