I wish half-stars were possible, because I'd really give this one 4 1/2 stars. If I read this book independent of other Jane Austen novels, I would probably give it 5 stars, but in comparison to the others, my actual reading enjoyment was just shy of what I experienced with Pride and Prejudice and Emma.

I did very much enjoy Mansfield Park, even though it didn't have the wit of Pride and Prejudice nor the humor of Emma. It has a decidedly more serious tone, and it is not so much a discourse on love and marriage (as other Jane Austen books are), as it is on morals, principles, and even parenting.

Characters are complex and well-developed. Jane Austen believably depicts shades of character, and though it was sometimes inconvenient to not know exactly how I should feel about one person or another, it was certainly a realistic portrayal of relationships - because how often, in real life, do we ever unchangingly regard other individuals in one single way, regardless of circumstances?

My wished-for ending fluctuated as the story progressed, and at more than one point I wondered how Jane Austen would bring about the satisfactory ending that I was sure she would provide. Not surprisingly, once I finished the book, I was not disappointed!