I went into this knowing that Mansfield Park is, to many Austen fans, considered her worst novel. As such my expectations weren't too high. It did start slow, but I suppose that was necessary since the tale begins when Fanny is 10 years old. Fanny is a very different character from Elizabeth Bennett or Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. She is quiet, painfully shy, practically bullied by her Aunt and Uncle's family, yet seemingly does no wrong. No wonder so many people today dislike her! She is completely upright and moral and can think no evil. For many this equals boring. 
 However, if you're truly an Austen fan, I recommend sticking with this book to its conclusion. It is, after all, a Jane Austen tale. Affairs of the heart, as well as a sharp commentary on society at the time, feature at the core of this book. The cast of characters in this novel are brilliant; I think Mrs. Norris is one the most irritating characters I've ever encountered, and the remorse Sir Thomas feels at the end of the novel about his failures in parenting are heartfelt. As such I'd say this is the story of the people of Mansfield Park rather than just Fanny Price, and its fascinating to become involved in the politics and economics of 19th century love and marriage.