Before it was published, 'Sense & Sensibility' was originally titled 'Elinor & Marianne'. If you have read S & S, you will understand why the first title makes a lot of sense.
Sense & Sensibility is a classic English love story with a few unconventional bits thrown in. First and foremost, it is a novel about family. The Dashwood sisters can't always understand each other, but they do love each other dearly.
Austen uses these 'similar but different' sisters to make a point. Elinor is rational and thinks the best of everyone, while Marianne is hasty and judgmental. However, they are not as different as they seem. Elinor has both common sense and "an excellent heart". Marianne's romanticism makes her stumble and her no nonsense nature is often wrong when judging people's character. Austen is showing that one should not be principled and cold nor unprincipled and flighty. Everyone needs a bit of Elinor and a bit of Marianne in them in order to function.
Characters: Elinor is a likeable person who knows exactly what to say in social situations. She has a kindness which extends even to those who don't deserve it [such as Marianne's caddish ex-lover John Willoughby]. Her restraint can get her into trouble - rarely showing her true feelings to anyone, even her family and the man she loves. She is much more relatable to the modern gal.
-Marianne is the cliched romantic heroine who doesn't think before she acts. At 17 years young, she has a lot to learn in life. She cannot stand fake people (an admirable attribute for the time in which the novel was written.)
-Colonel Brandon (Marianne's eventual husband) is portrayed as a kind ex-soldier with a dark past. However, he still comes across as a more likeable person than Elinor's love interest, Edward Ferrars.
-Edward is a really cowardly man. First he gets pressured into an engagement by Lucy Steele and then he spends four years not marrying her without the heart to tell her the reason he keeps making excuses is because he doesn't want to marry her! Marianne thinks he lacks charisma, but Elinor gravitates to him for reasons unknown.
Story: Here's a wee synopsis. Sense & Sensibility is about the Dashwood sisters and their fall down the social ladder after the death of their father. They are forced out of their house and have to move to another county. The book follows their love lives and relationship with family. Various problems arise which need solving, and there is the obligatory happy ending of which I shall attempt not to disclose the particulars ;)
The writing:Austen's run-on sentences are pretty legendary, so you can even play a game of 'spot the full stop'! It is a tad rambly (OK, a lot rambly!), but if you can stand the poor grammar and over long explanations, there are a lot of jewels to be had. For example: "It is not everyone,' said Elinor, 'who has your passion for dead leaves."
-There is also the mandatory declaration of love - "I come here with no expectations, only to profess, now that I am at liberty to do so, that my heart is and always will be yours."
There is a recent-ish movie version directed by Ang Lee starring Emma Thompson as Elinor and Kate Winslet as Marianne. It's a really nice watch, so I highly recommend it, although you should probably read the book first.
Four stars -a great read. Austen's not for everyone, but if you liked the movie, I can just about guarantee you'll like the book.
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