Mansfield Park
by
Jane Austen

Classics, Romance

Richard Alex Jenkins
Mansfield Park is an enjoyable book but nowhere near as phenomenal as Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen's best work. The character development and world building are just as good, but the plot is ultimately unfulfilling and lacking.
Everything turns out so conveniently in the end as though Jane Austen had run out of ideas and wanted to wrap things up, which is a shame when so much effort had been put into the buildup. There's even an afterword at the conclusion to explain everything away and smooth out the rough edges.
Maybe I'm being a bit harsh on Jane Austen for not loving this book - who wrote so much material in a such short period of time - but that's just it, not every idea can come to fruition and generate a totally satisfying read. Maybe there was too much to live up to or she didn't have enough patience and energy?
This is one of my least favourite Jane Austen books even though it has so much potential. It could have been one of her best ever if it had a more courageous and less convenient ending. Sense and Sensibility also springs to mind for this reason.
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