I didn't have any Jane Austen experience to judge it by, I suppose. There are certainly 'affectations' in the novel, but I thought they were simply there for comedy purposes. The book doesn't seem to take itself too seriously.

JB

It's a shame that those words strike such a false note, because in lots of ways I admire how she writes enormously, and from the position of having half my novel in the voice of that period too. In fact I admire the whole thing, though I haven't ever got round to finishing it!

Emma

<Added>

JB, you're right, of course, she may be well be being deliberately not-quite-right, rather than merely having a lapse of competence.

Emma

It has a wonderful ending - I won't give too much away, but it is an extraordinarily erotic and macabre way to end a novel! The lead character (Grenouille, I think his name is - it's been a while since I read the book) is one of the most interesting characters in modern fiction. A must read!