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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Death and Death of parent
boglord's review
emotional
funny
fast-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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism and Grief
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Medical content, and Misogyny
Minor: Death, Incest, and Pregnancy
lindseyhall44's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
This is my second Jane Austen novel and I really enjoyed it! Although it is more of a gentle book (in my opinion) the witty social commentary packs a punch which will leave you thinking of our two heroines for many days after.
Sense and Sensibility follows the romantic and self exploration of two sisters after the tragic death of their father. Where Elinor is more prone to reason (Sense), Marianne gives way to her emotions (Sensibility), creating a contrasting depiction of love in a disproportionate society.
The duplication of events in such a polarizing way highlights incredible writing by Jane Austen, especially admirable as this is believed to be her debut adult fiction. The characters too are fleshed out and understandable, even when written in another century! While some may find it slow, Sense and Sensibility is an incredibly smart book, I cannot wait to continue into Jane Austen’s literary catalog, with Persuasion up next!
Sense and Sensibility follows the romantic and self exploration of two sisters after the tragic death of their father. Where Elinor is more prone to reason (Sense), Marianne gives way to her emotions (Sensibility), creating a contrasting depiction of love in a disproportionate society.
The duplication of events in such a polarizing way highlights incredible writing by Jane Austen, especially admirable as this is believed to be her debut adult fiction. The characters too are fleshed out and understandable, even when written in another century! While some may find it slow, Sense and Sensibility is an incredibly smart book, I cannot wait to continue into Jane Austen’s literary catalog, with Persuasion up next!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Infidelity, Adult/minor relationship, and Misogyny
Moderate: Death
Minor: Pregnancy
graybat's review against another edition
emotional
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
3.75
colonel brandon hit me up
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Adult/minor relationship, and Misogyny
Moderate: Infidelity and Death
solouncapitulomas's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
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
4.25
my first austen book…i will read more ofc, man cannot be trusted is what i learned from this one
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Death, Toxic relationship, and Infidelity
Minor: Pregnancy, Ableism, and Death of parent
manarnia's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-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
4.0
Not my favorite Austen book, but still good! I find the first half a bit dull, but it picks up from there.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Pregnancy, Infidelity, Terminal illness, and Death
nerdkitten's review
emotional
relaxing
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Medical content
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Alcohol, Animal death, Death, Death of parent, Infidelity, and Pregnancy
genny's review
funny
lighthearted
reflective
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
3.5
I first read this when I was 12, and I remember enjoying it but I doubt I fully understood what was going on. More than a decade later, I've finally reread it. I'm surprised by how funny this was (this is my first Austen book, forgive me)!
"Oh," cried Marianne, "with what transporting sensation have I formerly seen them fall! How have I delighted, as I walked, to see them driven in showers about me by the wind! What feelings have they, the season, the air altogether inspired! Now there is no one to regard them. They are seen only as a nuisance, swept hastily off, and driven as much as possible from the sight."
"It is not everyone," said Elinor, “who has your passion for dead leaves."
💀
I adore Elinor and even learned to care about Marianne despite how overly dramatic she was. But while I liked the sisters, I couldn't say the same for their romances - Edward didn't have much of a personality and we barely got to see him, so he felt more like a ghost that haunted Elinor; Colonel Brandon was nice enough, though his attraction to Marianne weirded me out. But, y'know. Different times, I guess. The other characters were amusing in their own way - I particularly liked Mrs. Jennings in all her well-meaning fuss.
The resolution, though. Oof! That big plot twist came out of nowhere and felt way too convenient. I'm all for happily-ever-afters, but everything wrapped up too neatly and too quickly! What a letdown. Still, it was a lovely (and very quotable) story. I keep seeing people comparing it to Pride & Prejudice, so perhaps that'll be my next Austen. 🤠
I adore Elinor and even learned to care about Marianne despite how overly dramatic she was. But while I liked the sisters, I couldn't say the same for their romances - Edward didn't have much of a personality and we barely got to see him, so he felt more like a ghost that haunted Elinor; Colonel Brandon was nice enough, though his attraction to Marianne weirded me out
Spoiler
considering she was close in age to Eliza, Brandon's ward...and Brandon was attracted to Marianne because she reminded him of his dead lover....hahaThe resolution, though. Oof! That big plot twist came out of nowhere and felt way too convenient. I'm all for happily-ever-afters, but everything wrapped up too neatly and too quickly! What a letdown. Still, it was a lovely (and very quotable) story. I keep seeing people comparing it to Pride & Prejudice, so perhaps that'll be my next Austen. 🤠
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity
Minor: Death
skudiklier's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This book was very enjoyable! It took me a while to get into it, and to figure out who to care about and all that jazz. But once I did I sped through the rest of the book, and was pleasantly surprised by the twists and ending and all that. Nothing could compare to Pride and Prejudice of course, but I definitely liked this book
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Grief, Misogyny, and Sexism