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This topic is open for discussion about Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen




Book synopsis:
'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!'

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.

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Thank you so much for creating this thread!

Drishti, I will probably be able to pick up the book from the library later today. I'm super excited to finally read it, with you, starting on the 8th! :-)

And if anyone else wants to join Drishti and me, we'd welcome your input into our discussion! :-)

By the time I'll be able to join you, you'll probably be finished. :)

Do you plan to fly through it like with HP? :P

❶İձ�❶� wrote: "By the time I'll be able to join you, you'll probably be finished. :)

Do you plan to fly through it like with HP? :P"

Possibly. It never takes me very long to get through a book. I think the longest it took me to read a print book was maybe a week?

But if Sense and Sensibility is well-written and easy for contemporary readers to understand, I don't see why it would take me more than a day or three to read it. ;-)

EDIT/ADDENDUM: It took me seven days to make it through Pride and Prejudice, and it was only 60 or so pages longer. So it might take me a few more days than anticipated to finish this one. It all depends, I think, on how and what I feel about the story as I'm reading it. ;-)

If you want something for contemporary readers, you could try Sense & Sensibility :P
I didn't read it so no idea what's it like.

❶İձ�❶� wrote: "If you want something for contemporary readers, you could try Sense & Sensibility :P
I didn't read it so no idea what's it like."

I'm not much for contemporary literary works. I prefer my literary works to be classics. My contemporary tastes run more to fantastical settings (paranormal romances and urban fantasies).

But thanks for the recommendation! I might check it out. ;-)

Hm, last time I've read it, it took me 10 days. I just checked and I read like 7 other books in those 10 days, so it obviously wasn't only S&S. :)

❶İձ�❶� wrote: "Hm, last time I've read it, it took me 10 days. I just checked and I read like 7 other books in those 10 days, so it obviously wasn't only S&S. :)"

Hmmm, well, even it takes me a "long" time to read it, I'm still planning to get it read in December! I need to count if for a year-ending challenge in another group. ;-)

This has been on my TBR shelf for a while now. I'm really hoping to join in the conversation for this, hopefully I won't be too slow a reader to do this and the BOMs.

I'd like to re-read this with you all. :)

I finished our first December group read a few hours ago and was just about to get offline and read a new book when I had the super smart idea to check my December plan, and what did I find? Today was the day I was supposed to start Sense and Sensibility! So I'm going to read it instead. :-)

I don't think I'll be starting for a couple of days. My copy hasn't arrived, yet.

Okay, Drishti. Just join in when you can. :-)

I've only read two chapters, but I have already decided that I definitely do not like Mrs. John Dashwood. And John Dashwood is coming across as rather spineless (or perhaps pussy-whipped is a better description). I'm feeling predisposed to like Elinor and her sisters. I hope they'll be nice. :-)

I got sidetracked after stopping in to record a status update. So now I think I'm going to hold off on reading more. Sleep beckons. Chapter 3 will have to wait.

Does anyone else laugh out loud in Chapter 16 when (view spoiler)[Marianne rhapsodises about the leaves at Norland and Elinor says, "It is not every one who has your passion for dead leaves"? (hide spoiler)] I did, lol!

I had hoped to get further along in this book today, but I decided to be happy with reading 100 pages. I just finished Chapter 18 (on page 102 in the edition I'm reading). I'm enjoying this story, but the language is rather tiring. I've found that deciphering the late 1790s/early 1800s sentence structure takes a lot out of me. So I'm going to pause here for the night.

I just finished Volume I. I don't know what to think of Edward: Is (view spoiler)[he intentionally leading Elinor on? Is he really engaged to Lucy Steele? (hide spoiler)] I can't say that I liked him before these revelations, but I like him even less now. ...

I think I need a nap before continuing on to Volume II. And I have a thing to go to this evening, so I probably won't be able to read more until tonight.

Sadly, I read even less today than I did yesterday. And tomorrow's not looking like it will be much better. I am enjoying the story, but I don't really know who the main character is. I think it's Elinor, but I don't feel like I know her very well and I'm about to start Chapter 26.

I think I'm enjoying the story - despite my lack of affection for the characters and the rather archaic language - because of the humor. Every time I get to feeling tired of reading this book, there will be a line that either makes me laugh or, at the very least, I'll smile. And as these lines are mostly spoken by or thoughts of or said in conjunction with Elinor, that's why I think she's the main character.

As expected, yesterday I wasn't able to read very much. Today, however, I was able to finish Volume II. I have decided that I like Fanny Dashwood, if anything, even less than I did at first acquaintance. Mr. John Dashwood is still a douche. And we've met even more characters to dislike. :-(

Pretty much the only character I like is Elinor. It's a good thing she's snarky. :-)

Elinor had a quote/thought a page or three before the end of Chapter 36 that I really enjoyed:

"Elinor agreed to it all, for she did not think he deserved the compliment of rational opposition." :-)

I received my copy yesterday. But, I was too tired and all I wanted to do was sleep. Will try and read some today. Looks like I have a lot to catch up to.

Drishti wrote: "I received my copy yesterday. But, I was too tired and all I wanted to do was sleep. Will try and read some today. Looks like I have a lot to catch up to."

Just chime in whenever you can. :-)

Of course! :-)

I love Elinor! :-) Chapter 41: (view spoiler)["Elinor had some difficulty here to refrain from observing, that she thought Fanny might have borne with composure, an acquisition of wealth to her brother, by which neither she nor her child could be possibly impoverished." (hide spoiler)] ... She knows her sis-in-law all right. lol!!!

I think I've now read and reread the same sentence in Chapter 42 three or four times, so I think it's time to go to sleep. It is, after all, nearly 1:30 in the morning. And as Elinor and company (view spoiler)[have now left London for the country (hide spoiler)], this seems as good a place to pause as any.

I finished it! :-)

I really liked it. Though I imagined Edward as a two-dimensional stick figure-like guy right through to the end, even after (view spoiler)[his heartfelt conversations with and marriage to Elinor, (hide spoiler)] lol. I wonder what their children will look like? lol ;-)

Jen wrote: "Okay, Drishti. Just join in when you can. :-)

I've only read two chapters, but I have already decided that I definitely do not like Mrs. John Dashwood. And John Dashwood is coming across as rather..."

I dislike Mrs. John Dashwood, too. She is a really cunning wife. I agree about Mr. John Dashwood! He can be too easily influenced.

Drishti wrote: "Jen wrote: "I dislike Mrs. John Dashwood, too. She is a really cunning wife. I agree about Mr. John Dashwood! He can be too easily influenced. "

Yes! I'm glad you agree with me. I think they're perfect for one another! And that's not a compliment! ;-)

I wrote my review. :-) I decided this was a four-star read for me. If you'd like to read my thoughts, you can find them at /review/show....

Yes! I'm glad you agree with me. I think they're perfect for one another! And that's not a compliment! ;-)

LOL! You're so right!
A cunning wife + An easily influenced husband = Perfect pair

Jen wrote: "Does anyone else laugh out loud in Chapter 16 when [spoilers removed] I did, lol!"

I did, too. LOL!

Drishti wrote: "Jen wrote: "Does anyone else laugh out loud in Chapter 16 when [spoilers removed] I did, lol!"

I did, too. LOL!"

Oh, yay! lol ;-)

Jen wrote: "I just finished Volume I. I don't know what to think of Edward: Is [spoilers removed] I can't say that I liked him before these revelations, but I like him even less now. ...

I think I need a nap..."

Nor do I understand what to make of Edward's character.

I think that Edward has been sort of indifferent towards Elinor. No special treatment or dropping of hints. I was convinced that Marriane and Mrs. Dashwood's anticipations were baseless. And, I even doubted if the lock of hair on Edward's ring was truly Elinor's. So, the revelation was hardly surprising. Jen, did you have any doubts like mine? Did the revelation surprise you?

Talking about the lock of hair on Edward's ring, it is weird that men tend to keep their beloved's hair as a souvenir. It seems to me to be an odd a choice for a souvenir.

Drishti wrote: "Jen wrote: " Jen, did you have any doubts like mine? Did the revelation surprise you?

Talking about the lock of hair on Edward's ring, it is weird that men tend to keep their beloved's hair as a souvenir. It seems to me to be an odd a choice for a souvenir. "

No, I was not surprised. Because I never felt like I knew Edward, I was never surprised by anything he did. I did have doubts like yours, though, mostly because of my wishy-washy feelings for Edward. (And also because him being true to Elinor would have made the story too neat and short, lol.)

Regarding the lock-of-hair-as-souvenir, it would be an odd thing today, but back then it was a traditional gift of the fair maiden to her knight. (Elinor and Edward might not have been "a fair maiden and her knight," but you see what I mean, I'm sure.)

Jen wrote: Regarding the lock-of-hair-as-souvenir, it would be an odd thing today, but back then it was a traditional gift of the fair maiden to her knight. (Elinor and Edward might not have been "a fair maiden and her knight," but you see what I mean, I'm sure.)

I didn't know about that tradition. So, thanks for telling! =D


Jen wrote: "As expected, yesterday I wasn't able to read very much. Today, however, I was able to finish Volume II. I have decided that I like Fanny Dashwood, if anything, even less than I did at first acquain..."

So, I finished Volume 2.

Sadly, my opinion of Mrs. Fanny Dashwood and Mr. John Dashwood hasn't changed much. Like you, I pretty much dislike all the characters except Elinor and maybe, Colonel Brandon. Mrs. Ferrars is a new entry to the long list. She is exactly what I pictured her to be.

I admit that I always doubted Willoughby's love for Marriane. So, it was no surprise that he married Ms. Gray. But, what he did with Colonel Brandon's niece was a big surprise. I didn't think him to be a faithful man, but also I didn't think that he was that deceitful and cunning.


Jen wrote: Elinor had a quote/thought a page or three before the end of Chapter 36 that I really enjoyed:

"Elinor agreed to it all, for she did not think he deserved the compliment of rational opposition." :-)

Same here! I enjoyed that, too. Robert Ferrars is such a stupid person.
And, there was another incident that I enjoyed a bit. When after first meeting Mrs. Ferrars, Lucy came to talk about it to Elinor, Edward, totally unaware of Lucy's being present there, came to visit Elinor, too. A perfect reunion, undoubtedly. =D

Drishti wrote: "I didn't know about that tradition. So, thanks for telling! =D..."

You're welcome, Drishti. :-) I used to read a lot of bodice-ripper-type romances 20 or so years ago. I think that's how I learned of that tradition.

Drishti wrote: "But, what he did with Colonel Brandon's niece was a big surprise. I didn't think him to be a faithful man, but also I didn't think that he was that deceitful and cunning. ..."

I agree. I too was surprised, as I didn't think of Willoughby as being of an age to do those things. Maybe I missed something? It felt like I had missed something when I was reading it.

Drishti wrote: Same here! I enjoyed that, too. Robert Ferrars is such a stupid person.
And, there was another incident that I enjoyed a bit. When after first meeting Mrs. Ferrars, Lucy came to talk about it to Elinor, Edward, totally unaware of Lucy's being present there, came to visit Elinor, too. A perfect reunion, undoubtedly. =D "

:-)

I liked that scene, too. It seemed a fine comeuppance for Edward's wishy-washiness. lol ;-)

Jen wrote: "I love Elinor! :-) Chapter 41: [spoilers removed] ... She knows her sis-in-law all right. lol!!!"

Oh yes, she does! lol! =D

Drishti wrote: "Jen wrote: "I love Elinor! :-) Chapter 41: [spoilers removed] ... She knows her sis-in-law all right. lol!!!"

Oh yes, she does! lol! =D"

I really loved that Jane Austen didn't ignore that Fanny was how she was, and had at least one character (Elinor) recognize that she was not a good person. Sometimes, as readers, we see things the characters don't, so it's nice to find a book where the characters (at least one of them) see the same things we readers do. :-)

I finished it. Mrs. Ferrars is a really (view spoiler)[ cruel woman and a partial mother. How can a mother disown a child and leave him as hopeless as a destitute?! And then, she forgave Robert for the same offence as Edward, but never forgave Edward. She's unbelievable! (hide spoiler)]

And Lucy, that backbiting bitch. (Forgive my language!) How can she be that horrible? (view spoiler)[ Edward got disowned by his mother because of her and was left with no fortune (she had a role in this, too). Then, she leaves him because it turns out that she was only with him because of his formerly promised fortune. And then, she marries his brother! Wow! (hide spoiler)]

I don't feel much compassion for Willoughby. I know he regrets (view spoiler)[ what he did to Marianne. But, what he did to Colonel Brandon's niece is still unpardonable. (hide spoiler)]

I'm glad I read this book. I enjoyed it. But, I think my favorite will always be Pride and Prejudice. =D

Drishti wrote: "I finished it. Mrs. Ferrars is a really [spoilers removed]

And Lucy, that backbiting bitch. (Forgive my language!) How can she be that horrible? [spoilers removed]

I don't feel much compassion fo..."

I agree 1,000%. Even down to your "I'm glad I read this book. I enjoyed it. But, I think my favorite will always be Pride and Prejudice." While I'm glad I read S&S, of the two, I definitely enjoyed P&P more, too. :-)