It's difficult not to like Emma--the character--despite the fact that she seems to lead a rather vapid life. Of course, this is a function of the society in which she lives, and one can imagine such a charming and intelligent woman being a far more productive individual were she to exist today.

Taken in the context of its time, the novel 'Emma' is a delightfully fun and witty examination of the societal constraints and mores of the period in which it takes place. Plot is not essential here, and there really isn't a great deal of it. It's the characters who count, and Emma is certainly the most captivating of the lot. She bears some resemblance to the major female leads of other Jane Austen novels, but rather lacks the spirited, rebelliousness of Elizabeth Benett (of 'Pride and Predjudice').

'Emma', as a novel, is not as tightly written as Pride and Predjudice (which is probably Austen's best known and best loved work). There are places in 'Emma' that certainly could have done with some decent editing, sections of dialogue that are simply far too protracted and tend to weary the reader. That said, the book is still worth investing the time to read.

Lindsay Brambles (author of 'In Darkness Bound')