It’s actually surprising that it’s taken me this long to rank Jane Austen in my Unnecessary Rankings series. Because surely we’ve all had this conversation with fellow Austenites at some point?
It’s probably also the one that gets most controversial. But here we go…
8. Mansfield Park
It’s the novel that is most like her contemporaries’ novels, and it is comfortably the most boring. It’s too long and baggy, Fanny and Edmund scarcely scintillate, and it’s telling that nobody has managed to make a convincing adaptation for screen.
7. Collected Letters
Who knows what gems Cassandra burned, but beyond the few much-quoted bits from these letters, it’s all rather unrevealing and unexciting. And even the most quoted bits, like ‘two inches of ivory’, are clearly ironic and have often been used out of context.
6. Juvenilia / unfinished works
I’ve grouped all these together because I can’t really remember what I thought of Lady Susan vs The Watsons vs Sanditon vs Love and Freindship etc. Her early work shows an astonishing confidence at satire, and the unfinished works are fun without being fulfilling.
5. Persuasion
A lot of people put Persuasion at the top of their list, and there’s certainly a touching romance to the spinster-on-the-shelf Anne (who is all of 27) and the love she thought she’d lost forever. The reason it’s not very high on my list is that it’s her least funny book, in my opinion, and I read Austen at least as much for the humour as the character development.
4. Northanger Abbey
Austen’s lightest novel leans heavily on subverting stereotypes of the Gothic genre, but there’s a lot to enjoy even if we aren’t buried deep in the works of Ann Radcliffe. It’s silly, fresh, and surprisingly mentions baseball.
3. Emma
People who dislike Emma usually give the reason that she’s an annoying snob. Like, yes, that’s the point? And we love her nonetheless? The only one of Austen’s heroines who is independently wealthy, Emma is a fascinating study in being unobservant and delusional while also thinking she knows everyone deeply.
2. Sense and Sensibility
There’s a simple reason that I love Sense and Sensibility so much: it’s hilarious. Yes, I am moved by the story of Elinor and Marianne – but I come back to the book for Mr and Mrs Palmer.
1. Pride and Prejudice
There’s a reason it’s the most adapted one, and perhaps the story that comes to mind first when the average person thinks of Jane Austen. Elizabeth Bennet is the perfect heroine, and her journey to self-knowledge is exquisite – and that’s before we get to the enormous number of incredible supporting characters. Austen doesn’t always get credit for the detail and brilliance of her plotting, and I think it’s best displayed in Pride and Prejudice.
Nooooo! I can’t believe Mansfield Park came in at 8! The older I get, the higher this rises in my personal ranking. Such huge themes – individual desire vs societal good, order vs chaos… it’s the Ring Cycle!
I must admit I haven’t reread it in 20 years, so maybe it’s time!
I agree with you, Lorna, the older I get, the higher up Mansfield Park goes as well as Persuasion.
Very amusing post! Totally agree about P&P and politely differ regarding Persuasion! I’ve only read Mansfield Park once (I really must re-read) but I have to admit it would be close to the top of my own list, based on those long ago memories. Not very humorous (although Mrs. Norris & Lady Bertram were great) I do think (like Lorna) that it successfully handles these huge themes of personal responsibility and societal order. As for Emma — well, it’s one of the very best!
My top three are definitely a step ahead of the rest, so Emma is truly beloved in my book.
P&P remains my favorite, for similar reasons to you, but I agree with the others that you are dismissing MP a bit too quickly. The Harvard annotated edition helped me appreciate it a lot more.
Maybe it’s time to revisit, but I can’t say I’m keen…
I am just so happy to see someone put MP at the bottom of the list. Bore, indeed. Fanny Price is one of my least liked characters. However, I do believe PP to be overrated (I tried three times to finish it) and would move SS to the top followed by Emma and in a close third NA, then Persuasion, then PP. But this is a delightful post and will be sure to spark controversy!
MP has definitely divided people in the comments! Astonished about PP, but it does take all sorts.
Once upon a time, I dared to rank P&P as my least favourite Austen (back when you were ranking Persuasion in that spot), though I did at least warn that my rankings were somewhat changeable. That said, I still stand by my belief that Emma and Persuasion are masterful and everything else is lumped somewhere beneath them!
Ha, yes, I re-read Persuasion and nudge it up a bit! Maybe it’ll be my favourite by the time I’m 80.
You’re a brave man Simon! I agree with your top choice even though P&P isn’t my favourite, I do think it’s Austen at her absolute best.
Oo interesting – yes, there’s definitely a difference between favourite and best sometimes.
*Whispers* I’ve not read all of her books, but of those I have I would put Persuasion at the top! :D
Now I’m intrigued which you haven’t read!
I believe that if she had been able to finish Sanditon, it might have outshone all of her other books. But I like Mansfield Park much more than you seem to.
I’m positive that if she’d been able to finish Sanditon, it would have surpassed her finished novels. That said, I like Mansfield Park more than you, and Northinger Abbey a bit less.
Interesting! I did enjoy s1 of the TV series, but I suspect she wouldn’t have gone in the same direction as them.
Oh my! This is a controversial topic! I must respectfully disagree with your ranking of Mansfield Park. No, it isn’t funny like some of the others but it is masterfully written with so many important themes. Plus, I think Fanny is a highly underrated character. My personal rankings change from day to day but Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion always vie for top spot.
I probably do need to reread MP one day, but not sure I can bring myself to do it :D
I like the difference between favourite and best, P&P is certainly masterful, all those characters and so much to say but my favourite so far is Sense & Sensibility and you’re right to point out how funny Mr & Mrs Palmer are. I still have Persuasion to read so can’t comment there!
Three cheers for Mr and Mrs Palmer! I love how much care she gives to background characters.
“There’s a reason it’s the most adapted one” – so, go on then – which is your favourite adaptation? (If you have one). And, does a successful Austen adaptation add anything to your understanding/enjoyment of the novel?
Unquestionably the 1995 BBC one – it’s my favourite adaptation of any book, ever! I don’t know if it adds to the novel, per se (though I did watch it before I read it, because I was 10 when it came out). An interesting question to ponder on.
The two I’ve reread most recently are Emma and Persuasion, and although I do love Anne Elliot, I must agree with you—Persuasion isn’t funny. Emma, on the other hand, absolutely is, and in the lovelist, most sparkling way. It was my least favourite upon first reading, but it grew on me enormously when I revisited it.
I reread Emma in lockdown and had forgotten how many hilarious lines there are in it. Just perfection!
My top 4 are P&P, Emma, Persuasion, and S&S. Persuasion may not be funny but the character of Anne Elliott is one of my favorites. I like that she found love late in life and escaped from her awful father and sister.
Yes, it certainly touches a certain spot. (Though sad that 27 is late in life!)
Emma doesn’t care what you think because she knows she’s the best :)
Ha! Yes, even slightly reformed Emma wouldn’t give tuppence about my opinion.
Well, we all have different tastes. My favourite is Persuasion, probably because I can identify best with Anne Elliot. My least favourite of the novels is Northanger Abbey. But as an absolute Jane Austen fan, I would still rank that far about many other novels.
Sounds like you like chronological order!
Oh, I definitely do. Or any order. Though I’m not obsessed with it in my real life, as you would see if you visited my house. LOL
… above …
Ahahahaha I love this! And I mostly agree – except Sanditon really stood out for me. It seemed like Austen was going to go in such an interesting direction with her work, I’m definitely bitter that she never got to finish it.
Did you watch the TV series? At least we now know one of the directions she wouldn’t have gone in :D It was fun but so trashy.
Oof, at least I’ve come across others who agree with me in the comments!! 1. Sense and Sensibility, 2. Mansfield Park, 3. Northanger Abbey (but I did do a course with a lot of gothic just before reading it the first time), 4. Pride and Prejudice, 5. Emma, 6. Persuasion, 7. Juvenalia. In case that adds anything. I’ve always liked MP and I did reread her a while ago but should do again!
I will never understand the Mansfield Park love, but I’m glad some people love it!