Posted: Apr 08, 2010 10:01 am
Topsy wrote:I become quite exasperated when people judge Austen novels by the plot alone and write them off as "girly" just because there's romance in them. They are so full of wit, intelligence & social comment. She was a genius and I agree with those above who laugh at the notion of Austen being saccharine. Her pen is MUCH more acidic than sweet and there are many levels to mine in her books. Film & TV adaptations tend to exist on the top, most accessible level but there's much more beneath the surface than a skimmed plot and shallow character sketches for those willing (and able) to delve deeper by savouring the books over several readings of each one.
I don't think feminine reputation of Austen's books originate from their romance. Les Miserable has romance too, but it's a very manly book.