Camilla

Camilla, Or a Picture of Youth, by Fanny Burney, was published in 1796, so the reader needs to be prepared for excessive length (my edition came in at 1216 pages), and the formality language and manners of that period. Having said that, once you get used to the style, it's a charming, and often insightful coming of age story, with many of the same elements you would find in a contemporary first love romance. For the bulk of the story, Camilla is 17 years old. Her parents, a clergyman and his strict but loving wife, have raised her and her siblings with sound principles, but Camilla is quite naive, and highly emotional. She falls for Edgar Mandlebert, a highly good and proper young man, and mentee of her father. The course of true love show more does NOT run smooth, Camilla is impulsive, warm hearted, and not the best judge of character. Edgar can be judgemental. And neither communicates very well, leading to many misunderstandings and dilemmas.

I particularly liked some of the supporting characters, including the warm hearted and generous Uncle Hugh, who is constantly doing the wrong thing in his efforts to do right by all, and Eugenia, Camilla's younger sister, who having been the victim of both smallpox and a crippling accident as a child, is physically unattractive, but wise and sensitive beyond her years.

It's definitely not the book to devour in a night or two, but it's well worth the investment of time, both for a picture of how life for the young has changed, and how it has remained the same. show less

I loved Evelina, liked Cecilia, and just couldn't connect with Camilla, the three books I've read by 18th century author, Fanny Burney. This novel centers around a young woman named Camilla who is a favorite of a rich Uncle who moves to their community. His fortune ends up shifting from Camilla to her younger sister when Eugenia contracts smallpox on the Uncle's watch. However, this uncle still wants to play matchmaker for the girls and his ward, Indiana.

In this very long novel, many dramatic scenes unfold - crossed lines of communication, debt, kidnapping, elopement, and finally marriage. It was all a little too much for me. I loved the more tightly constructed Evelina, but this was too over-dramatic for me to truly enjoy.

The story follows two sisters, Eugenia and Camilla, and their cousin, Indiana, in the months preceding their marriages. I have been meaning to read this book for a long time, I wanted to read some of the books that influced my favorite writers such as Charlotte Bronte and Jane Austen. Fanny Burney's name is always mentioned so I picked up Camilla at a used bookstore and decided to give it a try. It is a very long book and at times can be so frustrating because you just want the characters to get on with it and be over. The misunderstandings, are endless and Burney has an excellent ability to allow her readers to feel all of the emotions of her characters. There were points of the books where I was laughing out loud and other points show more where I was crying my eyes out. I have to say that I haven't read a book like this in a long time that had the ability to totally affect my emotions and make me think about it long after it was finished. I can truly understand why so many authors have been influenced by Fanny Burney her writing is witty, funny, light and dark and I look forward to adding her other two books in my large to be read pile. show less

I enjoyed this to some degree just because I'm a friend to 19th century literature in general. There were high points and low points in the story. I liked secondary characters better than the main characters, and was unhappy with the length of time it took to resolve things that should have been very simple. Lack of communication between the main characters became frustrating.

I really enjoyed this book even though it is really long and didn't really need to be, but the other got her point across. I laughed and snorted so much when I read this book. I can truly say that it was a early soap opera. I love the characters and how they all fit together. If you like early English novels, then you will like this one.