MISTLETOE Mini-Contest

“‘So Emma,’ said he, ‘you are quite the stranger at home. It must seem odd enough for you to be here. A pretty piece of work your Aunt Turner has made of it! By heaven!… What a blow it must have been upon you! To find yourself, instead of heiress of eight or nine thousand pounds, sent back a weight upon your family, without a sixpence…. After keeping you from your family for such a length of time as must do away all natural affection… you are returned upon their hands without a sixpence.’”

— Jane Austen, The Watsons

The next Pink book, The Mischief of the Mistletoe, opens with the above quote from Jane Austen’s unfinished novel, The Watsons. I took my inspiration for Mistletoe from Austen’s story of a young woman returning to a modest home after being disappointed of her expectations by her great-aunt’s imprudent remarriage.

Guess what happens to my heroine?

The Watsons is not one of Austen’s more popular works. Referring to it as a dark re-run of Pride and Prejudice, critics have speculated about her motives both for writing and for abandoning it.

None of them seems to have considered the possibility that it might have something to do with an old family friend, French spies, Christmas puddings, and an amiable vegetable named Turnip Fitzhugh….

For an advance copy of The Mischief of the Mistletoe, here is this month’s question:

Which is your favorite Austen work? What appeals to you about it?

A winner, chosen at random, will be announced here on the News page next Tuesday.

157 Comments

  1. Christine on May 4, 2010 at 9:48 am

    Definitely Pride and Prejudice. You really want Elizabeth and Darcy to get together and it’s just a classic story of misunderstanding and missed chances, then you finally get the happy ending. I even loved Bride and Prejudice movie!

  2. Georgia on May 4, 2010 at 10:00 am

    I have a soft spot for Persuassion. Anne and Captain Wentworth have to go through so much. And his letter never fails to move me.

  3. Maddie on May 4, 2010 at 10:01 am

    My favorite novel by Jane Austen– and I love them all– would have to be Emma. When I was reading it, I could really relate to Emma, and found that we had a lot in common. Her fiery and over confident nature hit very close to home and for once I got to see just how much I irritated other people 🙂 It’s filled with witty repartee and interesting twists and finally, a happy ending that– admittedly– brought tears to my eyes. Happy endings tend to do that to me And of course, who couldn’t love Mr. Knightley? He’s one of my all time favorite Austen heroes.

  4. Laura B. on May 4, 2010 at 10:04 am

    Persuasion. I can relate to Anne and I like Captain Wentworth.

  5. Kimmie on May 4, 2010 at 10:09 am

    My favorite would have to be, Pride and Prejudice. I was so happy for Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy to get together at the end after all they had been through together and with all of the bad luck they had both had. I’m so glad they fell in love and became happy. They really do deserve each other.

  6. Rachel Kennedy on May 4, 2010 at 10:13 am

    While I have recently fallen in love with Persuasion, I’m going to have to stick with Pride and Prejudice. I am drawn to the strong and witty personality of Elizabeth Bennett, and who doesn’t love the dark and unyielding Mr. Darcy who is changed by love and won over in the end. As a backdrop, I find the idiotic and aggravating Bennetts to be quite humorous. We all have family we’d like to distance ourselves from for these very reasons.

  7. Eve on May 4, 2010 at 10:15 am

    Gotta say Persuasion. The themes of love lost and regained resonated with me more than any of Austen’s other works. And really, I just want my own “Captain Wentworth letter.” 😉

  8. Phil Taylor on May 4, 2010 at 10:19 am

    Pride and Prejudice. I liked Mr. Darcy.

  9. J on May 4, 2010 at 10:22 am

    Pride and Prejudice is my favorite Austen work. I find something new to love each time I read it. The theme of scribe chances and being open to changing opinions after first impressions resonates with me.

    Thanks for the contest! I can’t wait to read it.

  10. Elissa on May 4, 2010 at 10:26 am

    While all of Miss Austen’s works are fantastic. I have to go with Sense and Sensibility. Elinor and Marianne remind me of my sister and I. Plus Edward and Elinor are about love overcoming obstacles.

  11. Alena on May 4, 2010 at 10:29 am

    My favorite is Pride and Prejudice! It was the first Austen work I read (thanks to my awesome 10th-grade English teacher), and I just fell in love with the wit and charm. Plus, who can resist Mr. Darcy?!

  12. Pam on May 4, 2010 at 10:30 am

    Oh, gosh, I love them all. Pride and Prejudice was my first Austen in eighth grade (I saw the BBC/A&E miniseries with my parents and fell deeply in love with Colin Firth/Mr. Darcy. I think I memorized that book. Then I went on an Austen bender, wheee! As an alleged grown-up, I’ve really come to love Persuasion. There’s an understanding of *real* love–mature, adult love that endures loss, absence, and real adversity–that is lacking in the other novels. But I still love me some Pride and Prejudice. Wet shirt scene…sigh.

  13. Julie A. on May 4, 2010 at 10:31 am

    I also love Pride and Prejudice. I just like the way the story is written and Elizabeth’s point of view of it.

  14. Sara McEachern on May 4, 2010 at 10:33 am

    Definitely has to be “Love and Freinship” because it’s just so hilarious!

    All the fainting!

    http://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/lovfrend.html (read it online)

  15. Kendra on May 4, 2010 at 10:36 am

    Though I love all of Austen’s novels, I’ve always been particularly attached to Northanger Abbey. I read it for the first time in high school when I was very much like Catherine, with a very over-active imagination, so I guess I felt a bit more connected to her than other Austen heroines.

  16. Nina on May 4, 2010 at 10:37 am

    I am torn between Pride & Prejudice and Emma. I love P&P for its humour, and naturally Mr. Darcy. I love the tension between Lizzy and Darcy as well. It was my first Austen as well, so it will always hold a special place in my heart.

    I love Emma, for Emma. I find her wit amusing and I love the way she tries to justify and control every situation that she is in.

  17. Diana on May 4, 2010 at 10:40 am

    I think Emma would have to be my favorite. It is light-hearted and Emma is so well-meaning even as her own conceit gets in the way.

  18. Allison on May 4, 2010 at 10:43 am

    Pride and Prejudice. There is something about Darcy and Elizabeth that makes me want to read it over and over again.

  19. Susan on May 4, 2010 at 10:43 am

    I think I’m torn between Pride & Prejudice and Persuasion. I like family relationships, both good and bad. And I like the journey that characters take in getting to know themselves and one another.
    I think I’d give the nod to P&P since that is the first one I ever read, so it’s got a special place for me!

  20. Tami on May 4, 2010 at 10:51 am

    Emma – definitely! I just loved her. She was very witty and overconfident, and I found that a very endearing combination. I’m reminded of her wit, in particular, seemingly every time I read one of the Pink novels. Emma seemed a lot “lighter” in tone than other Austen novels as well, and I liked that about it. It stood out amongst a body of great work by Jane Austen.

  21. Kari on May 4, 2010 at 10:57 am

    My absolute favorite Jane Austen novel has to be Persuasion. I love that it’s a novel about longing and redemption and finding your way back to someone after years and years. It just ends so well and it’s such a great journey.

  22. Hollidae on May 4, 2010 at 11:00 am

    I’d have to go with Sense & Sensibility, though it’s not as well written as P & P. I’ve always loved the contrast between Elinor and Marianne. Willoughby just arouses such anger in me (the cad!), and what a villain Fanny is! And Mrs. Jennings is probably my favorite supporting character in any Austen work – she is hysterical.

  23. Stacy on May 4, 2010 at 11:04 am

    While I dearly love most of Austen’s work, Northanger Abbey is my favourite. To me it was less heavy and dragging than her other books. Catherine really hit home for me, too 🙂

  24. Alexis on May 4, 2010 at 11:09 am

    I’m torn between Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion. P & P was my favorite for so long (who doesn’t love Mr.Darcy?), but as I get older I feel closer and closer to Anne. Ultimately, I’m going to have to go with P & P though. Mostly because I own multiple copies so I’m never without something good to read 🙂

  25. Fran on May 4, 2010 at 11:18 am

    While I love Pride & Prejudice, I’d have to go with Northanger Abbey. I didn’t think much of it when I first read it in high school, but when I re-read it in my twenties, I was laughing all the way thru! I love how Austen pokes fun at the Gothic romances that were so popular then. And of course, Catherine is the sweetest, most naive heroine – you can’t help but love her!

  26. Dayana on May 4, 2010 at 11:19 am

    Easy question: Pride and Prejudice!

    Though I do like Sense and Sensibility, P&P all the way. It’s that feeling of actually be in the book and living out their drama. People can relate to Lizzy. She’s such an awesome main character. It’s just the entirety of the love story that totally has me hooked.

    I even like the way they talk all fine and english like with it’s hard-to-comprehend-vocabulary-that-makes-one-want-to-grab-a-dictionary-and-have-it-with-them-at-all-times vocabulary.

    I can sympythise with Jane and her
    hardship with Mr. Bingley’s obliviousness. I get that feeling of wanting to smack Mr. Dacry, hot as he is, around for being so darn haughty. I swear I’d like to give Catherine De Bourgh a peice of my mind one day.

    See? There I go! Man, Pride and Prejudice is the best!

  27. Laura on May 4, 2010 at 11:22 am

    P&P for sure. I love Mr. Bennett’s sarcasm and find all the secondary characters hilarious especially Mrs. Bennett and Mr. Collins.

  28. Tessa on May 4, 2010 at 11:37 am

    Even though it is so popular that it is practically uncool, my favorite Austen novel is Pride and Prejudice. I love it because the first sentence is brilliant, and my English prof always said you can tell a lot about a novel by the first sentence. I love the way that Lizzie’s family interacts with each other and how embarrassing it must be to be out with them in public. I love that Lady Catherine is so completely out of touch with reality, but that doesn’t stop her from demanding that she get her way. I love that Charlotte actually marries Mr. Collins! And I love when Mr. Darcy tries to propose to Lizzie and he does such a horrible and insulting job of it that she has to be just as horrible and insulting back to him.

  29. Brianna on May 4, 2010 at 11:42 am

    i would have to say pride and prejudice. i know its probably alot of peoples favorites but i believe that is because the relationship between the bennett familymembers is so charming and great. you love them from the very beginning. the family’s love and frustration with one other is magical and so fun to read.
    love bri

  30. Brianna on May 4, 2010 at 11:43 am

    i would have to say pride and prejudice. i know its probably a lot of peoples favorites but i believe that is because the relationship between the bennett family members is so charming and great. you love them from the very beginning. the family’s love and frustration with one other is magical and so fun to read.
    love bri

  31. Lois M. on May 4, 2010 at 12:05 pm

    Well, needless to say (or, well, I guess it must be said, you don’t know me all that well LOL) it’s Pride and Prejudice, and probably for all the same reasons why anyone does. . . but then comes Northanger Abbey (I soooo love Henry Tilney!) and unlike many, I count on the top of the favorites Mansfield Park. I know many dislike it, but I really like it — maybe there is some of Fanny in me and subconsciously I know it but not aware of it yet. LOL When it comes to the other stuff, I loved what there was of Sandition. Boy did I wish that was finished. Lady Susan I’m not all that fond of, but it really surprised me that Jane wrote that; the one and only time thus far that I read it, it just seemed so different. Who knows, it might not now.

    Lois

  32. AnneK on May 4, 2010 at 12:11 pm

    Persuasion. Hands down. Captain Wentworth is so in love with Anne that, even when he’s rejected and angry, treats her better than anyone. Anne is so in love with him that she actually tries to help the other girl win him, so he’d be happy.

    I love family’s comic relief from the story with the bratty boys and the spoilt sister. I love how Anne’s father and mentor cannot stand each other.

    Also, I love that the heroine shares my name, which is not often used. Anne’s are usually misspelled and relegated to be wallflowers. Thank you Lauren for creating a fabulous Anne in the first Lady Vaughn!

  33. Lauren on May 4, 2010 at 12:14 pm

    “Persuasion,” because it shows that love lasts forever and can overcome any obstacle.

  34. Raelyn Heslop on May 4, 2010 at 12:16 pm

    I personally like Emma because I can see so much of myself within the character. I tend to think that my advice concerning issues of the heart are gold… even if I don’t have that much experience. Sometimes I find myself so caught up in other peoples problems and romance woes and in trying to fix all of it I forget to see the very romance and love of my life right in front of me (my husband).

  35. Raelyn Heslop on May 4, 2010 at 12:17 pm

    I personally like Emma because I can see so much of myself within the character. I tend to think that my advice concerning issues of the heart are gold… even if I don’t have that much experience. Sometimes I find myself so caught up in other peoples problems and romance woes and in trying to fix all of it I forget to see the very romance and love of my life right in front of me (my husband).

    Raelyn

  36. Diya on May 4, 2010 at 12:18 pm

    Does Pride and Prejudice and Zombies count?

    haha well in all honesty I kind of like them all. However, I’ll go with Pride and Prejudice because each line of that book, more so than her other’s I feel, feels like poetry. I really really admire the way she wrote that novel, so that it still applys to life and love to this day!
    =)

  37. Sheila on May 4, 2010 at 12:22 pm

    Iguess I will go out on a limb and name Northanger Abbey, which I read after a long love affair with Gothic romances. It struck my funnybone, and then I moved on to Regencies…all as a teenager, soooo many years ago

  38. Yvette on May 4, 2010 at 12:23 pm

    I love them all, and over the years my favorite has changed several times (depending on my state of mind at the time, I suppose). Right now, my favorite is Northanger Abbey. I love Catherine-as-heroine becoming Catherine-in-the-real-world. She learns a lot about the difference between what people say & what they actually do, the importance of following your own conscience, and standing up against peer-pressure – all very important life-lessons that many people never learn. Plus, there is Jane Austen’s wonderful wit throughout the novel; and on specific subjects like the importance of novels as literature, and what a great advantage Catherine would have with young men in general because she is not very smart, and is willing to admire intelligence & taste (uncritically) in others.

  39. Ashlee on May 4, 2010 at 12:30 pm

    I think my favorite would have to be Pride & Prejudice. It was my first Austen novel and I’ll always cherish that. I remember that I was kind of going through a rough patch at that time and reading this novel helped to keep my spirits up 🙂 Some people might laugh at that but aren’t books written to both uplift one’s spirits and to transport the reader to another world?? Pride & Prejudice did (and does) that.

  40. Amy on May 4, 2010 at 12:32 pm

    Northanger Abbey

    I love Mr. Tilney and Catherine. If I had to choose an Austen man, I’d pick Mr. Tileny everytime!! And Catherine, with her over active imagination, I can totally relate 🙂

  41. Chelsey on May 4, 2010 at 12:54 pm

    Emma, most definitely! I love all of the characters and their striking characteristics. Such a wonderful world of match-making, parties, deceptions, and misunderstandings. One of my all-time favorite stories from one of my all-time favorite authors, Miss Austen 🙂

  42. rachel on May 4, 2010 at 1:05 pm

    I enjoyed “Northanger Abbey” simply because it was fun and light and different than the rest of her work.

  43. Kelsay on May 4, 2010 at 1:07 pm

    My favorite would definitely have to be Pride & Prejudice. I relate to Elizabeth a lot, and let’s face it, who can resist Mr. Darcy? Plus, it was the first classic with which I fell in love. 🙂

  44. Christy on May 4, 2010 at 1:07 pm

    I’m going to have to go with Persuasion. In my opinion, Wentworth is the perfect hero, and the letter he writes at the end is like a cherry on a sundae: it makes an already perfect book even more perfect.

  45. Elizabeth on May 4, 2010 at 1:23 pm

    Sense and Sensibility, definitely. In it, Jane Austen has managed to capture the best parts of sisterhood, the most realistic villian (willoughby), the tension between emotions and reason, and a harsh social commentary… all while remaining the Miss Austen we all know and love.

  46. Jessica S. on May 4, 2010 at 1:34 pm

    Northanger Abbey, because it’s hilarious!!!! The biting wit is never so apparent as in NA, in my opinion!!!

  47. Amanda on May 4, 2010 at 1:40 pm

    Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite books. Jane Austen wrote about modern women before we were even allowed to vote! Elizabeth has a strong personality and isn’t afraid to be herself, even when faced with an insulting marriage proposal that many women of the time were desperate to have. I also love her ridiculous mother, silly sisters and dry witted father, but most importantly, who cound resist the Mr Darcy at Pemberly?!

  48. Tracy on May 4, 2010 at 1:42 pm

    Sense and Sensibility is my favorite Austen book. When Lucy announces that she is engaged to Edward, I feel as if I am Eleanor, jealous and heart broken. Love the family dynamics!

  49. Jessica on May 4, 2010 at 1:48 pm

    Sense and Sensibility. Austen managed to roll every woman I know into those sisters, and I identify with different aspects of their characters every time I read the book.

  50. Brittany on May 4, 2010 at 1:56 pm

    I first discovered Jane Austen when I had to do a research paper in my Sr. english class in high school, ever since then Pride and Prejudice has always been my favorite and I re-read it every couple years.

  51. Lauren T on May 4, 2010 at 1:57 pm

    It is a toss up between Pride and Prejudice and Emma. I love how Austen created strong spunky characters who find themselves in plausible situations, who one can laugh at, cry with, and smile for during the envitable happy ending.

  52. Katie on May 4, 2010 at 2:26 pm

    Oh, Pride and Predjudice, the source of 90% of my lierary joy! Is it the wit, the characters, the humor? Yes, but then there is Mr. Darcy. Of course everyone loves Mr. Darcy, and why? Because he was awesome and in love enough to issue a shot-gun wedding for lose moraled Lydia. He hooks a couple of sisters up, makes them happy, pays off debts, saves the family name, and all for Lizzy!

    Colonel Brandon- I’ll fetch you’re family when your dying

    Edward Ferras- Um, I’ll marry you once I get extricated from my current relashionship, oops!

    Edmund Bertram- Oh! I’d forgot about you, I suppose we could get married…

    Henry Tilney- I’ll forgive you for
    thinking my house is haunted and that my lunitc mother is secreted away somewhere in the attic

    Mr. Knightly- Gee Honey, you’re a brat, but as long as you’re fine with me telling you that…

    Captain Wentworth- (He’s pretty awsome too, so we won’t go there)

    The point is, while the rest of Jane Austen’s heros were fun and very kind, and generally well humored, they just lacked Mr. Darcy’s epic awesomeness and his grandios decleration of love. Who needs fireworks and orchestras when you can have shotgun wedding or two?

  53. Katie Widener on May 4, 2010 at 2:30 pm

    Persuasion is my favorite

    “All the privilege I claim for my own sex (it is not a very enviable one; you need not covet it), is that of loving longest, when existence or when hope is gone.”

    Anne to Captain Harville
    Persuasion, volume 2, chapter 11
    really how can you beat that?

  54. Sennin on May 4, 2010 at 2:37 pm

    PERSUASION!!!!Just thinking of Captain Wentworth starts cheezy power ballads going in my head! Waiting for You by Richard Marks, Everything I Do by Bryan Adams, I’ll Be There For You by Bon Jovi!!!! The devotion and the constancy and the general dreamyness of Captain Wentworth demand long corny guitar solos and impassioned lyrics!

  55. Elizabeth aka Miss Eliza on May 4, 2010 at 2:43 pm

    Northanger Abbey. Because I originally hated it. Weird I know. But to come back years later and realize how amazing and funny it is, with the sexiest and funniest of dashing men. It’s my fav now. The Andrew Davies adaptation didn’t hurt my opinion either….

  56. Allison on May 4, 2010 at 2:51 pm

    Persuasion is my favorite Austen. I love the themes of second chances and waiting for fate until the time is right.

    I really just love the fact that, even though things didn’t work the first time around, they were meant to be together so they were.

    The letter…the characters…love it!

  57. Meg on May 4, 2010 at 2:58 pm

    Sense and Sensibility.
    It was the first I ever read. I consider myself a strong person, and I’ve not encountered much which can move me to tears, but this book did the first time i read it. I see much that I respect and love in Elinor, and her quiet perseverance never fails in grabbing me.

  58. Megan-Elise on May 4, 2010 at 3:39 pm

    I’m going to have to say Emma, and NOT merely because Ewan McGregor was in the film ;D
    I really enjoyed Emma because I felt it was tremendously witty and just a great read all around. I found I was much more drawn to Emma than to say high strung Elizabeth Bennet.

  59. Celeste Bechdolt on May 4, 2010 at 3:47 pm

    I have to say Pride and Prejudice because I have certainly re-read it more than any other Austen, and it never disappoints no matter how many times I read it. I love the humor; is there any Austen character as ridiculous as Mr. Collins? This novel is my personal antidepressant.

  60. Katelin on May 4, 2010 at 3:54 pm

    I’m torn between Sense and sensibility and Pride and Prejudice. I love Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth.
    I find that I actually relate better to Marianne. I admit to being a bit of a romantic and a dreamer.

  61. Devan on May 4, 2010 at 4:09 pm

    Pride and Prejudice. It was my first Austen novel. I don’t know if I’ll ever get over Mr. Darcy and his broodiness.

  62. Laura on May 4, 2010 at 4:10 pm

    Pride and Prejudice. There are several great things about the book that I love and Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy is the icing on the cake.

  63. Rebecca on May 4, 2010 at 4:30 pm

    Oh, you know how to ask the hard questions don’t you? ;D

    For me it’s a toss up between Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion. Both are incredible and a joy to read! I especially love the characters in Persuasion and the maturity of the story overall.

  64. Rachel R on May 4, 2010 at 4:38 pm

    As much as I absolutely love love love Pride and Prejudice, I would have to say my favorite book by Jane Austen is ‘Mansfield Park’. I just love the bit of a naughty undertone to the book and I find the brother/sister duo of the Crawfords to be intriguing.

  65. Veronica on May 4, 2010 at 4:54 pm

    My favorite, although it is very difficult to choose, is Emma. She is such a headstrong, relate-able character. Austen’s writing style is particularly striking in this novel… and who doesn’t love Mr. Knightley?

  66. Lauren on May 4, 2010 at 4:57 pm

    Emma is my favourite. She is such a three dimensional character that I love to read about but wouldn’t necessarily want for my best friend.

  67. Jane Bigelow on May 4, 2010 at 5:00 pm

    It’s hard to choose a favorite, but I like Sense and Sensibility the best. I particularly love the real affection betweeen two such different sisters as Elinor and Marianne.
    The social and psychological commentary is wonderful, too. John Dashwood convincing himself that he’s really not being selfish at all in leaving his stepmother and half-sisters in drastically reduced circumstances while he and his nasty wife live quite comfortably is a masterpiece of rationalization.
    It’s also hard to give a short answer to this question, but I will restrain myself.

  68. Lisa Ungemach on May 4, 2010 at 5:05 pm

    I’ve always been a Pride and Prejudice fan. Lizzy is the kind of person I would like to be: witty, responsible, assertive. And you really can’t beat Mr. Darcy’s complete about-face in attitude all for her.
    However, I’m in the middle of reading Persuasion for the first time and I really empathize with Anne because I am a lot like her.

  69. Darlene Ferland on May 4, 2010 at 5:16 pm

    I would definitely say Northanger Abbey is my favorite Jane Austen book. Catherine is a wonderfully accessible and fun-to-read protagonist. The whole idea of using texts, in the same genre within the text, is a clever way of calling up the images of gothic fiction without actually placing the characters within the traditionally gothic settings. The storyline keeps you reading, dragging you along with Catherine.

  70. Rachel on May 4, 2010 at 5:22 pm

    An easy one! Not that I don’t love all Jane Austen (by the way, Lauren, congratulations on the new anthology!) but Pride and Prejudice is by far my favorite book ever. It’s full of Jane Austen’s trademark comedic style, it’s got likeable (and likeable not likeable) characters, it’s got quite a plot, it’s got an entire world built around it to help me obsess… but mostly it’s the greatest love story ever 🙂

  71. Rachel Adrianna on May 4, 2010 at 6:15 pm

    Northanger Abbey, because I relate to Catherine and her love of novels. AND its the first literary mention of the game of baseball 🙂

  72. Rebecca Crabb on May 4, 2010 at 6:24 pm

    I love Persuasion. I like the serious tone of it and how things work out for the main characters even after years of heartbreak and separation. My favorite part is Wentworth’s letter to Anne at the end

  73. Amanda on May 4, 2010 at 6:29 pm

    Why Pride and Prejudice of course! I just love Lizzy and Mr. Darcy.

  74. Cho on May 4, 2010 at 6:44 pm

    Pride and Prejudice is by far my favorite of Jane Austen’s books. I love the writing of it, the characters, and the plot, and reading it always makes me happy. It was the first book by Jane Austen that I read and the BBC film version of it remains one of my favorite movies to this day. The book, of course, is one of my very favorite books!

  75. Teje on May 4, 2010 at 7:38 pm

    Persuasion is by far my favorite Austen. I like that the heroine is older, and that she gets a second chance. Wentworth’s letter was the clincher for me.

  76. Jane F on May 4, 2010 at 8:11 pm

    I find a certain comfort in persuasion.

  77. Kayse on May 4, 2010 at 8:12 pm

    Sense and Sensibility. I was first exposed to the story at the tender age of ten, when my mom was watching the Hugh Grant movie on TV. Because of my familiarity with the story, S&S was the first Jane Austen book that I read, so so I’ve always had a soft spot for it for that reason. I’ve also always identified with Elinor; I was the calm, sensible old sister who was the voice of reason for my two younger sisters… they’re the Marianne and Margaret to my Elinor, if you will.

  78. Carol Cool on May 4, 2010 at 8:28 pm

    Pride and Prejudice was chick lit before there was chick lit. Elizabeth is the perfect snarky heroine and I love her for it!

  79. Kiley on May 4, 2010 at 8:29 pm

    Pride and Prejudice wins by a long shot. It was the first Austen novel I ever read. I fell in love with the moment I started reading. There was something about the characters, her writing and the plot that captivated me. I had never read anything like it before. I love all her novels, but P&P is the winner in my book.

  80. Shannon C on May 4, 2010 at 8:37 pm

    While Fanny from Mansfield Park may be one of my favorite characters, for overall favorite I think Pride and Prejudice narrowly beats out persuasion. It was my first introduction to the world of austen and I love the book and miniseries. I still haven’t found a mansfield park or persuasion miniseries that I love.

  81. Jessica C on May 4, 2010 at 8:48 pm

    My favourite is Emma – it beats Persuasion and Pride and Prejudice by a narrow margin. It is light and bright and sparkling; Emma’s has plenty of faults but underneath all her meddling lies a desire to make everyone happy. Mr Knightley is my favourite Austen hero – he has all of Mr Darcy’s good qualities, without his reserve or condescension. The transformation of their relationship from friendship to love is touching. All the minor characters are interesting – Miss Bates and Harriet are hilarious (though silly, they are both treated with some respect) and Mr and Mrs Elton almost beat Mr Collins in the ridiculousness stakes. Though I do not think that it is the best of her works in terms of underlying themes (that would be Mansfield Park, with its many undercurrents) or the most romantic (Persuasion), it is the one I love the most, and re-read most often.

  82. January on May 4, 2010 at 8:57 pm

    P&P definitely! I like to pretend I am Lizzy. 🙂

  83. Jessica S. on May 4, 2010 at 9:03 pm

    Wow!! I answered earlier and it did not appear. Points for double-checking!!!

    Northanger Abbey is my favorite, because it’s so damn funny. However, my favorite line of literature comes from P&P: (paraphrased, sorry, too lazy to look it up)

    Mr. Bennet: An unhappy alternative lies before you, Elizabeth. You must hereafter be a stranger to one of your parents. For you mother says she will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I shall never see you again if you DO.

    My favorite couple is probably Anne and Captain Wentworth, though…

  84. Dara on May 4, 2010 at 9:27 pm

    Pride and Prejudice, for the win! Elizabeth is, without a doubt, my favorite heroine. Her imperfections are what make her so appealing. Mr. Darcy doesn’t hurt either! 😉 I just adore their love story and I never get tired of it. I love all the different glimpses at different kinds of relationships in the book. Simply amazing! 😀

  85. Ivy on May 4, 2010 at 9:39 pm

    Pride and Prejudice – it has all the elements of a great story- comedy, romance, tragedy- and it is all set within a believable context and a small community.

  86. Emily on May 4, 2010 at 9:53 pm

    I do love Persuasion an awful lot, for all manner of reasons. I love the idea of the second chance, the heroine who learns the price of bowing to others’ opinions, the LETTER… There’s so much pain in the book- quiet pain that goes on for years and that you pretend that you can ignore, the sharper pain that comes when you have to face what you knew was true all along, etc. More than anything, though, of all the Austen novels, I have the strongest memories of the first reading with Persuasion. I borrowed it from a teacher’s class library in twelfth grade and started reading it right off the shelf, sitting on the floor of her room. I read it under the desk when class started (and the teacher couldn’t even get properly annoyed, because SHE KNEW) and I devoured it as soon as school was done for the day. I read the letter scene in the bath that night and almost dropped the book in the water from excitement. All those associations are layered into the book each time I read it, so it’s become so much more than just the story for me.

    Of course, there’s also the time I slapped the table in a college seminar and demanded that people stop being mean about Captain Wentworth, but that’s a WHOLE other story.

  87. Emily on May 4, 2010 at 9:55 pm

    Although I should also say, Henry Tilney is a man above all others for his wit and knowledge of muslin. SWOON.

  88. Julia on May 4, 2010 at 10:02 pm

    I am a devoted Jane Austin fan. Can quote the lines from all the stories, see the movies in my head. I’m sure there are a lot of us out there like that. Jane had a wonderful way of touching the true side of love. The fact that its not always easy and quick in coming. As we go through life at least one of Jane’s stories will touch you. Right now my favorite is Persuasion. You can feel Anne’s quiet desperation and inner pain for what she naively let slip through her fingers. She bore these feelings for years; never having any real hope for a happy future. Yet she didn’t allow herself to become completely bitter or hateful. She was still one of the kindest and loveable of heroines. She always took care of the ones around her. She was so unappreciated.

    Except by the one person she let go. Captain Wentworth is one of my favorite heroes. Even after being tossed aside for no real reason, he continued to silently love Anne. Even with distance and time he couldn’t stop. His head told him to move on. But the heart wants what the heart wants. How can anyone not relate to that?

    Of course, as in every good love story, there is a happy ending. The joy, bliss, and love that happens when they finally reconcile touches your heart. It also gives you hope. Hope that no matter how messed up your life gets and how much time passes, your true love can always find you. Thank you Jane!

  89. Rachel on May 4, 2010 at 10:17 pm

    While I regularly pick up Mansfield Park just to peruse when I’m between books … I’ve always loved the wit in Emma. So I shall vote that Emma wins as my favorite – but by a narrow margin …
    Although honorable mention goes to P & P for the ever-so-smart-and-perfect casting of the super dreamy Colin Firth …

  90. Belle on May 4, 2010 at 10:30 pm

    I am ridiculously fond of Northanger Abbey–because, like Catherine, I read too much, and expect the people in real life to behave like the people in books. Like Catherine, I often find that it doesn’t work that way–though I have never gone so far as to make a gothic murder mystery out of an old trunk.

    I like Austen’s style.

  91. Stephanie Ball on May 4, 2010 at 10:40 pm

    I really like persuasion because its a love that was thought to be lost but ended up being so desperately wanted between two people.

  92. Veronika on May 4, 2010 at 11:03 pm

    I love Pride and Prejudice for Lizzie’s character. I think everyone who has been a teenager understands what it is like to feel ashamed of one’s family (hopefully most of us grow out of that!) or to have your head turned by the wrong sort of man.

    I find that I come back to Mansfield Park the most, however, of all of Austen’s novels. I’m always a bit disappointed that the Crawfords aren’t the heroes, though, because I do appreciate a rascally protagonist.

  93. AngelB on May 5, 2010 at 12:02 am

    I can’t pick. I love P&P because of Colin Firth. 🙂 I love S&S because the gossiping is just so annoying it’s funny. I love Mansfield Park because the characters are the most realistic. I Northanger Abbey because it’s just silly. I love Persuasion because it shows she can go back.

    If anything, the one I like least is Emma…Just too nosy. Don’t like the lead character at all. Clueless made her better. 🙂

  94. Virginia on May 5, 2010 at 12:19 am

    I was quite surprised to see that my favorite, Northanger Abbey, had so many votes. I found Catherine and her imagination hysterically funny the first time I read it, which was before I had ever read a Gothic romance. Now it’s even funnier after having read a few. 🙂

    Although I think I need to confess I haven’t read Persuasion. I’ve been told my favorite will change once that happens. But for now, I adore Northanger Abbey.

  95. Sahar on May 5, 2010 at 1:06 am

    Persuasion is my favorite because, in my opinion, it is a more mature novel than her other works. From the beginning, we know that Captain Wentworth and Anne have been in love, but circumstances have separated them. We then have a story of them being reunited.

  96. Lia on May 5, 2010 at 1:59 am

    To tell the truth, it seems that my favorite Austen book changes every time I am asked. At the current moment, I would have to say that my favorite is Persuasion. I think because I relate the most to Anne. And everyone hopes for a second chance sometimes, right?

  97. Doris on May 5, 2010 at 2:02 am

    I am particularly fond of Austen’s juvenilia, especially Love and Friendship. Much like the Watsons, Love and Friendship tends to take a backseat to Austen’s more popular works. As much as I adore those as well–Pride and Prejudice was certainly a childhood favorite of mine (I wonder if any young girl could read that novel and not come away with at least a little crush on Darcy), Love and Friendship offers something unique, an early look into the mind of a young Jane Austen. Perhaps what I find most intriguing is that I could see all of the issues she takes up in her later works explored in Love and Friendship, and really who can resist a really good fainting scene?

  98. Renee on May 5, 2010 at 11:23 am

    I love Persuasion. Definitely not as much of a crowd-pleaser as P&P, but it’s my favorite. As much as I love Elizabeth Bennet as a heroine, I can’t help but cheer for the underdog heroines. There’s just something so redeeming about reading a story where the girl who never thought she’d have a HEA, ends with more than she ever dared to dream. Also, the theme of being unwisely persuaded is interesting, as is the theme of waiting, despite all the bad notches against one. Persuasion makes me happy because, as Oscar Wilde says, “All the good end happily and all the bad unhappily.” Just the way things should be!

  99. Carole on May 5, 2010 at 12:22 pm

    Oh, that is a hard one. It’s tsuck between Mansfield Park or Persuasion. Um, I’d have to say Mansfield Park. I love all the characters, even Maria and Young Tom (shocker, I know). They are so different and can represent someone in my life. I may be more like Anne, but I can see myself as Fanny too. Also, I love the story and how human nature can get in the way of everything. It shows that anyone can love anyone. There are so many reasons why I adore that book, but not enough time to express all of them.

  100. Carrie on May 5, 2010 at 12:25 pm

    My favorite is Pride & Prejudice, though Northanger Abbey is second (it makes me laugh through the entire story). I love Elizabeth Bennet and relate to the roadblocks to a relationship that she and Darcy have. Elizabeth’s (well, Austen’s!) snarky humor and observations about society are SO TRUE even today.

  101. Molly on May 5, 2010 at 12:28 pm

    For me, my two favorites are Persuasion and Pride and Prejudice, and I love them for the opposite reasons.

    With Persuasion I get the underdog heroine and the maturity overall, and I read it when I’m in a contemplative mood.

    But, I read P&P when I’m in the mood for Austen’s comedic side. I keep my mass market copy of P&P in my purse (and it is SO worn out) for when I find myself in need of a time killer. I have all my favorite parts memorized =).

  102. Joni on May 5, 2010 at 2:41 pm

    I have to say that Pride and Prejudice is my favorite.

    Besides the fact that I love the dynamic between Elizabeth and Darcy, I just think that Jane Austen created an amazing story that was both believable and entertaining.

    Her wit is perfect and relates not only to the time period in which Austen and her characters lived, but to today as well.

    I love it because it makes me want to shake Elizabeth, hit Darcy, give Bingley a backbone, let Jane say one cross word, and then hug them all at the end. 🙂

  103. Christina Otayco on May 5, 2010 at 3:56 pm

    I like Pride and Prejudice. Being an only child, I loved the interplay between Lizzie and her sister Jane–how each sister is an archtype (the Beauty, the wit, the brain, the flirt). I think I like _Little Women_for that reason too. I loved the idea of having sisters–and how Lizzie gets to be sisters with Georgiana…just a nice touch. I love the Darcy/Lizzie relationship and how it grows and develops despite class, reputation, and misunderstanding.

  104. Kit on May 5, 2010 at 6:14 pm

    Well, first instinct is P&P, but then again, who doesn’t LOVE P&P?! =D so I’ll say Sense and Sensibility, simply because I relate to Elinor, and I appreciate that she fell in love with a good man, who was honorable enough to honor his committments, even if it hurt him. Also, he’s just too cute! an “Ever-so-lovely” (future) curate of a soon to be acquired “ever-so-lovely” parish!

  105. Rachel on May 5, 2010 at 6:34 pm

    Well, sorry I can’t be more original but my fave Austen (and fave novel OF ALL TIME)is Pride and Prejudice. The characters, the humor, the drama, the humor…EVERYTHING about it appeals to me!

  106. Rachel on May 5, 2010 at 6:37 pm

    Sorry, I meant *the characters, the humor, the drama, the romance*

  107. Jennie on May 5, 2010 at 7:19 pm

    Pride and Prejudice is an will probably always be my favorite…. It was the first Austen book I read, and while I love them all, this one holds a special place in my heart. I just love the characters and the idea that our first instincts about a person are not always right!

  108. Erica D on May 5, 2010 at 9:45 pm

    Pride and Prejudice! My mom always said ‘hate’ and ‘love’ were very close emotions. I feel like Darcy and Elizabeth found that out =D

  109. Ashley on May 5, 2010 at 10:50 pm

    Pride and Prejudice! I felt the characters were believable. Moreso, I loved the spunk of Elizabeth. Every time I read the novel, I can’t help picturing my own little sister. I also love to believe in FATE and THE ONE and the fact that these two people seem meant to be together yet through their own pride almost miss out on their happiness has me wanting to pull out my hair, yell at the book and tell them to make it work out sooner rather than later. Thankfully for my own sanity, they do live happily ever after.

  110. WendyW on May 5, 2010 at 10:54 pm

    Truly, I love all Austen.

    I like _The Watsons_ just because of the scene in which Emily dances with Charles. I’ve read two edition that finished the novel. The Coates one isn’t bad, but I’m interested to see what _Mistletoe_ does with it.

  111. K.S. on May 5, 2010 at 11:38 pm

    Ahh Austen! I have read Pride and Prejudice a hundred times, but lately I have really been loving Emma (as in I just picked it up for the first time since high school and had to read it straight through twice I loved it so much!) Emma is endearing for all her little vanities and calculations. She seems so real to me. And then, of course, who wouldn’t like a Mr. Knightly in their life?!

  112. Liz on May 6, 2010 at 12:20 pm

    Persuasion, because you feel for Anne and want her and Captain Wentworth to end up together. Love lost and regained is such a powerful theme! (it doesn’t hurt that the movie version with Sally Hawkins and Rupert Penry-Jones is AMAZING!) A close second is Sense and Sensibility, which I’ve always loved because I think Colonel Brandon is such a great character!

  113. Stacy on May 6, 2010 at 2:08 pm

    I absolutly adored Persuasion, mostly becauser it surprised me so much. I had read all of Jane Austen’s other books, but I really didn’t want to read this one. The whole being-persuaded-against-the-love-of-your-life thing really made me angry, I didn’t think I’d be able to tolerate Anne. Heck, I called Elizabeth a gold digging tramp just for thinking that she could have been the mistress of Pemberly when she first saw it! But then it totally worked! Anne was miserable and wanted nothing more than to atone for their past and she knew she had been wrong and she had turned Charles down! And then Wentworth blamed himself and his pride for six of the years of their seperation,it was MAGIC!!!! And Oh that letter!!!! I would happily wait eight and a half years for that letter!!!!

  114. Alexa J on May 6, 2010 at 2:24 pm

    I’m big fan of Emma.

  115. Cheryl on May 6, 2010 at 2:54 pm

    Definately Emma!

  116. Rachel D. on May 6, 2010 at 4:04 pm

    I love them all but I’ve gotta stay true to Pride and Prejudice; it was my first real introduction to Jane Austen and helped me through an awful college break-up. Otherwise I would have to say Persuasion.

  117. April on May 6, 2010 at 4:15 pm

    No question Pride and Prejudice is wonderful, but there will always be a special place in my heart for Persuasion. The idea of someone so true and relatable as Anne inspiring the completion devotion of someone as honorable and faithful as Captain Wentworth…..sigh…….it’s just so romantic. I love that they were both characters who needed so little to be happy, and by finally being together they both found true contentment in life.

  118. Andrea Clark on May 6, 2010 at 5:45 pm

    Definitely Pride and Prejudice. Both Elizabeth and Darcy suffered from each state – too much pride and prejudging each other based on class and first impressions. I have noticed that a lot of Austen’s titles can apply to both hero and heroine – as noted for P and P. In Sense and Sensibility – each sister suffers from one of the referenced states but Willoughby suffers from too much Sensibility and Edward from perhaps too much Sense – and before Marianne and Elinor can find love, they each have to experience and grow a little with respect to the opposite attribute – Elinor requires more sensitivity while Marianne definitely grows in Sense. And BTW, I noticed in your excerpt of Mistletoe that one of your character’s last name is Musgrove – a nod to Anne Elliot’s inlaws in Persuasion??

  119. Bonny Watts on May 6, 2010 at 7:08 pm

    My favorite book is Pride and Prejudice. Talk about two people who are so stubbornly different, yet so perfect for each other…and every little scenario Jane Austen throws them into together; you can’t help but root for them to get over their biased opinions and be together in the end.

  120. sania on May 7, 2010 at 11:17 am

    Pride and Prejudice is beyond amazing but Persuasion comes as a close second. I can never get tired of reading the dialogue between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. And although Anne is a more passive heroine than Elizabeth, its very easy to become fond of her. And of course I love, love, love Captain Wentworth’s letter at the end!

  121. Katie McCarty on May 7, 2010 at 5:13 pm

    My favorite is Persuasion. I love the fact that even though it was really painful for Anne and Wentworth to go through the awful separation, they both matured and learned so much more than they would have if everything had worked out at first. Anne became much more sure of herself and aware of her self-worth, and Wentworth came to appreciate her ability to listen to reasoned arguments and change her mind. I loved that they would be able to appreciate each other so much more!

  122. Jess G on May 8, 2010 at 1:10 pm

    I’m taking an Austen class right now, actually. We’re in the middle of reading Emma, and I must say, I love it!
    My favorite Austen might be cliche, but it’s Pride and Prejudice. I just love the banter between Darcy and Elizabeth. It’s also the first of Austen’s novels to give the reader insight into the hero’s mind. In Northanger and S&S she mostly stuck to the heroine’s POV.
    But I think Emma is a strong rival against P&P for my affections. Emma and Mr. Knightley definitely have some of that banter going on as well & I like that he’s really the only person that isn’t knocked into submission by Emma’s strong, charismatic personality. He’s the only one that really tells her when she’s wrong.

  123. Megan Hirst on May 8, 2010 at 2:12 pm

    I love Mansfield Park. Fanny is my favorite character from any Austen novel (now that I’ve typed that I’m having doubts though!).

    I could read Austen all day every day!

  124. Kelsey on May 8, 2010 at 3:51 pm

    My favorite book by Jane Austen is typical- Pride and Prejudice – because of her portrayal of human nature. And let’s be honest the recent remake had an extremely hot Mr. Darcy

  125. Chris B. on May 8, 2010 at 8:19 pm

    Although I really like Emma and Persuasion, without a doubt Pride and Prejudice captured my imagination earliest and longest. I find myself always re-reading it and finding new foibles to think about and laugh over. Also, it’s the one book I’ve had to keep buying over and over again because I’ve worn it out! Now as for the hero, while I adore the rather inscrutable Mr. Darcy, I’d be happier with Mr. Knightley…

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  127. ana on May 10, 2010 at 11:58 am

    my favorites are pride and prejudice and emma. emma is amusing, trying to match up people and failing.

  128. Krystal on May 10, 2010 at 12:05 pm

    Persuasion is my all-time favorite Austen novel. I always laugh and say all women want to be Lizzie Bennett but really, we’re Anne Elliott at heart. We listen to advice (sometimes not the best) and want to please those around us. Anne was the Austen character I immediately connected with. Unsure though gaining confidence, the one everyone turns to in a crisis with a level head on her shoulders. I was hooked. Not to mention, give me Captain Wentworth over Mr. Darcy any day of the week. He’s flawed but in a lovable way. I’m with the woman who said Mr. Darcy would be too costly for daily wear. I love the story and watching two young lovers find love with each other again.

  129. Jessica on May 10, 2010 at 12:25 pm

    Pride & Prejudice-Love Elizabeth and Darcy

  130. AmyMc on May 10, 2010 at 1:16 pm

    I’ll have to go with P & P as well. I love the absurdities of both Mrs. Bennett and Lady Catherine! They drive me nuts and crack me up in equal measure.

  131. Claire on May 10, 2010 at 2:37 pm

    I utterly adore Pride and Prejudice, but lately Sense and Sensibility has been a favorite due to the sisterly competition and the Marianne/ Col. Brandon fact that someone can be perfect for you if you just take the time to stop and see it.

  132. Jane on May 10, 2010 at 2:53 pm

    Jane Austen is my absolute favorite. My 2 favorite novels are “Pride and Prejudice” and “Persuasion.” P&P is sort of the perfect (though each is flawed) true love that we all want. Persuasion is love lost and found again and has a more mature feel to it.

  133. Lisa Maddox on May 10, 2010 at 2:56 pm

    “Persuasion” I like that Austen uses older(in age) characters, plus in my opinion it is her most mature work.

  134. alivia howard on May 10, 2010 at 3:11 pm

    I was first introduced to Jane Austen by Pride and Prejudice and feel in love with Mr. Darcy, well who wouldn’t? However I would have to say my favorit is persuasion. I love the story that its never to late for love even after so many long years. Anne and Captain Wentworth got their second chance. In the end I love all of Jane Austen’s books and feel that its such a same that she died so younge. How many more great novels would there have been we will never know….

  135. Megan on May 10, 2010 at 3:19 pm

    My favorite Jane Austen book is Pride and Prejudice! I’ve read once a year for 4 years now! It’s one of my favorite books of all times. I love Mr. Darcy. The character dynamics are spectacular in novel. I’ve also seen all the Pride and Prejudice movies (my favorite is the BBC version with Colin Firth). I’ve also seen lost in austen basted on it and it is hilarious!

  136. Lee on May 10, 2010 at 3:35 pm

    I’ve always loved Persuasion because even though the lead couple have had their travails, true love prevails.

  137. Marci Peschke on May 10, 2010 at 3:43 pm

    Pride and Prejudice.Call me simple, but I love a happy endings. Also, Mr. Darcy is so hard to resist. What is about dark brooding bad boys that drives us wild?

  138. Kat on May 10, 2010 at 4:01 pm

    I’ve been reading Jane Austen’s novels since I was 14 – I’ve read all of them at least twice and my favorites over and over again. One of the reasons I love her writing is that I find new things to identify with all of the characters as I get older. When I was younger, my favorite was Northanger Abbey – arguably one of Jane Austen’s less mature novels. Now, when I’m almost 30, I just re-read Persuasian and found so much more to identify with a slightly older heroine and hero!

  139. Lesley on May 10, 2010 at 4:03 pm

    Persuasion. Something about the inevitability of Anne and Capt. Wentworth. It didn’t work out when they were younger, but that never meant she didn’t love him, and no matter how much time passed or how he thought he was wronged, he still loved her. Their relationship is messy and complicated, but ultimately absolutely meant to be.

  140. Cassie on May 10, 2010 at 4:28 pm

    it’s really hard for me to pick one, but if i have to, i would say Northanger Abbey.

  141. Marliz on May 10, 2010 at 5:08 pm

    My favorite really has to be Persuasion. I think it was the first time that we see in an Austen novel that the lead male character has true feelings and expresses them very openly and without guile. The letter Capt. Wentworth leaves for Anne has to be one of the most romantic ever written … “I can listen no longer in silence. I must speak to you by such means as are within my reach. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone forever.” It gets me all a flutter! I remember falling in love at the age of 14 reading this.

  142. eriley on May 10, 2010 at 5:44 pm

    Persuasion for me as well (despite my deep love of P&P). There is something wonderful and rarely seen in real life about the two characters continuing to love each other for years without any hope that they will ever get together.

  143. Heather Watson on May 10, 2010 at 5:55 pm

    I adore Emma. A truly underrated comedy of manners.

  144. Jeannie Luntz on May 10, 2010 at 6:47 pm

    I have a hard time choosing between Pride and prejudice and Sense and sensibility. I like the baddinage between the characters and you really want them to get great loves in their lives. Also, I love to hate some of the secondary characters which really make these stories very interesting.

  145. Sara G. on May 10, 2010 at 6:47 pm

    I really liked Pride & Prejudice! It was the classic cat & mouse game of pursuing and love ultimately in the end! Couldn’t put it down 😀 I loved it so much because no matter how many obstacles were put in their way, they were meant to be! So romantic 😀

  146. Shelli on May 10, 2010 at 6:54 pm

    Sense and Sensibility is probably my favorite. Because I am Marianne Dashwood.

  147. Summer on May 10, 2010 at 7:32 pm

    I would have to say Pride and Prejudice. Mr. Darcy’s character intrigues me because I have always been one to count on and listen to my 1st impressions… but the whole experience lends to a different tilt & it’s a good one… and that fascinates me. Since then I have found that 1st impressions are not always a open and shut deal, and I like that surprise! 😉

  148. Katie Puckett on May 10, 2010 at 8:36 pm

    Definitely Pride and Prejudice. Darcy epitomizes the desirable brooding male with a heart of gold and Lizzy is the spunky, honest, confident woman every girl wants to be. Theirs is a romance that has modeled so many that have come after, and it is always something that I hope for!

  149. patty on May 10, 2010 at 8:39 pm

    Sense and Sensibility. I have 2 sisters myself, we are all very different, and yet we also compliment each other very well. What one sister lacks in sense, the other has in spades. 🙂 S&S is a wonderful story with so many themes, but my favorite is that love can come at any age, and/or at any time.

  150. Sarah H on May 10, 2010 at 9:01 pm

    My #1 favorite, is of course Pride and Prejudice, but I also really love Persuasion and Mansfield Park. I’m a sucker for all of those happy endings after all the trials and tribulations.

  151. Becky on May 10, 2010 at 9:37 pm

    I love Pride & Prejudice. It’s a great love story that is timeless!

  152. Claire (The Captive Reader) on May 10, 2010 at 9:59 pm

    My favourite has always been Emma. Something about the bossy, controlling heroine was rather appealing to this bossy, controlling reader. The dynamic between Emma and Mr Knightley shaped (for better or for worse) my dream romance: the older male best friend who isn’t afraid to fight it out.

  153. Katie on May 10, 2010 at 10:19 pm

    Well I love every Jane Austen novel, even her very entertaining History of England, but my all-time favorite is Persuasion. I have always found Anne the loveliest of her heroines. I enjoy her romance with Captain Wentworth quite a bit. When I studied abroad in Bath for a semester I walked on the same path the characters were supposed to have walked on in the 1990s movie and went to Lyme Regis. It was kind of a magical experience for me.

  154. Michelle on May 10, 2010 at 10:35 pm

    I think Pride and Prejudice is my favorite because the story is so complex. I have very fond memories of reading it with my mother. We stayed up so late to finish it because we had to know how it ended.

  155. Perla on May 11, 2010 at 12:01 am

    My favorite Austen novel is Sense & Sensibility

  156. Erin on May 11, 2010 at 12:40 am

    How could anyone NOT love Pride and Prejudice! The tension between Lizzy and Darcy is my favorite…and I keep picturing Colin Firth as Mr. D which makes it even better!

  157. Mai on May 11, 2010 at 1:28 am

    I read Mansfield Park back then and was not so interested in it.. until I saw a movie version and decided to reread it. I then found out that I really like it.

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