Scan barcode
ksd1441's review against another edition
3.0
I was not expecting to really enjoy this book. I read Pride & Prejudice and Zombies and didn't much care for it. Okay, I honestly didn't finish it. I never really cared for Austen, though, so the style was really an up-hill climb for me. And while I do think Graham-Smith is a good writer (I love Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter), I thought his mash-up was a little too serious. That's right. Zombies and Elizabeth Bennett was too serious. Because when you take a classic like Jane Austen and put something somewhat insane into its pages, you really cannot keep a strong hold of that serious tone. You have to be willing to ease up and make it silly. Winters did a great job of keeping this world balanced between serious and silly. His characters had more feeling to them, if you ask me. While they are entirely in danger of being consumed by monstrous Man-of-wars, they still hold bonfires on the beach and cook giant pots of crawfish as their own manner of revenge against the sea-living enemy. Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters worked where Pride & Prejudice and Zombies failed to connect with the audience (for me).
As I said before, I never got on board the Austen train. I know many girls out there loved her stories, and fell instantly in love with Darcy and such. Me? No, thanks. What are they thinking? Darcy's a jerk. Anyways, the only Austen that I have previously liked was a mini TV-series called Lost in Austen. It takes the modern world and puts it back into her stories. Quite literally, actually, as our main girl is a common-day Brit who gets transported to the Bennett household through a magic portal in her shower. But, because she knows Austen inside and out, she tries to keep the story as-is.. and screws up fantastically. Including having to deter Mr. Bingley's advances by convincing him she's a lesbian.
Lucky me, this book had the same "rip-off" feel. Winters is very dedicated to this new world of England, in which anything water-dwelling is hell-bent on eating Man. The survival aspect doesn't dampen the "Fun" our main characters attempt to have, and they are even adding "good lung capacity" to their list of desirable traits in a suitor. The base of Sense and Sensibility is still there -- finding a charming match with whom one can live and love while also having enough money to live comfortably -- Marianne and Elinor simply have a more interesting backdrop. (I never read the actual story before.. but I get the gist).
So, we have Mr. Willougby, your dashing A+ specimen. Of course, there's going to be something wrong with him.
At least this proves that every age had players.
And, our main opponent, Colonel Brandon. He's old, yes.. and happens to be cursed by a sea witch and has a face full of tentacles.
I can't help myself.. there will be more Zoidberg gifs to come. Anyway, he's obviously the underdog, and not just because of his appendages. He's shy and reserved and knows what the young ladies must thing of him. However, he may be the best option simply because of his malady. He can breathe underwater, swim most excellently, and has more experience with the enemy than Mr. Willoughby (who is a treasure hunter with a pet monkey).
Dating in this time must have been terribly confusing.
Once I was able to get into the rhythm of the Austen-language, the story flowed rather nicely. But a lot of time is spent sitting around talking about possible suitors and what they're doing about it. So, that's still a little boring for me, but these ladies at least know how to pine away the day by at least going on an adventure or two. This includes our trip down to Sub-Station Beta, an underwater living community that is the forefront of technology against the enemy. Also, giant lobster fights.
Characters manage to grow, we are introduced to many a road-block, and all-in-all come out on top, despite a few deaths along the way and an attack by the largest cloud of mosquitoes you've ever seen. You will be treated to pirates, tribal warfare, crumpet-and-jam-flavored-gelatin-loaf, being digested by jellyfish juices, near-death by sea scorpions, and the rising of an ancient god. So, if you have trouble slogging through the Austen like I usually do, know that this one is at least amusing to read, once you get past the style. And, by the end,..
As I said before, I never got on board the Austen train. I know many girls out there loved her stories, and fell instantly in love with Darcy and such. Me? No, thanks. What are they thinking? Darcy's a jerk. Anyways, the only Austen that I have previously liked was a mini TV-series called Lost in Austen. It takes the modern world and puts it back into her stories. Quite literally, actually, as our main girl is a common-day Brit who gets transported to the Bennett household through a magic portal in her shower. But, because she knows Austen inside and out, she tries to keep the story as-is.. and screws up fantastically. Including having to deter Mr. Bingley's advances by convincing him she's a lesbian.
Lucky me, this book had the same "rip-off" feel. Winters is very dedicated to this new world of England, in which anything water-dwelling is hell-bent on eating Man. The survival aspect doesn't dampen the "Fun" our main characters attempt to have, and they are even adding "good lung capacity" to their list of desirable traits in a suitor. The base of Sense and Sensibility is still there -- finding a charming match with whom one can live and love while also having enough money to live comfortably -- Marianne and Elinor simply have a more interesting backdrop. (I never read the actual story before.. but I get the gist).
So, we have Mr. Willougby, your dashing A+ specimen. Of course, there's going to be something wrong with him.
At least this proves that every age had players.
And, our main opponent, Colonel Brandon. He's old, yes.. and happens to be cursed by a sea witch and has a face full of tentacles.
I can't help myself.. there will be more Zoidberg gifs to come. Anyway, he's obviously the underdog, and not just because of his appendages. He's shy and reserved and knows what the young ladies must thing of him. However, he may be the best option simply because of his malady. He can breathe underwater, swim most excellently, and has more experience with the enemy than Mr. Willoughby (who is a treasure hunter with a pet monkey).
Dating in this time must have been terribly confusing.
Once I was able to get into the rhythm of the Austen-language, the story flowed rather nicely. But a lot of time is spent sitting around talking about possible suitors and what they're doing about it. So, that's still a little boring for me, but these ladies at least know how to pine away the day by at least going on an adventure or two. This includes our trip down to Sub-Station Beta, an underwater living community that is the forefront of technology against the enemy. Also, giant lobster fights.
Characters manage to grow, we are introduced to many a road-block, and all-in-all come out on top, despite a few deaths along the way and an attack by the largest cloud of mosquitoes you've ever seen. You will be treated to pirates, tribal warfare, crumpet-and-jam-flavored-gelatin-loaf, being digested by jellyfish juices, near-death by sea scorpions, and the rising of an ancient god. So, if you have trouble slogging through the Austen like I usually do, know that this one is at least amusing to read, once you get past the style. And, by the end,..
lamusadelils's review against another edition
3.0
Dentro de esta nueva moda de mashups de literatura clásica con monstruos parece que ya no hay gracia que encontrar.
Me alegra haber leído este cuando aún no hartaba el tema.
Y curiosamente me gusto más que P&P & Zombies. Creo que el tema monstruoso está mejor entretejido en la historia. No es precisamente plausible o creíble, pero tiene un poco mas de coherencia dentro del universo descrito.
Also, el coronel Brandon-Cthulu es genial.
Me alegra haber leído este cuando aún no hartaba el tema.
Y curiosamente me gusto más que P&P & Zombies. Creo que el tema monstruoso está mejor entretejido en la historia. No es precisamente plausible o creíble, pero tiene un poco mas de coherencia dentro del universo descrito.
Also, el coronel Brandon-Cthulu es genial.
libkatem's review against another edition
1.0
It's not gonna happen. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies was much better. This one is slow going and doesn't really pick up. I wasn't able to finish it.
helenlouise0304's review against another edition
4.0
With Sense and Sensibility probably being my least favourite Austen, I didn't really expect much from this.
The addition of sea monsters, however, meant that while retaining the original plot (two sisters, both fall in love, problems ensue) it was a lot faster paced, and there were fewer occasions where I felt the urge to merely skim read the text. I also enjoyed the fact that Margaret actually served a purpose here - she seemed a little surplus to requirements in the original, unfortunately.
Overall a good read, and not quite so hapdash as I had expected it to be.
The addition of sea monsters, however, meant that while retaining the original plot (two sisters, both fall in love, problems ensue) it was a lot faster paced, and there were fewer occasions where I felt the urge to merely skim read the text. I also enjoyed the fact that Margaret actually served a purpose here - she seemed a little surplus to requirements in the original, unfortunately.
Overall a good read, and not quite so hapdash as I had expected it to be.
miklosha's review against another edition
4.0
This is the fourth book I've read that have been deemed 'monster mashes' (Pride & Prejudice & Zombies, Jane Slayre, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, now Sense & Sensibility & Sea Monsters). I specifically intended on reading this particular book, in fact, my interest in reading the monster classics piqued after seeing the cover to SSSM (I wish I had it as a poster).
My own particular theory concerning monster classics relies on a spectrum; at one pole is the most conservative of strategies for writing parodies, exemplified in Pride & Prejudice & Zombies. In PPZ, most of P&P remained intact, save for specific locations where zombies and all things zombie like were injected. In fact, the reader can easily note where the author left Austen's writing and where the author himself put in his own text. The changes were in themselves top down; a little zombies here, some zombies there. Otherwise, the story remained the same. Regardless of what people thought of PPZ (I personally didn't care for it), its integration of the classic with zombies is conservative at best.
At the other pole is the opposite; the classic is revamped with new themes, worlds, descriptions, and the like. This is a bottom up kind of story. In SSSM, the story revolves around the Dashwood sisters, along with their trials and tribulations. However, from the first page on the author does something different. The landscape of England is different, the whole background of the story is changed to adapt to this new world, equipped with sea monsters living in an angry sea. The risk of this approach is of course that you lose the theme of the story and it ends up becoming less of a parody or fan fiction and more of its own kind of plot.
Despite the risks and despite the bad press monster classics generally get, I was impressed. The book was more than just about the Dashwood sisters who happen to live in a world filled with sea monsters, but the book took on a whole new feel. Not only did sea monsters play a role, but ocean bases, hydrology, fish/human gene splicing, speculation as to the cause of the phenomenon (aptly called the 'Alteration'), and more. I got the impression that the author took a concerted effort to balance two separate priorities; to keep the original theme of S&S intact, but also to entertain and describe with the use of monsters.
There is certainly a large degree of ridiculousness in the story; but honestly, isn't that the point?
I was very much entertained and impressed with SSSM overall and I would recommend it on the 'to read' list with other monster classics.
My own particular theory concerning monster classics relies on a spectrum; at one pole is the most conservative of strategies for writing parodies, exemplified in Pride & Prejudice & Zombies. In PPZ, most of P&P remained intact, save for specific locations where zombies and all things zombie like were injected. In fact, the reader can easily note where the author left Austen's writing and where the author himself put in his own text. The changes were in themselves top down; a little zombies here, some zombies there. Otherwise, the story remained the same. Regardless of what people thought of PPZ (I personally didn't care for it), its integration of the classic with zombies is conservative at best.
At the other pole is the opposite; the classic is revamped with new themes, worlds, descriptions, and the like. This is a bottom up kind of story. In SSSM, the story revolves around the Dashwood sisters, along with their trials and tribulations. However, from the first page on the author does something different. The landscape of England is different, the whole background of the story is changed to adapt to this new world, equipped with sea monsters living in an angry sea. The risk of this approach is of course that you lose the theme of the story and it ends up becoming less of a parody or fan fiction and more of its own kind of plot.
Despite the risks and despite the bad press monster classics generally get, I was impressed. The book was more than just about the Dashwood sisters who happen to live in a world filled with sea monsters, but the book took on a whole new feel. Not only did sea monsters play a role, but ocean bases, hydrology, fish/human gene splicing, speculation as to the cause of the phenomenon (aptly called the 'Alteration'), and more. I got the impression that the author took a concerted effort to balance two separate priorities; to keep the original theme of S&S intact, but also to entertain and describe with the use of monsters.
There is certainly a large degree of ridiculousness in the story; but honestly, isn't that the point?
I was very much entertained and impressed with SSSM overall and I would recommend it on the 'to read' list with other monster classics.
_elisebeth's review against another edition
1.0
This book disappointed me beyond belief. I was looking forward to it but left it feeling cheated
rockweedreader's review against another edition
3.0
My mind changed about 20 times whether I was enjoying this book, or not. Laugh out loud funny at some points, classic Austen at others, and then frustration sometimes too. Overall I'm glad I read it, but not my favorite either.
heyt's review against another edition
3.0
The most noticeable thing I've taken away from this book is that Ninjas and Zombies > Sea Monsters and Pirates. While I enjoy the mash-up style of this book there just wasn't the same humor and sense of fun that its predecessor ([b:Pride and Prejudice and Zombies|5899779|Pride and Prejudice and Zombies|Seth Grahame-Smith|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255569929s/5899779.jpg|6072122]) had.