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tonyriver's review against another edition
4.0
Another clever, complicated delight from Aiken
Loved Eliza. Complicated, intelligent, a force of nature in a world that demeans and crushes girls and women. Great writing and a nice extension of another Austin story.
Loved Eliza. Complicated, intelligent, a force of nature in a world that demeans and crushes girls and women. Great writing and a nice extension of another Austin story.
coffeefrogkat1970's review against another edition
2.0
I did not love this book. It is especially annoying when the protagonist had everything figured out, or just happened to have the right things in o place at just the right time. That on top of the negligence given to the beloved characters I love from S&S. I wouldn't even call it well written.
owlishbookish's review against another edition
2.0
I was so excited to read this book. Sense and Sensibility is one of my favorite books of all time and I was eager to see what Ms. Aiken would have happen to some of the key characters. I was especially eager to see what became of Marianne and Willoughby. Sadly, I was disappointed in some aspects.
I actually really liked the main character, Eliza, who is the daughter of Colonel Brandon's ward, Eliza, and Willoughby. The book opens in a village where the expertise is the rearing of illegitimate children. Eliza is one of these children and she sets about detailing her formative years in this place. She isn't treated very well but still manages to carve out happy memories for herself. She becomes acquainted with two men whom she calls Mr. Sam and Mr. Bill. The duo awaken in her an interest in words and poetry and, in fact, are later revealed to be none other than Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth. As Eliza grows older and learns more, she also grows in confidence and becomes a very practical young woman. She is also quite the accomplished musician and retains her appreciation for poetry. She was a very likeable character, overall.
Unfortunately, not all characters are as pleasant as Eliza. This is one of the areas that upset me very much. Edward and Elinor are re-introduced in this story, although greatly altered. Edward has, inexplicably, become a pompous, zealous tyrant and Elinor a cowed, reticent woman. Some of the reasons hinted at for this change in Edward are downright ridiculous and I found myself exclaiming in outrage upon reading them, not to mention his actions. As for Marianne, she is a bitter, spiteful woman who shows no compunctions of misplacing her anger, which was a real disappointment. She, at least, redeemed herself eventually. Willoughby was the only character who was exactly as I expected him to be.
I will say that the backgrounds employed in the book were engaging. Aiken's descriptions of the village Eliza grew up in, Bath, London, and Portugal were vivid enough to provide a picture for the mind's eye to utilize. I really enjoyed reading about Eliza's travels and the people she met. As far as scenes, I have no regrets.
While there were some appealing points to the book, my disappointment in the portrayal of some of my favorite characters from Sense and Sensibility left me with regrets. I feel that this book had the potential for great things but fizzled with the unsubstantiated personality changes.
I actually really liked the main character, Eliza, who is the daughter of Colonel Brandon's ward, Eliza, and Willoughby. The book opens in a village where the expertise is the rearing of illegitimate children. Eliza is one of these children and she sets about detailing her formative years in this place. She isn't treated very well but still manages to carve out happy memories for herself. She becomes acquainted with two men whom she calls Mr. Sam and Mr. Bill. The duo awaken in her an interest in words and poetry and, in fact, are later revealed to be none other than Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth. As Eliza grows older and learns more, she also grows in confidence and becomes a very practical young woman. She is also quite the accomplished musician and retains her appreciation for poetry. She was a very likeable character, overall.
Unfortunately, not all characters are as pleasant as Eliza. This is one of the areas that upset me very much. Edward and Elinor are re-introduced in this story, although greatly altered. Edward has, inexplicably, become a pompous, zealous tyrant and Elinor a cowed, reticent woman. Some of the reasons hinted at for this change in Edward are downright ridiculous and I found myself exclaiming in outrage upon reading them, not to mention his actions. As for Marianne, she is a bitter, spiteful woman who shows no compunctions of misplacing her anger, which was a real disappointment. She, at least, redeemed herself eventually. Willoughby was the only character who was exactly as I expected him to be.
I will say that the backgrounds employed in the book were engaging. Aiken's descriptions of the village Eliza grew up in, Bath, London, and Portugal were vivid enough to provide a picture for the mind's eye to utilize. I really enjoyed reading about Eliza's travels and the people she met. As far as scenes, I have no regrets.
While there were some appealing points to the book, my disappointment in the portrayal of some of my favorite characters from Sense and Sensibility left me with regrets. I feel that this book had the potential for great things but fizzled with the unsubstantiated personality changes.
kailey_luminouslibro's review against another edition
2.0
Not for kids. Rather... shall we say... vulgar in places, but always with the most dignified of innuendos. I didn't like the depiction of Austen's characters, but I did like the new characters. The writing is fantastic, of course, but I don't like the directions the plot takes. I love so many of this author's other books, I was disappointed in this one. The ending sucks.
stefhyena's review against another edition
5.0
Even though I loved [b:Sense and Sensibility|14935|Sense and Sensibility|Jane Austen|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1397245675s/14935.jpg|2809709], I loved that this book did not romanticize the privileged world portrayed within it or the characters. It is a respectful book (far more than most [a:Jane Austen|1265|Jane Austen|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1380085320p2/1265.jpg] fan fics and sequels) in that it treats Sense and Sensibility as a sensible novel, not as a mere romance. And allows for no happily ever afters even for the protagonists.
But you might be wondering "Eliza's daughter"? Because S and S was about Marianne and Eleanor after all! But Eliza was an off-stage bit part, the ward of Colonel Brandon and seduced by Willoughby. Yes that Eliza, left pregnant by the blackguard. She (also named Eliza) shows us a less privileged side of the Austen world, a world of neglected bastard children in farmhouses, abusive alcoholic clergy and unhappy wives with brutish husbands. A world of servants and trades-people and yes even prostitutes (though tastefully the book allows a lot of things to happen off stage and be inferred or at times simply referred to).
People who like Austen as romance (as I am sure she never meant to be) should avoid this book. It is not romantic. It is in some ways critical and focuses on agency and social mobility. I think in some ways the conclusion ends up being overly optimistic...but I think that is just idealism and the desire to leave the reader feeling there is some reward for following Eliza through bleakness and disrepute (mind you she never allows it to be completely bleak).
This is one of the most strongly feminist books I have read. In many ways I love the ending and I also love the ways that things did NOT fall into place for the characters. It explores the complex nature of love in a way that is realistic albeit at times maybe heavily individualistic (proving it was penned in the 80s). I accept the ways the book troubles me because it is so good to see an Austen sequel that does something more than waffle romantically, and to see the underside of Austen's world. I feel that anything that happened to the people of Aiken's novel would have been things Austen would have been oblivious of, or would not have thought much about but that perhaps if someone had gived her such a novel and allowed her to read it she might have been interested and respectful.
Anyway for once in my life I enjoyed how someone responded to an Austen novel!!
But you might be wondering "Eliza's daughter"? Because S and S was about Marianne and Eleanor after all! But Eliza was an off-stage bit part, the ward of Colonel Brandon and seduced by Willoughby. Yes that Eliza, left pregnant by the blackguard. She (also named Eliza) shows us a less privileged side of the Austen world, a world of neglected bastard children in farmhouses, abusive alcoholic clergy and unhappy wives with brutish husbands. A world of servants and trades-people and yes even prostitutes (though tastefully the book allows a lot of things to happen off stage and be inferred or at times simply referred to).
People who like Austen as romance (as I am sure she never meant to be) should avoid this book. It is not romantic. It is in some ways critical and focuses on agency and social mobility. I think in some ways the conclusion ends up being overly optimistic...but I think that is just idealism and the desire to leave the reader feeling there is some reward for following Eliza through bleakness and disrepute (mind you she never allows it to be completely bleak).
This is one of the most strongly feminist books I have read. In many ways I love the ending and I also love the ways that things did NOT fall into place for the characters. It explores the complex nature of love in a way that is realistic albeit at times maybe heavily individualistic (proving it was penned in the 80s). I accept the ways the book troubles me because it is so good to see an Austen sequel that does something more than waffle romantically, and to see the underside of Austen's world. I feel that anything that happened to the people of Aiken's novel would have been things Austen would have been oblivious of, or would not have thought much about but that perhaps if someone had gived her such a novel and allowed her to read it she might have been interested and respectful.
Anyway for once in my life I enjoyed how someone responded to an Austen novel!!
squeebacon's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
bosullivan's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting to see the post Sense and Sensibility take, but the author apparently didn't understand the Edward Ferrars, although he didn't inherit, was given 10,000 pounds, which was no small amount to invest and live on at the time.
kellyk's review against another edition
2.0
I didn't find the personalities and lives of the Austen characters from Sense and Sensibility very true to the ones I read in Austen's work. If the book had no connection to S&S, I would have enjoyed it more. I just couldn't get past the fact that I didn't think Austen's characters would act this way!
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