Famously described by the author as "a heroine whom no one but myself will much like," Emma Woodhouse is wealthy and charming, and she delights in interfering with the romantic relationships within her community-though she herself has no desire to marry.

As her meddling begins to bear consequences, however, Emma must come to terms with her responsibility and decide on her place in the world.

With inimitable wit and incisive social commentary, Austen evokes a complex prism of relational connection and a richness of ordinary life that unfolds from the small world of her most extraordinary heroine.