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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
"Marianne was silent; it was impossible for her to say what she did not feel, however trivial the occasion; and upon Elinor therefore the whole task of telling lies when politeness required it, always fell."
. . .
"Elinor agreed to it all, for she did not think he deserved the compliment of rational opposition."
Pride and Prejudice was so singularly influential in the shaping of my young mind, read and re-read over and over so obsessively from about the age of eight years old, that stepping into the pages of any other work of Jane Austen's for the first time in my life at 25 still somehow feels like coming home. Her razor-sharp power of observation, her ability to cut right to the core of everything absurd and hilarious and true about humanity, no different 200 years later, still takes my breath away. The dynamic between the sisters, especially, is something so touching and honest, so painful and lovely. Austen's writing so masterfully recognizes and reflects something I simply don't find anywhere else.
The only thing that soured me here was
Still, what an absolute treat to return to the familiar, competent, brilliant hands of the Mistress of Satirical Wit. Such strong characters, instantly understood through such dryly hilarious dialogue, such a dissection of this charade of society we put ourselves through. I can't wait to make my way through the rest of her work.
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
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
what i loved: (1) the assortment of mothers. i think this is one of the few books i have read where there were so many mothers - from to-be moms, to new moms, to moms with toddlers, teens and adult children. it's very interesting, coupled with the absence of dominant male characters. all the men in this novel have been passive and the women-- mothers and daughters-- were the ones shaping the narrative and moving the plot. (2) the thematic writing has been excellent and it lets you appreciate the book days after finishing. my favorite part is how the book title applies to each mother-daughter dynamic. i also enjoyed the dynamic of having favorites among mothers and their children and how their favoritism worked (against) them, and their relationship with their other child/ren.
what i didn't loved: (1) the pacing. the only reason i did not fully enjoy it is because of the slowness. i think it would have been amazing if it was only two volumes instead of three. (2) the love interests. this is my third jane austen book, and even if i am now getting the pattern of how she writes romance or lets romance unfold, i still cannot shake off my disdain for all the love interests in this book. i want to think they are intentional, with regards to how none of these men do anything actively within the book, but having the two main characters have any of them as their partners wrecks me. i do believe they deserve better, if only status and income were on their side, they would have much more of a choice. i can't say who i dislike the most among willoughby, edward and brandon, since all three of them frustrated me all the same.
what i didn't loved: (1) the pacing. the only reason i did not fully enjoy it is because of the slowness. i think it would have been amazing if it was only two volumes instead of three. (2) the love interests. this is my third jane austen book, and even if i am now getting the pattern of how she writes romance or lets romance unfold, i still cannot shake off my disdain for all the love interests in this book. i want to think they are intentional, with regards to how none of these men do anything actively within the book, but having the two main characters have any of them as their partners wrecks me. i do believe they deserve better, if only status and income were on their side, they would have much more of a choice. i can't say who i dislike the most among willoughby, edward and brandon, since all three of them frustrated me all the same.
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
I absolutely cherished the relationship between Marianne and Elinor. Jane Austen’s depiction of society is, as always, both credible and richly detailed. Elinor’s temperance and discretion perfectly balance Marianne’s passionate nature—and even extend to tempering her mother’s vivacity.
Although the sisters are quite different, they genuinely respect and embrace one another. It was a treat to see Mrs. Dashwood, who has traditionally been closer to Marianne, grow to understand her daughter Elinor in a new light.
Regarding the sisters’ love interests, however, I found them somewhat lackluster. I wasn’t entirely convinced by the equality of their matches; in my view, the girls—especially Elinor—deserved better.
Marianne, who once believed that one could fall in love only once, ultimately found herself experiencing love a second time. This unexpected turn reminded me of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai:
“Hum ek baar jeete hain
Ek baar marte hain
Shaadi bhi ek baar hoti hai
Aur pyar bhi ek hi baar hota hai”
Although the sisters are quite different, they genuinely respect and embrace one another. It was a treat to see Mrs. Dashwood, who has traditionally been closer to Marianne, grow to understand her daughter Elinor in a new light.
Regarding the sisters’ love interests, however, I found them somewhat lackluster. I wasn’t entirely convinced by the equality of their matches; in my view, the girls—especially Elinor—deserved better.
Marianne, who once believed that one could fall in love only once, ultimately found herself experiencing love a second time. This unexpected turn reminded me of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai:
“Hum ek baar jeete hain
Ek baar marte hain
Shaadi bhi ek baar hoti hai
Aur pyar bhi ek hi baar hota hai”
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
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
funny
hopeful
relaxing
fast-paced
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It’s so clear she’s developing here, with each of the sisters a prototype for future Austen heroines. The story and the forgiveness of Willoughby left me cold. Elinor felt too much like an ideal: prudent to the point of limited agency, and we have no real idea of what she and Edward are like.
Oddly enough, I think Austen writes on the page what doesn’t need to be told, and writes off the page the things we actually feel drawn to: the romance, the interplay of the characters, the moment the stakes change (e.g. Marianne grows ill nearly off-screen, Edward and Elinor are established basically through after the fact references to their love, etc.)
But the bones and the wit are there.
Oddly enough, I think Austen writes on the page what doesn’t need to be told, and writes off the page the things we actually feel drawn to: the romance, the interplay of the characters, the moment the stakes change (e.g. Marianne grows ill nearly off-screen, Edward and Elinor are established basically through after the fact references to their love, etc.)
But the bones and the wit are there.
emotional
hopeful
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
An appropriate review that came to mind would just be that clip of Justin Bieber saying “money money money”.