Blessing Guest Post!

I was honored to do a guest post for Blessing Counter's new blog series today! You can click HERE for the post. I'd love to hear what you think and hope you're all having a lovely Wednesday!

Book Review // Before Midnight: A Cinderella Retelling by Cameron Dokey // Guest post by Ekaterina

Before Midnight: A Cinderella Retelling by Cameron Dokey ~ Guest post by Ekaterina

How do you know about yourself? What are your stories? The ones you tell yourself, and the ones told by others. All of us begin somewhere. Though I suppose the truth is that we begin more than once; whether our lives are short or long. Until at last our beginnings come down to just one end, and the tale of who we are is done.

After reading those very first words of the book, I think that is when I was drawn into the book. The yarn then started to wrap around me so that I couldn’t get out of the story. 

I liked how Cinderella was known as La Cendrillon in this retelling. In a lot of fairytales, it is hard for me to connect with the main character, since they usually appear perfect, which I am not. I like reading stories with perfect characters, but I don’t usually feel connected with the characters. That is how I felt toward La Cendrillon during the second part of the book. This was probably because the book finished rather quickly. For the first part of the book, I felt as if I did connect with La Cendrillon. She lived in the country and got her hands dirty with gardening, for example. She had her struggles and I was able to identify with her because of those struggles.

There is another important character in the book that makes this retelling different than the original story. His name is Raoul. He was brought to La Cendrillon’s house at the beginning of the novel by her father and does not know who he is or who his parents are. This becomes a struggle for him as he grows older because he continually wishes to go on in life, but feels like he can’t because he doesn’t know who he is.

Unlike the original story of Cinderella, which portrays the stepmother as evil, and the stepsisters as mean, this story really shows only one stepsister being mean and later on gives the reason why. I liked the stepmother in this book because she was not cruel like I expected her to be from the other stories, but was suffering from a marriage with no love…which brings me to probably the main reason why this book was enjoyable. 

I loved how love was shown in the book. Everything that the characters did, seemed to happen because of their love. For example, La Cendrillon’s father despises her because he believes she caused the death of her mother, who he loved so much. Here is one statement mentioned about love in the book, 'Love so joyfully and freely given can never be taken away. It is never truly gone.' I think that this statement accurately shows perhaps the message of love throughout the book. The more I think about it, this retelling is a story of love and not just the type of love between a boy and a girl.

I would give this 4 out of 5 stars because it was a really beautiful and sweet story, but the book ended a tad too fast, which is why one star is missing. If you like a sweet story that is a quick read, I would definitely recommend this book. :)

Thanks Heidi for letting me participate in this party!

~     ~     ~

Note from Heidi: Thank you so much for sharing, Ekaterina!  I'm getting most intrigued about this retelling and looking forward to reading it! :)

Cinderella Party: Persuasion by Jane Austen // Guest post by Jessica Prescott

Persuasion by Jane Austen

A guest post by Jessica Prescott

Before I begin, I’d really like to thank Heidi for allowing me to do this guest post on Persuasion for Cinderella Week—it’s such a wonderful honor! Persuasion has been my favorite Jane Austen novel, hands down, ever since the day I read those gorgeous final scenes for the first time as a teenage girl. (And no, I don’t just refer to “The Letter”—although that was obviously a huge part of it ;-) ) To this day, Persuasion remains one of the most powerful love stories I’ve ever read; and I firmly believe it is Austen’s best work. Until Heidi included it in her Cinderella Week list, however, I never thought of it as a “Cinderella story” in any way. 

I see now, however, that this novel is, most definitely, a Cinderella story—perhaps one of the most beautifully written Cinderella stories ever to grace the world of fiction. (Which shouldn’t surprise anyone, I suppose . . . we are dealing with Jane Austen, after all.) I probably won’t be able to cover all its Cinderella-like elements in this post, but I’ll try to hit the most important ones. 

First, we have the most important feature of any Cinderella story—a beautiful, kind-hearted, but completely undervalued and mistreated heroine. Voila. Anne Elliot. 

Although nobody around her recognizes it, Anne is truly beautiful—actually, she’s the Austen heroine that I have the most vivid mental picture of, thanks to Austen’s short but evocative description in chapter 1: “delicate features and mild dark eyes.” Personally, I always imagine her looking somewhat like a young Enya: 

(With a different haircut, naturally ;-) )

Besides her outward beauty, Anne is also genuinely kind, sweet, loving, and gentle—astonishingly so, in fact, given the treatment she’s received all her life. Neither her father nor her two sisters care anything about her; but she’s always doing something for them, trying to help them out and make them more comfortable. She seems to be one of those characters who just want to be kind and helpful to others, whether the favor is returned or not. Obviously, a deeply admirable trait—and a very “Cinderella-like” one as well. After all, isn’t Cinderella always busy working for her stepmother and stepsisters, even though they do nothing whatsoever to show their gratitude? 

What about the “evil stepmother” element? At first glance, it seems that Austen has replaced the evil stepmother with an evil stepfather—and although Sir Walter isn’t technically a “stepfather,” he is unquestionably evil. Here he has a daughter who is quite possibly the nicest character in the history of British literature, and he shows not the smallest bit of affection for her or concern for her welfare. On the contrary, he is always trying to make her feel worthless—leaving her behind when he takes Elizabeth to London, refusing her money, making fun of her friends . . . the list goes on and on. To say nothing of the fact that he does his best to ruin her entire life by refusing his consent to her earlier match with Wentworth—okay, I’ll stop now. Suffice it to say that I hate the man. 

However. An argument can be made (Heidi was the first to point this out to me) that Lady Russell is something of an “evil stepmother” figure as well. I, personally, think she definitely is. Not just because she fulfills the “evil stepmother” function by being an obstacle in the way of Anne’s relationship with her “prince,” but because she is also a deeply flawed character. Not truly “evil” in the way Sir Walter and Mr. Elliot are—but still. I think she’s much more than just a good person who happens to make some mistakes (as Anne, for example, regards her). In my opinion, Lady Russell makes what are called “culpable mistakes.” In other words, she makes Mistakes She Should Not Have Made. She makes mistakes because there’s something seriously wrong with her character, something she would do well to fix before any more time elapses. Namely—the desire for control. Lady Russell’s real motive (whether she admits it to herself or not) is to run Anne’s life, to make all her choices for her. And that’s just wrong. Even though she believes that she knows what’s best for Anne, it’s still wrong to try to force another person’s choices. Yes, I know she regarded Anne as a daughter and all that, but once your daughter (or your son) has reached adulthood, you absolutely have to step aside and give them control of their own destiny. You can’t live their lives for them. 

So . . . that was a bit of an Anti-Russell Rant. Let’s move on to happier subjects. Like the Prince. Otherwise known as Captain Frederick Wentworth. 

And is he ever a prince. Captain Wentworth will always have a special place in my heart—and I think in the hearts of almost all Austen fans—for his fiery, passionate nature, his unbending loyalty, and his genuine sweetness and humility. (The guy even agrees to be friends with Lady Russell, folks. Now that’s charity.) Oh—and he has dark eyes that glow. Like, they actually glow. Go read “The Letter” scene again and you’ll see what I’m talking about. 

By the way, Captain Wentworth is a hard guy to match with a picture. I know how he should look, but there aren’t many actors out there who fit the bill. The only person I know of who actually “works”—to my mind anyway—is Ioan Gruffudd:

(Watch out, Mr. Elliot; he has a sword and he knows how to use it. ;-) ) 

Interestingly, the usual Cinderella pattern is turned upside down here—Anne and Wentworth do come from completely different “worlds” (social positions), but this time it’s Anne who has the high status and Captain Wentworth who is the apparent nobody. Initially, at any rate—once Wentworth makes his fortune and Anne’s family loses theirs, the roles are reversed yet again . . . But yes. The girl and her prince meet, they fall in love, they plan to get married . . . and then they’re swept apart. Just like in all Cinderella stories. But here, the separation doesn’t just last a couple of days or weeks. Instead, Anne and Wentworth are divided for eight long years. 

(I don’t like thinking about that part. It hurts.) 

And when they meet again, of course, the “stepmother” (Lady Russell) is still trying to throw obstacles in the way of their relationship. (I hate how she tries to persuade Anne to accept Mr. Elliot. Never mind that she “didn’t know” how bad he was. She has no business trying to make Anne’s choices for her.) And of course, we have Henrietta and Louisa Musgrove as well, whom (as Heidi also pointed out) can easily been seen as another pair of “stepsisters.” Don’t they remind you of Cinderella’s sisters fighting over the glass slipper to try and win the prince? “Oh, it will surely fit my foot—no, it will surely fit my foot!” 

But . . . fortunately . . . Henrietta marries Charles Hayter, Louisa goes off with Captain Benwick, and Wentworth finally realizes that he still loves Anne and—equally important—that she still loves him. And then . . . we come to everybody’s favorite part. The Letter Scene. 

This is, of course, the counterpart of the “slipper fits” scene in a real Cinderella story. And it’s every bit as thrilling, romantic, beautiful and—ultimately—satisfying. Not just the words of the letter itself (although they’re absolutely phenomenal) but just the way the whole thing is written. Listen: 

“. . . and instantly crossing the room to the writing table, and standing with his back towards Mrs. Musgrove, he drew out a letter from under the scattered paper, placed it before Anne with eyes of glowing entreaty fixed on her for a moment, and hastily collecting his gloves, was again out of the room, almost before Mrs. Musgrove was aware of his being in it . . .” 

*swallows hard* 

Is that not complete and utter gorgeousness? (Told ya his eyes glowed, by the way.) 

Finally, Cinderella and her prince are together again. Finally, Anne Elliot has someone who loves her—truly loves her—the way she deserves to be loved. Finally, Lady Russell and Sir Walter have both been put in their proper places. And finally, we have reached the end of another glorious Jane Austen romance—which also happens to be one of the best Cinderella stories of all time. 

I love Persuasion. I don’t think I shall ever stop loving it.

(Thanks again, Heidi—I had so much fun!)

~     ~     ~

Note from Heidi: Thank you so much, Jessica!! I love this!! ;)

In which I hope for an overwhelming response in the comments section...

Hello everyone!

I'm working on a "June Happenings" post to go up here sometime soon (and also thinking on this week's fun Ring Around the Rose questions—also posting soon), but meanwhile I've started a new monthly blog series over on Sharing the Journey and I wanted to be sure and tell all you dear story lovers over here, too so you can join in! :)

But no spoilers! For more details see my official post here on Sharing the Journey. I'm looking forward to hearing what you all think!

Ring Around the Rose ~ Week 2: Meeting Characters

Question #2: If you could meet any literary character, who would it be?

Let’s see. For me, reading about characters (where you're thinking, seeing, feeling everything with them) and actually meeting them seem worlds apart. For instance, I'd love to be Margaret Hale, but if I was Heidi and she was Margaret, I'm afraid she'd actually be rather reserved—wondering how I knew so much about her inner self. (Of course, if I was Margaret there are several characters I'd absolutely love to meet and the same goes for numerous other characters from Austen or Montgomery or Caroline Dale Snedeker or Margaret Leighton or Beverly Butler or Lewis or Tolkien, etc. ;))

And if I continue with a Lord of the Rings theme off last week, there are so many wonderful nominees I’m afraid it’s nearly impossible to make a rational decision (quite apart from the above problem): Gandalf, Faramir (you can read my guest post on him here), Aragorn, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Gimli, Legolas, Eomer, Boromir, Beregond, Tom Bombadil…Treebeard! You see my dilemma.

So going with something completely different, I’ll say Avdotya Romanovna, Raskolnikov’s sister in Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment. 

Deeply beautiful inside and out—waking to find herself in a dark mesh of circumstances beyond her wildest nightmares—her tough integrity, loyalty, and love are stunning. And I think she’d make an amazing friend.

Tell me! Is there a favorite literary character you’d love to meet?

Guest Post on Amy March

Happy Thursday everyone!

I was recently honored to do a character sketch of Amy March here for Hamlette's wonderful Little Women read-along. Do check it out and share your thoughts!

A Look at the '05 Pride & Prejudice

Note #1: I'm leaving this up for the time being, but since posting years ago, I've done (pretty much) a 180 on this film, so you can see my more recent thoughts on it in my full review HERE. ;)

Note #2: this originally appeared as a guest post on Evie's older blog A Period Drama Fangirl and I'm reposting it here with her gracious permission. (Thank you, Evie!) If you'd like to see the original post/comments you can click here or go to my original link post here.

Hello everyone! We’re going to be discussing the ’05 P&P with Keira Knightley and, before we get started, let me just put out a qualifier. I’ll be offering some thoughtful criticism in the following, but I DO have friends and relatives who really like this film, so please take it all solely as my own personal opinions and preferences. :) Now let us begin!

Point #1: Accuracy to the book

Some of this spills into the following points as well, so here we’ll talk mostly about accuracy in the character portrayals and script.

First off is the pacing. This is a little interesting. At times it seems to move very slowly (with plenty of sitting and swinging in the barnyard) before it will suddenly speed up–skipping through various plot points. It was also filmed using more modern camera angles and coloration. Throughout, my general impression is that they were trying to inject a higher level of tension and drama into the story. After thinking it through, I’ve come to the conclusion that this sort of approach simply doesn’t sit well on P&P. Sense and Sensibility and Northanger Abbey, for instance, are more melodramatic–allowing for more artistic license in the drama direction–whereas P&P is much more of a candid social commentary. 

Along with this is the modern behavior. I won’t say much about the casting per se (as everyone has different tastes), but the modern behavior is undeniable. All the girls–including even Jane (who is still quite sweet)–are very giggly and very prone to posture problems–slouching and bouncing, and lying sprawled on beds and couches. There is also (particularly on Lizzy’s part) some very flagrant disrespect. On this point in the book, Darcy (acute critic that he is) specifically states in his letter that Jane and Lizzy had exempted themselves from the general censure: “…let it give you consolation to consider that, to have conducted yourselves so as to avoid any share of the like censure is praise no less generally bestowed on you and your eldest sister, than it is honorable to the sense and disposition of both.” Which admission he does make here as well in his first proposal: “Pardon me, you and your sister I must exclude from this.” 

The rewrite of Darcy’s line above is not, in itself, a heinous offence (though I think the original is far better), but another–more serious–problem is the occasional giving of one character’s lines to another. I’m talking a line of Miss Bingley’s given to Mary, Miss Bingley then responding with one of Mr. Bingley’s humorous lines (made sarcastic), and then Lizzy standing up for Mary. Needless to say, it rather messes with the character development.

And then there’s the eavesdropping. Everyone eavesdrops…even Jane. In the book, after Lydia’s disclosure regarding Darcy, we learn that, “Jane’s delicate sense of honor would not allow her to speak privately of what Lydia had let fall.” Listening at doors is stretching her character just a little too far. The listening at doors at all is also simply rather ludicrous, especially as (again) the book specifically states they didn’t do it. When angling for Mr. B’s proposal, Mrs. Bennet breaks up the card tables and takes Kitty upstairs out of sight and sound; and after Lady Catherine departs from Longbourn in high dudgeon, it isn’t until Lizzy goes upstairs that, “Her mother impatiently met her at the door of the dressing-room.”

By their handling of all this, the filmmakers were obviously trying to catch the bumptious energy and curiosity of the Bennets as well as the social tensions of the era and bring it across to modern audiences. And that’s no easy feat–as our world’s perceptions and sensitivities have changed so much from when the book was written–but it shouldn’t be done at the expense of compromising the story.

Point #2: Accuracy to the period

Hertfordshire was one of the principal market counties of London, providing fresh produce to the city, and in the book we are told Longbourn was a journey of twenty-four miles (less than half a day’s journey) away. This farmyard setting is most certainly brought out in the movie. Only problem is: setting-wise it’s not quite accurate. This is in the days of gentlemen farmers (think Mr. Knightley), and those living directly on/working the farms were generally tenant farmers. The Bennets owned a farm and it’s not specifically stated in the book whether or not they lived directly on it, but a few things can be inferred by their occupations–which would have been very different if they had. For reference, think of Harriet Smith’s adventures with the Martins in Austen’s own Emma–or the social hierarchy/daily activities of characters in George Eliot’s Adam Bede or Thomas Hardy’s Far From the Madding Crowd. If the Bennets lived directly on the farm they would have been doing the work around it to some extent.

The fashions seem to be a mix of eras (about four at least): 

Georgian,

Regency,

Romance,

and 21st century.

It’s reasonable to assume Mrs. Bennet might have been wearing older dresses (i.e. Georgian)–except that she comes across as very fashion conscious (particularly when it comes to “long sleeves”). With the exception of the Georgian and Regency dresses, most of the waistlines tend toward a Romance-era look (c. Elizabeth Gaskell’s Wives and Daughters). 

Another big fashion issue is the loose hair. In the period, we know, for instance, that they almost certainly didn’t wash as often as we imagine. But socially, there were still things that were and were not done. A good woman would not have been seen publicly in the streets with her hair down or hanging messed around her face. 

All in all, I feel they were almost trying to create a “fairytale” setting–not tied down to any particular time. The main problem is that they don’t exactly cue you to interpret it that way, so most viewers seem to go away thinking they’ve now, “Seen what the Regency period really looked like.”

Point #3: Accuracy to Austen’s themes

My final point is actually one of my biggest issues, but I’ll just touch on it briefly. It basically comes down to what the foundation for a relationship between a man and a woman should be. This is a huge theme in the book, illuminated by all the different couples: Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, Mr. Collins and Charlotte, Darcy and Lizzy, Bingley and Jane, and, of course, Wickham and Lydia. To me, this version focused much more on emotional and physical attraction, and less on the meeting (or clash) of minds. Of the two main couples, this particularly came out on Darcy’s side–and almost completely so in the relationship between Jane and Bingley (the other exemplary couple whose courtship we see). 

If there was ever a story that emphasized the respect and clear-headed evaluations to be considered when looking at a marriage, P&P is it. Near the end of the book, Lizzy begins “to comprehend that he was exactly the man, who, in disposition and talents, would most suit her. His understanding and temper, though unlike her own, would have answered all her wishes. It was an union that must have been to the advantage of both.” “Gratitude and esteem”–discovered through all the ups and downs of their story–is the foundation for their love. 

You may have started seeing how two of those ‘Famous Lines’ fit into this: “You have bewitched me body and soul” followed by, “Your hands are cold.” There’s nothing actually wrong with either (aside from not being Jane Austen), though the first one definitely belongs more to later 19th century literature…Mr. Rochester, perhaps??? As for the second one: I know people think, say, and experience all sorts of down-to-earth things at extraordinary times, so that’s not the problem.

Now, of course, in a romantic relationship between a man and a woman there’s all sorts of natural enchantment and bewitchment going on. But (as I mentioned above) as a story, P&P by definition places much more emphasis on a different aspect. The aspect of two people who are willing to see and correct their shortcomings (i.e. in this case, a fair amount of pride and prejudice on both sides) and who then respond each to the other in humility, gratitude, and love. And that, along with willingness for self-sacrifice, is a strong foundation for a marriage.

So, there are some of my thoughts on the ’05 P&P. Thank you all for following me to the end of them! What is your opinion of this adaptation? 

I've Been Interviewed!

I recently did an interview for Emma Jane's new "Society of Literary Ladies." Here's the link. Be sure to explore the rest of her lovely and delightful blog (A Lantern in Her Hand) as well as checking out the interview and sharing your thoughts!!

'09 Emma Dresses: A Guest Post by Naomi

Naomi (who blogs most delightfully at her lovely Wonderland Creek) has prepared this fun costume study for me to share with you all! (And a quick note: this study is for the ’09 version of Emma, a review of which will shortly be forthcoming…)

And now—please welcome Naomi!! (And thank you so very much, m’dear! ;))

~ ~ ~

Firstly a big thank you to Heidi for organising this jolly event and giving me the honour of guest posting at her blog!

Romola Garai’s Emma’s wardrobe is, according to myself, perfection. Feminine, simple, charming, flowery, gentle and yet special and clever. I just love it to pieces. She has many dresses and here, in no particular order, are my twelve favourites:

#1 Emma’s youthful dress

This is the dress Emma wears in her ‘teenage’ years. When she still wears her hair down and plays with dollies… sort of.

As you can see, it’s white, and has a colourful ribbon tied around her waist. This dress really has a youthful look about it, I think – her others are more ‘grown’ up than this one. A very sweet dress, although not my absolute favourite of her dresses.

#2 Emma’s light blue dress

Again, not an absolute favourite, although very Emma-ish and pretty. It’s just slightly too poufy and loose-fitting for a Regency dress, I think. But what I really like about the dress is the little chain watch at the waist… it shows that Emma is a ‘rich’ girl. The dress can also be worn without the chemisette.

#3 Emma’s salmon coloured dress

I didn’t quite know what to name this comfortable-looking dress, so I just went with its colour – salmon colour. Again, there’s a thick ribbon with long strands at the back… making the dress look very comfortable. The white shirt underneath finishes the look completely.

#4 Emma’s pink dress

Emma looks absolutely beautiful in the pink dress! I love her matching rosy ribbon in her hair, and the exquisite silk ribbon and frilled chemisette!

#5 Emma’s ‘ship-court’ dress

I called this Emma’s ‘ship-court’ dress because she wore it in the scene where her empty-head friend tries to solve Mr Elton’s riddle. ‘Ship-court!’ ‘No, Harriet. Courtship!’

Again, another day dress which looks very comfortable and casual. This one looks nice and warm too – probably recommended by her father, heehee. I absolutely adore the detail at the edges – it has a greek, gothic feel to it which was very popular during that time period.

#6 Emma’s coat

Yes, yes, I know – this isn’t a dress. It’s Emma’s coat and just too pretty not to add. Besides, it looks a little like a dress. Sheesh. 

This looks like such a warm coat! It’s so pretty with those embroidery details at the front and that ‘Christmassy’ look. Beautiful!

#7 Emma’s sea-blue dress

So sweet! I love the contrast between those red ribbons on the greeny-blue dress. This dress can also be worn without the white chemisette.

#8 Emma’s brown dress

Emma wears this to the strawberry-picking event… a beautiful, natural, brown sprigged gown. Very light, fluttery, summery and beautiful!

#9 Emma’s argument dress

I call this one Emma’s ‘argument’ dress because she wears it in the scene where she and Mr Knightley have their argument. 

Anyway, another beautiful dress with another beautiful ribbon and some more beautiful, patterned fabric. During the regency time, colours such as these- dark, rich, exotic colours- were often more expensive… this dress must not have been one of Emma’s cheapest gowns!

#10 Emma’s engagement dress

Who does not like this dress? It’s absolutely darling! Part of the reason I love it is because it’s the dress she wears in my absolute favourite scene in the movie… her engagement scene! The sweetest dress for the sweetest scene ever!

#11 Emma’s ball gown

Ahhh. I love this dress so much! To start with it’s pink, it has puffed sleeves and it’s just scrumptiously pretty! No more to say… just perfect!

#12 Emma’s orange flowered dress

Normally I’m not particularly fond of orange dresses, but this one. is. just. amazing. I want.

Firstly, the design. So old-fashioned, so scrumptious, so festive. Secondly, the frothiness at the top… it’s just a very sweet pattern. Very simple, but very elegant. And thirdly, I really like the way she matches the dress with a darker shawl and a string of small orange pearls.

So, don’t you agree?

Is this not the best wardrobe ever?

Emma Week Tag Answers – A Guest Post from my sister!

This Emma party would be quite incomplete without a guest post from my littlest sister! She’s an (almost) eleven year-old period drama aficionado who loves Emma and helped me with innumerable party planning details—and she loves looking at and sorting through pictures!! ;-)

So—without more ado—here are her tag answers!

Discovering Emma Week Tag

1. Have you ever read Emma? ~ No, I haven’t yet.

2. If so, is that how you first made her acquaintance? (If not, feel free to elaborate!) ~ I first made her acquaintance by my older sisters and watching the ’96 (Gwyneth Paltrow) Emma.

3. Do you have a favorite film adaptation? ~ The 70’s is probably my favorite, but my second favorite is the ’09!

4. Favorite dress(es) from that film? ~ Here are a lot of my favorite dresses:

A bunch of the dresses in the 70’s Emma are in the 80’s Pride & Prejudice, too. In the pictures here, Jane wears the pelisse Emma’s wearing (top left), and Miss Bingley wears the lilac dress Emma’s wearing (bottom middle), and the dress that Harriet’s wearing (bottom right) Lydia wears.

I like this one, because this one has a lot of neat dresses. The purple-blue lattice dress Jane Fairfax is wearing (top) Jane wears in the ’09 and the blue striped dress Emma wears with the puppies and calling on the Bates (bottom left) Emma also wears in the dark-haired (Kate Beckinsale) Emma. 

My favorite dress in here is probably the one Emma is wearing at the bottom left (between Harriet and Mrs. Elton), and Jane Fairfax’s one she’s wearing with spots runs a close second.

I really like all these dresses! I can’t really say what my favorite is, but I kind of think Emma’s red dress (with the green sash) and her gold dress on the bottom and Mrs. Elton’s orange dress in the middle.

5. Share a line you love from either the book or movie/s—several if you like! ~ Mr. Knightley in the ’96 (GP): “Poor Miss Taylor, indeed. It is Mr. Elton who deserves our pity.” And Mr. Elton: “A party is a party, but a party on a Summer’s Eve...!” 

6. Is Emma one of your favorite heroines? Why or why not? ~ Yes, she is! I think it’s because she is so interactive with everybody.

7. What is one of Emma’s strengths (good qualities)? ~ She’s willing to change her opinions.

8. Describe in one (or two…or three) sentences, why Mr. Knightley is so wonderful. ~ His interaction toward Emma and he cares for people. And he’s always a gentleman.

9. Why do you think Mr. Knightley and Emma are so well suited to each other? ~ Because they fit each other so goodly, and their temperaments (well, Emma’s character changes) go together so well, and (if you didn’t have the scene at Box Hill) the whole story wouldn’t work. 

10. Would you rather spend a week in Highbury with the Westons—on Abbey-Mill Farm with the Martins—or in London with the John Knightleys? ~ Ummm. The John Knightleys, most likely. But it switches back and forth between the Westons.

The John Knightleys

And here are some of my favorite characters! 

I like all the Jane’s and Emma’s and Mrs. Weston’s…

And I like the Isabella in the ’09 Emma a lot.

And I really like the part at the end of the ’09 and also the Gwyneth Paltrow Emma! :)

Thank you for reading my post!