EMMA & KNIGHTLY

Author: Rachel Billington ISBN: 9781402212079 3/2008 HISTORICAL Publisher: SOURCEBOOKS
Time Period: Regency

The irrepressible Emma is restless… And Mr. Knightley’s apparently endless patience is tried, not only by her strong mind and high spirits but also by the problems of his brother John and the return of a widowed Frank Churchill. After a year of marriage, Emma wants Knightley to stop treating her like a child. Knightley meanwhile wants his young bride to love him as a husband, not as the man she’s always looked up to. With tragedy in the offing, and events unfolding that include beloved characters from Jane Austen’s Emma, the couple must find their way to each other, and to perfect happiness. With a wonderful grasp of the manners and style of the day, this warm and witty exploration of a marriage between a young country heiress and the man who adores her fulfills the romantic longings of Jane Austen lovers everywhere.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

EMMA & KNIGHTLEY by Rachel Billington is a wonderful tale of one woman’s journey from pampered, coddled child-woman to independent, intelligent adult. Reading this is like watching a butterfly hatch. It is mesmerizing and eye-opening, a sheer delight.

Emma’s father, Mr. Woodhouse, has had her at his beck and call since birth. Even though she’s grown and wed, nothing much seems to have changed for either Emma or her father. Now that she and Mr. Knightley have been married for a year, she is still living in her father’s home, still watching over him and doing his bidding. It is long overdue but Emma finally decides it’s time for her to grow up. A situation which becomes appallingly apparent to Emma and Mr. Knightley serves to push Emma toward a final resolution to her dilemma. She knows she’ll either have to—finally!—claim her rightful place in Knightley’s home or stay as she is, half-child to her father, forever.

Watching Emma change and grow, given the circumstances of the time, is nothing short of miraculous. As the book opens we see Mr. Woodhouse taking a turn outdoors. At the story’s close it is Emma who has escaped the confines of the old gentleman’s house. The strict adherence to social mores and the use of dialogue that pulls the reader back in time makes this story one that pulls the reader in and takes them far away, to another time and place. I enjoyed this greatly, and can think of no better way to spend a rainy afternoon than in the company of characters such as these. Well done!

Kay James