Austenesque Lovers TBR Pile Reading Challenge 2016 discussion
Assorted & Sundry Matters
>
Group Read- July
message 51:
by
Debbie
(new)
Jul 04, 2016 06:13PM
Ceri, are you talking about a scene in S&S, or in Expectations of Happiness?
reply
|
flag
I'm about 100 pages into the book in the edition that I have. Without giving any spoilers, I must say that I like the portrayal of the characters in the book. Ms. Collins has captured their personalities quite well. The prose reads in a way that I find similar to Jane Austen's writing without trying to hard to copy her style. I'm really enjoying the storyline so far.I guess my only "dislike" about the book would be the ooey-gooey syrupy goodness of Edward Ferrars. I realize that he is a very mild-mannered and loyal hero in the Jane Austen world. But is there one moment when he gets a little upset or frustrated? Or fails to be a fountain of wisdom?
Mod
But it does sound good. I'm glad the characters feel consistent with the original. Thanks for your first reading update, Amanda.
Sophia wrote: "LOL! So Edward's too perfect. But it does sound good. I'm glad the characters feel consistent with the original. Thanks for your first reading update, Amanda."
I don't know why Edward's personality is not sitting well with me in this book. It's been a while since I've read S & S, but I don't remember feeling that way about him when I read it. "Too perfect" is right. But I don't know what the rest of the book holds. Maybe he'll snap and say what he really thinks about things.
Mod
Ha, and yes, maybe there is a twist in the story where his halo gets tarnished. ;)
Sorry to be confusing, Debbie, the scene I was referring to is in S&S.
I'm just finished ch.12 abs must say I'm really enjoying it. Not sure what Marianne is up to,or,for that matter,if she realises what she's doing herself.
Haven't got to start it yet but looking forward to it. Just an observation but did anyone else think that in the Emma Thompson S&S film (which I love by the way) that Hugh Grant (EF) always walked as if he had hemorrhoids? It totally put me off him.
Teresa wrote: "Haven't got to start it yet but looking forward to it. Just an observation but did anyone else think that in the Emma Thompson S&S film (which I love by the way) that Hugh Grant (EF) always walked ..."He was very awkward in that role. All of the other actors were great, but he seemed like he wanted to rip off his cravat and wear a t shirt and jeans. I think he was trying to portray Edward's tendency to be a people pleaser, but came off as someone who was hopelessly socially inept.
Mary wrote: "I'm just finished ch.12 abs must say I'm really enjoying it. Not sure what Marianne is up to,or,for that matter,if she realises what she's doing herself."I'm not quite as far into the book as you are, but I agree.
Ceri wrote: "Kirk wrote: "Most of the points were lost when you agree with Ceri's stunning attack!(she's now out of my top ten favoriteJaneite list...j/k sorta well...)"
It wasn't an attack, I was just intere..."
Hmmmm......ok.....for now. Grrrr......points returned, for now, but you on a Marianne watch list...just saying. :)
Well, I'll probably go back on Kirk's list. I'm only in the middle of Chapter Five, not even through all of Part One yet, and Marianne is displaying her worst qualities - the ones that really irritate me. Delaford doesn't appeal to her as well as her childhood home in Norland, she doesn't interact with anyone in the neighborhood, she's bored. What more does Colonel Brandon have to do to make her happy? Most annoying, she's insensitive to Elinor and Edward's feelings about Lucy and Robert Ferrars and bothered by her husband's continuing attention to the care of poor Eliza Williams. She's still immature so far.
Mod
Hopefully, she'll do a turnaround for you, Debbie!
Yep. Lucy and Robert haven't shown up yet but Marianne wants company, so she's invited them to Delaford. What's up with THAT???
Marianne needs an honest and painful self-inventory about the people she chooses to associate with. Having said that, I'm further into the book and Colonel Brandon has only appeared in person one time (at Barton Park and Cottage in the beginning). Otherwise, he's been off taking care of estate business.
I'm not defending any of Marianne's actions, but at the start of the book at least, she's been left on a huge estate to while away her time. The only close friends she had in her younger years were her mother and sisters. And she was often the center of attention in that situation. Her mother and sisters are largely otherwise occupied in this book. I think she never learned to make friends or be a friend. And her decision-making skills are quite noticeably lacking. Left to her own devices, trouble always follows.
Mod
Having said that, I'm further into the book and Colonel Brandon has only appeared in person one ..."
That's good perspective on her character and one that I didn't take into consideration, Amanda.
I've only just started this and wow what a first chapter!! Talking about getting your attention!!!!
Mod
Amanda wrote: "Marianne needs an honest and painful self-inventory about the people she chooses to associate with. Having said that, I'm further into the book and Colonel Brandon has only appeared in person one ..."
Nice analysis, Amanda! She has been very sheltered, although I believe that was probably true of a lot of young gentlewomen at that time in England. It's a reasonable explanation for why she's that way, but it doesn't make her any more admirable.
Teresa wrote: "I've only just started this and wow what a first chapter!! Talking about getting your attention!!!!"Agree! The story definitely starts out with a shocker.
Amanda wrote: "Marianne needs an honest and painful self-inventory about the people she chooses to associate with. Having said that, I'm further into the book and Colonel Brandon has only appeared in person one ..."
But Marianne chose to stay, she had in previous years gone to Ireland but was unhappy so Col. Brandon had given her a choice.
Rose wrote: "But Marianne chose to stay, she had in previous years gone to Ireland but was unhappy so Col. Brandon had given her a choice."Welllll...... wasn't it more than just Marianne being unhappy, Rose? I thought when she went with him she got ill from the cooler, damper climate there, so they ended up having to return early and it took a while for her to recover even after they got back. Col. Brandon still has to handle estate business in Ireland, so the separation is somewhat unavoidable. I don't blame either of them for that.
I just finished Chapter Thirteen. It's like watching a train wreck in slow motion. Oh my, am I ever worried about where this is all going.
Just finished the same chapter. Is she clueless, lost in the romance of it all or just innocent to the repercussions that will result from her association with W?
I don't know, but I cringed through pretty much the whole chapter.
I'm halfway through Chapter 18 now. It only gets worse, ladies!
I'm enjoying Margaret's storyline in the book. Elinor's story is very closely linked to Marianne's, of course.
My main complaint is that there's virtually no overlap between the two stories. They're so independent of each other it's virtually two books mushed together. I mean, they're sisters, but that's it (so far, at least - thru 22 chapters). I'm at a point where it seems as though Marianne's story has mostly played out and, I have to say, after all the dramatic build-up, it has fizzled out. I don't want to give spoilers for those who haven't gotten to where I am, but I'm confused about what Willoughby was up to besides hurting Col. Brandon. His character here is drawn more the way I would expect Wickham to behave, if he had the means.
It's true that the stories are not interrelated. I'm thinking it's because Elinor and Marianne live so close to each other and Elinor is still the self appointed moral compass for Marianne. It would be nice to have a stand alone novel for Margaret's story in the book.
I've finished. Gave it 4 stars, but it will be later today or tomorrow before I have time to write a review. Sorry, Sophia, but Lucy and Robert Ferrars don't make a personal appearance, although we do find out a bit about what they're doing and how they respond to events.
Mod
Bummer! I was very curious about those two after they tied the knot. I have the same morbid fascination about Lydia and Wickham or Julia with John Yates.
Oh well, I've got more curious points to follow to keep me intrigued.
My full review is finally finished and posted on GR. I tried to avoid spoilers. I look forward to comments here from other readers for more discussion about how events unfold. I do enjoy Mrs. Dashwood's part of the story! At first I thought it was too out of character, but then it occurred to me that she always had someone else in her life willing to step up and take charge. Perhaps she always had the ability to do more for herself but was able to indulge in her "sensibility" since it was never necessary for her to be decisive and take charge. Any thoughts about that?
Mod
Mod
Hope everyone's had a chance to get started. Still optional about answering these guided questions. I love seeing those who have jumped in with discussions and opinions already.
So, second check-in...
After the start and the characters are all introduced, how do Rebecca Collins' characters compare to the original S&S characters? Any of Rebecca Collins' original characters stand out for you?
What about the direction of the plot for each of the Dashwoods? Any plot thread a favorite yet?
My favorite part of the story is Margaret's. Elinor and Marianne's story is a bit of a rehashing of S & S. Margaret story is interesting and seems to be a course that the stubborn and determined Margaret we met in S & S would take.
I would agree with you, Amanda, except that I found it hard to believe that an English gentlewoman during Regency times like Margaret would be that unconventional. I definitly preferred her storyline to Marianne's, and Elinor didn't seem to do much beside react to what Marianne and Margaret were doing, so I preferred Margaret's storyline to hers, too. I think my favorite plot is Mrs. Dashwood's, which I wish had received more attention by the author.Characters seemed similar, except I think Marianne had regressed from the maturity she had developed by the end of S&S back to the naive, immature girl she was at the beginning.
So far I dislike the Marianne story. I think at the end of S&S she was meant to be happy with Brandon and start her life over. Here she just seems to be reverting to what she was with the years in between meaning nothing. (Sorry Kirk). Also Elinor seems to have become something of a watering pot. If I have to read one more time that 'her eyes filled with tears', I think I'll scream. She's not the strong stoic Elinor we knew and loved. And I agree with Debbie about Margaret's situation. You really do have to suspend disbelief to imagine this.
Teresa, I hadn't thought about it as I was reading, but you're right about Elinor. She always held her emotions back in S&S, but perhaps that was because she HAD to with her mother and Marianne both being so uninhibited with their emotions. I mean, that could explain it, but the author never offers a hint about it. I just saw Elinor as the means the author used to link the book together, since Marianne and Margaret have storylines that don't really have anything to do with each other.
That could be it Debbie but she seems to have changed Elinor completely. Not confiding in Edward about Marianne!!! Can't see that happening and going to Mrs King for advice is just not believable for me. She always made tough decisions and if she can't go to Edward then their relationship has changed a lot. Could be I'm biased because Elinor was my favourite character in S&S.
Well, at least there's an attempt to explain why she doesn't confide in Edward. He's dealing with pressures and concerns of his own and she doesn't want to add to them. And that motivation would not be out of character for Elinor, since in S&S she often kept her own counsel rather than worrying her mother or adding to Marianne's distress. She isn't really given a friend to confide in there as she is here with Mrs. King. Elinor was definitely my favorite S&S character, too. I agree that she's more emotional here, and the book's focus is NOT on her at all.
Mod
Elinor seems to be a worrywart and a bit off character from the original (saw that Teresa caught that, too). I do love seeing her special relationship with Edward. She deserved a good solid marriage after the suffering beforehand from Lucy and the other Ferrars interfering.
Marianne is concerning me and I know a crisis point is coming. I'm actually glad she got herself into trouble again. I always wanted to see her an active participant in seeing through Willoughby and by her getting sick in the original, it was more by default and proxy. But this time with the Colonel gone and her sister and mother no longer in her home, she is forced to deal with the temptation of Willoughby and his wiles on her own. If she comes through it and resists temptation or sees Willoughby exposing his selfish side for herself, I think it will make her a stronger person and also strengthen the relationship with the Colonel as a result. But oh my, I can see what had you gals frustrated, she certainly has the blinders on.
Although, I did want to thump her for choosing to rub Elinor's face in it by hanging out with Robert & Lucy Ferrars to alleviate her boredom.
So I guess that answered my second date questions. :)
Debbie wrote: "I would agree with you, Amanda, except that I found it hard to believe that an English gentlewoman during Regency times like Margaret would be that unconventional. I definitly preferred her storyli..."I'm not finished yet, so I haven't seen Margaret's story through to completion. I don't know how unconventional it gets, but I'm enjoying the story of Margaret and Daniel so far.
Teresa and Debbie ~ I was also a little taken aback by Elinor's emotional reaction to events concerning Marianne in the story. It's true as Debbie pointed out, that Elinor held back a LOT of emotion in S&S. Maybe she's reacting so emotionally because she felt like she sacrificed so much of herself and her secret wishes when the whole Marianne/Willoughby thing went down before. Going through almost the same thing again may have brought all those emotions she had not allowed herself to experience back to the surface.
Sophia and Amanda- While it goes back and forth a bit, most of the time it's Marianne's plot until that's mostly resolved. After that (sorry, but I don't remember how far into the book except that it's well past 50%), it zooms in on Margaret.
As for Elinor being more emotional, you could be correct about why, Amanda. I know the book indicates how distressed she is that Marianne may be falling into the same trap with Willoughby that she did before, but it doesn't give us the additional insight about exactly why her reaction is more overt this time. It also doesn't explain why Marianne is back to being immature and naive. I mean, we can speculate, but the reasons certainly aren't apparent when they probably should be with such obvious changes in the way we believe the characters should behave.
Maybe I'm just being a hard hearted pain in the ass here but I don't like too much crying or weeping in books and good lord this one is full of it!! I think I read last night that Edward's eyes welled up! Spare me!!!!
I finished it last night. I really wanted to like this book but it just didn't grab me at all. I was disappointed that Colonel Brandon was hardly in it. Only mentioned. Elinor's character was too much changed for me. And oh my word all the crying!!! It was there again and again and just totally put me off. However, I know lots of you liked it so it's probably just me.
Well, all the crying didn't bother me as much as it bothered you, Teresa, but I wasn't happy with it either. Seemed kind of melodramatic and exaggerated. My overall reaction is more about the plot itself, and there seems to be a consensus that we all dislike Marianne's part of the story. I agree about wanting a LOT more of Colonel Brandon. I liked Margaret's story even though I found it unlikely that she would behave that way. I think the author's writing itself is really good, but I wish she'd made different plot choices (yes, with less crying!).
