Reviews

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

Only show reviews with written explanations

spyralnode's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

'Sense and Sensibility' is one of the main works of Jane Austen, but surprisingly, I hadn't read it until now. 'Pride and Prejudice' made a big impression on me as a teenager, I must have been 14 or so when I read it. But 'Northanger Abbey' and 'Persuasion', which I only read a couple of years ago as an adult, did nothing for me. I thought they were very much a product of their time, based on etiquette, proprieties and plenty of gossip, with so much of the story relying on visits and chats, rather than things actually happening.

And sadly, 'Sense and Sensibility' falls into the same category for me, which is a surprisingly conclusion to have come to, because I really enjoyed it for the first third. But it's way too long and moves the development off the page into characters' mouths, which isn't compelling at all.

As with most Jane Austen stories, this is also one based in England, following the love stories of two sisters, Elinor and Marianne. They are by no means rich, so their options are somewhat more restricted as we encounter male characters who engage in relationships for the purpose of accumulating wealth. Elinor's actions represent sensible options, she is guided by societal expectations and what is right, whereas Marianne is impulsive and wears her heart on her sleeve, each personality traits that will be tested during their somewhat coming-of-age events.

The first 150 or so pages of the book were a delight to read. A lot of the scenes have the relationship between Elinor and Marianne at core, where we get to observe a wholesome sisterly relationship, based on understand and care towards one another. Elinor has a nurturing approach towards Marianne, she wishes to protect her when she may rush into decisions, but is equally aware of the risks of intervening too much. Marianne grows throughout the book, showing a well written character development as she faces challenges in the object of her desire not being what he initially appears.

Here I also enjoyed the sense of unease with 'this is all too good to be true'. Elinor finds a match in Edward, who is equally as guarded and strategic about his life choices, weighing the pros and cons with thorough discipline. Marianne finds her ideal man un Willoughby, sharing the same taste in dancing, reading and art. Yet there is an air of there being more to it, especially with so much of the book to go and no tension being present yet.

Yet once this tension disspells and we learn why these seemingly happy couples cannot go on, my attention decreased immensely. The plot then relies a lot less on showing effects, allowing the reader to judge what might be sincere affection or not, but instead relies on he said, she said. It's not compelling or interesting, and I was disappointed that something I initially thought was well-crafted and moved away from the tropes of the time fell right back into them. What continued was convoluted and boring.

So... I read it now.