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This book was a reread for me and I'm so glad that I added it to my TBR challenge list for this year. I truly disliked this story the first time that I read it several years ago. This time around I read it through a different lens and enjoyed it so much more.

The first time I was just expecting a light classic romance and that is not at all what this story is. I still hate pretty much every marriage match that is made in the story, but I feel that is Austen's purpose in showing how women (and even men) were often forced into marriages based solely on financial and family circumstances. I really appreciated what she was able to say through the Dashwood sisters about these societal aspects. A book that I found really interesting to read along with it, and to make me think a bit more was Jane Austen, the Secret Radical by Helena Kelly. It includes a chapter each about Jane Austen's major novels

I finished reading Sense and Sensibility as part of my 2019 Random Reading Challenge for 2019.
I have only read one other Austen book; Persuasion. I found Austin's voice and the nature of her humorous mocking twists on the aristocratic world to be delightful reading. In this story I particularly enjoyed the relationship between the sisters. Although they are depicted as stereotypical extremes with Elinor being stoic, composed, calm and proper while Marianne is all about emotional drama and acute sensibilities, they actually really care for each other and defend each other frequently in their own fashion. The men, on the other hand are all flawed. Some are "only" flawed by having little outward passion, or practical abilities while others are completely self centered and fickle. In this way, one never really gets the classic romantic ending as the two sisters end up happy ever after but with men who I, at any rate, wish they had not had to compromise so much to marry. In the end we are treated to a world where the expectations and conventions of the time were such that one married for fortune or family connection and not for love. I now want to read more Austen to compare how her books changed over the course of her career as Sense and Sensibility was her first publication.

When I first read this when I was about 12 or 13 I did not really like it but upon re-reading it a few years later I loved it. With the exception of Mansfield Park this is my least favourite Jane Austen novel but I still rate it as 5 stars. That is how good I think it is (and I do tend to enjoy it more with each re-read).

Loved the Lady Catherine foreshadowing when Elinor thinks that Edward would be a true proficient in (painting? I don't have my copy to hand) if only he had learnt.

The sisters are opposites, both struggle with their romantic affairs. I feel like Austen really wanted Marianne to somehow end up with Willoughby but felt this was not possible due to the times. Colonel Brandon seems to be a good man but I can't help feeling Marianne is pushed into the match by familial expectations and hey, at least her sister lives next door.

Edward is the most commonplace man in Austen. Lucy Steele is a gem and I like the amendments in the sisters' attitude to Mrs Jennings as they come to rate her heart even though her social manners are not quite what they should be.

A rather sober unromantic romance.

Although sense is shown to be, well, a more sensible approach, and better rewarded than sensibility, still in the romantic vision and energy of Marianne there is an important element for making life (and novels) charming. Maybe especially novels, because I think this would have been a bit dull if we were dependent on the quite fortitude of Elinor to get along. I'm still going with Emma as my favorite, but there is some pretty funny mocking of society types and money grubbers here.