Ranking Jane Austen Novels
A Personal Journey Through Austen's Bibliography
Hi!!! Happy December!
I was kind of unsure what to write for today’s newsletter but then I remembered an Instagram post I saw yesterday, it was a Jane Austen novels collection. So I thought why not do something fun and rank the Austen novels from my favourite to least favourite? But please remember, this is all in good fun and completely my personal preference. So, anyway.
1. Northanger Abbey
My favorite thing about this novel is its vivacity, mainly manifested through our heroine Catherine. She’s unsophisticated and enthusiastic, excited to explore the world around her, with gothic novels in her hand and fantasies weaving in her mind. She’s too naïve sometimes, she makes mistakes but also learn from them. I find her friendship with Eleanor very endearing, and her budding romance with Henry almost adorable.
2. Sense And Sensibility
Elinor Dashwood is my favourite Austen heroine. She’s intelligent, rational, and extremely level-headed, with strong moral values, she’s selflessly devoted to the well-being of her family and resilient in the face of heartache and disappointment. I love the bond between Elinor, Marianne, Mrs. Dashwood and young Margaret, their life in Devonshire and how they make their place in the local community.
3. Pride And Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice is hands down one of the best-written stories I’ve ever read. It’s extremely well-structured, the way Austen balances Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy’s character arcs and eventually brings them together, and also weaves it with Jane and Mr. Bingley’s story, is masterful. I love Elizabeth and Jane’s deep bond, and Elizabeth’s relationship with Mr. Bennet. Mr. Bennet is one of my favourite parents in literature.
4. Emma
I find Emma the funniest of Austen’s novels. Although the plot seems a bit directionless in the beginning, what holds this story together is Emma. She’s not very likable, at least I don’t find her likable, but she is intriguing. She’s rich and spoiled, very self-assured, even a bit conceited at times. However, she’s not necessarily ill-intentioned. She eventually comes to understands her misjudgments, learns humility and gains self-awareness which I enjoy.
5. Persuasion
I think Persuasion is the most mature of Austen’s works. Anne is older than the rest of her heroines. She’s past her ‘prime’ in a sense, has regrets regarding past decisions but tries to make peace with them and faces life with courage. She’s gentle and caring to others, while keeping her own pains to herself. But she ends up getting a second chance at love. This story is slower, and has more emotional depth and I enjoy that.
6. Mansfield Park
Most Austen fans don’t rank Mansfield Park among their top choices and I am no exception. I honestly only like this novel because it’s an Austen novel. The story feels quite dragging, the characters are neither very likable nor do they invoke any strong emotions. I do like Fanny, I feel very bad for her, her situation is very unfortunate and even her ‘happy’ ending doesn’t convince me. But her moral values are admirable.
Now, as I said, these are just my personal thoughts. I think all her works have different charms and thus resonate differently with the readers. At the end of the day, Austen remains (and definitely will remain for a while) one of the most celebrated writers of English literature and it’s an honour she’s every bit deserving of.
What about you? How do you rank Austen’s masterpieces? Don’t forget to let me know.
For more of my bookish ramblings, you can also find me on Instagram
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