A truly stunning illustrated edition of Emma by Marjolein Bastin! First, the dazzling pinks of the cover... those alone should catch your eye, but they are just the beginning of the artistry inside. The pretty pastels, petals, and butterflies that grace the pages bring an air of playfulness to this classic story. I particularly love the heart wreath illustration in Volume 1 and the beautiful monarch butterfly in Volume 3.

Gorgeous illustrations!!! I thought the floral designs correlated well with the setting and tone of the novel, Emma. It follows the seasons of the story, where the shift is obvious when it goes to winter time back to Spring. It comes full circle for sure. It perfectly encapsulates the tone of the novel.
I wonder if the floral depictions had any relation to actual Victorian floriography. If so, that would be so cool!

This is really a collectable item for those who are connoisseurs of classics books and it is a perfect gift to give. I loved the floral touches of this edition a lot, but I would have liked more illustrations in the starting and ending of chapters. The endpapers are just gorgeous!

Great Classic re-printed with beautiful pictures to help decorate the pages. The original Jane Austen classic just with birds and flowers that are clean printed on the pages. Makes the book pleasing to the eyes.

‘i am going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like.’ - Jane Austen.

Listen. She said it, not me.
Emma is not even close to breaking my top 10 Austen characters.

No, I don't hate her or anything, she's just very very hard to relate to (or even like?)

She's the kind of friend you kick under the table for saying something daft or inconsiderate and being completely oblivious to the fact. Being privileged and wealthy is less of an annoyance to those around you when you are capable of basic empathy and have the ability to read situations and your surroundings. Emma, I'm afraid, is severely lacking in that department.

Something that is only highlighted by the presence of one Mr. Knightley - who is in the aforementioned Top 10 JA faves.

At the end of the day though, Emma makes strides to better herself, learning the hard way the error of her ways.

This is still an iconic book, it's a classic for more reasons than I can count.
And that is only enhanced by this lovely edition with elegant adornments and illustrations.
Even someone such as myself who doesn't LOVE Emma, can appreciate how truly remarkable it is to create this atmosphere with such simple and chic touches.

I enjoyed the story but I really needed to read the book while listening to an audiobook in order to finish the book. I could have known since I usually prefer to read classics in Dutch, my native language. Still, I am glad I finished Emma. Ever since my high school English teacher recommended it to me, I have been curious about the story. (I think I like Pride & Prejudice better, though.)

As for this edition with illustrations by Marjolein Bastin. The illustrations of nature, flowers and birds are beautiful. However, they do not particularly add anything to the story. So if you are just looking for a beautiful edition of Emma, you might want to look at these editions.

I love Jane Austen as well as the artwork of Marjolein Bastin. However, the description provided did not meet the expectation I had for this book. Since I already own two copies of Emma, I would not buy a copy of this edition unless it was as a nice gift for someone I would be introducing to Jane Austen.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by the publisher and Net Galley but the thoughts expressed are my own.

I love classic literature and Jane Austen is one of my favourite authors. The images in this really build in with the story and it is a such a lovely edition.

*I am giving feedback based on illustrated version, not Emma itself.*

This book was beautifully illustrated and I think it would make a charming gift for any Austen lover in your life.

I really enjoyed this book. Emma is a classic tale and I love the illustrations included in this edition. I was expecting the illustrations to reflect more of the story, but they were still beautiful and added a little bit extra to the story. The cover is also gorgeous and this would make an excellent edition to any collector's shelf.

What a gorgeous version of Emma! With beautiful floral watercolors on each page, this would make the perfect gift for anyone - whether they are new to Jane Austen or already own a copy of the book. This would look lovely on anyone's coffee table or bookshelf.

Emma by Jane Austen is my favourite book of all time! I think the roses were a perfect choice for the cover and introduction to this version of Emma. I would easily add this edition to my growing collection of Jane Austen books. I cannot wait to see the final product!

I received an eARC from Andrew McMeel Publishing through NetGalley. All opinions are 100% my own.

This is a beautiful gift for Jane Austen's fans. The appeal of this book is the life-like illustrations of the flowers, birds, and bees. I was misled by the title which said illustrations. I thought this would be an illustrated novel (graphic novel) with characters illustrated. It will be wise to clarify that the illustrations are nature and non-character specific.

Another Jane Austen classic! Emma's wittiness is what takes the cake for me in this book. Per usual, Austen's prose and writing style was lovely. Her characters and world were well developed.

One of my favorite quotes from this book: “Nobody, who has not been in the interior of a family, can say what the difficulties of any individual of that family may be.”

Whenever I read a classic, I need to get myself used to the writing style. Classics are always entertaining but I sometimes find that the style makes it difficult not to zone out. So I try listening to the book and realize that it doesn't help and I find myself zoning into everything BUT the audiobook. I have officially discovered that the best thing to do when reading classic books is to listen to the audiobook and follow along with it! That way, I can easily notice the tone of the writing (which is usually difficult to perceive when reading older writing) and it helps me zone out any distractions in the world around me. So if you ever struggle reading a classic, but you know that you're enjoying the story, I suggest you try that and see if it helps. I don't believe the audiobooks are too expensive. I got the Emma audiobook for free in my Audible membership.

Anyway, onto the review! I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters were so enjoyable and Emma herself was a very complex character and I couldn't help but find her relatable. Yes, she is an unlikable character but I feel that she has flaws that many people carry. She feels that she knows everything there is to know and it eventually bites her in the butt. She also has one person that points out her flaws and she knows that it's a good thing she has that person in her life. She also has a deep sense of carrying for those around her.

On top of all that, even though she is spoiled, it doesn't mean she has a bad heart. She loves her family and her friends and absolutely hates the pain she causes them when she meddles. I really found that part relatable. I make a lot of mistakes when it comes to family and friends and it's difficult for me to move on from the wrong I've caused, even if everyone else has. I got to say that it was really nice to see a character like Emma who I can relate to. I felt for Emma as she seemed to, at times, scramble to fix what she had done and I could almost feel the anxiety she felt for when she did wrong. I can't correctly put into words how much seeing this type of character represented in such a classic, widely-read novel.

Okay, onto less deep topics! I cannot get over how much I love Mr. Knightley. He is so witty and blunt that I absolutely adore him! He humbles Emma in a way that shows he cares. I know that sounds weird but hear me out. He knows how good of a person she is and he sees that she loves those around her. The only thing he's trying to do when being blunt with her is to show her how her behavior could be perceived by others. He wants her to see the foolishness she exhibits at times and how her meddling and "I know everything" attitude won't get her far in life. By doing this as long as they've known each other, he's cultivated a trusting relationship with her because she sees how honest he is. I believe that subconsciously, Emma knew she needed that one person in her life that wouldn't coddle her when she didn't deserve it. Ugh... he was just such an important and amazing character and the more I think of it, the more sure of it I get!

If you like classics, then I highly recommend you read this absolutely beautiful book!

Pros: Emma made for one of the best discussions my book club has ever had . . . partly because we loved comparing it to Clueless. One of Jane Austen's gifts is that the books she wrote are so adaptable to modern times. Emma is also unique because this heroine has wealth.

Cons: None! Emma is the most fun and charming of Austen's books.

Although Emma is not new to me, this edition is! The floral illustrations are lovely and go perfectly with the story of the charming Emma.

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for kindly providing me with a digital copy of this book for review.
Wow, wow, wow, wow, and wow again! I think I have found a new favourite illustrator in Marjolein Bastin. Her art work is simply stunning and really suites my esthetics.
Ok, so let’s take a step back from all the gushing for a moment and just take a look at the actual story- Emma by Jane Austen. I am an unashamedly super Austen fan, I have read all her books many times, I’ve seen many editions of this book, and I owe a few editions of this book as well. So, why am I excited about a new edition of a story that is obviously no surprise to me? Well, like I said earlier, this artwork is something else and it really made my reading experience something else as well. When I read Austen I mainly connect with the characters as they are the things that are the most crafted within her stories. As these illustrations are all flowers, foliage, birds and insects, they really made me tune into the nature and the seasons more within Austen’s writing. For instance, the Christmas scenes within the book are accompanied with some exquisite illustrations of seasonal holly, mistletoe, winter birds etc. I’ve never read Austen before in this way- I’d still wouldn’t say she’s a huge nature writer like Thomas Hardy was, but with the prompt of Bastin’s illustrations, I’ve certainly found myself searching more for the nature descriptions, and adding that extra level to my reading experience.
Following the release last year of the latest Emma film adaptation, I think this would be the perfect time to pick up this wonderful edition and maybe introduce someone who has discovered Austen through that film, and is now ready to dive into the original story. I’m always a little jealous when I hear people that are discovering Austen for the first time - but I shouldn’t be really as I wouldn’t trade the lifetimes companionship that Jane Austen’s writing has given me- it really has been a very special area in my life. So yes, I’m very grateful I got the chance to review this edition, and I most certainly recommend. Go on, give yourself a literary treat!

The illustrations are elegant. They make this a beautiful edition to a personal library or a gorgeous gift to give.

I love Jane Austen's work and I had to take a peak at these upcoming new special illustrated editions of her novels. Marjolein Bastin's illustrations are mostly nature-themed and generally speaking they fit the theme and vibe of the books. I can't wait to get my hands on the actual paper format!

I was provided an advanced digital copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley for review purposes, all opinions are my own.

Simply beautiful and fittingly feminine illustrations for this classic. This is one of my favourite Jane Austen books and I think these illustrations enhance the feeling of the book wonderfully.