Status
Available
Series
Genres
Publication
NOT YET PUBLISHED, DUE OCTOBER 29, 2013.
Description
A modern retelling of the Jane Austen classic follows the Dashwood sisters--Elinor, Marianne and Margaret--as they, after the death of their father, must come to terms with the cruelties of life without the status of their country house, the protection of the family name or the comfort of an inheritance.
User reviews
LibraryThing member whitreidtan
An updated version of Sense and Sensibility? Jane Austen's works are so iconic and so firmly entrenched in their times that it might be difficult to imagine a successful update that stays true to the original but that is in fact the charge that The Austen Project has given writers: to use the
For those who have read the original inspiration, Trollope's novel follows the plot of Austen's story almost exactly. Sisters Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, with their free-spirited artistic mother and somewhat sullen school-aged younger sister have to leave their home, Norland Park, the estate of their late father's uncle, after their father dies and their half brother John and his grasping wife Fanny move in. They find a suitable cottage on the property of well-meaning, if slightly controlling, relatives and settle in to adjust to their new lives. And as in the original, Elinor is the eminently sensible sister while Marianne is the one who lives in the moment with little thought to a future grounded in reality. Elinor has had to give up her place at school where she's only a year away from qualifying as an architect and she is downcast at the silence she encounters after their move from Fanny's brother, Edward, with whom she is in love. The breathtakingly gorgeous Marianne, meanwhile, tumbles head over heels in love with the equally gorgeous Willoughby, thinking that the good Colonel Brandon is too old for her. And as in the original, her heart is destined to be broken and she is plunged into despair. As Marianne is blindly wallowing in her own unhappiness, Elinor is having to deal with the well-meaning relatives, the staggering selfishness and self-centeredness of her sister-in-law and brother, and face the idea that her beloved Edward is secretly engaged to the odious Lucy Steele, dealing her a blow to the heart she must keep to herself in order to support her sister and mother in their continued neediness and reluctance to live in the real world.
The bones of the story are very much what Austen wrote originally so those who are familiar with Austen's tale will encounter no surprises here. Trollope has added the use of modern technology and changed a few circumstances in the novel but not enough to materially change the storyline. And perhaps she should have changed things a bit more since society and what it will tolerate in people has changed so significantly from Austen's time. The type of characters Austen wrote still work in our modern day but some of the circumstances that drive the plot do not. Elinor still represses her own emotions in order to be the rock of reason for her less practically inclined mother. Marianne, still driven primarily by emotion, comes off as significantly more selfish than in the original because society no longer demands that women marry (or live on the sufferance and goodwill of family) so her decline after her humiliating rejection by Willoughby is rather over the top. And that very expanded array of social options for women makes it difficult to hew so closely to Austen's original and still come across as authentically modern. Trollope does a good job translating the emotional realism of Austen's novel to a modern setting; after all, we as emotional beings haven't changed much if at all since Austen's time and Trollope makes that clear in her portrayal of the very different Dashwood sisters, avaricious, social-climbing Fanny, the slyly obnoxious Lucy Steele, and the steel-cored, well-intentioned interference of Sir John Middleton in so many aspects of the Dashwoods' lives. An interesting combination, sometimes jarring, of social attitudes from the 18th century and technology from the 21st, Austen fans will want to read this and see how Elinor and Marianne have changed and stayed the same in their leap to the present.
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Austen originals as a base but then come up with their own take on the beloved novels. Joanna Trollope is the first of the well-known authors tapped for the project and she takes on a modern tribute to Sense and Sensibility. For those who have read the original inspiration, Trollope's novel follows the plot of Austen's story almost exactly. Sisters Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, with their free-spirited artistic mother and somewhat sullen school-aged younger sister have to leave their home, Norland Park, the estate of their late father's uncle, after their father dies and their half brother John and his grasping wife Fanny move in. They find a suitable cottage on the property of well-meaning, if slightly controlling, relatives and settle in to adjust to their new lives. And as in the original, Elinor is the eminently sensible sister while Marianne is the one who lives in the moment with little thought to a future grounded in reality. Elinor has had to give up her place at school where she's only a year away from qualifying as an architect and she is downcast at the silence she encounters after their move from Fanny's brother, Edward, with whom she is in love. The breathtakingly gorgeous Marianne, meanwhile, tumbles head over heels in love with the equally gorgeous Willoughby, thinking that the good Colonel Brandon is too old for her. And as in the original, her heart is destined to be broken and she is plunged into despair. As Marianne is blindly wallowing in her own unhappiness, Elinor is having to deal with the well-meaning relatives, the staggering selfishness and self-centeredness of her sister-in-law and brother, and face the idea that her beloved Edward is secretly engaged to the odious Lucy Steele, dealing her a blow to the heart she must keep to herself in order to support her sister and mother in their continued neediness and reluctance to live in the real world.
The bones of the story are very much what Austen wrote originally so those who are familiar with Austen's tale will encounter no surprises here. Trollope has added the use of modern technology and changed a few circumstances in the novel but not enough to materially change the storyline. And perhaps she should have changed things a bit more since society and what it will tolerate in people has changed so significantly from Austen's time. The type of characters Austen wrote still work in our modern day but some of the circumstances that drive the plot do not. Elinor still represses her own emotions in order to be the rock of reason for her less practically inclined mother. Marianne, still driven primarily by emotion, comes off as significantly more selfish than in the original because society no longer demands that women marry (or live on the sufferance and goodwill of family) so her decline after her humiliating rejection by Willoughby is rather over the top. And that very expanded array of social options for women makes it difficult to hew so closely to Austen's original and still come across as authentically modern. Trollope does a good job translating the emotional realism of Austen's novel to a modern setting; after all, we as emotional beings haven't changed much if at all since Austen's time and Trollope makes that clear in her portrayal of the very different Dashwood sisters, avaricious, social-climbing Fanny, the slyly obnoxious Lucy Steele, and the steel-cored, well-intentioned interference of Sir John Middleton in so many aspects of the Dashwoods' lives. An interesting combination, sometimes jarring, of social attitudes from the 18th century and technology from the 21st, Austen fans will want to read this and see how Elinor and Marianne have changed and stayed the same in their leap to the present.
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LibraryThing member cbl_tn
Although she's had a successful writing career, it must have been just a bit daunting for Trollope to take on a modern retelling of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility for the Austen Project, and to have her book released first. Many Austen fans will be pleased with the results. Trollope's Edward's commitment to following through on an engagement to someone he didn't love. Engagements aren't binding in the way that they were in Austen's day. In an early 19th century setting, Edward's behavior is honorable. In the 21st century, it's unexplainable. Also, I think it would be really difficult for anyone to deal with the difference in maturity between Marianne and Brandon that would show Brandon's infatuation with her in a good light .
Trollope's characterizations are less successful than her plotting. Edward Ferrars and Colonel Brandon are not among Austen's most popular romantic heroes. They're even less appealing in Trollope's hands. Few writers in any era have had Austen's knack for revealing character through conversation and adherence to or deviation from social conventions. In the absence of a strict code of conduct in the 21st century, Trollope's Dashwood women are moody and sarcastic – even Elinor.
While I doubt there are many readers who will prefer Trollope's version to Austen's, I think most readers will enjoy experiencing Austen's story in a 21st century context. Readers reluctant to tackle Austen's original due to the differences in meaning and style of early 19th century English may find this a good entry point to Austen's works.
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re-imagining incorporates most of the major plot points of Austen's original in a way that makes sense in the 21st century. For example, Marianne plays the guitar instead of the piano, and asthma gives her family a reason to show constant concern about her health. Some things wouldn't have translated well no matter who made the effort, such as Trollope's characterizations are less successful than her plotting. Edward Ferrars and Colonel Brandon are not among Austen's most popular romantic heroes. They're even less appealing in Trollope's hands. Few writers in any era have had Austen's knack for revealing character through conversation and adherence to or deviation from social conventions. In the absence of a strict code of conduct in the 21st century, Trollope's Dashwood women are moody and sarcastic – even Elinor.
While I doubt there are many readers who will prefer Trollope's version to Austen's, I think most readers will enjoy experiencing Austen's story in a 21st century context. Readers reluctant to tackle Austen's original due to the differences in meaning and style of early 19th century English may find this a good entry point to Austen's works.
Show Less
LibraryThing member brokenangelkisses
This is the first novel published as part of 'The Austen Project' in which each of Jane Austen's six major novels have been / will be re-worked by modern authors. Trollope's novel was published in 2013 but it has taken me two years and two attempts to read the whole book because:
- I've never read
- The front cover. Do I really want Marianne and Elinor to become modern teenagers, replete with earbuds, bluetooth and addictions to Facebook? Part of the joy of older texts is inhabiting an older world with alien but recognisably English manners and customs.
- I doubted whether it could prove possible to translate many of the plot elements to the modern day. What's to stop Mrs Dashwood getting a job or even signing on?
- And most problematically...the first chapter didn't grip me at all. Quite the opposite. The prose felt clunky, especially when disseminating information; Marianne nearly using the f-word just felt wrong; and Marianne's beauty is described thus: 'Marianne was crying again. She was the only person Elinor had ever encountered who could cry and still look ravishing. Her nose never seemed to swell or redden, and she appeared able to just let huge tears slide slowly down her face in a way that one ex-boyfriend had said wistfully simply made him want to lick them off her jawline.' Ugh. Just, ugh.
So basically it just felt wrong.
If you've read Austen's original novel (and if you haven't, why not? What are you waiting for? Go on, off you go, this will wait,) it's impossible to read Trollope's take on it without comparing the two. Austen is often portrayed as a writer of romances, but she wouldn't have thought of herself in that light. Indeed, when her characters do find happiness, it usually happens swiftly and often off-stage; she seems to loses interest in her protagonists the moment their nuptials are agreed upon. They are only truly interesting to her when suffering from unrequited feelings, embarrassment or some other form of discomposure.
'Sense and Sensibility' is focused on the sisterly relationship between Elinor and Marianne as much as it is on their romantic relationships. It is this which suffers wounds and must heal as the novel develops and each woman learns to properly appreciate their sibling's good qualifies as well as recognising their weaknesses. Moreover, Austen is an excellent comedic writer, and 'Sense and Sensibility' is no exception. Take the knowledgeable Mrs Palmer: '“Oh dear, yes; I know him extremely well," replied Mrs. Palmer;—"Not that I ever spoke to him, indeed; but I have seen him for ever in town.”' Because that's the same thing, obviously. Or as Trollope's spectacularly vacuous Nancy Steele might say: "totes obvs!"
Regency rejection becomes YouTube sensation
So what else is new? Marianne is given asthma to explain her fragility; Elinor is made an architecture student to show her disciplined nature. Willoughby becomes Wills and offers Marianne a sports car instead of a horse. Marianne's rejection is made horribly public via YouTube and Lady Middleton becomes an overindulgent mother of brats that the Steele girls fawn over.
Of course, not everything changes. Although Elinor argues that '"This isn't 1810...Money doesn't dictate relationships"', several status and money obsessed characters would like them to. Fanny Dashwood is a wonderfully horrible woman who uses sex and words to persuade her husband to ignore his father's deathbed wishes; Belle Dashwood is a whirlwind of drama (early on her girls wait patiently as she pauses mid-complaint since: 'It was clear to all of them, from long practice, that their mother had not finished.'); and Lucy Steele is suitably horrible as Elinor's super-friendly nemesis ('"Poor you...It must be awful seeing someone like me with all this lovely future rolling ahead of them, and new friends like Fanny."'
There are some difficulties inherent in making the plot suit the modern-day: Marianne's histrionics seem ridiculous, even bearing in mind her tender years, and her mother's indulgence of her behaviour is stunning; Ed is understandably but frustratingly unable to explain Robert and Lucy's behaviour towards the end of the novel; and Ed's own status with Elinor is astonishing considering the shortness and limited nature of their courtship. In a world where you were never allowed to be alone with your intended, quick marriages made sense; in today's world such haste is perplexing, though Trollope tries to justify it by reflecting (via Belle and Mrs Jennings) that for many middle class girls a good marriage is still '"the only career option"'.
Final thoughts
There are some amusing touches throughout, but overall I think I would rather read the original again. Somehow I just can't believe in a modern Marianne, wasting away whole months pining after the feckless Willoughby without someone telling her to snap out of it, or a modern super-sensible Elinor getting engaged to a man she hasn't even really dated. Despite that, the teenagers' concerns are convincingly captured and many of the older characters are quite delightful to read about. Charlotte Palmer here is perhaps even more entertaining than in the original.
Will I bother reading the rest of the Austen Project novels? Oh yes. And as if to prove that I'm not simply allergic to the concept of Austen rewrites, I am already two thirds of the way through Val McDermid's Scottish take on 'Northanger Abbey' and (minor vampiric distractions aside) am thoroughly enjoying it.
- I've never read
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anything by Joanna Trollope and don't think I'm likely to in future. In my mind she's firmly pegged as an author of frothy socialite romances and that just doesn't appeal. (Once again: this is only my perception and I've never actually read anything else she's written, so I could well be wrong. And, no, Austen isn't just an author of frothy socialite romances; she's a fine satirist able to create utterly convincing characters that I love to read about again and again.)- The front cover. Do I really want Marianne and Elinor to become modern teenagers, replete with earbuds, bluetooth and addictions to Facebook? Part of the joy of older texts is inhabiting an older world with alien but recognisably English manners and customs.
- I doubted whether it could prove possible to translate many of the plot elements to the modern day. What's to stop Mrs Dashwood getting a job or even signing on?
- And most problematically...the first chapter didn't grip me at all. Quite the opposite. The prose felt clunky, especially when disseminating information; Marianne nearly using the f-word just felt wrong; and Marianne's beauty is described thus: 'Marianne was crying again. She was the only person Elinor had ever encountered who could cry and still look ravishing. Her nose never seemed to swell or redden, and she appeared able to just let huge tears slide slowly down her face in a way that one ex-boyfriend had said wistfully simply made him want to lick them off her jawline.' Ugh. Just, ugh.
So basically it just felt wrong.
If you've read Austen's original novel (and if you haven't, why not? What are you waiting for? Go on, off you go, this will wait,) it's impossible to read Trollope's take on it without comparing the two. Austen is often portrayed as a writer of romances, but she wouldn't have thought of herself in that light. Indeed, when her characters do find happiness, it usually happens swiftly and often off-stage; she seems to loses interest in her protagonists the moment their nuptials are agreed upon. They are only truly interesting to her when suffering from unrequited feelings, embarrassment or some other form of discomposure.
'Sense and Sensibility' is focused on the sisterly relationship between Elinor and Marianne as much as it is on their romantic relationships. It is this which suffers wounds and must heal as the novel develops and each woman learns to properly appreciate their sibling's good qualifies as well as recognising their weaknesses. Moreover, Austen is an excellent comedic writer, and 'Sense and Sensibility' is no exception. Take the knowledgeable Mrs Palmer: '“Oh dear, yes; I know him extremely well," replied Mrs. Palmer;—"Not that I ever spoke to him, indeed; but I have seen him for ever in town.”' Because that's the same thing, obviously. Or as Trollope's spectacularly vacuous Nancy Steele might say: "totes obvs!"
Regency rejection becomes YouTube sensation
So what else is new? Marianne is given asthma to explain her fragility; Elinor is made an architecture student to show her disciplined nature. Willoughby becomes Wills and offers Marianne a sports car instead of a horse. Marianne's rejection is made horribly public via YouTube and Lady Middleton becomes an overindulgent mother of brats that the Steele girls fawn over.
Of course, not everything changes. Although Elinor argues that '"This isn't 1810...Money doesn't dictate relationships"', several status and money obsessed characters would like them to. Fanny Dashwood is a wonderfully horrible woman who uses sex and words to persuade her husband to ignore his father's deathbed wishes; Belle Dashwood is a whirlwind of drama (early on her girls wait patiently as she pauses mid-complaint since: 'It was clear to all of them, from long practice, that their mother had not finished.'); and Lucy Steele is suitably horrible as Elinor's super-friendly nemesis ('"Poor you...It must be awful seeing someone like me with all this lovely future rolling ahead of them, and new friends like Fanny."'
There are some difficulties inherent in making the plot suit the modern-day: Marianne's histrionics seem ridiculous, even bearing in mind her tender years, and her mother's indulgence of her behaviour is stunning; Ed is understandably but frustratingly unable to explain Robert and Lucy's behaviour towards the end of the novel; and Ed's own status with Elinor is astonishing considering the shortness and limited nature of their courtship. In a world where you were never allowed to be alone with your intended, quick marriages made sense; in today's world such haste is perplexing, though Trollope tries to justify it by reflecting (via Belle and Mrs Jennings) that for many middle class girls a good marriage is still '"the only career option"'.
Final thoughts
There are some amusing touches throughout, but overall I think I would rather read the original again. Somehow I just can't believe in a modern Marianne, wasting away whole months pining after the feckless Willoughby without someone telling her to snap out of it, or a modern super-sensible Elinor getting engaged to a man she hasn't even really dated. Despite that, the teenagers' concerns are convincingly captured and many of the older characters are quite delightful to read about. Charlotte Palmer here is perhaps even more entertaining than in the original.
Will I bother reading the rest of the Austen Project novels? Oh yes. And as if to prove that I'm not simply allergic to the concept of Austen rewrites, I am already two thirds of the way through Val McDermid's Scottish take on 'Northanger Abbey' and (minor vampiric distractions aside) am thoroughly enjoying it.
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LibraryThing member jillrhudy
It could have been worse. There was room for deprovement.
LibraryThing member DebbieMcCauley
John Dashwood's promise to his dying father to take care of his half sisters is dashed aside by his domineering wife, Fanny. Belle Dashwood and her daughters must find somewhere they can afford to live and deal with their much reduced circumstances. Battled my way through to page 215 out of 451
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before casting this aside in absolute boredom. Underdeveloped characters, no proper setting of the scene or descriptive passages. Really disappointing. Show Less
LibraryThing member TheLostEntwife
hen I first heard about The Austen Project (modernization of Jane Austen's works being put out by Harper) I was a bit dubious. I mean, I love Austen's books - count me amount the hordes of fans who think they are just perfect. Now, mind you there are a few books out there, like Longbourn by Jo
Read the rest of this review at The Lost Entwife on Nov. 14, 2013.
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Baker, that play with some of the characters a bit, but I enjoyed them due to their authenticity and the respect that was evident for Austen's writing. But still, I was wary about Sense & Sensibility by Joanna Trollope.Read the rest of this review at The Lost Entwife on Nov. 14, 2013.
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LibraryThing member etxgardener
After reading a series of rather turgid books, I was looking for something light & this certainly filled the bill. Sense & Sensibility is one of my favorite Jane Austen novels & this re-telling in modern times, by best selling author Joanna Trollope is a quick light-hearted romp through familiar
Recommended for a rainy weekend.
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territory. Recommended for a rainy weekend.
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LibraryThing member brangwinn
Jane Austin's Sense and Sensibility is still the best. I really had trouble transporting the characters to modern times. They seemed so insipid.
LibraryThing member annejacinta
Humorous, full of interest, especially the modern touches.
LibraryThing member brokenangelkisses
This is the first novel published as part of 'The Austen Project' in which each of Jane Austen's six major novels have been / will be re-worked by modern authors. Trollope's novel was published in 2013 but it has taken me two years and two attempts to read the whole book because:
- I've never read
- The front cover. Do I really want Marianne and Elinor to become modern teenagers, replete with earbuds, bluetooth and addictions to Facebook? Part of the joy of older texts is inhabiting an older world with alien but recognisably English manners and customs.
- I doubted whether it could prove possible to translate many of the plot elements to the modern day. What's to stop Mrs Dashwood getting a job or even signing on?
- And most problematically...the first chapter didn't grip me at all. Quite the opposite. The prose felt clunky, especially when disseminating information; Marianne nearly using the f-word just felt wrong; and Marianne's beauty is described thus: 'Marianne was crying again. She was the only person Elinor had ever encountered who could cry and still look ravishing. Her nose never seemed to swell or redden, and she appeared able to just let huge tears slide slowly down her face in a way that one ex-boyfriend had said wistfully simply made him want to lick them off her jawline.' Ugh. Just, ugh.
So basically it just felt wrong.
If you've read Austen's original novel (and if you haven't, why not? What are you waiting for? Go on, off you go, this will wait,) it's impossible to read Trollope's take on it without comparing the two. Austen is often portrayed as a writer of romances, but she wouldn't have thought of herself in that light. Indeed, when her characters do find happiness, it usually happens swiftly and often off-stage; she seems to loses interest in her protagonists the moment their nuptials are agreed upon. They are only truly interesting to her when suffering from unrequited feelings, embarrassment or some other form of discomposure.
'Sense and Sensibility' is focused on the sisterly relationship between Elinor and Marianne as much as it is on their romantic relationships. It is this which suffers wounds and must heal as the novel develops and each woman learns to properly appreciate their sibling's good qualifies as well as recognising their weaknesses. Moreover, Austen is an excellent comedic writer, and 'Sense and Sensibility' is no exception. Take the knowledgeable Mrs Palmer: '“Oh dear, yes; I know him extremely well," replied Mrs. Palmer;—"Not that I ever spoke to him, indeed; but I have seen him for ever in town.”' Because that's the same thing, obviously. Or as Trollope's spectacularly vacuous Nancy Steele might say: "totes obvs!"
Regency rejection becomes YouTube sensation
So what else is new? Marianne is given asthma to explain her fragility; Elinor is made an architecture student to show her disciplined nature. Willoughby becomes Wills and offers Marianne a sports car instead of a horse. Marianne's rejection is made horribly public via YouTube and Lady Middleton becomes an overindulgent mother of brats that the Steele girls fawn over.
Of course, not everything changes. Although Elinor argues that '"This isn't 1810...Money doesn't dictate relationships"', several status and money obsessed characters would like them to. Fanny Dashwood is a wonderfully horrible woman who uses sex and words to persuade her husband to ignore his father's deathbed wishes; Belle Dashwood is a whirlwind of drama (early on her girls wait patiently as she pauses mid-complaint since: 'It was clear to all of them, from long practice, that their mother had not finished.'); and Lucy Steele is suitably horrible as Elinor's super-friendly nemesis ('"Poor you...It must be awful seeing someone like me with all this lovely future rolling ahead of them, and new friends like Fanny."'
There are some difficulties inherent in making the plot suit the modern-day: Marianne's histrionics seem ridiculous, even bearing in mind her tender years, and her mother's indulgence of her behaviour is stunning; Ed is understandably but frustratingly unable to explain Robert and Lucy's behaviour towards the end of the novel; and Ed's own status with Elinor is astonishing considering the shortness and limited nature of their courtship. In a world where you were never allowed to be alone with your intended, quick marriages made sense; in today's world such haste is perplexing, though Trollope tries to justify it by reflecting (via Belle and Mrs Jennings) that for many middle class girls a good marriage is still '"the only career option"'.
Final thoughts
There are some amusing touches throughout, but overall I think I would rather read the original again. Somehow I just can't believe in a modern Marianne, wasting away whole months pining after the feckless Willoughby without someone telling her to snap out of it, or a modern super-sensible Elinor getting engaged to a man she hasn't even really dated. Despite that, the teenagers' concerns are convincingly captured and many of the older characters are quite delightful to read about. Charlotte Palmer here is perhaps even more entertaining than in the original.
Will I bother reading the rest of the Austen Project novels? Oh yes. And as if to prove that I'm not simply allergic to the concept of Austen rewrites, I am already two thirds of the way through Val McDermid's Scottish take on 'Northanger Abbey' and (minor vampiric distractions aside) am thoroughly enjoying it.
- I've never read
Show More
anything by Joanna Trollope and don't think I'm likely to in future. In my mind she's firmly pegged as an author of frothy socialite romances and that just doesn't appeal. (Once again: this is only my perception and I've never actually read anything else she's written, so I could well be wrong. And, no, Austen isn't just an author of frothy socialite romances; she's a fine satirist able to create utterly convincing characters that I love to read about again and again.)- The front cover. Do I really want Marianne and Elinor to become modern teenagers, replete with earbuds, bluetooth and addictions to Facebook? Part of the joy of older texts is inhabiting an older world with alien but recognisably English manners and customs.
- I doubted whether it could prove possible to translate many of the plot elements to the modern day. What's to stop Mrs Dashwood getting a job or even signing on?
- And most problematically...the first chapter didn't grip me at all. Quite the opposite. The prose felt clunky, especially when disseminating information; Marianne nearly using the f-word just felt wrong; and Marianne's beauty is described thus: 'Marianne was crying again. She was the only person Elinor had ever encountered who could cry and still look ravishing. Her nose never seemed to swell or redden, and she appeared able to just let huge tears slide slowly down her face in a way that one ex-boyfriend had said wistfully simply made him want to lick them off her jawline.' Ugh. Just, ugh.
So basically it just felt wrong.
If you've read Austen's original novel (and if you haven't, why not? What are you waiting for? Go on, off you go, this will wait,) it's impossible to read Trollope's take on it without comparing the two. Austen is often portrayed as a writer of romances, but she wouldn't have thought of herself in that light. Indeed, when her characters do find happiness, it usually happens swiftly and often off-stage; she seems to loses interest in her protagonists the moment their nuptials are agreed upon. They are only truly interesting to her when suffering from unrequited feelings, embarrassment or some other form of discomposure.
'Sense and Sensibility' is focused on the sisterly relationship between Elinor and Marianne as much as it is on their romantic relationships. It is this which suffers wounds and must heal as the novel develops and each woman learns to properly appreciate their sibling's good qualifies as well as recognising their weaknesses. Moreover, Austen is an excellent comedic writer, and 'Sense and Sensibility' is no exception. Take the knowledgeable Mrs Palmer: '“Oh dear, yes; I know him extremely well," replied Mrs. Palmer;—"Not that I ever spoke to him, indeed; but I have seen him for ever in town.”' Because that's the same thing, obviously. Or as Trollope's spectacularly vacuous Nancy Steele might say: "totes obvs!"
Regency rejection becomes YouTube sensation
So what else is new? Marianne is given asthma to explain her fragility; Elinor is made an architecture student to show her disciplined nature. Willoughby becomes Wills and offers Marianne a sports car instead of a horse. Marianne's rejection is made horribly public via YouTube and Lady Middleton becomes an overindulgent mother of brats that the Steele girls fawn over.
Of course, not everything changes. Although Elinor argues that '"This isn't 1810...Money doesn't dictate relationships"', several status and money obsessed characters would like them to. Fanny Dashwood is a wonderfully horrible woman who uses sex and words to persuade her husband to ignore his father's deathbed wishes; Belle Dashwood is a whirlwind of drama (early on her girls wait patiently as she pauses mid-complaint since: 'It was clear to all of them, from long practice, that their mother had not finished.'); and Lucy Steele is suitably horrible as Elinor's super-friendly nemesis ('"Poor you...It must be awful seeing someone like me with all this lovely future rolling ahead of them, and new friends like Fanny."'
There are some difficulties inherent in making the plot suit the modern-day: Marianne's histrionics seem ridiculous, even bearing in mind her tender years, and her mother's indulgence of her behaviour is stunning; Ed is understandably but frustratingly unable to explain Robert and Lucy's behaviour towards the end of the novel; and Ed's own status with Elinor is astonishing considering the shortness and limited nature of their courtship. In a world where you were never allowed to be alone with your intended, quick marriages made sense; in today's world such haste is perplexing, though Trollope tries to justify it by reflecting (via Belle and Mrs Jennings) that for many middle class girls a good marriage is still '"the only career option"'.
Final thoughts
There are some amusing touches throughout, but overall I think I would rather read the original again. Somehow I just can't believe in a modern Marianne, wasting away whole months pining after the feckless Willoughby without someone telling her to snap out of it, or a modern super-sensible Elinor getting engaged to a man she hasn't even really dated. Despite that, the teenagers' concerns are convincingly captured and many of the older characters are quite delightful to read about. Charlotte Palmer here is perhaps even more entertaining than in the original.
Will I bother reading the rest of the Austen Project novels? Oh yes. And as if to prove that I'm not simply allergic to the concept of Austen rewrites, I am already two thirds of the way through Val McDermid's Scottish take on 'Northanger Abbey' and (minor vampiric distractions aside) am thoroughly enjoying it.
Show Less
LibraryThing member mrsdanaalbasha
If it has Miss Jane Austen's name on it I'm going to buy it. I got this book and I was pleasantly surprised that it's part of a project of all her books. I just started so I can't recommend it yet. So far it's good.
LibraryThing member Jaylia3
Fashions, technology, and protocols of society may change, but the human heart remains the same. Joanna Trollope proves that in this witty, warm, and thoroughly enjoyable update of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility. It manages to stay largely true to Austen’s story even as characters text
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each other, consult Facebook for relationship updates, post YouTube videos of shocking confrontations, and tune out when piqued by listening to MP3 players. Though it sticks close enough to the original that I knew what was coming I was still gripped with suspense and delighted with the ending. The characterizations are wonderful, the very modern version of selfish, manipulative Fanny Dashwood is breathtaking, and if those characterizations sometimes veer a little to the farcical I think you can say the same thing about Austen’s original story and it didn't make me care about the characters any less. Show Less
LibraryThing member nicole_a_davis
I think the author missed the point of modernizing an old novel. She updated dialogue with slang and gave the characters nicknames, but didn't modernize the situations. It was basically exactly the same novel. But are there really so many golddiggers today? and big inheritances? Maybe some but not
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for most people, so i found it really hard to identify with the characters. I think there are more creative ways to make the situation fit today's society--like women trying to balance jobs and love and kids and wanting to have it all? Elinor was supposedly studying architecture but that was such a weak thread, and she, the practical one, had never had a job or even knew how to get one? And what happened to Marianne going to college to study music? And why was Edward such a boob? Just really boring to read. Show Less
LibraryThing member books_ofa_feather
Actual rating: 2.75
Here we go again with quarter stars, for shame Maddie!
It is a tall order for anyone to attempt a modernization of a book in publication since the 1800s and beloved by many, many people. This is my favorite Jane Austen book and I'm not even a huge fan of her writing. 'Sense &
As I was watching the film this time I kept wondering why Austen couldn't write her heroines with more backbone, okay what I actually mean is... why can't they be mean back to these terrible people! Of course we get a little of that here and there in Trollope's version and I find I didn't like it as much I as thought I wanted to. Negative attributes of ALL characters are amplified. If you ever thought you couldn't possibly dislike Mrs. Dashwood, here you will find she could almost give Mrs. Bennet a run for her money. Maybe it has been too long since I've the book, but I don't remember her being so selfish and oblivious to Elinor's plight. Marianne is worse, which is bad all around when I consider how much I have, in the past, felt I am like her. Gouge my eyes out the Middletons and Jennings were so meddlesome and down right obnoxious I wanted throw their lot in with Fanny and her mum.
If I had been reading this paper format it seems likely I wouldn't have been able to finish it. The narrator, Rachel Stirling, does a fabulous job drawing you no matter your frustrations with the story. I managed to get over some of my 'minor' issues with the book and enjoy the story. It is disappointing that it didn't deviate more from the original source material. I suppose I was hoping more for a sequel-ish vibe than I got. Next time throw in a dash or two of plot-twist and you are gold. I did really enjoy the interactions between Elinor and Colonel Brandon. Fan-fiction anyone?
Maybe this is for you if you haven't days before finished watching the original story (or reading the book) before diving into something identical. I still find it worth the time and in the future I will space out my revisits of the story.
P.S. Edward Ferrars is incredibly stupid in this story. Am I forgetting something? Is he that dumb in Austen's story?
P.P.S. Next in this series is 'Northanger Abbey'. Blahhhhh I have never read the book because I hate the film versions, but I suppose it is time to buckle down and read it as well.
Here we go again with quarter stars, for shame Maddie!
It is a tall order for anyone to attempt a modernization of a book in publication since the 1800s and beloved by many, many people. This is my favorite Jane Austen book and I'm not even a huge fan of her writing. 'Sense &
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Sensibility' is my go to film on the days I'm sick or having an out of sorts day. In fact prior to starting this book I watched the 2008 BBC adaptation and found I needed more of the characters than the mini series could offer me this time. Hence finally getting around to starting Joanna Trollope's re-imagining of these much loved characters.As I was watching the film this time I kept wondering why Austen couldn't write her heroines with more backbone, okay what I actually mean is... why can't they be mean back to these terrible people! Of course we get a little of that here and there in Trollope's version and I find I didn't like it as much I as thought I wanted to. Negative attributes of ALL characters are amplified. If you ever thought you couldn't possibly dislike Mrs. Dashwood, here you will find she could almost give Mrs. Bennet a run for her money. Maybe it has been too long since I've the book, but I don't remember her being so selfish and oblivious to Elinor's plight. Marianne is worse, which is bad all around when I consider how much I have, in the past, felt I am like her. Gouge my eyes out the Middletons and Jennings were so meddlesome and down right obnoxious I wanted throw their lot in with Fanny and her mum.
If I had been reading this paper format it seems likely I wouldn't have been able to finish it. The narrator, Rachel Stirling, does a fabulous job drawing you no matter your frustrations with the story. I managed to get over some of my 'minor' issues with the book and enjoy the story. It is disappointing that it didn't deviate more from the original source material. I suppose I was hoping more for a sequel-ish vibe than I got. Next time throw in a dash or two of plot-twist and you are gold. I did really enjoy the interactions between Elinor and Colonel Brandon. Fan-fiction anyone?
Maybe this is for you if you haven't days before finished watching the original story (or reading the book) before diving into something identical. I still find it worth the time and in the future I will space out my revisits of the story.
P.S. Edward Ferrars is incredibly stupid in this story. Am I forgetting something? Is he that dumb in Austen's story?
P.P.S. Next in this series is 'Northanger Abbey'. Blahhhhh I have never read the book because I hate the film versions, but I suppose it is time to buckle down and read it as well.
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LibraryThing member mrsdanaalbasha
If it has Miss Jane Austen's name on it I'm going to buy it. I got this book and I was pleasantly surprised that it's part of a project of all her books. I just started so I can't recommend it yet. So far it's good.
LibraryThing member JamieBH
I had high hopes for this project, admittedly my expectations were probably too high. The modernization of this story felt forced, like the author was trying so hard to find a modern day equivalent for certain ways of life. I can only imagine modern day British people don't sit around and gossip
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about families forcing their children to marry heirs of other families to the extent that this novel portrays. I also felt that the characters fell flat and I found it impossible to connect to a single on of them, including Elinor. It was an entertaining and quick read but it did not wow me. I'm holding out hope for the other books in the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member DoingDewey
There are two kinds of re-tellings. There are those which use the original as an inspiration and which become awesome by using the original material in creative new ways. Cinder is one of my favorite examples of that kind of re-telling. This is not that kind of re-telling. This is the other kind,
First of all, despite the integration of modern terms and even some pop culture, the writing reminds me very much of Austen. It’s something about the way she uses adjectives and long descriptive clauses, in my non-English-major opinion. Whatever it is, it works. I thought she also did a remarkable job preserving the spirit of each character. They may not be exactly the same, but the things I would list as being essential to who they are were all preserved. This is a little thing, but I thought it was nice that she kept the same names for her characters too. There’s no reason to change that (unless your change of setting demands it) and it makes it far less confusing to discuss the book later!
I was also incredibly impressed by the author’s ability to create modern situations analogous to the now outdated social situations in the original. Every scene I loved in the original had an counterpart in this re-telling. There was also some detail added to Edward and Elinor’s romance, something I liked in the movie and also liked here. It’s so much easier to root for a couple when you know why the like each other! At the end of the day, this still might have only been a four star review except for one very important thing. This book made me feel the exact same way as re-reading the original. I had some memory of what was going to happen, but I still couldn’t wait to get to the conclusion and I was so happy for our characters when I got there. While it is likely that no re-telling is going to do it for a real Austen purist, for anyone else, if you are out of new Austen to read and need something to fill the gaping void that has created in your life, read this. It was almost a lot like getting to read Sense and Sensibility for the first time all over again.
This review first published on Doing Dewey.
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where the source material is preserved almost entirely with just a setting change and this is by far the best example of that kind of re-telling that I’ve ever read.First of all, despite the integration of modern terms and even some pop culture, the writing reminds me very much of Austen. It’s something about the way she uses adjectives and long descriptive clauses, in my non-English-major opinion. Whatever it is, it works. I thought she also did a remarkable job preserving the spirit of each character. They may not be exactly the same, but the things I would list as being essential to who they are were all preserved. This is a little thing, but I thought it was nice that she kept the same names for her characters too. There’s no reason to change that (unless your change of setting demands it) and it makes it far less confusing to discuss the book later!
I was also incredibly impressed by the author’s ability to create modern situations analogous to the now outdated social situations in the original. Every scene I loved in the original had an counterpart in this re-telling. There was also some detail added to Edward and Elinor’s romance, something I liked in the movie and also liked here. It’s so much easier to root for a couple when you know why the like each other! At the end of the day, this still might have only been a four star review except for one very important thing. This book made me feel the exact same way as re-reading the original. I had some memory of what was going to happen, but I still couldn’t wait to get to the conclusion and I was so happy for our characters when I got there. While it is likely that no re-telling is going to do it for a real Austen purist, for anyone else, if you are out of new Austen to read and need something to fill the gaping void that has created in your life, read this. It was almost a lot like getting to read Sense and Sensibility for the first time all over again.
This review first published on Doing Dewey.
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LibraryThing member melissarochelle
Read from August 30 to 31, 2013
S&S has never been my favorite Austen novel (my favorite wavers between Persuasion, Emma, and Pride and Prejudice depending on my mood), so I was hesitant about this modern day retelling. I think Trollope did a fantastic job of staying true to the Austen novel, but
Despite that, I would still recommend this to any Austen fan.
S&S has never been my favorite Austen novel (my favorite wavers between Persuasion, Emma, and Pride and Prejudice depending on my mood), so I was hesitant about this modern day retelling. I think Trollope did a fantastic job of staying true to the Austen novel, but
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maybe a little TOO true to the source. I felt at times that the only thing that changed was the mention of an iPad to remind me that this was in "modern times" (I mean, I imagined it going a little deeper than that you know? Is that the point of The Austen Project and I missed it?).Despite that, I would still recommend this to any Austen fan.
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LibraryThing member nyiper
I am reading all of Joanna Trollope's books that I can find! Her characters in each and every book are so completely appealing --- ageless in many ways although this particular book was a rewriting of Jane Austen's work, Pride and Prejudice---which I was never able to get through! Trollope provides
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complete escape into families and what happens to them---delightful, every time but it's because of her attention to detail so the you truly know the characters she provides. Show Less
LibraryThing member TheEllieMo
It is possibly true to say that I was never going to read Joanna Trollope's Sense and Sensibility with a totally clear mind. It annoys me that, rather than encouraging people to read and appreciate the wit, the beautiful prose, of Austen's novels, and to learn of and understand the social mores
And dumbing down is certainly what Trollope has done, with this book apparently aimed at viewers of scripted reality shows like Made In Chelsea and The Only Way is Essex. The Dashwood family sneer at a part-time, Devon-based salary of £18k, they think an Alfa Romeo Spyder Mark 4 is a typical engagement gift.
But these are not the important elements of a book. For me to enjoy a book, it must have a good story, and good characters. Austen had both of these in abundance. Trollope has taken the basic plot, but left out the wit and social commentary that help to make Austen' work a classic, while, to quote The Guradian's John Crace "Joanna Trollope has achieved the near impossible by making every Jane Austen character appear shallow and unlikable".
Trollope has given more airtime to the characters of "Belle" (Austen's Mrs Dashwood) and Margaret. Perhaps an admirable undertaking, given how little Austen required of them. But perhaps there was reason for that. Austen called upon them only when necessary for the plot; Trollope reels them out unnecessarily several times, but I can see no benefit, they add nothing. Trollope's Margaret's only purpose seems to be to remind us that this is a 'modern' version, by constant references to social media and other modern phenomena.
Meanwhile, Edward, never a character I could really take to, is here made a complete wishy-washy wimp, with no purpose or aim until his potential in charity work is picked up by Brandon. Austen's Edward made it difficult for me to understand what Elinor saw in him. Trollope's left me totally unable to understand.
The worst crime, however, is left to Trollope's interpretation of Marianne. Austen's Marianne is a girl who can appear rude, not for the sake of being rude, but to break through the social mores and the hypocrisy of the time in which she lives. She suffers a deep depression, and knows that it is only her own sensibiliy that lead the illness that almost took her life; as she says "had I died, it would have been sef-destruction". In Trollope's novel, Marianne becomes M, a horrible, whiny creature, rude for rudeness sake, with no redeeming features. How anyone could fall in love with M is beyond me. Worse, by making asthma to blame for her near-death, Trollope totally removes the function of depression and self-harm in Marianne's condition. Ultimatlely, M is nothing but a pretty face, an airhead, whereas "the least interesting thing about Marianne is her beauty; what matters are her sense (intelligence), her sensitivity (sensibility) and her brooding intensity"
If the aim of this book was to demonstrate that Austen is relevant in the modern world, it has failed miserably. Reading this would make people think the exact opposite. But Austen's themes are relevant. Unfortunately, Trollope chose the wrong elements to update, and completely overlooked the key messages.
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that existed, and which still influence some prejudices these days, it has been considered appropriate to dumb down the classics to the status of chick lit.And dumbing down is certainly what Trollope has done, with this book apparently aimed at viewers of scripted reality shows like Made In Chelsea and The Only Way is Essex. The Dashwood family sneer at a part-time, Devon-based salary of £18k, they think an Alfa Romeo Spyder Mark 4 is a typical engagement gift.
But these are not the important elements of a book. For me to enjoy a book, it must have a good story, and good characters. Austen had both of these in abundance. Trollope has taken the basic plot, but left out the wit and social commentary that help to make Austen' work a classic, while, to quote The Guradian's John Crace "Joanna Trollope has achieved the near impossible by making every Jane Austen character appear shallow and unlikable".
Trollope has given more airtime to the characters of "Belle" (Austen's Mrs Dashwood) and Margaret. Perhaps an admirable undertaking, given how little Austen required of them. But perhaps there was reason for that. Austen called upon them only when necessary for the plot; Trollope reels them out unnecessarily several times, but I can see no benefit, they add nothing. Trollope's Margaret's only purpose seems to be to remind us that this is a 'modern' version, by constant references to social media and other modern phenomena.
Meanwhile, Edward, never a character I could really take to, is here made a complete wishy-washy wimp, with no purpose or aim until his potential in charity work is picked up by Brandon. Austen's Edward made it difficult for me to understand what Elinor saw in him. Trollope's left me totally unable to understand.
The worst crime, however, is left to Trollope's interpretation of Marianne. Austen's Marianne is a girl who can appear rude, not for the sake of being rude, but to break through the social mores and the hypocrisy of the time in which she lives. She suffers a deep depression, and knows that it is only her own sensibiliy that lead the illness that almost took her life; as she says "had I died, it would have been sef-destruction". In Trollope's novel, Marianne becomes M, a horrible, whiny creature, rude for rudeness sake, with no redeeming features. How anyone could fall in love with M is beyond me. Worse, by making asthma to blame for her near-death, Trollope totally removes the function of depression and self-harm in Marianne's condition. Ultimatlely, M is nothing but a pretty face, an airhead, whereas "the least interesting thing about Marianne is her beauty; what matters are her sense (intelligence), her sensitivity (sensibility) and her brooding intensity"
If the aim of this book was to demonstrate that Austen is relevant in the modern world, it has failed miserably. Reading this would make people think the exact opposite. But Austen's themes are relevant. Unfortunately, Trollope chose the wrong elements to update, and completely overlooked the key messages.
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LibraryThing member DrFuriosa
An enjoyable, entertaining retelling of Jane Austen's classic. Ms. Trollope gives more nuance to Elinor and Mrs. Jennings, though she sticks a little too closely to the original. This does, however, read well, and it is worth the time spent. Lucy Steele is also deliciously nasty. 3.5 stars.
LibraryThing member ritaer
Trollope borrows the plot and characters of Austen's work and brings them into the 21st century. Cell phones and social media replace handwritten notes delivered by footman. A serious asthma attack replaces the head cold turned putrid, which would be an unlikely cause of deep concern today. The
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loss of Norland is explained by Henry and Belle, parents of the sisters, having been a free spirited couple who had scorned the formality of marriage, rather than by the now outdated practice of entail. Entertaining. Show Less
LibraryThing member AdonisGuilfoyle
A very uneventful update of Sense and Sensibility - but then the original is fairly dull too. I didn't really care about any of the characters - Sir John Middleton is the best, all blustering good will and staccato speech - and found Marianne even more irritating in a modern setting. Joanna
There are some nice twists - 'Bill' Brandon has turned Delafield into a drug rehabilitation centre and Marianne is asthmatic (but they're still not compatible!) Overall, though, this is an adaptation by numbers, adding nothing to the original by dragging the characters into the twenty first century - as Elinor says, 'This isn't 1810, for God's sake. Money doesn't dictate relationships'.
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Trollope's dialogue also leaves a lot to be desired - her favourite retort seems to be 'Don't. Don't', and I have said before, older writers should not attempt teen speak. Thirteen year old Margaret is bad enough, with her 'Whatever!' (circa 1995), but then Nancy Steele comes out with this gem: 'I'm OK.Totes OK. Mos def. ... Fo sho we do!' I think there's even an 'amazeballs' thrown in for good measure! And, while I'm nitpicking, Margaret seems to have an iPod from about ten years ago, the classic model with the scroll wheel which was discontinued when this book was published! I know the Dashwoods fall on hard times, but come on!There are some nice twists - 'Bill' Brandon has turned Delafield into a drug rehabilitation centre and Marianne is asthmatic (but they're still not compatible!) Overall, though, this is an adaptation by numbers, adding nothing to the original by dragging the characters into the twenty first century - as Elinor says, 'This isn't 1810, for God's sake. Money doesn't dictate relationships'.
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LibraryThing member nicx27
I love the classics in terms of storylines, but find them very difficult to read as I like modern language styles, so this seemed like a good idea to me, enabling me to in effect read the story but in modern language.
Ultimately, however, it just didn't work for me. I agree with other reviewers that
It's a bit of frothy fun but too frothy for me I'm afraid.
Ultimately, however, it just didn't work for me. I agree with other reviewers that
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Joanna Trollope probably did the best with what she was given to work with, but the issues that faced women in the 19th century just didn't translate to the 21st century. So what if Elinor had to leave her university course to move to Devon. Couldn't she have transferred or found a way round it? There are several such scenarios that just didn't ring true to me, and I also found some of the modern day language quite grating and a bit obvious, such as when Elinor calls one of her sisters 'babe'.It's a bit of frothy fun but too frothy for me I'm afraid.
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LibraryThing member Dabble58
Ugh. A clumsy amalgam of Jane Austen’s wise and witty original novel and Trollope’s ‘modern day’ view.
It feels more like Trollope copies word for word the original (stopping only to cut out the best bits) and then stuck thing like texting and drug use to make it sound modern. It ends up
See, in Austen’s time, this was necessary because women weren’t allowed to own property or work for money, and so were dependent on finding a good man to support them. Trying to shove this into present time simply doesn’t work. Anyone who can text on a phone can certainly be expected to have a job, so get on it, ladies! And how is it everyone has a cell phone plan with data but no one can afford to own a car?
Joanna Trollope should be ashamed of herself, and this whole Austen project rewrite lacks even the fun of “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies”. Awful and decidedly unnecessary.
It feels more like Trollope copies word for word the original (stopping only to cut out the best bits) and then stuck thing like texting and drug use to make it sound modern. It ends up
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being annoying- and all of the characters show up as petty and helpless. Apparently women don’t work in modern times. Apparently they still marry for money.See, in Austen’s time, this was necessary because women weren’t allowed to own property or work for money, and so were dependent on finding a good man to support them. Trying to shove this into present time simply doesn’t work. Anyone who can text on a phone can certainly be expected to have a job, so get on it, ladies! And how is it everyone has a cell phone plan with data but no one can afford to own a car?
Joanna Trollope should be ashamed of herself, and this whole Austen project rewrite lacks even the fun of “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies”. Awful and decidedly unnecessary.
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