Collins Classics - Mansfield Park

Chiltern Publishing****Thank you******The book itself is so....beautiful, the cover, the pages, the weight, an absolute pleasure.The story is about, Love , wealth, society and marriage.I can't believe the story is still relevant in today's world as it was back then.The writing is 'wordy ' but wonderful descriptive, a joy to read.This is my 2nd book from Chiltern Publishing, Pride and Prejudice was my first, both beauties inside and out!!!!

Have to admit I am a huge fan of Jane Austen so I rather buased. This novel is "meatier" than her others as it mentions the profits of slavery just changed by law at the time, as well as touching upon poverty in a large family. It is less coy on the matter of Georgian courtship and an amazing psychological understanding of her crwation, Henry Crawford .?Like all her novels the clever gentle irony is superbly written.

The story of Fanny Price who is taken into the care of her Uncle and Aunt Bertam of Mansfield Park. She is devoted to her brother William Price a sailor and to her cousin Edmund Bertram. After being overlooked by her wealthy Bertram relations, even almost forced to marry a man she distrusts, She is discovered to have been right in her opinions and behaviour and all ends well.Marion in Hailey Oxfordshire

Most of Austen's fans usually put this novel at the bottom of the pile thinking it boring and dreary and not worthy in comparison to her lighter, wittier novels full of beautiful heroines and dashing heroes. Not so!! This for me is one of my absolute favorites. Fanny Price is not a sweetheart, nor is she socially acceptable or graceful or accomplished in any of the required elements pertaining to that era. What she is, is resolute, determined and above all, willing to be the subservient companion to Lady Bertram and her pampered offspring. Here you have a young lady who is thrust into the midst of this family through no fault or choice of her own despite the fact she is actually a blood relative, destined to be at their beck and call for whatever tasks they throw her way and then, to be grateful for the privilege! I feel Mansfield Park is Ms Austen's masterpiece and she has created the perfect heroine for me, a strong, resilient and frankly, quite wise young lady who manages to shine above all her contempories despite her position and who, in the end, actually gets her man!! Now that's what I call a leading lady!

This book is SO beautiful by Chiltern Classics that I can’t stop looking at it and this is before I even start reading this story by Jane Austen.The book cover is so beautiful but then you turn it to open it and all the pages are gold edged!! Absolutely stunning!