TBR Challenge: Sense and Sensibilty

Back in December I agreed to participate in Emily's TBR Challenge. Several weeks ago I finished my first book for the challenge and that book was Sense and Sensibility. According to rule #6 I am supposed to write a blog post about each book I read for the challenge. Since I have a feeling I am going to have a hard time with a lot of the other rules that are part of this challenge (like not buying new books!) I am going to try to adhere to the blog post rule. So, even though I am not the most talented book reviewer, here goes.

This was my third reading of Sense and Sensibility, but my last reading was sometime in the 90s so it had been awhile. I had a pretty good memory of the overall plot, but had certainly forgot much of the details. It was excellent to have my memory refreshed to this wonderful book.

Despite the fact that I knew a happy ending was forthcoming, I was held in suspense much of the time while both Elinor and Marianne careened toward heartbreak and sunk into it. I found it interesting that both their views on love and the way to happiness turned out to be wrong and their heartbreak and disappointments give them both a better understanding of love and the way of the world.

This book also has some of my favorite secondary characters. Especially the girls' brother John and his wretched wife. They are quite funny caricatures, horrible in their behavior, but still amusing to observe. They and the others (Mrs. Ferrars, Lucy Steele, etc.) add to the color of the book and keep you from arriving at the happy ending too soon.

That all being said, I still think Colonel Brandon was too old for Marianne.