Book No. 1: Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen. 43 books last year, 2013 give me more! 🙂
What It Is: This may be the book that inspired the saying ‘love makes the world go round‘. Three volumes dedicated to finding nothing more than love and marriage for the Miss Dashwoods, Elinor and Marianne. The narrative of Sense and Sensibility is rich with romanticism, materialism, and social climbing; the theme focused on balancing sense and sensibility to land a successful match.
What I Liked About It:Â The characters in Sense and Sensibility are well drawn and consistent. You know that Elinor is the sensible, controlled one right at the get go and all throughout, while Marianne is the more passionate, delirious one; Willoughby is the selfish scoundrel and Edward is the principled, tormented lover. The same thing goes for the other characters, you don’t have to think much to get to know who they are as everything is pretty much said for you.
I appreciate the strong characteristics of Elinor, wishing more than once while reading to have the same self control she has. I pretty much enjoyed it when Marianne broke her heart over Willoughby, it’s a real joy as I took fancy in her foolishness. The distinction between Willoughby and Edward painted towards the end is also good. I love how Willoughby explained his worldliness and how he owns up to suffer  somehow from it. I think above everything, it is the characters that bring Sense and Sensibility to life because they are real and relatable though all imperfect.
What I Did Not Like About It: In the grand tradition of Wuthering Heights, this is another soap opera that brought me a challenge, but I must admit Sense and Sensibility proved to be  an easier read compared to the former. I did not tolerate the bad society and the obsession of the sisters with love and marriage. The twist in the plot did not satisfy me too as I felt it forced and unbelievable. I find the entire thing shallow though I know there is nothing shallow about love in its entirety but the way it’s explored did not ignite any passion in my heart.
Recommends: Hopeless romantics may enjoy Sense and Sensibility, and maybe those interested in the Classics.
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it was written at the age when women were raised to marry and give birth to sons. i’ve not read any jane austen although i caught the movie versions of her novels. i’m a hopeless romantic so these types are right up my alley 🙂
i understand the time but still i did not swoon as much as i thought i’d be since this is practically a classic when it came to the love alley. if anybody asks me i’ll never sat i’m a romantic but often people tell me that i am so, idk. 🙂
Di ba mahirap basahin ‘to? Last week binabasa ko ang Les Miserables, grabe! Napaisip ako “bakit ko pinapahirapan ang sarili ko?!”. Lol!
i can relate! most classics are challenging to read because of the way the narrative is made but there are some which makes for easy reading like the catcher in the rye and and then there were none. it’s always best to read classics slow. sometimes when i forget i have to reread just to fully digest it. i think the next classic i want to read is dracula.
I’d be honored for you to review my newest book. It’s getting pressed up right now
oh, cool 🙂