Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters

Aug 17, 2010

Ben Babcock rated it

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Shelves: from-library, 2010-read, alternate-history, fantasy, historical-fiction, pirates, humour, 2010-worst10

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Jane Austen and I have had a rocky relationship. I respect her as a writer and believe she deserves a place in the canon of great English authors, but I sometimes wonder if she is overhyped. When it comes to Sense and Sensibility, it has a lot of Austen's trademark wit, but as a first novel it also has the immaturity and inexperience of a writer learning the craft. So with Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, Ben H. Winters has an opportunity to take a promising tale of two sisters and ame...more

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Oct 06, 2009

Bettie rated it

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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Sep 03, 2011

Esonja rated it

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This book is ridiculous. Started off at 2 stars, slid home at 3.5-4. Seriously, I started this book thinking 2 stars was going to be generous (and not at all sure I would finish it), but am happy to say it has easily improved from there. Gross, but fun, especially after you stop looking for Austen homage, rather than a sea monsters book written by someone who clearly loves Austen's works. I stand by my first impression, though; it's ridiculous. Also, I note that I don't care that much about Sens...more

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Jan 18, 2011

Celestial Elf rated it

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What a hilarious idea, to rewrite the classics with sci-fi type twists.
In this case the traditional story sets off as usual but in a slightly different universe and after 'the Alteration' whence the creature of the sea began to attack humankind...
Ghastly ghoulish and very very funny 18thC Romance meets HG Wells Horror haha

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Mar 20, 2010

Ashley rated it

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Recommends it for: everyone

Shelves: 2010-reads

I actually LOVED this book!
I was not a big fan of the original (I know, I know... Shoot me now), I think I am probably the only woman who did not care for it. I really liked the twist Ben Winters gave it. I really liked all of the sea critters that were created during the "Alteration". I guess that's because of the scary or horror movies I like ;o) I would actually recommend it. I am thinking about reading the book, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, even though my friend Heather ...more

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Nov 01, 2009

Meaghan rated it

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Shelves: classics, historical-novels, read-in-2009

I think this book is an improvement on the previous one in the series, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. The zombies in the first book were really just window dressing. On the other hand, the sea monsters in this book were actually a major part of the plot and really livened up the story. (I cannot help but find Jane Austen's stories to be dull, dull, dull.) I look forward to see what classics they warp next!

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Nov 16, 2011

Jen rated it

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Shelves: fiction

Though part of me recoils (and recoils strongly) against the idea of tampering with any of Jane Austen's books, I felt that I should try to read this. This was especially true as it was in the last days of Borders--and why the heck not read it. I so seldom read "flurf" books, that I figured this would be good for my soul.

When I read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, I found that I was far too familiar with P&P and was more being reminded of the book in my head than actually re...more

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Aug 27, 2011

Barbara Lemaster rated it

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Shelves: classics-reinvented, romance-sort-of

She might be amused but, then again, she might decry her literary efforts being warped somewhat by the addition of tentacles, scales, and teeth. Winters does an excellent job of re-imagining Austen's classic of English manners by adding schools of terrifying fish, sharks, and the occasional sea serpent. Mr. Dashwood meets an untimely demise at the jaws of a hammerhead shark, and his daughters Elinor and Marianne are sent to Pestilent Isle to live. Elinor falls for Edward Ferrars, who is engaged ...more

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Aug 04, 2011

Amanda rated it

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This time around, the penniless Dashwood ladies are sent to live in shanty on a small island. Not only must they deal with the fact that they are now poor and in need of wealthy husbands, but the nearby ocean is crawling with monstrous sea fare. The tentacle-faced Colonel Brandon has taken a bashful fancy to Marianne, who prefers the monster-killing Willoughby, while Elinor works her way into the heart of Edward Ferras. Can the Dashwood sisters find true love amid the violence of sea monsters an...moreThis time around, the penniless Dashwood ladies are sent to live in shanty on a small island. Not only must they deal with the fact that they are now poor and in need of wealthy husbands, but the nearby ocean is crawling with monstrous sea fare. The tentacle-faced Colonel Brandon has taken a bashful fancy to Marianne, who prefers the monster-killing Willoughby, while Elinor works her way into the heart of Edward Ferras. Can the Dashwood sisters find true love amid the violence of sea monsters and pirate-like enemies?

Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters continues the same ideas of the previous novel in the "Jane Austen and monsters " series, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, but goes a step further. Instead of relying on some overdone paranormal element, like vampires or werewolves, the editors at Quirk Classics decided to be a little more original and create their own element -- "sea monsters." The sea monsters aspect of this novel is taken from all kinds of influences, ranging from Pirates of the Caribbean (evidenced by the Davy Jones-like look of Colonel Brandon), Jules Verne (thanks to a detour trip to a station on the bottom of the ocean), classical mythology and others. Some of the best things here don't even seem to be part of any specific genre, like giant jellyfish attacks, giant fighting lobsters and pet orangutans. In fact, my favorite scene is when the dashing Willoughby comes to Marianne's rescue. Instead of twisting her ankle and getting caught in the rain, Marianne is attacked by a giant octopus, which Willoughby harpoons, and is rescued -- but not after being drenched in octopus blood and guts first, of course.

I began reading this book while hanging out with my boyfriend by the pool one afternoon. I kept laughing aloud so much that he had to ask what I was reading. After having to explain far too many scenes of over-the-top violence and insanity to him, I ended up reading several passages aloud, which sent both of us rolling in hysterics. Even my boyfriend, who isn't a big fan of Austen or classical literature, liked this.

This book was hilarious -- even better than Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. The ratio of silly to serious (sea monster to Sense and Sensibility) content has been amped up since Zombies. Instead of 85% Austen and 15% quirks, Sea Monsters has 60% Austen and 40% quirks, which opens the door for even more original adaptations of the classic.

While some hardcore fans of Austen's novels will continue to decry this line of books for altering classic literature, they have to admit that it's gotten better this time around. I'm a big fan of Austen's original works, and I found this revised version of Sense and Sensibility to be fresh and fun while still keeping true to original concepts and ideas in the original. Sure, Sea Monsters is even further away from the original than Zombies, but it allows for the sea monsters aspect to come alive instead of feeling like a pasted on afterthought to the original plot.

If you liked Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, than you will love Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters. It's filled with the same creative zaniness that readers have come to expect from this line of Quirk Classics, but taken to a whole new level. Readers who were not particularly impressed by the zombie version of P&P, but thought it had potential, should try out the sea monster version of this other Jane Austen classic. It won't disappoint. (less)

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Jul 07, 2011

Sarah rated it

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There was never any doubt in my mind that I would set upon this book as soon as possible, after reading “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.” I was a bit dubious about the addition of sea monsters to a book which, to my recollection, had no mention of oceans in it whatsoever. But the author managed this effortlessly.

The Dashwood sisters and their recently widowed mother are forced to move to a foreboding cottage on the Pestilent Isle after Mr. Dashwood is violently consumed by a hammerh...moreThere was never any doubt in my mind that I would set upon this book as soon as possible, after reading “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.” I was a bit dubious about the addition of sea monsters to a book which, to my recollection, had no mention of oceans in it whatsoever. But the author managed this effortlessly.

The Dashwood sisters and their recently widowed mother are forced to move to a foreboding cottage on the Pestilent Isle after Mr. Dashwood is violently consumed by a hammerhead shark and their own brother turns them from their former home. There, they make the acquaintence of Sir John, a former pirate, his wife and his mother in law who are both captured savages from one of his missions, and his dear friend Colonel Brandon – who is unfortunate enough to have a face covered with tentacles. Elinor, the eldest, has fallen in love with Edward Ferrars, but has been separated from him by his disapproving family. Marianne is determined to fall in love with only one man in her entire life, and Margaret is convinced that something dark and evil is hunting them on their new island home. As the Dashwood sisters do their best to find husbands, they will have to be constantly on their toes not only because of society but because of all the vicious creatures of the deep who only wish to destroy them.

As incongruous as sea monsters and Jane Austen seem (even more so than Austen and zombies!) Ben Winters has managed to create an entirely new environment for the Dashwood sisters to shine in. While some scenes in P&P&Z felt a little forced, this environment felt completely natural. The author seemed to draw from several classic sci-fi/oceanic literature sources for ideas but never completely integrated them in a way that felt like he wasn’t being creative in his own right. Sure, there is something a bit odd when reading about Elinor Dashwood and Lucy Steele fighting a two-headed sea serpent, but you never feel that it’s not completely Elinor Dashwood from Austen’s works who is sitting in the boat battling a monster.

Another aspect of this book I enjoyed was the inclusion of Margaret’s storyline. I always felt she got a bit neglected in the original story, as her sisters took center stage in the plot. However, in this version of the tale, Margaret very much has to do with the story – acting as a barometer for what is going on in the world outside of society. She may not necessarily be appearing at the time but she definitely sits in the back of your mind – something saying “look out for that one.”

Overall, I consider this Austenmonster book a bigger success than Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. An Austen purist may not appreciate these new versions, but as someone who loves both Austen and Austen spin-offs, this is definitely a winner.(less)

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Jun 02, 2011

Mike Ryder rated it

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Like its predecessor Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters is, as its title suggests, an adaptation of the Jane Austen classic Sense and Sensibility with plentiful helpings of yes, you guessed it, sea monsters.

Unfortunately like its sister title, S+S+S (or perhaps, S3), shares a number of problems inherent in this rather unique ‘classic/humour/horror’ hybrid genre — not least of all, that it doesn’t make much sense. Now I know I was not overly positi...moreLike its predecessor Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters is, as its title suggests, an adaptation of the Jane Austen classic Sense and Sensibility with plentiful helpings of yes, you guessed it, sea monsters.

Unfortunately like its sister title, S+S+S (or perhaps, S3), shares a number of problems inherent in this rather unique ‘classic/humour/horror’ hybrid genre — not least of all, that it doesn’t make much sense. Now I know I was not overly positive in my review of P+P+Z — I found the book distinctly un-funny, and had some serious problems with the story-telling — but I really did do my best to approach this book with an open mind. Having recently read the remarkably good Dawn of the Dreadfuls, I hoped that S+S+S might have more in common with the very good Dawn of the Dreadfuls, and far less in common with P+P+Z. Unfortunately however, I’m afraid to say the latter is the case.

I think what strikes me most about S+S+S is that while P+P+Z certainly had its failings, S+S+S does at least try and address many of these problems. Take the writing for example. In my P+P+Z review I noted that there was a distinct problem in trying to insert very noticeably different zombie scenes in a book that utilises Jane Austen’s very specific form of writing. S+S+S tries to address this in a number of ways — not least by making significant attempts to blend more directly with the Jane Austen elements of the text. While I applaud the attempt of Winters to try and at least make the book more consistent in its style one wonders why he bothered at all when half the book is set in… Sub-Marine Station Beta!

Yes I kid you not, half of S+S+S is indeed set within the confines of a Sub-Marine station complete with Submarines, deep-sea diving suits, and a Colonel Brandon character who, as the cover clearly shows, has a face afflicted with tentacles.

The question I found myself asking then, as I struggled to work out at some points what on earth was going on, was: ‘Why even attempt to pretend this is a book based on Sense and Sensibility at all?’

The main selling point of Sense and Sensibility, like most of Jane Austen’s work, is her depiction of middle-England, and of course her astute observations of character. Here, we have a story set in a Sub-Marine base, we have random attacks of sea monsters for no obvious reason, and we regularly lose our focus on what was in its original form, a powerful and moving story.

At least with P+P+Z, while the zombie parts were in my opinion at least, not very well done, the main core of the story was still there. Indeed even the very notion of the Bennet sisters as sword-wielding maniacs did for a short while at least, hold some sort of humour value. This though, this is just silly.

I have to admit I really struggled with this book. As a fan of 19th century literature I even confess to preferring Sense and Sensibility to Pride and Prejudice in many respects, but this Quirk Classics adaptation just doesn’t work for me.

Maybe it’s the premise. Moving away from the whole zombie thing, to something a little more daring, a little more ambitious, is certainly to be applauded, but to me the whole thing with the sea monsters and all just doesn’t work. If I’m honest I will even go so far as to say this book is less funny than P+P+Z. While I admire what Ben H. Winters has tried to achieve here, the fact he is on the one hand trying to write a novel about sea monsters, he is on the other hand all the while tied to the plot of the original work, and is as such already writing with only half the freedom he might otherwise have. This is why for me, Dawn of the Dreadfuls works so well, but P+P+Z fails. In Dawn of the Dreadfuls Steve Hockensmith is free to literally just take the Austen characters and create a story with them. In P+P+Z however, Seth Grahame-Smith is bound to work within the tight confines of one of literature’s classic novels.

It is fair to say then, that Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters was to a large extent, doomed from the start. While I applaud Ben H. Winters for his efforts with what must have been a difficult task, the book is just too jumbled, too strange, and just too devoid of humour to be a worthwhile recommendation. If you want to see how humorous adaptations of Jane Austen classics really should be done, try Dawn of the Dreadfuls instead. (less)

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Mar 31, 2011

Ana Mardoll rated it

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Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters (Book) / 978-1-59474-442-6
Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters (Audiobook) / 978-1-4418-2436-3

When "Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters" came out, I knew I had to take the plunge. "Sense and Sensibility" being, of course, my favorite Austen novel, I was looking forward to re-reading a classic and seeing a touch of sea monster fun and humor thrown in.

Make no mistake about it: this book is delightfully funny. The superb Jane Austen pr...moreSense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters (Book) / 978-1-59474-442-6
Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters (Audiobook) / 978-1-4418-2436-3

When "Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters" came out, I knew I had to take the plunge. "Sense and Sensibility" being, of course, my favorite Austen novel, I was looking forward to re-reading a classic and seeing a touch of sea monster fun and humor thrown in.

Make no mistake about it: this book is delightfully funny. The superb Jane Austen prose is all here, but set in such a world where sea monster attacks are brutally common. The exquisite and seamless weaving of this tale (it is truly difficult to separate out the Jane Austen writing from Ben Winters', so thoroughly has he mimicked her style), will lead to a deeply humorous rendition of Austen's high society - where fatalities at beach dinner-parties are a common occurrence and it is the highest breech of manners for a gentleman or lady to acknowledge the death throes of a mere servant, trailing the water behind their pleasure boat. Certain scenes, such as Miss Steele's confession to Elinor Dashwood, are immeasurably enhanced by a concurrent attack on the boat by a vicious sea serpent, and Marianne's rescue by Willoughby is heightened greatly by the addition of an angry octopus.

What I did not expect, however, was just how good the story would be. Rather than make a Jane Austen book with throw-away sea monster jokes, Winters has written a complex and fascinating science fiction sub-plot within the Austen narrative. Though the book is hilarious from front to finish, I found myself laughing out loud less and less because I was more and more drawn into the actual story and I didn't want to waste a moment, even to laugh, before turning the next page. These additions are so superb and true to Austen's original characters - such as Elinor's brave stand against pirates whilst Marianne languishes ill below - that it is difficult to imagine that she would be any less delighted with this novel than I.

If you like Jane Austen and enjoy a touch of morbid humor interlaced with hoity-toity upper-crust social commentary, check out "Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters" - you'll come for the sea monsters, but I wager you'll stay for the story and become as swept away as I was.

A note about the audio book: I absolutely loved reading "Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters", and this audio book does it such wonderful justice. The voice actress is absolutely superb, and perfectly encapsulates the wry Austen humor that makes this book such a classic. The reading really underlines how wonderfully seamlessly the sea monsters have been woven into the original story - whether the narrator is dwelling on the love trials of the two sisters, or on their imminent watery deaths at the tentacles of various unpleasant creatures, the prose flows smoothly and effortlessly, without the slightest hint of trouble. If you enjoyed Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters the book, or if you just enjoyed Sense and Sensibility, check out this audio recording and be delighted.

This audio book recording is the MP3 version of the book. It took less than a few minutes to insert the CD into my computer, and drag-and-drop all the MP3s from the CD file directory to my MP3 player, as simple as that. There are 50 tracks, one for each chapter.

~ Ana Mardoll(less)

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Mar 18, 2011

Kathy Davie rated it

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Shelves: fantasy, romance

I suspect this hysterically, satirical story is readable on its own although I think I got more out of it because I had read the original Jane Austen---if only for the tremendous contrast (and similarity) of the two.

I am really impressed with Winters’ interpretation.

“Lucy continued, ‘But I cannot help notice you are squeezing your eyes shut and holding your head between your legs. I should be sorry to have you ill. Heaven knows what I should have done without your friendship

...moreI suspect this hysterically, satirical story is readable on its own although I think I got more out of it because I had read the original Jane Austen---if only for the tremendous contrast (and similarity) of the two.

I am really impressed with Winters’ interpretation.

“Lucy continued, ‘But I cannot help notice you are squeezing your eyes shut and holding your head between your legs. I should be sorry to have you ill. Heaven knows what I should have done without your friendship.’”

“…they saw that a servant, who had been changing the water filtration tank and come detached from the breathing hose of his special Ex-Domic Float-Suit, was clamoring for their attention. The operations of the Station’s various life-sustaining apparatuses were meant to be entirely invisible to the inhabitants, and the man’s noisy exhibition was a rather embarrassing violation of decorum; Elinor and her guests studiously ignored him, and his increasingly insistent thrashing became the background to the ensuing uncomfortable exchange.”

The research that boy had to do for all the seagoing information! His imagination is out of this world, almost literally as he creates a world, an England, whose coastline and people are threatened by man-eating sea creatures. Every walk carries a club or pickax.

“’Is there a felicity in the world superior to this?’ asked Marianne with a grin. ‘Margaret, we will walk here at least two hours, and if we are set upon by any sort of man-beast with giant lobster claws, I shall swiftly butcher it with this pickaxe I brought for that purpose.’”
“The Dashwoods swiftly refreshed their wardrobes, making sure to don their Float-Suits over their new ensembles. The Float-Suits were composed firstly of arm-bands, one worn around each bicep, and a kind of waist-sash, all of which could be swiftly inflated by tugging on a cord tucked up one’s sleeve; and secondly of a reed worn under the nose, continuing enough oxygen for four minute’s worth of respiration.”

The sea-going power of which we know has never evolved, as sailing on the sea has become a life-defying venture and every meal is fish.

“Alas! A quarter mile off the coast of Sussex, Mr. Dashwood was eaten by a hammerhead shark.”
“’Shall we see you tomorrow at dinner?’ said Mrs. Dashwood, when he was leaving them. ‘It’s prawns dipped in butter buckets.’ He engaged to be with them by four o’clock, and to bring his own bib.”
“Thomas returned downstairs to begin slicing up crayfish for tomorrow’s breakfast.”

Winters has done an incredible job of writing both the dialog and the content maintaining the flavor of Austen’s original writing. When combined with his fishy flavorings, you can’t help but laugh.

The cover is such a lovely parody of Austen’s cover with Marianne being embraced by the fishily-visaged Colonel Brandon.
(less)

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Aug 06, 2010

Kim Miner rated it

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My problem with Sense and Sensibility has always been that it is the exact same story as Pride and Prejudice. Actually there is one difference, Sense and Sensibility is told more from the perspective of the Shy sister, instead of the Sassy sister.

But enough about Austen, you want to hear about Sea Monsters.

Much like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, some strange event has transpired (in this story it is called “The Alteration”) that has made every creature of the sea, fro...more

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May 03, 2010

Xonrad rated it

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If you despise Jane Austin's novels, you will most likely not enjoy this.

This mutation of the story is amusing in parts, and the sea monster setting in itself is very good evoking that gloom that Lovecraft was so brilliant at evoking with his ancient ones... but the waffling on of "proper behaviour" and the like, and in the grammatical style that Jane used along with the vapid personalities and conversations from the original. If those things are what fueled your contempt ...more

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Mar 28, 2010

Chris rated it

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The original Jane Austen story, except that the characters are under constant attack from marauding sea life which has mysteriously turned against humanity. I laughed out loud at least a dozen times reading this book. Protective fans of Jane Austen may not like it--Winters makes some of the original scenes quite ridiculous. Also be warned that it is gross and gory, though not particularly scary. The book only gets a 3-star rating from me though, since the pacing feels a bit off and sometimes...more

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Mar 16, 2010

Richard Houchin rated it

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Shelves: comedy, fantasy, horror, romance

The Cthulhu Mythos vibe surprised me here, but it added a charming element of terrifying mystery to some of the strange monstrosities. It cast the absurd mish-mash of monsters with romance onto a backdrop of dark meaning.

It works so well to have characters talking about day to day romantic drama oblivious to the horrors of their reality. As when Mrs. Dashwood discusses with her eldest daughter whether a suitor who departed suddenly did so motivated by roguish knavery or tragic duty, ...more

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Feb 27, 2010

Wendy White rated it

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Recommends it for: fans of Austen who've already read everything by Fforde

I have not read the previous book in this series - Pride and Prejudice and Zombies - but when it first came out I was not particularly interested. I've read Austen but her novels aren't really my kind of book. And while adding zombies is an amusing gimmick, I didn't think it would make the new take worth reading.

I was given this book for my birthday, and decided to give it a go despite my trepidations about the series, which turned out to be pretty much accurate.

The conce...more

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Feb 23, 2010

Audrey rated it

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I'm a HUGE Jane Austen fan. I've read and loved everything she ever wrote. I'm also a huge fan of monsters. I love reading books that are, in a sense, rendered ludicrous by their total lack of believability and by the overwhelming amount of monsters they contain. I was therefore sure that Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters was going to be a winner. Sense and Sensibility is a beautifully written masterpiece - add some sea monsters and that can do nothing but augment the awesomeness, right?
...moreI'm a HUGE Jane Austen fan. I've read and loved everything she ever wrote. I'm also a huge fan of monsters. I love reading books that are, in a sense, rendered ludicrous by their total lack of believability and by the overwhelming amount of monsters they contain. I was therefore sure that Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters was going to be a winner. Sense and Sensibility is a beautifully written masterpiece - add some sea monsters and that can do nothing but augment the awesomeness, right?

Unfortunately, wrong. It stayed just the same amount of awesome. I should have remembered that I don't normally like parodies. The sea monsters did absolutely NOTHING, in my opinion, to add to the story. Luckily, the story stuck pretty closely to the original, so I thoroughly enjoyed the reading experience, as if I was reading Sense and Sensibility all over again. The monsters, I found, just got in the way of the actual story. The biggest change for me was that I was disgusted throughout the entire thing by Colonel Brandon, whereas in Sense and Sensibility I was just slightly annoyed by him.

I also found myself getting bored with the bits that were devoted to the monsters, wishing they would hurry along so that I could get back to the actual story line of Sense and Sensibility. The added stories about Margaret and Lucy Steele were also both totally uninteresting to me, and it just seemed too obvious that they had been someone's attempt to add something unnecessary to an already fantastic story.

Still, I'm one of those crazy people that has been known to get bored from too much action, and I am sure that those that find Austen's original stories lacking in action will love these added changes and find that they help speed up the pace of the story while adding humor. I will say this for Ben Winter's added sea monsters - they did make me laugh. I enjoyed his lack of boundaries with the sea monsters he added. It seemed like anything and everything, as long as it involved water, was fair game, and this added spirit.

So, if you enjoy Jane Austen, chances are, you'll enjoy this, as I did. Whether or not you will appreciate the added sea monsters, I think, totally depends on your enjoyment of superfluous action and your sense of humor.(less)

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Feb 15, 2010

Rhiannon Ryder rated it

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Nothing offended me more than in first year university English when I had to listen to a classroom full of people gripe and moan about Jane Austen, and how they thought Pride and Prejudice was like a soap opera. I sat there and blew steam out of my ears and looked forward to the day when I could discuss the book with people who actually understood how brilliant it was that you could compare her book, written between 1797 and 1813, with a modern soap opera.

But for Christmas this year...moreNothing offended me more than in first year university English when I had to listen to a classroom full of people gripe and moan about Jane Austen, and how they thought Pride and Prejudice was like a soap opera. I sat there and blew steam out of my ears and looked forward to the day when I could discuss the book with people who actually understood how brilliant it was that you could compare her book, written between 1797 and 1813, with a modern soap opera.

But for Christmas this year, my good friend Mel gave me Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, and I've got to say, I think Quirk Publishing might have just found the way to make this book fun even for the nay-sayers!

They started with Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (which I'm going to have to pick up now, since pride was always my fave anyhow), and then moved on to Sense and Sensibility.

Sense and Sensibility with Sea Monsters, is a great parody all in that dry humor vein which is so classically Austen. To begin with the book seems nearly identical to the original except for the comments thrown in to set up the sea monster theme; lots of them very comical. For instance Willoughby is a treasure hunter, and wears a wet suit for the entire book no matter what he's doing
"Marianne began now to perceive that the desperation which had seized her at sixteen and a half, of ever seeing a man who could satisfy her ideas of perfection, had been rash and unjustifiable. Willoughby was all that her fancy had delineated in that unhappy hour, and in every brighter period. He was the sun shining on smooth rocks; he was a clear blue sky after monsoon season's end; he was perfection in a wet suit."

As the story moves on there are progressively more and more fun changes, the fashionable hub of society is Sub-Marine Station Beta an under-the-sea city, instead of London. There are Pirates, and Sea witches, one of which has cursed Colonel Brandon to have a Squid face.
"Otherwise, he was very pleasant. His appearance, besides the twitching tentacles that overhung his chin, was not unpleasing, despite being an absolute old bachelor; for he was the wrong side of five and thirty."
And in almost every emotional scene there is an attack by some type of sea monster happening at the same moment. Picture Lucy unburdening herself to Elinor of her secret engagement to Edward while Elinor fights off a two headed Sea Serpent.

Finally, without giving away the big ending, i have to say there is a truly wonderful parody at the end of this book of the usual readers Discussion guide. "10. Is Monsieur Pierre a symbol for something? Name three other well-known works of Western Literature that feature orangutan valets. Are those characters also slain by pirates?"

This book had me giggling on and off for days, not to mention reading bits out for people whenever they'd listen. I highly recommend it for both Jane Austen fans and those who thought she was a bore in first year university.

Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, by Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters
Published by Quirk Books, September 2009 (less)

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Dec 27, 2009

Ash Bruxvoort rated it

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It mostly sticks to the original. Marianne is passionate and romantic, and she quickly falls in love with Willoughby. Elinor is sensible and logical. When she finds out that Lucy Steele is engaged to her love interest, Edward Ferrars she never lets on her disappointment to her family even though it is constantly weighing her down. She even gets her friend, Colonel Brandon, to help Edward when he is cast out from his family for being engaged to Lucy who is of a lower class. The only new introduct...moreIt mostly sticks to the original. Marianne is passionate and romantic, and she quickly falls in love with Willoughby. Elinor is sensible and logical. When she finds out that Lucy Steele is engaged to her love interest, Edward Ferrars she never lets on her disappointment to her family even though it is constantly weighing her down. She even gets her friend, Colonel Brandon, to help Edward when he is cast out from his family for being engaged to Lucy who is of a lower class. The only new introduction is of course the sea monsters.

Margaret, the youngest Dashwood sister, has a much larger presence in this than in the original. She is constantly shouting "K'yaloh D'argesh F'ah" which no one seems to understand. This and Elinor's dreams and visions about a five pointed star and the searing pain that accompanies them are the main changes that made me want to finish the novel. I was glad to find out what they meant at the end, but it took me some time to get through the middle of the book.

My favorite change is Elinor's attitude. She becomes much more cheeky in this version. I really admire Winters for making this change because I always felt Elinor was a little cheekier than she comes across in the original. There is also a great concentration on the word monstrous, which is used frequently in the original but takes on new meaning when they are living in a world surrounded by sea monsters. Colonel Brandon becomes quite monstrous himself in this version because his face is covered with squishy tentacles. This exchange with Mrs. Jennings really got me into the book:

Mrs. Jenning soon came in. "Oh! Colonel," said she, with her usual noisy cheerfulness,"I am monstrous glad to see you--"
Elinor gasped audibly at the inauspicious word choice. Brandon looked at his hands, and even the usually imperturbable Mrs. Jennings blanched at her poor choice of words.
"Ah yes, sorry, I am very glad to see you--I didn't mean monstrous glad, as in--not to imply that you are--sorry--beg your pardon, but I have been forced to look about me a litle, and settle my matters; for it is a long while since I have been at home. But pray, Colonel, how came you to conjure out that I should be in the Sub-Station today?" (153).

There seems to be a lot of mixed feelings about Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, and I can understand why. At times it doesn't feel like an adaption but more like poking fun at Austen and Victorian London. If you haven't read the original, do so. If I hadn't read the original I don't think I could have got through this book because my love for the original characters is what really kept me reading.

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Dec 16, 2009

Jemima rated it

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The classic Austen social commentary about two sisters and their different approaches to love has been turned into a comic and imaginative science fiction novel. With every conceivable sea creature turned against humanity in a violent struggle for supremacy, the usual methods of courtship have been slightly altered. Rather than being attracted to a pretty face or a witty intellect, a single man in possession of a good fortune is now on the lookout for a woman with a strong pair of lungs.

...moreThe classic Austen social commentary about two sisters and their different approaches to love has been turned into a comic and imaginative science fiction novel. With every conceivable sea creature turned against humanity in a violent struggle for supremacy, the usual methods of courtship have been slightly altered. Rather than being attracted to a pretty face or a witty intellect, a single man in possession of a good fortune is now on the lookout for a woman with a strong pair of lungs.

The original storyline is the same - sensible Elinor falls in love with Edward Ferrars only to discover that he is secretly engaged to someone else, while romantic Marianne falls in love with the dashing Willoughby. When Willoughby is revealed to have been stringing her along while actually intending to marry a wealthy girl, Marianne succumbs to a dangerous illness brought on by her love sick state. Meanwhile Colonel Brandon (afflicted with tentacles attached to his face) patiently loves and waits for Marianne. In Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters it is all set against the backdrop of England in the grip of constant sea monster attacks.

It was the little details that made this book so hilarious. The familiar characters and plot placed in such outlandish circumstances made for quite a unique read. It is often the elegance of Regency England that attracts Austen's female readership. Don't expect to find it in this novel! Anything elegant has been turned into all things nautical. Where Marianne originally quoted poetry and played music, she now reads the journals of shipwrecked sailors and sings sea shanties. Practical Elinor memorizes "...the species and genus of every fish and marine mammal, learning to heart their speeds and points of vulnerability, and which bore spiny exoskeletons, which bore fangs, and which tusks."(p.11) There are also some interesting pencil drawn illustrations interspersed throughout the book. They usually depict the violent monster attacks and most outlandish events of the story. I recommend Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters to anyone who feels that they can appreciate the humor and enjoy the novel for what it is. (less)

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Nov 10, 2009

Dreadlocksmile rated it

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Following on from the instant cult success of the tongue-in-cheek adaptation of Jane Austin’s classic novel with ‘Pride And Prejudice And Zombies’ (with adaptations by Seth Grahame-Smith), came Philadelphia-based publishing house, Quirk Classics’ second such literary adaptation, this time with ‘Sense And Sensibility And Sea Monsters’.

Utilising this newly fangled concept of carving up a classic piece of literature to make way for a more B-Movie-esque style of writing, Quirk editorial ...more

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May 24, 2010

Jay rated it

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Shelves: books-i-own, classic, sci-fi, tampon-theatre

As a successor to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, I felt this one fell quite flat. Although I didn't find PPZ to be a great book, I felt it lived up to the hype somewhat. This one, not so much. It might also be because it wasn't as, uh, true to the source text. Instead, it felt like they had taken the names of the original characters and whacked them into another universe. This could have very well played out in an ice cream parlour set in the 1950s.

I know this might sound quite odd...more

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Dec 01, 2009

Jerry Dazzlepants rated it

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Shelves: classics, fantasy, parody, mashup

I wanted to like this. I really did. I thought it would be an incredibly lulzy take on a classic book that I despised, and it would make up for how much I hated the source text. I was wrong, I hated it almost as much as the original Sense and Sensibility, and not even murderous Sea Monsters could save it.

The sea monsters and additions to the text are amazing on their own, but they don't compensate for the fucking boring interludes where the author has kept the original text intact. ...moreI wanted to like this. I really did. I thought it would be an incredibly lulzy take on a classic book that I despised, and it would make up for how much I hated the source text. I was wrong, I hated it almost as much as the original Sense and Sensibility, and not even murderous Sea Monsters could save it.

The sea monsters and additions to the text are amazing on their own, but they don't compensate for the fucking boring interludes where the author has kept the original text intact. These pretentious twats still sit around pretending to like each other, and trying to impress everybody, only they're 4 miles below the sea in a domed city, rather than in London.I was hoping the author would change up the language a bit so it'd be more interesting, but no. The author pretty much just hit copy + paste.

I do admit to loving the original additions to the text - I would LOVE to see some of this sea monster mythology and tales of the Alteration in a completely original text. I loved the mysterious island people that Margaret fell in with, Leviathan, sea witches and what not.I just feel it was spoiled on a mediocre ~classic that puts me to sleep after a page or two.

I suppose if a person really loved the original Sense & Sensibility, and didn't constantly headdesk over the ludicrously flowery language, they would like this. It's a great idea, though I feel like it was executed poorly. The author could've taken more liberties and condensed the language into something more conducive to modern society and readers, much like Amanda Grange did with Mr. Darcy, Vampyre (sure, that was written after the events of P&P, but you get my point).

Overall, very disappointing and I expected more. Definitely not worth the trek to a far away library in my town to pick it up. If you like the original S&S you may love this, but if you don't, stay far away. At this rate I probably won't bother with Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, at least not until the pain of suffering through this book abates. (less)

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Nov 12, 2009

Jen rated it

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Shelves: 2009, humor, fiction-adult

The Dashwood family had been living in Sussex until the untimely death of their father, who was eaten by a hammerhead shark while trying to discover the source of "the Alteration", "when the waters of the world grew cold and hateful to the sons of man, and darkness moved on the face of the deep." The dying man is washed onto shore and manages to write, with his remaining hand, his final wishes: his desire for his son John to care for his half-sisters and their mother financi...moreThe Dashwood family had been living in Sussex until the untimely death of their father, who was eaten by a hammerhead shark while trying to discover the source of "the Alteration", "when the waters of the world grew cold and hateful to the sons of man, and darkness moved on the face of the deep." The dying man is washed onto shore and manages to write, with his remaining hand, his final wishes: his desire for his son John to care for his half-sisters and their mother financially.

But, of course, as the story goes, John's wife persuades him otherwise, and the Dashwoods find themselves at the mercy of their relation Sir John Middleton, who has offered them a "haphazard shanty, built atop a jagged promontory on the windward side of Pestilent Isle" off the coast of Devonshire. The Dashwoods' new acquaintance Colonel Brandon falls in love with Marianne. But alas, Colonel Brandon suffers from the curse of a sea witch: he bears "a set of long, squishy tentacles protruding grotesquely from his face, writhing this way and that, like
hideous living facial hair of slime green . . . Otherwise, he was very pleasant." Though he is the undisputed hero of the novel, "Brandon is just the kind of man, if man he truly be, whom everybody speaks well of, and nobody cares about; whom all are delighted to see, and everybody is sort of mildly afraid to look at directly." And the story continues on in familiar and not so familiar ways.

Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters begins as just silly but ends up being truly absurd. Winters is not just adding punchlines; instead, he transforms the book into a tragicomedy, which takes surprising sophistication (think Kierkegaard or Camus), but also the purely ridiculous: death lobsters, gelatinous food-flavored cubes, Sub-Marine Station Beta, and a pet orangutan named "Monsieur Pierre".
Austen's subtle satire and social commentary are not able to withstand intact; what does it matter, after all, whether one is guided by one's passions or societal decorum, when certain annihilation by a Leviathan is just around the, er, pond?

I prefer to read Austen without Winters, but I was impressed with the sophistication: it was like reading H.P. Lovecraft, watching the last episode of the 1960's television show "The Prisoner", and reading "Oscar and Lucinda" all at once. And that's saying something.
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Jul 24, 2010

Julie rated it

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I'm a little torn over how to rate this book. Overall, I think I'm a little annoyed I wasted my time finishing it. If it had been a short story, I would have given it a straight up five for creativity and novelty. The story follows the same patter throughout. The characters will be talking about the hardships in their life, mostly guy troubles, and then a sea monster will try to bite their heads off. They'll hack and slash, scream bloody murder, etc and then go right back to pining.

I...more

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Jan 19, 2010

Roxanne rated it

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Recommends it for: no one

It takes a lot for me not to finish a book, but I have to say, I'm 50 pages in to this and really not loving it. All the things that were fun and sassy about Pride & Prejudice & Zombies feel annoying and forced here. In P & P & Z, Grahame-Smith seemed to really care about the characters and the story and wove the zombies in beautifully, and the end result is a book that will attract new readers to Austen. Winters, however, doesn't seem to have any respect or love for Austen; unlike Grahame-Sm...more

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Mar 21, 2010

Brittney rated it

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Ok, I knew this was going to be a risk, trying this book. I thought I would like it though. I like people who take serious things and turn them on their head to be funny, like Princess Bride or Monty Python (or pretty much all British comedy) for example. I thought this would be silly and fun. It turns out that it was just boring and stupid. I cannot remember the last time I didn't finish a book until I tried reading this one. Not even halfway.

The author basically takes the ori...more

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Mar 15, 2010

Martina the Book Fairy rated it

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S&S&SM is, of course, a Quirk Classic parody of the classic Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen. These blends of the classics & the supernatural/monster have been sweeping the shelves of bookstores recently, starting with the best-seller, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

Note that in a previous review I gave P&P&Z only two stars. S&S&SM is leagues (no pun intended) above P&P&Z. While P&P&Z was basically a very condensed version of P&P quite literally word for word, but with zombie...more

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