Notes from The Radical Reader:

• Noble Characters: Fanny Price, Henry Tilney, Edmund Bertram – these are just a few of the iconic characters who bring Mansfield Park, Jane Austen’s third novel, to life. Fanny Price, an unloved child by her aunts and cousins, comes to live at Mansfield Park when she is ten years old. As she grows and matures, she provides a sharp contrast to the frivolity and foolishness of her two older cousins, Maria and Julia Bertram. Multiple times throughout the story, we see Fanny, against the advice and commands of her family, stand up for what she knows to be right. This timid eighteen-year-old refuses to compromise her morals.
• Captivating Plots: Much of the plot centers around the mistreatment Fanny receives at the hands of her uncle, aunts, and cousins. Between being pressured to engage in flirtatious plays, marry the wild Henry Tilney, or cater to her family’s demands, Fanny tries to navigate life at Mansfield Park while watching the only man she truly admires fall in love with another woman. Mansfield Park is a story of courage in the face of pressure and hope in the face of rejection.
• Elaborate Worlds: This story revolves around the goings-on at Mansfield Park, a fictional location near Northampton, England. Mansfield Park, unlike many of Austen’s fictional locations, isn’t warm and welcoming. It’s cold, unfriendly, and a powerful contrast between the warmth of Fanny’s character to the cold family relatives who live at Mansfield Park. For any reader, Mansfield Park will thrill and delight you.