I just finished it. First, I must say I’m ever so happy that I saw the movie first. As an independent story loosely based on MP and Austen’s letters, it is enjoyable enough. But I don’t think I’ll ever be able to enjoy it properly again. Having a character called Fanny Price who runs the halls screeching and having a playful fight with Edmund just creates too much cognitive dissonance. And the slavery angle is shoehorned in and does a disservice to the character of Sir Thomas, who is really an OK guy who makes some mistakes, not some kind of monster.
I really enjoyed the book, somewhat to my surprise. I’d always read that Fanny has a stick up her ass, and is one of the least favored Austen heroines. But despite her extreme passivity and (especially to modern eyes) ridiculous propriety, I did like her anyway.
However, I also really liked Mary, and even Henry had his moments. And I’m not sure if I’m meant to, or it’s because I’m a product of a MUCH more liberal culture, so that their damning indelicacy doesn’t make an impression on me.
Of course, the fact that Mary is kind of rooting for Tom to die, and admits this in a letter (not in a conversation when it might have slipped out), is a true point against her. But it’s almost overshadowed by the silliness of Edmund and Fanny’s objections: she makes jokes, and even pokes fun at her obnoxious jerk of an uncle - fetch the fainting couch!
And, as Austen herself points out in the end, it does seem that Henry and Fanny could have been tolerably happy as a married couple, and each would have supported the weaknesses in the other’s character. Fanny would teach Henry to be more upright and serious, while he might get her to lighten up, know her own worth, and have some fun. In fact, they probably would have been happier than Edmund and Mary - he being more in love with the idea of Mary than the reality, and she being forever disappointed in marriage to a less-than-wealthy clergyman.
Actually, I was surprised that Mary was shown to be so opposed to Edmund’s profession, seemingly for its own sake, not just because it wasn’t smart and lucrative. She seems to have a real disdain for the clergy which seemed like something that would be more absolutely forbidden from discussion than making a little fun of one’s relations!