Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters

 I couldn't resist this book when I was hunting around for things to do for the challenge - I love Sense and Sensibility and the picture on the book of is irresistable! As I've not yet read P&P and Zombies I wasn't sure what to expect from a Quirk Classic when I started to read this so it was quite a new experience. Here is the blurb from the back of the book...

"Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters expands the original text of the beloved Jane Austen novel with all-new scenes of giant lobsters, rampaging octopi, two-headed sea serpents, and other biological monstrosities. As our story opens, the Dashwood sisters are evicted from their childhood home and sent to live on a mysterious island full of savage creatures and dark secrets. While sensible Elinor falls in love with Edward Ferrars, her romantic sister Marianne is courted by both the handsome Willoughby and the hideous man-monster Colonel Brandon. Can the Dashwood sisters triumph over meddlesome matriarchs and unscrupulous rogues to find true love? Or will they fall prey to the tentacles that are forever snapping at their heels? This masterful portrait of Regency England blends Jane Austen's biting social commentary with ultraviolet depcitions of sea monsters biting. It's survival of the fittest - and only the swiftest swimmers will find true love!

I think you could read this without actually having read S&S but I found it enjoyable to be able to compare, to know what was coming in the original story and see how it had been altered/changed for this crustaceous version! There is a great deal of death and blood and gore and the monsters are very monstrous indeed - there are all of the things that one would expect the be associated with the sea and a mystery runs all the way through the book. I tried to read it slowly and spin it out because I was enjoying it but I gave up on that idea fairly soon! I thoroughly enjoyed it - the addition of the pictures was a nice touch. The original story remains mostly intact and my only criticism is that on a few occasions the language wasn't quite right - it neither fit with a Regency fashion of speaking nor with an English fashion of speaking. If I say much more I'm in danger of dropping spoilers so I'll leave it that it's a thoroughly good hoot of a read and highly recommended. 

I hope P&P and Zombies is as good!

Comments

[simone]

It's fun to read your reviews, Tee. I always thought this would be a terrible book, but what I read from your review, I should have a try one day. Thank you!
I thought Austenland might be a good read for my daughter.

[Carole]

Sounds great! I'm planning to read this one for the challenge in a few months and I'm looking forward to it even more now.