Ranking Jane Austen's Novels #janeaustenjuly

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[scallydandlingaboutthebooks]

I like the concept of this being your 2022 ranking. Mine has shifted many times over the years. Northanger Abbey is currently number six and Mansfield Park has gradually shifted upwards. Persuasion is always at or near the top though.

[meghanthestorygirl]

I love how people have such differing opinions on Mr. Bennet. Also, I was surprised to see how low Persuasion was on this list, but your reasoning totally makes sense.

[darrylfriesen]

I think it’s so fascinating that “this year” (which I love) S & S was at the bottom for you, and Katie over at Books and Things was busy rediscovering and reevaluating it, and falling in love with it! After reading all six novels the first time, S & S was my top pick, with P & P in a VERY close second place—but the shocker for me was that when I reread all six of them for the second time, Mansfield Park was my favourite one! I just loved it!! So I really appreciate being flexible and open minded with rankings, rather than remaining too attached to them!

[ewelinahernon]

I had always thought that SENSE & SENSIBILITY would be my favourite, but once I read it last year, I felt exactly the same as you do!

[HamsavahiniVajraasthra]

Hello Kate😊! I love your ranking videos-they change every year, but I agree that as we re-read these classics, our opinions on the same characters change drastically! Loved watching this video, happy reading😊😊!!!

[emilykateisreading]

ooh I so agree Persuasion does need flashbacks... it would be wonderful to understand Anne's trauma.. thanks Kate, that is exactly what is missing with Persuasion! Hope you're having a wonderful Jane Austen July!! :)

[jodihowe]

I love your book rankings and I am reminded, again, that I need to re-read Mansfield Park as it is my least favorite, but have not read it in years. 5th Persuasion, 4th S & S, 3rd Northanger Abbey (I, too, love this fun story), 2nd Emma and 1st P&P. Thank you!

[mtngrl]

Great video. Interesting that you would put Northanger Abbey ahead of Persuasion. In my opinion, Northanger Abbey is the weakest of all of Austen's completed works. I think you will find as you journey through life, you will see that Persuasion is one of Austen's finest novels.
While it is acknowledged to be one of her more mature novels, it showcases the constancy of true love and both Wentworth and Anne are worth the wait. On a sociological or historical level, it illustrates the changing nature of Regency England. Wentworth is the new man, who can elevate his social position through his industry. Anne is a true heroine who held out for true love and is less concerned with her role in society but the quality of her partner. Yes, Wentworth is a handsome man but her growth from a 19 year old girl to the more serious woman of 27. While it is true we don't see Anne as this young woman, but we have Lady Russell as a witness to this time in her life.
From a literary point of view, I would agree that P&P would be #1 due to it being more of a perfect book than her others. I would have Persuasion after it as #2, Mansfield Park as #3. MP is most interesting for the supporting characters, I agree with you that Edmund is a bit of a dud. I'm rather tired of Emma but I do agree that Mr. Knightly is the most "perfect" of all the Austen leading male characters. So, after Emma would be Sense and Sensibility and last would be Northanger Abbey which is rather tiresome.

[GloriaZThompson]

I've only read 3 of Austen's main six novels. But I completely agree with your thoughts on Persuasion! Anne and Wentworth's relationship was such a letdown for me because we didn't see it in real-time or it unfold in anyway. I needed the flashbacks _at least!_ P&P is my favorite so far too and it's unlikely to be beat, but we'll see.

[miriamelizabethreads]

I feel the same about Sense and Sensibility, I actually forgot quite a bit about it. I need to give it a reread to see if my feelings change but I just didn't get as immersed in the story as I was hoping to. I also found Northanger Abbey really entertaining but also forgetful... Whereas Mansfield Park was harder for me to get through but it had a bigger impact on me... Interesting how books can be enjoyed in different ways and leave an impact in different ways.

[sandyokey]

I read the six novels years ago and have been enjoying rereading one or two these last few years for Jane Austen July. I have found that with the rereads, my ranking is changing yearly to my favorite being that year’s read😊 so this year, my favorite is tied between Emma and Northanger Abbey. Last year, Persuasion had become my favorite and the year before it was all P&P. So who knows what next year brings.

[adayofsmallthings]

My favourites are Persuasion and Pride and Prejudice :) I think I would have loved Emma better if I hadn't listened to the audiobook on a bus to Bath that made me sick! haha will have to read it again. Thanks for sharing!

[thegrimmreader]

This is such a fun exercise, I might have to make my own ranking video. Eventhough our order is completely different I agree with a lot of your character assessments. I had a minor epiphany that may not hold water when I get to rereading the novels, but maybe one reason why I don't mind the Edmund/Fanny pairing (leaving out the first cousin issue which is indicative of a different era) is that Fanny is the wise one who can mentor Edmund in a loving way make him a better person- a bit like Mr Knightly and Emma, except with the female in the mentoring role.

[enchantedbookendz]

So far, my favorite Jane Austen book is Emma. I still haven't read all of her books.
I'm so glad Emma made it to top three on your list. I loved your observations on some of the characters. This was such a fun video and a good reminder for me to pick up a Jane Austen novel!!!

[reader]

Your edition of Austen is lovely, never seen those before! Listening to you rankings is a good reminder of how different the six novels are from each other, despite the surface similarity of the marriage plot. My favorites are Persuasion and Mansfield Park.

[beatrixscudeler]

I was thinking of making a ranking video but I would find it too hard! My bottom and top novels are the same as yours - S&S at the bottom and P&P at the top - but I can't make up my mind about where to place the rest!

[sandra]

This is interesting. I just reread P& P, but otherwise haven't read any of them for years. I now feel like I need to reread them all. I do remembering loving Mansfield Park and Fanny the first time I read them.

I was amazed at how much I hadn't forgotten or never noticed or saw differently this time through P & P. And I have to say, There are some incredibly sad elements for me, maybe because I'm older and married and get how important that spousal relationship is and how difficult an unhappy marriage would be. Mr Bennett and Mrs Bennet really could dome growing up. I will say that towards the end of the novel, I think there is some redemption for Mr B in that he recognizes his folly and whatbit's led to. But that line where it says he had long ago lost respect for his wife and son on - guts me! I don't think that's the overall feeling I get from the novel. I was just surprised at how much I noticed it this time.

And I think that even though I like the film adaptations, I think some treat both Bennett characters as more sympathetic than eye actually are. I watched a clip on the 2005 version with Beanda Bethune speaking of her (an extra on the DVD) and thought that she was way too easy on her for the most part!

[the_bookish_took]

Probably Northanger Abbey. Mansfield Park is at the bottom, but I like it better now—just Fanny's experiences with her cousins when she's young, and even when she's older, remind me too much of my own experiences and I don't like dredging all those feelings back up 😂
Totally agree with your sentiments on Frank Churchill!

[novellenovels]

Hi, our top two are exactly the same and mum re reading northanger abbey as that was my least favourite originally..

[GinaHouse]

This is awesome, Kate! We have the exact same ranking! 🥳💜 (at least for this year! lol) I keep wanting to ask you which editions you are holding up. Are those the editions with illustrations? They're so pretty! I do love my Pan Macmillan little books, though. Love this video! 🥰❤