1 - Sense and Sensibility

I've had this book for about 3 years...it was assigned reading for one of my freshman classes in college. Back then, I definitely didn't read it as well as I could have, so I decided to really spend some time on it this summer while I have a lot of time.

Date completed: July 14, 2009

Places I read it: Columbia Hall, my house, Panera Breads in Syracuse (NY) and Montgomeryville (PA), a Wegmans parking lot

Jane Austen has really charmed me as of late. I love her narration-- the narrators in her novels, especially Sense and Sensibility, are almost separate characters, full of witticisms and snide observations that show that Austen herself was able to poke fun at the conventions of her society.

Following Elinor and Marianne's stories was especially powerful for me because I can relate to both of them: I have known heartbreak the way Marianne has, but I have also known what it's like to stifle it and act normal, like Elinor.

I thought the ending could have been developed a little more, though. The part when Edward isn't actually married is a great plot twist, but Marianne and Colonel Brandon? Really? I mean, I grew to love Colonel Brandon, but I'm not entirely convinced that Marianne would marry him. Toward the end of the novel, Austen devotes a lot of time to Edward and Elinor, but sums up Marianne and Colonel Brandon's engagement in what seems like just a paragraph or two, when really, their part of the story deserves an equal amount of attention. The reader already knew how much Elinor loved Edward. Why use so much page space talking about them instead of elaborating on how Marianne finally grew to fall for Brandon?

The ending definitely didn't spoil the book for me; it just left me with a lot of questions. Overall, the book was a great read. I enjoyed Pride and Prejudice more, but Sense and Sensibility is just as worthy of attention.