Emma Volume 3: A Christian Content and Parent’s Guide to Themes and Values

In our Christian review of Emma Volume 3, we will explore the third installment in Kaoru Mori’s manga series from a Christian perspective. Contains a parent and content guide.

This review is about Emma Volume 3 by Kaoru Mori. For our review of Emma Volume 1, click here, and for our review of Emma Volume 2, click here.

For our Emma series overview post, click here.

Synopsis of Emma Volume 3 by Kaoru Mori

In Emma Volume 3, the beloved Victorian romance manga by Kaoru Mori, Emma leaves London—and the memories of William and Mrs. Stownar—behind. She finds solace in a new friend, Tasha, a fellow maid who helps her secure employment in the countryside, even without a letter of recommendation. Her new employers are kind and treat their servants with respect, yet Emma still longs for the love she left behind.

Meanwhile, William struggles with heartbreak, burying himself in work to become the nobleman his father expects him to be. But without Emma, he feels lost. As duty and class differences continue to keep them apart, will their love survive the distance, or will they remain apart forever?

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Christian Review of Emma Volume 3 by Kaoru Mori

Emma Volume 3 offers a new perspective—what life is like when William and Emma are far apart.

My Thoughts on the Volume

I started feeling bogged down by the epilogues at the end of every chapter. The story was originally serialized in a magazine, so this format makes sense, but in a tankōbon volume, it feels out of place. Maybe that’s just my American perspective, since in Western literature, epilogues typically appear only at the end of a book or series. Either way, I found it distracting.

I also wish Kaoru Mori had included a dramatis personae (character guide) at the beginning of this volume. Volume 2 had one, but the others do not, making it harder to keep track of the growing cast.

Emma Volume 3: The Setup

Though Emma is grieving, she knows she needs to find employment. Thankfully, the perfect opportunity arises when she befriends Tasha, a cheerful and talkative maid who quickly becomes her first real friend. Despite their opposite personalities—Tasha is lively and chatty, while Emma is reserved—they bond quickly. Tasha is incredibly welcoming, and Emma, in turn, helps her overcome her struggle to wake up in the mornings.

Emma’s New Job

Emma secures provisional employment with the Merediths rather easily. Surprisingly, Mrs. Stownar never left Emma a letter of recommendation, despite her deep concern for Emma before her passing. This omission feels unrealistic, as Mrs. Stownar was deeply worried about Emma’s future. Regardless, the Merediths decide to hire Emma—mostly because their household is severely understaffed. Mrs. Beek, the housekeeper, remains neutral, stating, “I can’t pass judgment one way or the other until I see her work” (79). However, Emma quickly proves her worth, and we even discover she knows some French.

William’s Character Growth

William’s character “growth” (if you can call it that) is bizarre. After losing Emma, he undergoes a complete transformation—from daft and immature to a dutiful noble son attending every social event. He gets a bit of a wake-up call, however, when his home hosts a charity play of Romeo and Juliet, and we learn that his perfectly aristocratic behavior is both a coping mechanism and almost a way of spiting those who kept him from his love.

Emma’s Possible Drunkenness

Emma misses William and, in a moment of possible intoxication, reminisces about their date at the Crystal Palace.

Mrs. Trollop: A New Character

By the end of the volume, we are introduced to a new character, Mrs. Trollop, who appears to have some connection to William and is a friend of Dorothea Meredith, Emma’s employer.

Emma’s Perseverance

Emma, in a new place with new people and a job vastly different from her work with Mrs. Stownar, works diligently to master her new tasks. She makes mistakes, but instead of quitting, she perseveres, proving her worth in the process—echoing Colossians 3:23.

The Meredith’s: Emma’s New Employers

The Merediths, Emma’s new employers, are vastly different from other members of the nobility. Not only are they kind and generous—occasionally hosting parties for their staff and offering them half a day off to recover afterward—but they also inspire deep loyalty. Many of their servants moved with them from Germany to England. While some, like Tasha, were hired later, others, such as the boisterous cook Johanna, have been with them for years. Johanna often speaks German to Emma, though it falls on deaf ears since Emma doesn’t speak the language.

Emma helps the Merediths’ young son retrieve his pet squirrel, Theo (why he has a squirrel remains as mysterious as Hakim’s ability to ride elephants in London). However, the boy doesn’t initially thank her, which bothers Mr. Meredith. Determined to teach his children respect for everyone—including servants—he reminds his son, “Saying thanks to everyone, servants included, is the mark of a gentleman” (147). The boy then properly thanks Emma with a kiss on the cheek.

The Merediths understand that their servants are human and treat them with dignity and respect. They certainly don’t have to allow their staff the luxury of parties or even grant them time off for recovery, yet they do. Likewise, Mr. Meredith doesn’t have to teach his son to respect everyone, but he does, painting a beautiful picture of shared humanity between masters and servants—a theme reflected in Colossians 4:1-4.

William’s Patience

While William struggles with the loss of Emma, we learn that he takes pride in his patience, a virtue instilled in him by Mrs. Stownar (70).

The Party: A Slightly Problematic Scene

There is also a lively party scene where some of the servants let loose. Emma remains one of the calmest attendees, alongside Hans, and the two end up retreating to the kitchen—partially by accident—to wash dishes. The party itself might be a bit uncomfortable for some readers, but thankfully, nothing too wild happens.

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Conclusion: Christian Review of Emma Volume 3

Volume 3 of Emma is what I consider the last “clean” volume in terms of sexual content. After reading nearly eight volumes of this series, this is the last volume before some (skippable) nudity appears. I’ll go into more detail on that in my next post, including the specific pages where it happens, so you can easily skip over it if needed.

One of the things I despise most is when an otherwise wholesome series takes a dark turn, and I have to stop reading something I enjoy. My hope is that the next guides will help you feel confident in the content and give you the information you need to know exactly where to skip.

Emma has definitely grown on me, but the main characters are still dragging their feet in the love department. William lets Emma go, and Emma chooses to leave him. They both decide to live in misery, even though they could have easily solved it by staying together. (This may or may not be addressed by Hakim in a future volume.)

Happy reading!

To read our review of Emma Volume 4, click here.

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FAQs for Emma Volume 3

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Parent’s Guide for Emma Volume 3

Language

Words and British expressions such as:

• Crickey
• Oh drat
• Tosh
• Slapdash
• Old bat
• Get up off your bum
• Cockhorse
• Nitwit
• Blimey
• Blasted

Sexual Content & Nudity

• Cleavage is modest, similar to earlier volumes.
• A joke about marrying William’s sister, Miss Grace, if she were a man.
• Emma buttons up her blouse in one scene, showing a small amount of skin but no cleavage.
• Emma shares a room with Tasha, who is modestly dressed in her nightgown.
• Another girl is briefly shown in undergarments, but the scene is modest.
• Some minor cleavage is visible when a servant wears special stockings for a party.
• Tasha sings about liquor while getting ready for bed, with some cleavage visible.
• Female characters are occasionally shown in undergarments during dressing scenes, but nothing graphic.

Frightening Scenes

• None.

Violence & Gore

• None.

Alcohol, Drugs & Smoking

• Characters drink wine at a picnic.
• Mr. Jones smokes.
• Alcohol is consumed at parties and social gatherings.
• Several characters, including Emma, get drunk or talk about drinking.

Religious Themes

• A character mentions “Mother Nature’s favor.”

Cover Photo Credit: Screenshot of Emma Volume 3 by Kaoru Mori cover on Amazon. Under fair use for review/commentary/criticism/education. All rights retained by owners.