chiarajomay's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
leoniefnk's review against another edition
challenging
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
It really feels like the first draft of Pride and Prejudice, and does not compare.
bellawaddell's review against another edition
4.0
Flew through the first and last thirds, but slowed down in the middle...maybe because I got busy, but usually if a book grabs me that doesn't seem to matter...
A classic, and would definitely recommend it for that reason alone. Jane Austen is always a favorite author of mine!
A classic, and would definitely recommend it for that reason alone. Jane Austen is always a favorite author of mine!
courtneynreed's review against another edition
4.0
Jane Austen always had a particular talent for crafting full-novel dualities, with Sense and Sensibility being written in beautiful parallel between two sisters - Austen's favorite medium for her stories.
Elinor and Marianne - Sense and Sensibility, respectively, are painted throughout the text as two ends of a spectrum. Elinor is very reserved and in-control of her emotions, at least in her outward sense. She is a guide to her widowed mother, and carries the responsibility of her family's favor and success in very high dignity and diligence. Marianne, on the other end of the duality, is expressive and does not mask her emotions. Described as the slightly more handsome of the two, Marianne is younger and less aware of her outward shows of feeling. She listens well to her heart, and acts quickly on her emotions.
While neither lives right or wrong, and both are very highly esteemed by all who meet and know them, Austen makes it very clear of their difference. While they disagree with each other's view, they care for each other dearly. Austen then proceeds to unite them over the parallel course of their relationships, and the sisters pick up each others traits as they adapt to the chaos of their lovers' seduction, deceit, and heartbreak.
Always a beautiful look at the unbreakable love between sisters, and never without male drama, Austen shows us that things never really change over the course of history. Men and women will never cease to misunderstand each other, men may always continue to misunderstand their own feelings, and sisters will always defend each other, regardless of differences.
Elinor and Marianne - Sense and Sensibility, respectively, are painted throughout the text as two ends of a spectrum. Elinor is very reserved and in-control of her emotions, at least in her outward sense. She is a guide to her widowed mother, and carries the responsibility of her family's favor and success in very high dignity and diligence. Marianne, on the other end of the duality, is expressive and does not mask her emotions. Described as the slightly more handsome of the two, Marianne is younger and less aware of her outward shows of feeling. She listens well to her heart, and acts quickly on her emotions.
While neither lives right or wrong, and both are very highly esteemed by all who meet and know them, Austen makes it very clear of their difference. While they disagree with each other's view, they care for each other dearly. Austen then proceeds to unite them over the parallel course of their relationships, and the sisters pick up each others traits as they adapt to the chaos of their lovers' seduction, deceit, and heartbreak.
Always a beautiful look at the unbreakable love between sisters, and never without male drama, Austen shows us that things never really change over the course of history. Men and women will never cease to misunderstand each other, men may always continue to misunderstand their own feelings, and sisters will always defend each other, regardless of differences.
emwith's review against another edition
1.0
Read this as part of my curriculum in school, and I am not impressed at all... Thought this was going to be a book with deep meaning and lots of emotions, but instead i got close to no deep feelings, and was bored throughout the whole book.
j2t's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
thelexingtonbookie's review against another edition
3.0
Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility is about two close sisters, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. In the beginning of the novel, their family has been living with their wealthy uncle at Norland Park. When their uncle passes away, their father, Mr. Henry Dashwood, was supposed to inherit the property and home, and then it was to pass on to Henry's son from his first marriage, John. Unfortunately, Henry took ill quickly after his uncle died. He makes John promise to take care of his sisters, but John and his wife Fanny are sour about his step-family, so quickly after Henry passes away, they plot to turn out Mrs. Dashwood and her three daughters.
While Mrs. Dashwood is trying to figure out how to leave Norland Park without much inheritance from her husband, Fanny's brother Edward visits, and he and Elinor quickly become attached to one another, but Fanny disapproves and gets really rude about it. This is the final straw for Mrs. Dashwood, so she and her daughters move out to Barton Cottage in Devonshire, near her cousin Sir John Middleton. As the Dashwoods settle in, they are welcomed into the local society by their cousins, and Lady Middleton introduces Marianne to Colonel Brandon... of which she is less than impressed.
Both Elinor and Marianne are of marrying age, but they have different takes on romance. Elinor is the elder of the two, and the more sensible and reserved one when it comes to matters of the heart. Younger Marianne is much more sensitive and emotional. With Elinor and Edward, the two had similar interests and they enjoyed each other's company. Marianne wants romance, and receives it when the dashing John Willoughby comes to her rescue. They are quickly enchanted by each other and start a whirlwind romance, and then he is suddenly called to London, leaving Marianne behind and distraught. Soon thereafter, Elinor learns from two society girls, Anna and Lucy Steele, that Edward is secretly engaged to Lucy, leaving Elinor brokenhearted. Because she is sensible, she understands that the girls told her the news to make her jealous, so she pities Edward for being engaged to the awful girl. Then Marianne learns that Willoughby is engaged to a woman named Miss Grey. Colonel Brandon reveals that Willoughby planned to marry for money, not love, and that he was disowned by his aunt for past wrongs to other girls.
Both girls deal with their heartache in their own way. Eventually, they both find that they each needed a little sensibility and a little sense to find their true loves. Elinor ends up marrying Edward after Lucy broke off their engagement for a wealthier man, and Marianne marries Colonel Brandon, whom she comes to love when she sees what an awful person Willoughby was.
What makes this book a classic?
In typical Jane Austen form, she writes from a strong female (and in this case, females) perspective, allocating her main characters strong personalities, values, and morals. For the time period (publication in 1811, setting est. 1792-1797) this was considered very modern and forward thinking, yet set a good example for her readers. In this novel, she's teaching them that you indeed need sense and sensibility when it comes to finding love, as well as the importance of sisterhood. Because the novel is both exciting and pleasant, it has continued to entertain many generations of readers over the last 200 years.
I personally thought it was just okay. I had a hard time keeping the story line straight with all the side characters, and though Austen's writing is timeless and beautiful, there were periods of time where I had to slowly reread for context to figure out her meaning. Sense and Sensibility has yet to overtake Pride and Prejudice as my favorite Austen novel.
While Mrs. Dashwood is trying to figure out how to leave Norland Park without much inheritance from her husband, Fanny's brother Edward visits, and he and Elinor quickly become attached to one another, but Fanny disapproves and gets really rude about it. This is the final straw for Mrs. Dashwood, so she and her daughters move out to Barton Cottage in Devonshire, near her cousin Sir John Middleton. As the Dashwoods settle in, they are welcomed into the local society by their cousins, and Lady Middleton introduces Marianne to Colonel Brandon... of which she is less than impressed.
Both Elinor and Marianne are of marrying age, but they have different takes on romance. Elinor is the elder of the two, and the more sensible and reserved one when it comes to matters of the heart. Younger Marianne is much more sensitive and emotional. With Elinor and Edward, the two had similar interests and they enjoyed each other's company. Marianne wants romance, and receives it when the dashing John Willoughby comes to her rescue. They are quickly enchanted by each other and start a whirlwind romance, and then he is suddenly called to London, leaving Marianne behind and distraught. Soon thereafter, Elinor learns from two society girls, Anna and Lucy Steele, that Edward is secretly engaged to Lucy, leaving Elinor brokenhearted. Because she is sensible, she understands that the girls told her the news to make her jealous, so she pities Edward for being engaged to the awful girl. Then Marianne learns that Willoughby is engaged to a woman named Miss Grey. Colonel Brandon reveals that Willoughby planned to marry for money, not love, and that he was disowned by his aunt for past wrongs to other girls.
Both girls deal with their heartache in their own way. Eventually, they both find that they each needed a little sensibility and a little sense to find their true loves. Elinor ends up marrying Edward after Lucy broke off their engagement for a wealthier man, and Marianne marries Colonel Brandon, whom she comes to love when she sees what an awful person Willoughby was.
What makes this book a classic?
In typical Jane Austen form, she writes from a strong female (and in this case, females) perspective, allocating her main characters strong personalities, values, and morals. For the time period (publication in 1811, setting est. 1792-1797) this was considered very modern and forward thinking, yet set a good example for her readers. In this novel, she's teaching them that you indeed need sense and sensibility when it comes to finding love, as well as the importance of sisterhood. Because the novel is both exciting and pleasant, it has continued to entertain many generations of readers over the last 200 years.
I personally thought it was just okay. I had a hard time keeping the story line straight with all the side characters, and though Austen's writing is timeless and beautiful, there were periods of time where I had to slowly reread for context to figure out her meaning. Sense and Sensibility has yet to overtake Pride and Prejudice as my favorite Austen novel.
bengel17's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
readingsunflower's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75