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3.11 AVERAGE
3.11 AVERAGE
I’m trying to think about a single thing I liked about this mess of a book, but nothing comes to mind. Modernising this book so that the plot holds is difficult, I understand why this part of the book flopped. But the characters? Why turn them into these manic, rude caricatures? Marianne is constantly snobbish, rude to everyone around her and manic (she can’t even change from her wet clothes by herself, before Elinor tells her to do so, even though she knows she should not get a cold?). And Mags (!) is a hateful teenager constantly complaining and talking trash. Oh, and don’t even get me started on the language of this horrid book (sigh).
Oh, I remembered one thing that I liked, that got me thinking about something I missed in the original: Lucy comes to Elinor and makes her confession, knowing that Elinor has some sort of feelings for Ed. So their first meeting is all about marking territories (“Ed is mine”). This is something I missed in S&S - Lucy’s intent in making her secret known to her acknowledged rival. So at least there’s that.
Oh, I remembered one thing that I liked, that got me thinking about something I missed in the original: Lucy comes to Elinor and makes her confession, knowing that Elinor has some sort of feelings for Ed. So their first meeting is all about marking territories (“Ed is mine”). This is something I missed in S&S - Lucy’s intent in making her secret known to her acknowledged rival. So at least there’s that.
Maybe 3.75. A cute, accurate retelling. I still wish Colonel Brandon got with Elinor though.
A sore disappointment. There is nothing modern in this book, unless you consider a text sprinkled with references to Facebook, YouTube and Twitter modern. Most of the characters are sleepwalking through the demands and opportunities of life in the 21st century. I'm also angry because the beloved cast of the original novel are made extremely unlikeable in this adaptation.
The big problem here is that the story of "Sense and Sensibility" just does not work in modern times or at least this author was not sucessful in belivably making it happen. Not only does the story just not work the author also somehow ended up making all the characters really unlikeable. Not just the ones you love to hate like Fanny, all of them, even Elinore and Edward.
I tried to write a proper review for this book, but realised I just could not be bothered.
Suffice to say that I hated it with a vengeance. The 1 star is for the nice cover, but obviously that cannot counterbalance the abysmal content.
The article Modernising Jane Austen: 10 traps to avoid [The Guardian] by the excellent [a:John Mullan|6793|John Mullan|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png] says it all, no need to add anything from my side. I just wish all authors on the Jane Austen bandwagon would read & heed it.
Suffice to say that I hated it with a vengeance. The 1 star is for the nice cover, but obviously that cannot counterbalance the abysmal content.
The article Modernising Jane Austen: 10 traps to avoid [The Guardian] by the excellent [a:John Mullan|6793|John Mullan|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png] says it all, no need to add anything from my side. I just wish all authors on the Jane Austen bandwagon would read & heed it.
DNF: Shot for shot remake without any kind of deep thought of this story could be told in the 21st century. To be fair, I think it is the hardest of Austen’s novels to update, but something about the entire premise needed to change. This was too copied to be believable.
Nothing compares to the original. This book tried, but it felt wanting.
I'm so enjoying re-immersing myself in these modern Austen re-tellings with all their wit and familiarity and romance. The world of this feels a little implausible and old-fashioned, but the characters are so beautifully depicted that it doesn't matter. I will always be an Elinor Dashwood at heart.
Totally unnecessary, but an enjoyable trifle.
I don't remember Marianne being as much of a monster in the original!
I don't remember Marianne being as much of a monster in the original!
5. Read this directly after finishing a second read of the original. This is a great adaptation. It keeps the same feel and context of the original while adapting it to a modern setting. In general, Austen's plots and characters feel very modern to begin with so it's nice to see the rest modernized. I did not like how annoyingly irrational Marianne was written compared to the sweetly irrational original. Other than that, I couldn't put this one down.
Kate Reading did a fabulous job narrating.
Kate Reading did a fabulous job narrating.