Camilla (Oxford World's Classics) [Paperback]

Fanny Burney (Author), Edward A. Bloom (Editor), Lillian D. Bloom (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 28, 1999 | ISBN-10: 019283908X | ISBN-13: 978-0192839084

First published in 1796, Camilla deals with the matrimonial concerns of a group of young people-Camilla Tyrold and her sisters, the daughters of a country parson, and their cousin Indiana Lynmere-and, in particular, with the love affair between Camilla herself and her eligible suitor, Edgar Mandlebert. The path of true love, however, is strewn with intrigue, contretemps and misunderstanding. An enormously popular eighteenth-century novel, Camilla is touched at many points by the advancing spirit of romanticism. As in Evelina, Fanny Burney weaves into her novel strands of light and dark, comic episodes and gothic shudders, and creates a pattern of social and moral dilemmas which emphasize and illuminate the gap between generations.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An excellent edition, meticulously prepared by one of Burney's most judicious and thoughtful critics."--Alexander Pettit, University of North Texas

About the Author

Fanny Burney, later Madame D'Arblay, (1752-1840) was an English novelist and diarist.

Product Details

• Paperback: 992 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (October 28, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 019283908X
• ISBN-13: 978-0192839084
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #619,223 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Should have been called Eugenia....., May 12, 2003

By 

Gwyn Gwyrdd "geek" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Camilla (Oxford World's Classics) (Paperback)

Why do I think it should have been called Eugenia? She is the character whom you will respect and adore the most at the end of this book. But before I elaborate on that further, let me say that this is the second book of Fanny Burney's that I have read and she is the author who has, by far, the best gift for pulling her readers into the very emotions of her characters. The characters in Camilla felt like very real people to me by the end of this book. This is not just due to the fact that it is almost a thousand pages long - I felt this way within the first few chapters. Ms. Burney was a great inspiration to many later authors, most notably, Jane Austen. In fact, scholars believe that Camilla was the direct influence for Austen's masterpiece, Sense and Sensibility. The flavor of Austen's books were clearly cooked up while she was reading Ms. Burney, and you'll find that the inspiration and enjoyment Ms. Austen received while reading Camilla, as well as other Burney books, is no mystery.

The story follows two sisters, Eugenia and Camilla, and their cousin, Indiana, in the months preceding their marriages. Not only are the lives of these three women explored, but we see several equally strong male characters and the supporting cast is as delightful, frustrating, and dramatic as good supporting characters should be. Although Camilla is darling and sympathetic, you may, as I did, find that much of what she goes through could have been easily avoided. Much of what occurs involves Camilla's suitor, Edgar, who decides, based on the advice of a friend, to look for her faults and be sure she loves him before declaring his love and asking her to marry him. On the other hand, Camilla, who is deeply in love with Edgar is given advice by her father to avoid him and hide her feelings for him as much as possible (to avoid complications in their already established friendship). This of course, places everything in a muddle as both are working against each other. On top of this, Camilla seems to have a knack for finding herself in situations, which Edgar always just happens to witness, that appear less than flattering to her character. The reader finds themselves frustrated with the continual thousand page cycle that ensues, but fear not, by the end you find that Ms. Burney planned and shares these frustrations. As you can imagine, the book deals greatly with the expectations placed on young women, trust, prejudice, and giving individuals, especially those we love, the benefit of the doubt.

Ms. Burney writes about her characters in such a vivid manner that you feel as if you can actually see what's going on. Facial expressions, emotions, settings, etc. are painted with subtle yet strong master strokes. Besides giving us Camilla's story in full, Ms. Burney gives us multiple strong sub plots. Eugenia's story is perhaps the most dramatic and in my opinion, more powerful and moving that the main story. I will not spoil the book by giving you the details other than to say that she overcomes insurmountable odds, and does so with a grace that will endear her to you.

Besides giving us wonderful human interest stories, Ms. Burney once again weaves intrigue, wisdom, tragedy, comedy, and a host of surprising plot twists in this book that will hold the reader glued to every page. It's length was never felt. In fact, the closer I came to the finish line, the slower I read because I didn't want the book to end. Despite it's being a thousand pages long, I finished the book rapidly and never felt a numb, boring moment. Camilla will capture you from her opening pages and hold you betwixt the beginning and end in utter turmoil, suspense, awe, and, most importantly, rapture.

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Camilla by Fanny Burney, May 23, 2000

By 

Diane C. Fox "[e-mail]" (Las Vegas, Nevada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Camilla (Oxford World's Classics) (Paperback)

Along with Belinda and The History of Sir Charles Grandison, essential reading for all Jane Austen enthusiasts. In Camilla you will find Austen's inspiration for many different characters and situations. The 17 year old heroine of the novel is Burney's most enchanting. Her adventures are rich and surprising.The color of the 18th century infuses this book. Bring handkerchiefs, for there is pathos aplenty, but in a pure, non-cloying form. Eugenia, the stunted and unlovely but spiritually and intellectually exquisite sister of Camilla provides the soul of the book. This book contains suspense, glamour, romance, great wisdom and greater folly. Anyone who adores 18th C lit. will be sorry to turn the last page, though a thousand preceded it. In many ways this is Burney's happiest and most hopeful book. It was written as she was celebrating her liberation from spinsterhood into the estate of a married woman at age 40. We would be very lucky if anyone ever thought to turn this one into a film.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Less would be more!, September 29, 2005

By 

Lili_K (Hungary) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Camilla (Oxford World's Classics) (Paperback)

As a devoted Austen fan and having read Northanger Abbey where Fanny Burney's Camilla is mentioned I thought I'll give the book a try. Although it proved quite enjoyable for a time, but after 500 pages and at least "500" recurring events where the main (?) characters, Camilla & Edgar, almost seem to make it just to end up further and further apart I got really bored. The novel would be much better if it were 400 pages shorter.

Burney might have inspired Jane Austen, but Austen exceeded and outsmarted her in every way. Where Austen's plots are tight without any unnecessary subplots and going-ons, just for the sake of writing another 200 pages, Burney keeps repeating events, her characters find themselves over and over in similar circumstances without adding anything new to plot or to characterization, making the whole novel very tiresome after a while. I admit that Jane Austen also used cliché characters but her genius breathed life into them - they are well-drawn and have depth - while Burney's characters - even or especially the main characters, with the exception of the wonderful Eugenia - stay flat and common place, as if cut out from a newspaper.

In my opinion, Camilla, the heroine is simply one of the most frustratingly perfect female cliché characters that appeared in print. Besides some very common place deeds she doesn't seem very special at all. What is apparent right form the start that her family, friends and admirers assume her perfect without any other ground that her being pretty and good-humoured. And it seems the author was quite satisfied with this kind of characterization for she didn't feel the need to emphasize Camilla's good qualities with any external actions really but what is cliché and boring. As a result, Camilla remains a rather one-sided, flat character without any real progress than being understood rather than misunderstood by Edgar at the end of the painfully long 1000 pages. The most incredible and discrediting thing to me was when at a social assembly the boorish suitor of Camilla - not at all a gentleman - starts abusing Eugenia's appearance and Camilla instead of putting him to place or at least leaving him on the spot if she is such a coward to say anything - like I am sure Elizabeth Bennet, Elinor Dashwood or Emma Woodhouse would have done - just remains there sitting stupidly and mutely. So much for sisterly love!

I tend to agree with my fellow reviewers that Eugenia is a far more interesting and profound character, her personal tragedy and the courage she bears it with make her endearing. Hers was the -unfortunately only - subplot that I followed with the most excitement and sympathy.

Still, the novel was an interesting experience for me to know what was considered popular reading in that period and as such, quite useful with my studies.