Trials and Tribulations in Sense and Sensibility | Book Review

【 SENSE AND SENSIBILITY 】

This was spectacularly wonderful.

Genre: Classic
Author: Jane Austen
Published: October 1811
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Pages: 409 (paperback)

Having struggled through Pride and Prejudice when I was younger, I was apprehensive going into this that this much-loved story would suffer the same fate. But not at all! I laughed, I exclaimed and I all-up loved reading this.

Which is a great relief because this is also one of my favourite movies (the Kate Winslet version, of course). I listened to the audiobook narrated by Rosamund Pike and that was fabulous – great voices, great expression and I can’t recommend it enough.

Marianne is my absolute favourite, I love how tumultuous she is and how passionately she approaches everything in life. It was both highly entertaining and relatable. But I also adored the exasperated but polite way Elinor deals with difficult situations. I think listening to the audiobook (rather than reading) helped me appreciate the way the lines could be delivered to add that snark and witticism. It made me appreciate Elinor’s character in new ways.

It was curious to see how the book was different and I found that the film doesn’t change too much, though Margaret is much less present. But the ridiculousness of the older ladies’ gossip and how carried away they get with match-making was much the same. I did find Willoughby even less forgivable – and omg the audacity to turn up when Marianne is so unwell to beg forgiveness. But thankfully, Elinor was there to give him a proverbial smack on the head and telling off.

I’ve finished this excited at the prospect of rereading it, something I wasn’t expecting! Now that I’ve done the audio, I want to go back and read a physical book and pick up all the little things I’m sure I missed. As well as note down all the brilliant quotes.