My Ultimate Jane Austen Ranking (come at me, Mansfield Park fans) [CC]

My ranking of Jane Austen's six novels, from the worst to the best. I am ready.

TIME STAMPS:
0:00 Intro and spoiler warning
1:08 In sixth place...
3:48 In fifth place...
6:23 In fourth place...
9:13 In third place...
11:56 In second place...
16:21 In first place...

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[BookishTexan]

Really enjoyed this! You’re wrong about where you ranked _Persuasion_ of course(🤓), but your discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of all the novels is brilliant.

[WhatVictoriaRead]

Totally agree with your opinion on Northanger Abbey: it’s SO underrated! Emma is my personal favourite, mostly because the protagonist is so morally grey! Fab video, this made me chuckle throughout! 👌🏼

[eleanor]

I think Emma is my favorite. Simply because Emma is so flawed, but she grows and matures over the entire novel. I love how Knightly and her play off each other and how they are there for each other to better each other and call each other out on their faults. Plus I love the village setting and all the characters. Overall I think it for me is a more overall fleshed out book with a world, characters, and story.

[angelaluz]

Thank you thank you thank you!!! Edmund is THE WORST!!! Finally, someone agrees with me on that!

[theaelizabet]

I often think that P&P should occupy this magical space and that only the other five should be subjected to rankings. I’m only now reading, finally, Mansfield Park, so can’t weigh in yet, but right now Sense and Sensibility would be at my bottom. It’s clunky and filled with so many beginner’s mistakes. You’re absolutely correct that Thompson’s lovely adaptation makes a rereading of the book much better. So glad to see Northanger Abbey get some love.

[hanna-writes]

With the caveat that I haven’t yet read Northanger Abbey (yes, I know, go ahead and stone me to death), this is pretty much spot on! I sometimes go back and forth a bit on whether I like S&S or Persuasion more, though—Persuasion is undoubtedly the better-written novel, but I didn’t really connect to any of the characters. S&S, for all its faults, has Eleanor, and she is one of my three favourite Austen heroines together with Elizabeth and Emma.

[Nickelini]

I mostly agree. I rank Mansfield Park higher but I studied it at university with an excellent professor who made it fun. If I read it on my own I know I would like it less

[HannahsBooks]

While I do really still love Sense and Sensibility, you are tremendously right that the film adaptation is SO wonderfully funny and charming that it can make the book seem far less pleasurable. And absolutely: the couples are far less than perfect... I am with you on the top two, and on your feeling that they are so close!

[cjax]

Claudia, may I remind you that the chimney piece alone in one of Rosing Park’s drawing rooms had cost all of eight hundred pounds.

[-ParisTexas-]

My ranking is exactly the same most of the time. Sometimes I swap Northanger Abbey and Emma. But I do agree completely on all the others.

[LittleMissLion]

I find it difficult to choose the best of my favourite three: Persuasion, Emma and Pride and Prejudice. I think it depends on my mood! Northanger Abbey is only just behind for me, yet, Henry Tilney is my favourite love interest of all of them.

[nmelodic]

Wow, we have the same ranking!
Sometimes I might put Emma and Pride & Prejudice in a tie, but when I don't, I agree with you. And I am still settling on how I feel about Persuasion, but I think I must put it in the same place.
Funnily enough, the first time I read Persuasion I found it slow and depressing and I disliked it. The second time I read it I liked it much, much better! I have only read it twice so far.
And yes, Mansfield park can remain in spot #6 for all eternity. I think I have read it twice. I read Northanger Abbey at least twice, and Sense & Sensibility twice. I have no idea how many times I have read Emma and Pride & Prejudice.
Glad to hear that the 90s movie for Sense & Sensibility is worth watching --I'll have to check it out!
Very entertaining video :)

[spreadbookjoy]

Loved this ranking video - excellent. I have been nodding along with so much of this and your ranking is very similar to mine apart from two of them - my video is out this weekend and is no way near as eloquently put! 😂 But I have the exact same problem with Sense and Sensibility - I adore the film and often blur the two in my mind when actually, as a novel, it is quite immature, which is often the undeserved charge levelled at Northanger Abbey! Also, much like you, I find the mysteries at the heart of Emma are even more enjoyable on a re-read because you can see the clues Austen planted along the way - so subtly done and I just marvel at its structure. Every conversation in that book, no matter how seemingly banal is a joy to read. And Pride and Prejudice is a perfect novel - I'm in complete agreement! But it would be good to figure out the point of Kitty Bennet. Perhaps she is there to provide Lydia with at least one other ally besides her mother to encourage her salacious behaviour!

[beatrixscudeler]

Ah interesting! I'm actually going to make a video soon in which I'll try to argue that Fanny Price is not as annoying of a heroine as many people might think! Also good to see people appreciating Northanger Abbey since it's a personal favourite of mine 👍

Ah and I also don't think Fanny is as 'good' of a heroine as we think, which might make her a lot less frustrating as a heroine!
OK last edit having now watched your entire ranking I think mine is surprisingly exactly the same as yours 😂 no one gets how good Northanger Abbey is!

[isabelamer]

I enjoy your videos and have read several books based on them this summer. I re-read Pride and Prejudice, and then realized I'd never read Northanger Abbey nor Persuasion, so read those, too, this summer. I like Catherine as a heroine and the commentary on literature of Northanger Abbey, but didn't stay as engaged as in the other two. Persuasion is my favorite at the moment, I think it's the second chances and the reformation of Wentworth that makes him deserve Anne by the end. I find their love story the most romantic of all Jane Austen's. Pride and Prejudice has more going for it, but I wanted to read Persuasion again, as soon as I finished it, because I didn't want to leave the story. Anyway, thanks for your commentary, it helps make reading a richer experience.

[Shellyish]

Great video, Claudia! I honestly really enjoyed listening to you bash Mansfield Park. Ha! I'm a fan of Sense and Sensibility as a movie, but I have yet to read the novel. Hm. I thought Persuasion would've ranked higher. My plan is to read Emma next year for Jane Austen July. Glad it ranked so high for you! I must to read Pride and Prejudice again! I really enjoyed the video!

[MarilynMayaMendoza]

Hi Claudia. I have to reread three of Jane Austen’s books before I make my final decision. I also read Northanger Abbey and persuasion For Jane Austen July But I also read Mansfield Park and really loved it. I think Jane Austen liked it best because she also refused a marriage proposal because of personal reasons. And maybe she was striving for goodness.
I remember from my past reading I didn’t like Emma as much, but I could be wrong. I’ll just say that Jane Austen is one of my favorite authors. Aloha

[NerdyNurseReads]

Wait!!! There are Mansfield Park Fans??? People have read her books and thought "yup that's my favorite?" I thought we all agreed on this?? I'm shook lol

[danielaayers]

Our Jane Austin ranking is almost identical!! The only difference is I put Emma at the bottom. I struggled so much to finish this one, sooo much waffle and drama!

[taaptee]

and the oscar for the best youtube intro goes to