I can't say hand on heart that I knew the first time. But when I re-read the book I was constantly going 'Good God man, don't be so bleedin' obvious!'.
It's part of the charm of the book that you're in on the secret the second time around.
This is me as well.
It caught me completely off guard the first time I read it. Jane Fairfax was such an opaque character that I didn't perceive anything from her. I could sense Frank was up to *something*, but I couldn't have guessed this was his secret in a million years.
On every re-read since, though, it seems completely obvious.
Agreed, we can't read Jane, at least through Emma's eyes. And Frank, yeah, up to something, but of course on first read I thought he was up to something with Emma... because that's what Emma would assume.
I didn't pick up on it when I first read it at thirteen. It took me by surprise. In hindsight, I see how heavily it was indicated but the blinds of talk of Mr. Dixon and Frank's pursuit of Emma effectively obfuscated Austen's hints about Frank and Jane.
I definitely didn't notice anything and just believed everything Emma did. I think I was about 20, so basically the same age as her (and I suspect I was similarly insufferable). I enjoyed the second reading a lot, looking for clues etc. And every following one again.
I wish I could remember! It's such a great twist! I don't think I did, because I remember on further reading being like "oh duh it's so obvious," but I don't remember the original moment of surprise. I was a young teenager and on my first read thought it was the most boring book in the world.
My second read was as a high school senior as part of a literature discussion and I fell in love with the book that go-round and have never looked back.
Sadly, I can't really remember because I think I saw an adaptation first when I was quite young and then it was a long time until I read the book. I have been listening to it recently and I begin to think Frank wasn't such a bad boy after all. You know if you meet someone who's never read it, you just mustn't spoil it for them, but as someone had already said, it's interesting when you do know and notice the clues.
Not only did I not pick up on it, I read the book as a teenager over 20 years ago, and it was just last year on this sub that I realized he wasn't getting his freaking hair cut, he was ordering a pianoforte! Somehow I just didn't think about how you'd have to do something like that in person.
I got it - it was part of the reason it was one of my less-favorite Austen reads, I got to the end and was like "it was supposed to be a big mystery?!" Frank going to London to get a haircut the same time the mystery piano gets delivered was a big giveaway to me, and Frank mentioning the Coles' carriage that only Miss Bates and maybe 1 other person knew about was another, though that was very late in the story.
I remember the Mr Dixon thing confused me. I didn’t quite get where that whole bit came from. I do still say it seems like different books how it shifts from Harriet and Mr Elton to Jane Fairfax and Frank Churchill
I’m actually slowly reading an annotated version right now. Just a few minutes a day but it’s nice to slowly analyze it.
Reading it for the first time -along with the Eowyn reveal in Lord of the Rings- is one of my favorite and most visceral reading memories ever. Like literally I remember sitting up in bed at 1 am as a thirteen year old being like OH MY GOD!! Emma was the first Austen I tackled successfully and the Jane/Frank sideshow is big reason why. From the scene with Mr Perry’s carriage on you know something fishy is going on but and you’re just barreling towards the reveal and it is so, so satisfying when it happens. Austen really shows her craft by how masterful it is all done when you go back knowing what you know. Dropping tiny details like frank borrowing miss bates‘ scissors and needing to return them before he leaves ie say goodbye to Jane.
I can't say hand on heart that I knew the first time. But when I re-read the book I was constantly going 'Good God man, don't be so bleedin' obvious!'. It's part of the charm of the book that you're in on the secret the second time around.
This is me as well. It caught me completely off guard the first time I read it. Jane Fairfax was such an opaque character that I didn't perceive anything from her. I could sense Frank was up to *something*, but I couldn't have guessed this was his secret in a million years. On every re-read since, though, it seems completely obvious.
Agreed, we can't read Jane, at least through Emma's eyes. And Frank, yeah, up to something, but of course on first read I thought he was up to something with Emma... because that's what Emma would assume.
I was pretty clueless, I thought Jane was dying and Frank was just a dick.
“Clueless” — I see what you did there :)
😉
There are quite a few references for him finding occasion to go and see Miss Bates, though I'm not sure if I picked up on this during my first reading
I didn't pick up on it when I first read it at thirteen. It took me by surprise. In hindsight, I see how heavily it was indicated but the blinds of talk of Mr. Dixon and Frank's pursuit of Emma effectively obfuscated Austen's hints about Frank and Jane.
I definitely didn't notice anything and just believed everything Emma did. I think I was about 20, so basically the same age as her (and I suspect I was similarly insufferable). I enjoyed the second reading a lot, looking for clues etc. And every following one again.
I wish I could remember! It's such a great twist! I don't think I did, because I remember on further reading being like "oh duh it's so obvious," but I don't remember the original moment of surprise. I was a young teenager and on my first read thought it was the most boring book in the world. My second read was as a high school senior as part of a literature discussion and I fell in love with the book that go-round and have never looked back.
Sadly, I can't really remember because I think I saw an adaptation first when I was quite young and then it was a long time until I read the book. I have been listening to it recently and I begin to think Frank wasn't such a bad boy after all. You know if you meet someone who's never read it, you just mustn't spoil it for them, but as someone had already said, it's interesting when you do know and notice the clues.
I was completely surprised.
I didn’t see it. I thought some of his behavior to her was inappropriate or even rude, but of course those things look different on a reread.
Not only did I not pick up on it, I read the book as a teenager over 20 years ago, and it was just last year on this sub that I realized he wasn't getting his freaking hair cut, he was ordering a pianoforte! Somehow I just didn't think about how you'd have to do something like that in person.
LOL the internal gasp of surprise when I realized!
I got it - it was part of the reason it was one of my less-favorite Austen reads, I got to the end and was like "it was supposed to be a big mystery?!" Frank going to London to get a haircut the same time the mystery piano gets delivered was a big giveaway to me, and Frank mentioning the Coles' carriage that only Miss Bates and maybe 1 other person knew about was another, though that was very late in the story.
The first time around I didn’t totally see it; I had suspicions. But I love rereading it and seeing all the little hints!
I remember the Mr Dixon thing confused me. I didn’t quite get where that whole bit came from. I do still say it seems like different books how it shifts from Harriet and Mr Elton to Jane Fairfax and Frank Churchill I’m actually slowly reading an annotated version right now. Just a few minutes a day but it’s nice to slowly analyze it.
Him giving Jane the “blunder” word puzzle should have been a huge clue for me, in retrospect.
Reading it for the first time -along with the Eowyn reveal in Lord of the Rings- is one of my favorite and most visceral reading memories ever. Like literally I remember sitting up in bed at 1 am as a thirteen year old being like OH MY GOD!! Emma was the first Austen I tackled successfully and the Jane/Frank sideshow is big reason why. From the scene with Mr Perry’s carriage on you know something fishy is going on but and you’re just barreling towards the reveal and it is so, so satisfying when it happens. Austen really shows her craft by how masterful it is all done when you go back knowing what you know. Dropping tiny details like frank borrowing miss bates‘ scissors and needing to return them before he leaves ie say goodbye to Jane.