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lizclaires's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
isaexcel's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-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? No
3.5
v4mpstarzz's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
ebassin713's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
lizziestudieshistory's review against another edition
3.0
Review from 2020
Much better than Persuasion but not as polished as Pride and Prejudice (which I was expecting.) Marianne and Elinor might be the most annoying Austen heroines I've had the misfortune to read about... However, I did enjoy Sense and Sensibility - if only because I came to love Colonel Brandon so much.
Brandon was a fantastic, slightly Byronic love interest for Austen. He's got a tragic backstory, a reserved but charming character, and despite being "old and infirm" (how terrible to be 35!) loves deeply if quietly. Brandon's one flaw is dueling Willoughby after his rackish behaviour towards Marianne... Colonel Brandon is wonderful, I'm VERY much on board with him - not as much as Mr Thornton, but he's a close second.
However, Brandon is NOT a suitable love interest for 16 year old Marianne. Even if we excuse the age difference (not that unusual for the period) they are totally unsuited in temperament. Marianne is a silly teenaged girl, obsessed with romanticism, and she acts like it; Brandon is world worn, sensible, and reserved. If he had to marry one of the Dashwoods he would have made a much better match for Elinor (Mrs Jennings and John Dashwood were the only people with any sense! Well, only on this point...)
However, what was even worse about their pairing was the attitude Marianne's family had towards her relationship with Brandon. They saw her as a reward for all his sufferings, patience, and kind attentions to the whole family. Marianne, as insufferable as she is, is NOT a prize to be bestowed on good behaviour, and I don't believe their romance. Austen never showed her coming to like Brandon as more than a family friend, she just waved her hand in the last chapter and made her apparently love him as her husband. I can't imagine Marianne could be happy with such a serious husband who is so much older than herself, nor can I see him being happy with such a young and foolish wife.
I must say, Brandon himself did spend the entire novel respecting every woman he met, and would be horrified at seeing ANYONE as a reward for his 'good behaviour'. The man is almost modern in his attitudes towards the ladies around him, and for that I will always love him!
As for Elinor and Edward I have very little opinion in them... Edward was a absentee wet blanket for the vast majority of the novel. He had little to recommend him as a love interest and has only done slightly better than Persuasion's Captain Wentworth because he actually showed SOME interest in Elinor. Elinor herself could have done with binning him off as soon as she found out he couldn't (respectably) marry her and 'setting her cap',as Sir John would say, at Colonel Brandon!
The rest of the plot was fairly standard Jane Austen with mean girls, romantic set backs, and silly mothers. It was entertaining enough, but definitely not her best work.
Much better than Persuasion but not as polished as Pride and Prejudice (which I was expecting.) Marianne and Elinor might be the most annoying Austen heroines I've had the misfortune to read about... However, I did enjoy Sense and Sensibility - if only because I came to love Colonel Brandon so much.
Brandon was a fantastic, slightly Byronic love interest for Austen. He's got a tragic backstory, a reserved but charming character, and despite being "old and infirm" (how terrible to be 35!) loves deeply if quietly. Brandon's one flaw is dueling Willoughby after his rackish behaviour towards Marianne... Colonel Brandon is wonderful, I'm VERY much on board with him - not as much as Mr Thornton, but he's a close second.
However, Brandon is NOT a suitable love interest for 16 year old Marianne. Even if we excuse the age difference (not that unusual for the period) they are totally unsuited in temperament. Marianne is a silly teenaged girl, obsessed with romanticism, and she acts like it; Brandon is world worn, sensible, and reserved. If he had to marry one of the Dashwoods he would have made a much better match for Elinor (Mrs Jennings and John Dashwood were the only people with any sense! Well, only on this point...)
However, what was even worse about their pairing was the attitude Marianne's family had towards her relationship with Brandon. They saw her as a reward for all his sufferings, patience, and kind attentions to the whole family. Marianne, as insufferable as she is, is NOT a prize to be bestowed on good behaviour, and I don't believe their romance. Austen never showed her coming to like Brandon as more than a family friend, she just waved her hand in the last chapter and made her apparently love him as her husband. I can't imagine Marianne could be happy with such a serious husband who is so much older than herself, nor can I see him being happy with such a young and foolish wife.
I must say, Brandon himself did spend the entire novel respecting every woman he met, and would be horrified at seeing ANYONE as a reward for his 'good behaviour'. The man is almost modern in his attitudes towards the ladies around him, and for that I will always love him!
As for Elinor and Edward I have very little opinion in them... Edward was a absentee wet blanket for the vast majority of the novel. He had little to recommend him as a love interest and has only done slightly better than Persuasion's Captain Wentworth because he actually showed SOME interest in Elinor. Elinor herself could have done with binning him off as soon as she found out he couldn't (respectably) marry her and 'setting her cap',as Sir John would say, at Colonel Brandon!
The rest of the plot was fairly standard Jane Austen with mean girls, romantic set backs, and silly mothers. It was entertaining enough, but definitely not her best work.
heyclaram_'s review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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
4.0
liekeparnassia's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
meowreads's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
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
3.5
Every page made me yearn for a sister in the most delightful way! 😂 At its core, Sense and Sensibility is less about romantic entanglements and more about the profound bond between Elinor and Marianne. The love stories, while present, feel almost secondary to the exploration of their sisterhood.
That said, their characters seem almost too precisely drawn—Elinor as the personification of Sense, and Marianne of Sensibility. Austen appears to have anchored them so firmly in these traits that it sacrifices some of the subtlety and depth we might expect from such central figures. It’s difficult not to draw comparisons to Pride and Prejudice’s Elizabeth Bennet, whose cleverness and complexity elevate her far beyond a single archetype. I couldn’t help but wish Elinor had been given just a touch of Lizzy’s wit—it would have enriched the narrative and given the story an extra dimension.
Amidst all this, Mrs. Jennings absolutely stole the show. Her vivacity and unpretentious humor inject a much-needed lightness, providing a perfect counterbalance to the more restrained Dashwood sisters 😂💖 I’m not going to lie, Mrs. Jennings annoyed me at first! Her constant gossiping felt intrusive, and I found her meddling with sisters' lives a bit overbearing. But as the story progressed, she really grew on me. I realized that beneath all the chatter, she’s a deeply caring motherly figure who genuinely wants the best for the Dashwood sisters. Her flaw—being a little too fond of gossip—is something you just have to set aside to see her true heart. She’s the kind of character who sneaks up on you in the best way and I love this type of character!
I would’ve given this book a higher rating if the sisters’ personalities weren’t so rigidly aligned with the qualities they were meant to embody. If Elinor and Marianne had more nuance—if they had been allowed to exist beyond the confines of Sense and Sensibility—I think the narrative would have been richer for it. Their traits felt too one-dimensional at times, too neatly defined, and that lack of complexity kept me from fully connecting with them. If their characters had been a bit more multifaceted, this book could’ve easily earned a higher rating from me, and perhaps be on my pedestal together with Lizzy.
I genuinely enjoyed my time with this one, and while the endings weren’t exactly what I’d hoped for, I can fully appreciate why they are the most rational conclusions for the sisters’ journeys. Austen may not have indulged in the outcomes I might have wished for, but the resolutions feel true to the characters and their growth. Despite any reservations, Sense and Sensibility offered a compelling, thoughtful exploration of relationships—more familial than romantic—and I can’t help but admire how grounded it all feels in the end.
That said, their characters seem almost too precisely drawn—Elinor as the personification of Sense, and Marianne of Sensibility. Austen appears to have anchored them so firmly in these traits that it sacrifices some of the subtlety and depth we might expect from such central figures. It’s difficult not to draw comparisons to Pride and Prejudice’s Elizabeth Bennet, whose cleverness and complexity elevate her far beyond a single archetype. I couldn’t help but wish Elinor had been given just a touch of Lizzy’s wit—it would have enriched the narrative and given the story an extra dimension.
Amidst all this, Mrs. Jennings absolutely stole the show. Her vivacity and unpretentious humor inject a much-needed lightness, providing a perfect counterbalance to the more restrained Dashwood sisters 😂💖 I’m not going to lie, Mrs. Jennings annoyed me at first! Her constant gossiping felt intrusive, and I found her meddling with sisters' lives a bit overbearing. But as the story progressed, she really grew on me. I realized that beneath all the chatter, she’s a deeply caring motherly figure who genuinely wants the best for the Dashwood sisters. Her flaw—being a little too fond of gossip—is something you just have to set aside to see her true heart. She’s the kind of character who sneaks up on you in the best way and I love this type of character!
I would’ve given this book a higher rating if the sisters’ personalities weren’t so rigidly aligned with the qualities they were meant to embody. If Elinor and Marianne had more nuance—if they had been allowed to exist beyond the confines of Sense and Sensibility—I think the narrative would have been richer for it. Their traits felt too one-dimensional at times, too neatly defined, and that lack of complexity kept me from fully connecting with them. If their characters had been a bit more multifaceted, this book could’ve easily earned a higher rating from me, and perhaps be on my pedestal together with Lizzy.
I genuinely enjoyed my time with this one, and while the endings weren’t exactly what I’d hoped for, I can fully appreciate why they are the most rational conclusions for the sisters’ journeys. Austen may not have indulged in the outcomes I might have wished for, but the resolutions feel true to the characters and their growth. Despite any reservations, Sense and Sensibility offered a compelling, thoughtful exploration of relationships—more familial than romantic—and I can’t help but admire how grounded it all feels in the end.
mgxwawa13's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
farahsarish's review against another edition
4.0
Rereading through Austen’s books. This is probably my least favorite, but even then it is utterly delightful.