By the time I returned to the car, Emma was fast asleep. I sat watching her for awhile, thinking things through. I’d taken a few risks in my life, but only when it didn’t seem to matter. With the things that were important, I’d always played it safe.
Until now.
(from The Importance of Being Emma, page 172)
The Importance of Being Emma is the first book in Juliet Archer’s Darcy & Friends series and a modern re-telling of Jane Austen’s Emma. Archer’s Emma Woodhouse is the 23-year-old, new marketing director at her father’s company, Highbury Foods. Her biggest concern is tapping into new markets and bringing the company into the 21st century — until her old friend Mark (George in Austen’s novel) Knightley returns after eight years running Donwell Organics’ regional operation in India, and her father hires him to mentor Emma for six months. When Mark went to Mumbai, Emma (or Mouse, as he called her) was just an awkward teenager with a hopeless crush on him. Now he can’t help but notice the woman Emma has become, and it’s not long before his attraction to her has him distracted and reconsidering his relationship with Tamara, his girlfriend of five years.
The novel follows Emma as she transforms her flighty PA, Harriet Smith, into the model for a revamped product line, tries to set Harriet up with Highbury Foods’ finance director, Philip Elton (who we all know has his sights set on Emma), wishes Jane Fairfax (a.k.a. Saint Jane of Highbury) hadn’t been hired to work with her in marketing, and avoids Mark and his mentoring meetings whenever possible. As Mark’s feelings for Emma begin to deepen, the mysterious and elusive Flynn (Frank in the original) Churchill, celebrity chef, finally arrives in Highbury to visit his father, the husband of Emma’s close friend. Emma has long believed she and Flynn are destined to be together, and it pains Mark to see the two of them as thick as thieves. A hazy encounter at the company Christmas party drives Emma and Mark even further apart, and as Mark heads back to India, Emma must face the consequences of her misguided schemes and utter blindness.
The Importance of Being Emma is a refreshing take on one of my all-time favorite novels. Archer sticks close to the original when it comes to the basics of the plot and the characters’ personalities, but her characters felt so new that I often forgot that I already knew how it would all play out. The story is told in the first person from both Emma and Mark’s points of view, creating a conversational tone and making for a quick read. Getting into Emma’s head makes her a more likeable character because it’s clear that she means well, and getting into Mark’s head sheds some light on the internal turmoil Austen’s Mr. Knightley must have felt about his feelings for Emma and how she changes under Frank Churchill’s influence. However, not letting readers see into Mr. Knightley’s mind and heart added a layer of tension and anxiety toward the end of the original novel that isn’t present here. Yet Archer makes up for it with plenty of humor — from Gusty Hawkins, the obnoxious financial consultant, to the “Highbury Humper” (you just have to read the book to find out what that’s all about!).
Archer shrinks the age difference between Emma and Mark by about four years (they are 23 and 35 here, versus 21 and 37 in the original), but it doesn’t change things much. Archer’s Mr. Knightley still tells Emma like it is, and Emma still doesn’t listen. He still sees himself as a wise counselor, and Emma still insists she is old enough not to need his advice and censure. Archer does a great job modernizing the story, underscoring the timelessness of Austen’s plots and characters. Readers will be happy to know that the books in the Darcy & Friends series are standalone novels, connected only by a foreword written by Will Darcy that introduces the story, explains his connections to the characters, and alludes to what will come later when his story is told. In fact, I read the second book first (Persuade Me, a modern re-telling of Persuasion) and enjoyed it as much as this one.
The Importance of Being Emma is a sexy and funny update of a beloved classic. Archer’s Emma is a ambitious woman with career goals and a stubborn case of self-importance, and her Mr. Knightley adds a layer of sexiness and charm to Austen’s perfect gentleman. Highly recommended for both fans of Austen-inspired fiction and romantic comedies.
Disclosure: The Importance of Being Emma is from my personal library.
© 2013 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.
The title had me thinking about The Importance of Being Earnest. But this story stems from Emma by Jane Austen. It sounds like a charming book, Anna!
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It was a lot of fun. I’ve never read The Importance of Being Earnest, so not sure if there are any similarities beyond the title.
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I don’t think I’ve ever read Emma but this does sound good!
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You definitely could read it without having read Emma.
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This sounds like a gem. I’d read this!
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Feel free to borrow my copy whenever. You know the drill. LOL
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COOL! I wasn’t sure how these would be, so I’m excited to see your positive review!
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I hope you give them a try! I can’t wait for the next in the series.
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A re-telling of Emma would be fun 🙂
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Yes, there aren’t a whole lot of those. I have one more on my shelf right now, but I’m waiting to savor it, lol.
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This one sounds like a re-telling I would enjoy. They are usually a hit and miss with me.
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I think you should probably give a modern-day one a try.
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Never read Emma, but I *think* it’s on my classics list! Will have to check, but I definitely do want to read the classic and maybe I will consider this one too 🙂
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You could read this one without having read Emma, but you should read Emma! That’s my favorite Austen novel…at least at the moment. 🙂
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I loved this one, Anna. So glad you found it true to the original and well adapted for contemporary times. I really enjoyed the dual point-of-views – I hope Juliet Archer continues that for the rest of the series.
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Me, too! Glad to hear you enjoyed it as well.
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Thank for this wonderful review, Anna – it made my day!
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You’re very welcome!
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