Emma is truly a force, and while she may be snobbish, spoiled, and too idle for her own good, what makes her so compelling is that her focus isn't usually on herself. Emma wants nothing more than to set up those around her in what she sees as perfect matches--all the while ignoring potential relationships of her own. Her exploits may be a bit of a power play and for her own entertainment, yes, but at the same time she is well-meaning and at times charmingly oblivious to the mistakes she makes. I enjoyed Emma even more the Pride and Prejudice, and Austen is, as ever, sharply observant of the subtleties of human relationships.