Customer Reviews

Emma and the Vampires (Jane Austen Undead Novels)

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3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Do not be alarmed... but it seems like the good gentlefolk of Highbury having been living amongst... vampires! It is true, a band of savage vampires have recently attacked citizens of Highbury to drink some aristocratic blood! But what everyone doesn't know is that some of the esteemed gentlemen of the neighborhood are vampires as well...

In Emma and the Vampires, there are two classes of vampires: one consists of hideous, wild vampires that come out and attack at night, the other includes gentlemen such as Mr. Knightley, Mr. Elton, and Mr. Weston. Vampires like Mr. Knightley and Mr. Elton do not breath or have heartbeats and they never sleep or eat. Moreover, when they do drink blood - which is very seldom - it is usually from someone with whom they are acquainted. They are amongst the class of "good" vampires and are involved with vanquishing the wild vampire vagrants of Highbury.

In the Acknowledgements of this novel it is mentioned that one of Wayne Josephson's goals when writing Emma and the Vampires was to make Jane Austen's "delightful novel accessible to modern readers, especially young adults." This he most certainly accomplishes. His retelling uses simpler syntax and more comprehensible language that will make it easily understood by young adult readers. It seems Mr. Josephson has developed an interest in retelling classics as he has published four other novel retellings in a series titled Readable Classics. These novels include: The Scarlet Letter, Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, and Moby Dick.

Mr. Josephson's retelling of Emma corresponds and parallels Jane Austen's Emma beautifully. Both books have fifty-five chapters and all plot events occur in coinciding chapters. Mr. Elton declares himself in both chapter fifteen of Jane Austen's and Wayne Josephson's novels. This type of retelling would be suitable for readers who did not understand or like Jane Austen's Emma the first time they read it. Furthermore, even though it isn't labeled as such, this book is most definitely geared towards young adult readers. If you have read and enjoyed Jane Austen's Emma, this novel may not be for you. You might find yourself asking: "Why am I reading a reduction of Emma when I can read the novel itself?"

I wasn't too fond of the vampire aspect in the novel. I greatly anticipated reading this novel when I found out that Mr. Knightley was to be a vampire. I thought it would add a sense of danger and capability to his already excellent character and that the story would be more about him. However, this did not occur. Besides not eating and sleeping, the only vampire activity in this novel is slaying other vampires. I was disappointed that there was no explanation of how they became vampires or references to their vampire activities. I am very curious to know what Mr. Knightley does with his nights since he cannot sleep! Furthermore, I would like to know the story behind the two classes of vampires and why they don't associate with each other.

One aspect I found perplexing was whether or not the citizens of Highbury knew people like Mr. Elton, Mr. Knightley, and Mr. Weston were vampires. They seemed aware of their eating and sleeping habits, commented about their fangs and pale skin, and observed their quick speed and super strength. Did they really not know they were in the company of vampires? When Mr. Elton's eyes turned from black to red, were they oblivious to the fact that it was because he recently drank blood? My other quibble is that I felt the ending was a little ambiguous, instead of ending on a happy note the story ends with the sense of impending peril. Perhaps there will be a second book to follow this one...

While there were moments of vampire humor such as: Emma and Harriet becoming vampire slayers akin to Buffy and Robert Martin, with his remarkable strength, pitching a cow over a fence, I overall felt this vampire mash-up unsuccessful. However, despite my criticisms I do hope that Emma and the Vampires achieves Mr. Josephson's goal of making Emma more accessible to modern audiences. Introducing new readers to the world of Jane Austen is always a most praiseworthy and admirable accomplishment!

Austenesque Reviews

In Highbury, England blue blooded vampires live among the human residents with the latter unaware that some of local gentry are Undead. Daughter of an affluent widower, Emma is especially clueless even though she notices weird dental bites and black curtains, but never puts together another thought as to what that denotes. Instead Emma plays the town's matchmaker until her BFF Harriet Smith declares her love for Mr. Knightly. Emma wants him unaware that his fangs are not due to poor teeth.

Everything changes when the vampires begin stalking and attacking the town's girls. Not one to remain a spectator, Emma grabs a stake that she ties to her thigh and stalks the Undead.

With a nod to Steve Hockensmith's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and a wink at Jane Austen, Wayne Josephson converts Emma into a vampire thriller with stakes and tea. Although everyone knows vampires exist, Emma is terrific as she goes from totally clueless to Regency Buffy like slayer. Although how the Highbury citizens failed to know the bluebloods were Undead is mindful of Los unable to see past Clark's glasses (hypnotic glamour must be super powerful), readers will enjoy Mr. Josephus' jocular biting of Emma.

Harriet Klausner

Austen and vampires. Two powerhouse pop culture juggernauts. Mash them up and they are irresistible to publishers eager to feed on the TWILIGHT & Trueblood craze. Here is a new novel that transforms EMMA, Austen's masterpiece of astute characterization and social reproof into a tale of Undead matchmaking blunders and vampire battles. Will Miss Woodhouse continue to be a nonsensical girl or morph into Buffy the Vampire Slayer?

Once upon a time, long, long ago in Regency times there was a handsome, clever and rich young lady named Emma Woodhouse who had lived close to twenty-one years of her life with very little to vex her. She lived with her kindly old father in a big castle named Hartfield near the village of Highbury. The Woodhouses' were the first family of consequence in the surrounding neighborhood filled with gentleman vampires. Their particular friend was Mr. Knightley whose pale skin, black eyes and fear of sunlight were attributed to his lack of sleep and dull appetite.

Miss Woodhouse was clueless that anything was amiss though the telltale signs of the Undead were apparent throughout their social sphere. The other ladies of Highbury were also un-mindful accepting the attentions and marriage proposals of the gentleman vampires without concern. Not even their children's pallid skin and need to hunt for small animals in the nearby forest alarmed them to any measure. However, in the dark forest also lived wild vampires totally lacking in social graces who feasted upon the young ladies in Mrs. Goddard's school or anyone else careless enough to walk too close to the shrubberies.

Oblivious to the real evils within Highbury, Emma proceeds to match make her friends to unsuitable vampires with disastrous results. Even though she has never had the discipline to apply herself to reading or drawing, or the desire to marry, she discovers quite suddenly that she is a skilled vampire slayer and proceeds to rid the neighborhood of the fiendish Undead while winning the approval and heart of the one gentleman vampire who she discovers she truly loves. And then, with all the evil vampires vanquished and her desire to be a misapplying match maker renounced, they lived happily ever after.

If this synopsis sounds like a charming fairytale of EMMA with vampires added in, that was my intention. It was the novel that I wished I had read, but sadly did not. I am exceedingly puzzled by what was attempted. A retelling of Austen's EMMA for young children, or adults that need a dumbed down version laced with vampires to understand the original story?

There is an inherent challenge in retelling a classic; how much to leave in and what to take away. Wayne Josephson has used Austen's characters and followed the plot faithfully. However, he completely rewrote 99% of the text in his own words. His choice of language is very simple and modern taking away the flavor of Austen's beautiful prose. Even her famous quotes were axed, removing any grounding to the original text and absolutely all humor.

The vampires have been added for excitement and there were moments of surprise and occasional smiles. This dumbing down of the language and doping up with vampires could have worked beautifully if he had not taken the middle road and either made the story a fractured fairytale parodying EMMA and vampires, or gone all out campy and outrageous presenting EMMA a la Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Even though this novel has been classified as adult fiction, I think that it appeals more to the young reader in middle school who will be glamoured into reading an Austen retelling by the mention of romance and vampires.

Laurel Ann, Austenprose

I know that some do not like these mash-ups, but I think they are so funny. The things I love the most are the things I like to see changed or made fun of. This totally works for me. And you all know I love things Austen by now.

Most of you surely know Emma, the pretty spoiled lady who suddenly realizes that she is a great matchmaker, and of course she isn't and that leads to a string of fun misunderstandings. And this book follows that plot, it follows Emma as it should, with a few exceptions...

There are vampires around and in Highbury there are a few gentlemen vampires. The rest seems to be blissfully aware even though these men have black eyes, red eyes, never eat or sleeps and are really pale. Mr Knightley is one of these gentlemen, as is Mr Elton and Mr Weston. But there are also wild vampires around, and Emma who carries a stake is not a bad vampire-killer when attacked. Mr Knightley is also very handy with a sabre, cos yes he and the rest chops a few heads when attacked. A real gentlemen does not attack a lady without being asked.

Vampires works so well here because he keeps it witty and a comedy of manners. The book is hilarious and sure Emma may not be the best heroine but she does have a good heart and means well. Harriett is a vampiremagnet with her heaving bosom and slender neck, Mr Knightley as knightley as ever, Emma's dad just as he always is, and Frank Churchill, a coward, for a vampire.

For readers who wants to read something nice, I would recommend this. For readers who love mash-ups, don't forget this one, and for those that haven't try one, just plunge in, and don't be horrified that Austen's works are being turned into something else. I am pretty sure she would have gotten a few laughs from it too.

Jane Austen lovers will recognize Emma Woodhouse from Emma. Pop culture lovers will recognize Alicia Silverstone from Clueless. Either way, this book is a rollicking good time!

In this regency era book, we find aristocratic vampires have taken over the town of Highbury. They live among the townsfolk and no one is the wiser. Our young Emma is more oblivious than most. She notices odd fangs and black curtains to keep the sun out, but doesn't put that together with the vampire threat to her town. Malicious, wild vampires are attacking the young girls in Highbury and something must be done to put an end to it! Emma straps a stake to her thigh and decides it's time to take action!

I love the trend of taking classics and remaking them with the paranormal added in. This is the third book that I've read. This book definitely takes more after Pride and Prejudice and Zombies than Mr. Darcy, Vampyre. The humor in this book is evident from the first page. For me, Emma was a non-stop source of enjoyment. She's so completely clueless as to what's going on around her. This stretches from the vampires to herself. Emma sees things from her own unique, and naive, perspective.

Over all, this book was an excellent read. It pulls you in from the beginning and holds you tightly in it's grip. Characters are alive and wrought with scandal. It's difficult to put down and easy to pick back up. The lightheartedness with which it's written allows the reader to hold fast to the original feel of Jane's writing, while keeping it upbeat for today's reader.

I've now read four of these mashed up versions of Jane Austen as well as Abe Lincoln Vampire Hunter. This one is definitely the best one yet. It's very well written and I love the subtle humor. I wish there were more by this author.

yes, i loved this story and the vampiric side comments. but i feel the author could have made a real "killing" so to speak if he had not left us wondering about the pre-wedding night conversations. was emma allowed to have children? how did all these women feel about being made into a vampire or being married to them. i would pay more money to read a revised edition that answers these questions!

This is the first "Masher" book I have read and it really wasn't too bad. Josephson sticks closely to the plot line and overall feel of the original Emma and basically adds scenes of Vampire mayhem in addition to making all of the main male character "good" vampires. Lots of tongue-in-cheek humor. There seem to be a lot of discrepancies about vampire behavior though (i.e. their eyes only turn red when they have actually feasted on a human, but none of the "good" vampires have red eyes even though they are technically hundreds of years old. Are we to believe they have been in control of their urges for hundreds of years until suddenly all at once they all find a mate to marry and finally become a true vampire?)

Josephson said that he wanted to write a book that would get young people interested in reading the original Jane Austen books. I'm not sure he has succeeded in doing that since I think most young people are looking for a lot more action than this book provides. I do think it is a fun send-up for current Austen fans.

Oh, what is the proper name for these types of books. Retellings? That doesn't seem right. I'm going to call it... a conversion. Wayne Josephson took Emma, a classic Jane Austen novel, and turned it into a young adult vampire novel. The question is whether this attempt was successful.

I have never read Emma, and so perhaps my review of this conversion will be a bit different than if I had read Emma. I believe that Emma and the Vampires was a fairly good conversion. The vampire aspect added a little bit more interest, but all in all I think the story was more focused on the retelling than the vampires. The vampires were simply a tool used to create humor, and this tool was used very effectively. I found myself laughing aloud at some places, and also pondering the stupidity of the characters. After all... there are VAMPIRES among them, and they haven't got a clue. Although perhaps that ridiculousness is part of the novel's charm.

Overall, I'd say that I'm fairly pleased with my first "conversion" book. Wayne Josephson made it enjoyable and light, and my only complaint would be that the characters were a bit too ridiculous for my liking (although it could be that the characters were the same way in the original Emma... I don't know at this point) and that the vampire aspect could have been expanded on a bit. I would recommend this book to readers looking to get into Jane Austen books, but who aren't quite up to the task. After reading this book, I can honestly say that Jane Austen's Emma intrigues me, and I am more likely to read it now than I was before.

Although some readers have found any retelling of Austen's novels blasphemous, I have to say that I found Emma and the Vampires to be pretty funny. Much of the story is almost an exact copy of Austen's original, with the addition of vampires that stumble from the bushes to attack unaware humans at the end of a social occasion. It quickly becomes obvious though that Emma can handle herself and easily uses the wooden stake tied to her leg at all times to eliminate her undead attackers.

Many of our well-known characters from the novel are also undead, but have somehow learned to rely on animals and other food sources than humans (unless it is their own spouse). Mr. Knightley, for one, is part of the undead, yet remains civilized and ready to stand up for the highest comportment of his society. In some ways, these vampire battles and undead characters take little away from the original tale, but rather, add a bit of humor. I found myself giggling at scenes where the undead were inserted in a casual conversation. It just seemed a little funny. In the end though, I didn't think that anything was taken away from the story, even though the majority of the plot was created and driven by Jane Austen's own imagination, only fueled by a little of the undead.