Sense and Sensibility

16.95

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Specs

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Description

For Elinor Dashwood, sensible and sensitive, and her romantic younger sister Marianne, the propect of marrying the men they love appears remote. In a world ruled by money and self-interest, the Dashwood sisters have neither fortune nor connections.

  • Author: Jane Austen, Claire Lamont
  • Publisher: Oxford University Press
  • Published: 2008-04-17
  • Pages: 385
  • ISBN-13: 9780199535576

Additional information

Author

Jane Austen, Claire Lamont

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Summary

What the internet says

Aggregated insights from reviews and discussions across the web.

Overall reception: Mixed reception

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen receives generally positive reception online, though it tends to be viewed as less popular than Pride and Prejudice. Readers consistently praise the depth of character development, particularly the contrast between the sensible Elinor and passionate Marianne Dashwood, with many noting how the novel examines women's lives in claustrophobic 19th-century society. The book's exploration of themes beyond simple romance—including money, social mobility, and the balance between reason and emotion—earns particular appreciation from readers who find it more complex and substantive than Austen's other works. However, reception is notably divided on pacing and accessibility. Multiple Goodreads discussions reveal that some readers find the book 'boring' or 'slow,' with one reader admitting they couldn't even remember the ending after struggling through it for a month. The writing style, characterized by lengthy, wordy passages, proves challenging for modern readers accustomed to more concise prose. Amazon reviews note the book is 'mind-numbingly boring' for some, while others describe it as impossible to put down. The 1995 Emma Thompson film adaptation is frequently mentioned as enhancing appreciation for the source material, with some readers finding the movie more engaging than the novel itself.

What readers loved

  • Deep, nuanced character development with compelling portraits of contrasting heroines Elinor and Marianne
  • Higher emotional stakes than other Austen novels, with actual consequences like loss of home and near-death experiences
  • Sophisticated exploration of money, social class, and women's limited options in Regency society
  • Sharp, witty social satire targeting fortune hunters and self-interested relatives
  • More uncertainty in romantic outcomes compared to Austen's other works, making the reading experience more suspenseful
  • Excellent examination of the balance between sense and sensibility rather than favoring one extreme
  • Rich emotional depth that reveals 'the strength or folly of human hearts'

Common critiques

  • Slow pacing with overly wordy, drawn-out passages that take pages to convey what could be said in sentences
  • Some readers find it boring or difficult to engage with, particularly in the opening sections about inheritance and money
  • Old English language style creates accessibility challenges for modern readers
  • Less immediately engaging than Pride and Prejudice, requiring more patience to appreciate
  • Some plot elements feel pathetic or unsatisfying, particularly Colonel Brandon's storyline

Based on reviews from

  • Goodreads Discussion
  • Goodreads Worth the Read
  • Amazon Reviews
  • StoryGraph Reviews
  • Goodreads Book Page
Last updated May 18, 2026 Summary based on publicly available reviews. May not reflect every reader's experience.