Jane Austen

New chronology and further reading; Tony Tanner's original introduction reinstated Edited with an introduction by Ros Ballaster.

Sense and Sensibility

Iris van der zanden

Elinor was to be the comforter of others in her own distresses, no less than in theirs.

akshita

"to wish was to hope, and to hope was to expect."

"I have never yet known what it was to separate esteem and love"

Bilge Ince

…to the ladies, began complaining of the weather. "How horrid all this is!" said he. "Such weather makes every thing and every body disgusting. Dullness is as much produced within doors as without, by rain. It makes one detest all one's acquaintance. What the devil does Sir John mean by not having a billiard room in his house? How few people know what comfort is! Sir John is as stupid as the weather."

greta

“I could not be happy with a man whose taste did not in every point coincide with my own. He must enter into all my feelings; the same books, the same music must charm us both.”

Jane Austen's moving depiction of wild emotions and bitterly suppressed feelings tells the story of two sisters- impulsive, idealistic Marianne, whose whirlwind romance with the unsuitable John Willoughby leaves her open to harmful gossip, and Elinor, who struggles quietly to conceal her own heartbreak, even from those closest to her. Through their parallel experience of love - and its threatened loss - the two sisters learn that the path to happiness is not easy in a society where status and money govern the rules of love.

Elena M.

They encouraged each other now in the violence of their affliction. The agony of grief which overpowered them at first, was voluntarily renewed, was sought for, was created again and again. They gave themselves up wholly to their sorrow, seeking increase of wretchedness in every reflection that could afford it, and resolved against ever admitting consolation in future.

She had an excellent heart; her disposition was affectionate, and her feelings were strong; but she knew how to govern them: it was a knowledge which her mother had yet to learn; and which one of her sisters had resolved never to be taught.

He was not an ill-disposed young man, unless to be rather cold hearted, and rather selfish, is to be ill-disposed

WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY FRANCESCA SEGAL The Vintage Classics Austen series is designed by the writer and illustrator Leanne Shapton and introduced by some of our finest contemporary writers and Austen fans: Alexander McCall Smith, Lynne Truss, Amanda Vickery, Francesca Segal, P.D. James and Andrew Motion. 'Jane Austen is the pinnacle to which all other authors aspire' J. K. Rowling Elinor is as prudent as her sister Marianne is impetuous. Each must learn from the other after they are they are forced by their father's death to leave their home and enter into the contests of polite society. The charms of unsuitable men and the schemes of rival ladies mean that their paths to success are thwart with disappointment but together they attempt to find a way to happiness.

Sense and Sensibility (Vintage Classics Austen Series)

Helen 

 and Elinor, in spite of every occasional doubt of Willoughby's constancy, could not witness the rapture of delightful expectation which filled the whole soul and beamed in the eyes of Marianne, without feeling how blank was her own prospect, how cheerless her own state of mind in the comparison, and how gladly she would engage in the solicitude of Marianne's situation to have the same animating object in view, the same possibility of hope. 

 Yes, yes, he is very well worth catching, I can tell you, Miss Dashwood; he has a pretty little estate of his own in Somersetshire besides; and if I were you, I would not give him up to my younger sister in spite of all this tumbling down hills. 

Mama, the more I know of the world, the more am I convinced that I shall never see a man whom I can really love. I require so much! He must have all Edward's virtues, and his person and manners must ornament his goodness with every possible charm.'

I could not be happy with a man whose taste did not in every point coincide with my Own. He must enter into all my feelings: the same books, the same music must charm us both. 

Katelyn Davis

Story and plot twists were good, though the story dragged on in some bits, I’m also just not the biggest fan of classics but o did enjoy this 

amelia <3

Isabella 

The book was quite enjoyable. I couldn't care less about Elinor and Marianne's love stories even though it was what they focused on; I was more interested in their growth. I love their bond with each other, and it highlights how they are each other's most constant companion. It was a good book, but I didn't like the ending; felt rushed and strange.

The plot of Sense & Sensibility was frankly good to follow while reading.

The sudden drama with Willoughby came out of the blue and made me so invested. I just didn't expect it. And Edward? Thoroughly believed Elinor and him were ill-fated lovers.

Nina May

The plot of Sense & Sensibility was frankly good to follow while reading.

The sudden drama with Willoughby came out of the blue and made me so invested. I just didn't expect it. And Edward? Thoroughly believed Elinor and him were ill-fated lovers.

No happy ending in sight when money is the backbone of marriage.  

Niko

julia

it was an unique experience to read jane austen's story about love troubles of not one but two heroines. their sisterhood was lovely and helped accentuate how completely different two people who deal with a heartbreak can behave. i loved how it was showed that both sense and sensibility need moderation, otherwise we can end up hurting ourselves and our loved ones. the book surprised me with few events i haven't predicted and kept me in the dark about who is going to end up with whom for very long. that spiked my curiosity about the possibilities and the typical for austen wit and satire of the elite made me giggle. i enjoyed it very much.

Francesca Starecheski

A book I thought was to be of the minds of women turned only to be on the men there residing.

lexie

i don’t like it that much but a great introduction to reading austen’s novels

Hooman Rostami

Jane Austin’s thing is romance literature. I read this just because it is a classic and I guess I’m not a fan. I just can’t stand the “damsel I distress”. Eleanor sounds like a interesting and smart girl, but her and her sisters’ while world is who they are going to marry.
And the book of course ends up without anything interesting happens to them. It all revolve around what men in their lives decides for them.

 held my hand through this amazing labyrinth.

Julien M.

my God! this was such a journey. @readingella held my hand through this amazing labyrinth.

I don't know how to reglect on this book without spoilers but for now I can say that it was ok. I'm glad I finally read another Jane Austen book, after having loved Pride & Prejudice so much years ago. What I can easily say spoiler free is that Marianne was my favorite character. I loved how she was all or nothing in everything in her life.

I cannot BELIEVE the audacity of Willoughby and Edward!! And that the Dashwood women could even forgive them! Both men cheated on Marianne and Elinor respectively, one out of BOREDOM and the other just too childish to break off his former engagement. The Dashwood women should not have forgiven Willoughby at all, no matter how much he regretted it and how he did actually fall for Marianne. And Elinor forgave Edward a bit too quickly, considering he only came to finally propose to her because his fiancee decided to suddenly marry his brother! How honorable of Edward to string along his fiancee because he was too awkward to break off the engagement 🙄 And as for Marianne marrying Colonel Brandon by the end? Totally random. She showed no interest in him at all through the whole book, in fact the opposite.

Ari Rose

I don't know how to reglect on this book without spoilers but for now I can say that it was ok. I'm glad I finally read another Jane Austen book, after having loved Pride & Prejudice so much years ago. What I can easily say spoiler free is that Marianne was my favorite character. I loved how she was all or nothing in everything in her life.

⚠️ SPOILER WARNING BELOW ⚠️

I cannot BELIEVE the audacity of Willoughby and Edward!! And that the Dashwood women could even forgive them! Both men cheated on Marianne and Elinor respectively, one out of BOREDOM and the other just too childish to break off his former engagement. The Dashwood women should not have forgiven Willoughby at all, no matter how much he regretted it and how he did actually fall for Marianne. And Elinor forgave Edward a bit too quickly, considering he only came to finally propose to her because his fiancee decided to suddenly marry his brother! How honorable of Edward to string along his fiancee because he was too awkward to break off the engagement 🙄 And as for Marianne marrying Colonel Brandon by the end? Totally random. She showed no interest in him at all through the whole book, in fact the opposite.

Sense and Sensibility: An Annotated Edition

Jane Huber

I didn’t want Sense and Sensibility to be my first Jane Austen read, but I’m glad it was. The story itself, I adore. I found myself being wholly immersed in this hopeless romantic English world (which if you know me is like so Jane-as in me not Jane Austen) and felt like I knew the characters inside and out. Not only did I relate to a lot of them, but I’m going to be honest, sometimes I liked having the intentionally dislikable characters so I could complain about them (aka Lucy). That’s why they’re there. But, I have to say, one of my favorite elements of this book is the nuanced humor. I honestly don’t know how Austen does it. So many times I found myself audibly laughing. Being funny is one thing, but being witty is another, and Austen’s wit just adds to this already enjoyable book.

Sense and Sensibility (Bantam Classics)

Colleen

4.5 Stars

The title indicates the juxtaposition that the novel explores. You have Elinor, the logical introvert, full of sense and practicality. And you have outgoing, boisterous Marianne, full of passion and vivre. They both fall in love and experience roadblocks to their love but handle the situations in very different manners.
 
Where Sense and Sensibility excels is in exploring human nature. She explores themes of classism, materialism, manipulation, loyalty, and love. This is satire with just the right amount of sass.
Austen creates such vivid characters, both good and bad. She absolutely hits the nail on the head when it comes to portraying the more obnoxious character traits. I totally wanted to smack John Dashwood and his awful wife!
 
It is also an honest portrayal of the times in which this was written and takes place. How precarious women’s situation was! They had few legal rights, were held captive by the whims of the men in the lives, and had little chance of true happiness. Women had to make a good marriage or rely on the kindness of relatives. And while trying to find a match, they were restrained by the suffocating limitations of society. They weren’t allowed to be too forward or blunt. They weren’t even supposed to write letters to unrelated men unless they were engaged. DTR was pretty damn hard back then since a woman wasn’t allowed to ask where the relationship was going.
 
As far as exploration of human follies goes, this book excellently explores characters and caprices. But I didn’t find the romance satisfying. Having two different romances that both involve love triangles, deceit, and disappointment wasn’t my recipe for happily ever after. And I didn’t think the build and timing was right to achieve that romantic crescendo. This one certainly didn’t give me butterflies in my stomach. So while I think Sense and Sensibility is ingenious when it comes to displaying the follies of human nature, the romance side was not as satisfying as Austen’s later works.
 

RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 5 Stars
Writing Style: 5 Stars
Characters and Character Development: 5 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 4 Stars
Level of Captivation: 4 Stars
Originality: 5 Stars

I couldn’t help but love this book. I admit, it took me a long long while to become interested, I dare say half away through, but it caught my heart eventually with it’s sweet language and honest life lessons. I’d 100% recommend this book, but make sure to have your dictionary ready, cuz’ you’re gonna need it! 
🎻🎶❤️🤍🩰🍰👰🏻‍♀️🤵🏻👰🏼‍♀️🤵🏻‍♂️

Jules

Katherine Yang

okay okay so SENSE switched with SENSIBILITY !!! :))))

"Sense and Sensibility" is the story of two sisters, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, who have contrasting temperaments. On the surface Elinor, the older sister represents sense or reason while Marianne represents sensibility or emotion, however upon closer examination we find that they both exhibit varying aspects of each characteristic. A classic coming of age story "Sense and Sensibility" was Jane Austen's first published novel.Marianne Dashwood wears her heart on her sleeve, and when she falls in love with the dashing but unsuitable John Willoughby she ignores her sister Elinor's warning that her impulsive behaviour leaves her open to gossip and innuendo. Meanwhile Elinor, always sensitive to social convention, is struggling to conceal her own romantic disappointment, even from those closest to her. Through their parallel experience of love - and its threatened loss - the sisters learn that sense must mix with sensibility if they are to find personal happiness in a society where status and money govern the rules of love.

The Annotated Sense and Sensibility

the thing about reading austen, for me, is that it takes a while for me to get invested into the story. but when the events pick up, oh /man/ do they pick up - the final chapter of the first volume had me audibly gasping and there was so. much. drama. in the second and third volumes that i couldn't help but to tear through the rest of the book. i know the realism behind the romantic philosophies of the book is not for everyone, but i liked it. and i think the scandal and drama that surrounded the sisters' love lives were more than enough to add that element of dramatized scandal that, had they not been present, might have made the tale a little too dry for my tastes.

horu

I fell in love with the book from page 1! The language she used was beautifull and I grew attached to the characters. It was comforting to be a part of their family relationships as they grew and the ending is suprising, for sure. 

Ania Wysoczanska

Meghan Navoy

** spoiler alert **
           I love reading books by Jane Austen so much!!! She is absolutely brilliant at writing dialogue and characters. I genuinely laughed out loud at times when reading this. A couple things left me confused and felt like more could have been written - why does Marianne end up with colonel Brandon in the end?? It seems like they have nothing in common and she’s so young and would have met someone else?? I saw in the movie she marries him and hoped the book would elaborate more on how this comes to pass because it seems very abrupt. I also don’t know how Lucy Steele came to be suddenly in love and marry the other brother? This is sort of glossed over. Anyway, I still enjoyed it immensely!!

Jane Austin

Sense and Sensibility is a novel by Jane Austen, published in 1811. It was published anonymously; By A Lady appears on the title page where the author's name might have been. It tells the story of the Dashwood sisters, Elinor (age 19) and Marianne (age 161/2) as they come of age. They have an older half-brother, John, and a younger sister, Margaret, 13. The novel follows the three Dashwood sisters as they must move with their widowed mother from the estate on which they grew up, Norland Park. Because Norland is passed down to John, the product of Mr. Dashwood's first marriage, and his young son, the four Dashwood women need to look for a new home. They have the opportunity to rent a modest home, Barton Cottage, on the property of a distant relative, Sir John Middleton. There they experience love, romance, and heartbreak. The novel is likely set in southwest England, London, and Sussex between 1792 and 1797.- Wikipedia

By Jane Austin

Sense & Sensibility

Another beautiful book by Jane Austin. Enjoyed every second of reading. 

Tijana

Henry Dashwood lived at Norland Park in Sussex, England, a property owned by his wealthy uncle. Henry had three daughters by his current wife and one son from a prior marriage. When his uncle died, Norland was left to Henry's son John and John's own son. This left Henry's three daughters without much of a fortune, and when he died, he asked John to look after his half-sisters. John, in response, plans to give his sisters 3000 pounds each, but his wife Fanny quickly persuades him not to do this, so that their own son will have that money. Henry's widow, Mrs. Dashwood, and her three daughters (the rational and self-controlled Elinor, the sensitive Marianne, and the young Margaret) stay at Norland for several months after Henry's death. Mrs. Dashwood despises Fanny, but Elinor becomes close with Fanny's brother, Edward Ferrars. Mrs. Dashwood and Marianne think he and Elinor will marry. A relative of Mrs. Dashwood, Sir John Middleton, writes to her and offers her a place to live on his property, Barton Park. Mrs. Dashwood accepts the offer, and moves to a cottage on Sir John's property with her daughters. The Dashwoods meet Sir John and his wife, Lady Middleton, often attending dinners and balls at their home. They also meet Lady Middleton's mother, a kind but gossipy old woman named Mrs. Jennings, who enjoys predicting and encouraging budding romances. Another frequent guest at the Middletons' home is Colonel Brandon, a friend of Sir John and a 35 year-old bachelor. It quickly becomes apparent that Brandon loves Marianne, but Marianne thinks the idea of marrying a man so old and as lacking in taste as she thinks Brandon to be is ridiculous. One day, The Dashwood sisters go out for a walk in the country. When it begins to rain suddenly, they run back toward their cottage, but Marianne trips and falls. A gentleman who happens to be passing by picked her up and gallantly carries her home. He introduces himself as Willoughby. Soon after, the Dashwoods see Willoughby again at dinner at Barton Park. Sir John tells Marianne that Willoughby is "very well worth catching," and she begins to grow fond of him. Willoughby often visits the Dashwood cottage and spends much time with Marianne. They share many of the same opinions and tastes in art, music, and literature. Mrs. Dashwood guesses that they might become engaged. Marianne and Willoughby grow closer and closer, as the Dashwoods continue to attend numerous social events at Barton Park. Margaret sees Marianne give Willoughby a lock of her hair, and assumes that they are engaged. One evening at Barton Park, Mrs. Jennings asks Elinor if she had any man whom she was fond of, and Margaret lets slip that Elinor is taken by someone whose name began with an F. The next day, a large group assembles at Barton Park to make an expedition to Colonel Brandon's brother-in-law's property. However, Brandon receives a letter and suddenly has to leave for London, cancelling the planned trip. Everyone decides to pass the day by driving around the country, and Willoughby and Marianne go off in one carriage to his aunt's property, Allenham, which he is likely to inherit, and they survey it together. Over the next few days, Willoughby continues to behave as though he is in love with Marianne.

With Original Illustrations

Jamieson

More of a 3.5
I liked it but I didn't find it as enjoyable or compelling as Pride and Prejudice

Review to come maybe?

fizzy

It took me SO long to finish this book. Way too boring and realistic to me.

Sense and Sensibility (Barnes & Noble Classics)

Becky A

It was a bit more challenging than most of what I read, because I am very accustomed to modern pacing and structure, but once I fell into the rhythm of the book I quite enjoyed it. I loved both Elinor and Marianne, and I really enjoyed Edward and Colonel Brandon. I didn’t get all of the satire because I don’t know much about what was being satirized — I know just enough to know what I don’t know, basically — but once I shrugged and accepted that the various friends and relations running around and being ridiculous were, in fact, meant to be ridiculous, and stopped worrying about keeping track of who they were related to and how all the supporting characters related to one another, it was delightful. It took me a couple of weeks to read the first section, but once I got sucked in, I sped through volumes two and three in a few days.

(More: http://www.rebecca-allen.net/?p=467)

Honey 🍯 

Sense and Sensibility narrates the story of two sisters, one of them nineteen and the other seventeen, as they navigate their lives (mostly marriage and heartbreaks) in Victorian England. Despite always having each other's backs, these sisters have personalities contrasting one another. Elinor, the elder one, is more rational, prudent and does not believe in openly expressing her emotions. The younger, called Marianne, is more sensitive and believes in passionate expression of her feelings. They meet a bunch of suitors throughout the novel and it's up to us to find out how their decisions and experiences shape their lives. 

I found the writing of Austen's debut novel rigid, sharp and more straightforward. Her style becomes more fluid and twisty in her later books. For a long time initially, this book was plain and slow-paced for me; which really put me off and made me lose interest multiple times. But something in her narrative kept me going. And when I started reading between the lines, I realized that Austen is a queen of a writer. Considering it was her first novel, the wit and sarcasm in her prose was always surprising and engrossing. Be it in her narration of the acts of her characters, or their dialogue, you could find tinges of satire in most nooks and corners. And as a started nearing its end, excitement and delight multiplied my reading speed; convincing me that I'm not as slow a reader as I originally thought. 

Coming to the characters, I'll start with my favorite one: Miss Elinor Dashwood. Madam was right almost all the time. The control she had over her mind, thoughts and feelings was the quality I most desperately want to acquire myself. Her intelligence and wisdom at that age were astonishing. She was strong-willed and was ready to speak her mind at all times. I absolutely adored the way she took care of her sister and advised her mother. She never broke promises nor revealed any secrets shared with her. I could honestly go on and on about her. She's a new-found inspiration for me now. {I wanted my favorite female character to end up with my favorite male character. 👉🏿 👈🏿} 

Coming to Marianne, she wasn't a character I disliked, but I don't think I can say that I loved her as much as I loved her elder sister. Yes, she had her shortcomings but she was as old as I am now and there's only so much you could expect from a seventeen-year-old. I truly resonated with her on the grounds of having the courage to show your emotions openly. However, not to the extent of deteriorating your own health and thinking that a heartbreak is the end of the world for you. I also thought she was truly lucky to end up with 'him' and found home in a great area. 

Colonel Brandon was a star. His advanced age gave him an insight and knowledge which most of the other characters lacked. He was a fine man with high quality values and a big heart. His affectionate demeanor raised my standards even higher. His bond with both the sisters was exceedingly precious and I looked forward to them interacting with him all the time! 

Edward Ferrars wasn't my favorite from any point of view. He never was at the start and even as we neared the end of the book, I could feel little for him. However, he had been wronged on not one but several occasions; which clearly played their parts in making him a socially awkward person. In the climax, if I considered Marianne to be a lucky girl, then Edward was the luckiest guy ever. 

This book was a remarkable creation and strengthened my love for Jane Austen.

Siya S

It took me a very long time to finish this book. Like, very long. Like, all-before-COVID-shit-hit-the-fan-and-all-this-mess kind of long.

I think somehow I just got lost in all the dramas happening to both sisters to the point that I didn't really care anymore. And then at the final leg, I chose to listen to the Audiobook instead, and that worked like magic because Karen Savage (the narrator) is the QUEEN. And now I can finally say, I finished S&S - something I feel like it should have been done for so many years ago already.

This book is all about two very different sisters - Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. 


They are two different types of creatures; while Marianne wore her heart on her sleeves, Elinor was sensitive and very good at keeping her cards very close to her heart. Their lives have been hit by a storm with the death of Mr Dashwood - the ladies of the house now had to relocate to a smaller cottage and face the reality that was romance and the dating culture of 19th Century England. They would get their hearts broken, but throughout the process of love and devastation, the two would get to learn that sometimes one must have their senses be mixed with sensibility (and vice versa), in order to thrive in this strange world. 

My very first impression of S&S was Ang Lee's movie back in the 90s. Man, how I loved it! It got me a giggling fit as a teenager (identified myself as Marianne) and bawling my eyes off as an adult (identified as Elinor, tragically). 



The big question, though: How can Jane Austen write something that remains relatable 300 years after her living period? Incredible, isn't it? Maybe because humanity hasn't changed much over time, and we would just find a different name for the same thing as we progress forward as a species. We still live in confinement that is a claustrophobic scope of social expectation (as ever), and while some might have more freedom than others, deception/catfishing/gaslighting/ghosting are still a thing. 

This might not be my #1 Austen book, and I know this review wasn't much of a review but me babbling about whatever things that came to my mind at this very moment. But I'm glad I read it. Enjoyable, yes. Sadly not very easy to read (due to the 19th Century language), but you'll definitely get to learn about a thing or two about people living in the past, so there's that. 

I'm looking forward to reading Persuasion next.

Sense and Sensibility

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