Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

25 reviews

quasinaut's review against another edition

funny hopeful slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

My first Jane Austen! I enjoyed reading about these characters that I'd only known about through media and cultural osmosis. Austen's ability to lovingly draw out her characters' faults and idiosyncrasies was quite fun. There were parts that felt too glossed over - like why some actions were forgiven or age differences allowed - but all in all, a solid introduction to her writing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Sexism

Minor: Death of parent

newbiereads's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Infidelity, Misogyny, and Abandonment

Minor: Death of parent

anjasshelf's review against another edition

emotional hopeful lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Medical content, Grief, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Death of parent and Pregnancy

_maia3_'s review against another edition

funny inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Whilst not among my favourites of Austen's novels, this was a compelling and interesting read. As my reading partner put it "it's as if everyone is in a romance novel except for Elinor and Lucy, who are both in a social intrigue novel". It blends the two genres well and manages to display the merits of acting sensibly and with good judgement without coming off as haughty or moralising. Attention is given to the insipidity of the gentry, the financial troubles of women, and the importance of patience and calculation. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Death, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Classism

cleotheo's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, and Colonisation

Minor: Violence

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I think I need to read the physical versions of Ms. Austen's books to get the full impact, but I love her moments when you gasp from the very depths of your soul. I also liked picturing Elinor as a meme where she is just trying to astral project to somewhere else while everyone won't shut the heck up around her. A treat, as usual.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Classism

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Pregnancy

Minor: Death and Death of parent

thecriticalreader's review against another edition

hopeful mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Sense and Sensibility is the third Jane Austen novel I have read. I have previously enjoyed Pride and Prejudice and Emma, so I was looking forward to reading Sense and Sensibility. 

 

If you have read Jane Austen before, you will recognize the clever social satire, well-written characters, humor, emotion, and heart that characterize her works. I quickly became invested in the lives of the two main characters, sisters Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and thoroughly enjoyed reading about their family, friends, and acquaintances. One thing that I did not expect is the level of mystery that persists throughout the book. There is not any murder or crime, but characters tend to act in unexpected ways that kept me guessing. Some of the twists and turns left me genuinely shocked! 

 

Although the book has plenty of positive elements, certain things detracted from my enjoyment. The plot became too convoluted at times, and the ending felt far too rushed and unearned. I also would have liked to see Elinor have more character development throughout the book.

 

I would recommend this book to people who have already read and enjoyed one or more of Jane Austen’s novels, but suggest that people new to her works start with Emma or Pride and Prejudice.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Classism

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

grets_reads's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Death of parent, and Classism

Minor: Grief and Pregnancy

tigeryear's review against another edition

lighthearted sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

Everyone was opp in this book. Rough read -- not that it was hard to comprehend, but in that it was boring drudgery. It didn't work for me as a satire, after my first read I'm not convinced the characters even had development, and if you have to say "we're not really blood related [insert whine]" -- you failed!

Mash that up with some early 1800s pedophilia and you've pretty much got the plot of this.

Disappointing!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Medical content, and Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Minor: Alcohol

literally marianne was given three options: frivolous ninny, taboo creeper, or spinster. which would YOU pick? this would make a good play, honestly, but austen?? why?? would you not comment prejudicially upon this topic?!

I'll have to read it again to really understand the point of this. If you haven't already, drop this, go and read Pride and Prejudice.

marthadude's review against another edition

challenging hopeful lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

I honestly don’t get the Jane Austen hype. I felt like Austen was just writing in circles and I had to turn to online chapter summaries to determine what I just read. Getting through the last 100 pages was like pulling teeth. There were fun moments here and there but overall I wasn’t the biggest fan. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Death and Death of parent