Helpful Score: 5
I was very disapointed in this book...I couldn't even finish it. It was recommended to me by a Border's employee. It started off good but I quickly found the sea monster storyline becoming increasingly annoying and ridiculous.
Helpful Score: 4
I'm surprised at the reviews, seeing as I thought this a much more witty and involved storyline than P&P&Z.
It's hard to write a review without comparing this book to its counterpart. Overall, this storyline was more what I was looking for (a total re-imagination of Sense & Sensibility, this time with sea monsters) rather than simply a few changes to the text (making Elizabeth and her sisters into ninjas).
In this book, Sense and Sensibility is transformed into another world (an under-water world, at that) and is re-shaped into something closer to the fantasy tale a lot of people are looking for when first researching this new genre.
While I do not think that this is some masterpiece to be put on a pedestal, I have to say I rather enjoyed it and think that most fans of Jane Austen and fantasy with feel the same.
It's hard to write a review without comparing this book to its counterpart. Overall, this storyline was more what I was looking for (a total re-imagination of Sense & Sensibility, this time with sea monsters) rather than simply a few changes to the text (making Elizabeth and her sisters into ninjas).
In this book, Sense and Sensibility is transformed into another world (an under-water world, at that) and is re-shaped into something closer to the fantasy tale a lot of people are looking for when first researching this new genre.
While I do not think that this is some masterpiece to be put on a pedestal, I have to say I rather enjoyed it and think that most fans of Jane Austen and fantasy with feel the same.
Helpful Score: 3
Quirk Classics has done it again! I absolutely adored Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters! I wondered if the blend of classic with humor would not be as good this time around, but it was even better than Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I found that the storyline flowed much more smoothly, with no sudden appearances of monsters that felt like they were just stuck in the story as fillers. The characters were fun and I found myself cheering some on while wanting to see others be eaten by sea creatures. There, of course, was a bit of blood and gore and the humor was dark and really quite funny. Sadly, the book ended much too soon, as I really enjoyed reading Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters. I hope Quirk has plans for more of these in the near future.
If you haven't read this book yet, please add it to your must reads. It is a nice fun read that will certainly perk up those winter doldrums!
If you haven't read this book yet, please add it to your must reads. It is a nice fun read that will certainly perk up those winter doldrums!
Helpful Score: 3
I was so disappointed with this book I couldn't even finish it. I had previously read "Pride & Prejudice & Sea Monsters" by Seth Grahame-Smith and thought it was great because it was close enough to the original to let you actually envision the characters, yet twisted enough to make it humorous. This book does not deliver what I had hoped for in a parody from this publisher.
I had wondered how they would manage to add sea monsters to a story like "Sense & Sensibility" and keep it interesting and entertaining like "P&P&Z" was to read. It turns out that this author couldn't deliver what Grahame-Smith did in his remake. This was more like one of those crappy juvenile parodies that are really nothing like the original except for the names and a few well-placed quotations.
Overall, I was sorely disappointed to have wasted my money and I'll have to make sure if something like this is published again, to only purchase it if it is by Seth Grahame-Smith and NOT Winters.
I had wondered how they would manage to add sea monsters to a story like "Sense & Sensibility" and keep it interesting and entertaining like "P&P&Z" was to read. It turns out that this author couldn't deliver what Grahame-Smith did in his remake. This was more like one of those crappy juvenile parodies that are really nothing like the original except for the names and a few well-placed quotations.
Overall, I was sorely disappointed to have wasted my money and I'll have to make sure if something like this is published again, to only purchase it if it is by Seth Grahame-Smith and NOT Winters.
Helpful Score: 2
I made myself finish this novel, but it was hard. Not funny, and the author tried too hard to be funny.
Helpful Score: 1
Such a disappointment. Having read and liked "P&P&Z" I thought "Yay, another one!" Sadly, this one was not funny. Everything being set on or near water was a stretch. I get there are "sea monsters," but you know...move inland people! I am surprised my eyes are not permanently stuck rolled back into my head. The Margaret storyline, the 5 pointed star, the underwater city?? The worst offense? They messed with Colonel Brandon. Had it been funny, I might have been ok with that, but it was just silly.
Helpful Score: 1
I read Pride & Prejudice & Zombies first, and really enjoyed that book, so I wanted to like this one (and really expected to). It was bit of a disappointemnt, as it departs much more from the original and I suppose Sea Monsters and pirates are not as interesting a subject matter as zombies (who knew?). It is a bit scattered and stretched in terms of plot, but still a quick and easy read. Not terrible, but not as good as the first.
Summary: 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 ultraviolent depictions of sea monsters biting. It's survival of the fittestâand only the swiftest swimmers will find true love!
So...looking around at other reviews on this book I seem to be one of the few who feel the same way I do about this book, or maybe one of the few who hold this opinion but actually read the book. Before I read this book all I could think about was how this man is destroying a classic, totally defacing it. Now, after having given the author a fair chance, I feel he is totally defacing a classic but...in a creative way. This is the first time I have ever seen a book like this and well, by the pop up of these books over the last year, it won't be the last. I finished this book and Winters goes into some very creative meanderings with the original characters and language as Jane Austen favored but I still just felt wrong reading it.
Also posted:http://www.bibliophilicbookblog.com/2009/12/book-review-sense-and-sensibility-and.html
So...looking around at other reviews on this book I seem to be one of the few who feel the same way I do about this book, or maybe one of the few who hold this opinion but actually read the book. Before I read this book all I could think about was how this man is destroying a classic, totally defacing it. Now, after having given the author a fair chance, I feel he is totally defacing a classic but...in a creative way. This is the first time I have ever seen a book like this and well, by the pop up of these books over the last year, it won't be the last. I finished this book and Winters goes into some very creative meanderings with the original characters and language as Jane Austen favored but I still just felt wrong reading it.
Also posted:http://www.bibliophilicbookblog.com/2009/12/book-review-sense-and-sensibility-and.html
From Quirk Books and the authors of the New York Times Best Seller Pride and Prejudice and Zombiescomes a new tale of romance, heartbreak, and tentacled mayhem!
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 stated in the book âThe unfathomable creatures of the sea have turned hostile by an unknown alteration.â
As our story opens, the Dashwood sisters suffer the loss of their father and are evicted from their childhood home and are forced to live on a mysterious island full of savage creatures and dark secrets, thanks to the generosity of Sir John. While sensible Elinor has fallen in love with amiable Edward Ferrars, her romantic sister Marianne is courted by both the handsome Willoughby, and the hideous, cursed, man-monster Colonel Brandon.
Instead of London for the winter the sea station beta is the fast paced town where much of the plot comes to a head, and as the waters rush in it's survival of the fittest-and only the swiftest swimmers will find true love!
While the newer version has it's liberties it is a fun read.
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 stated in the book âThe unfathomable creatures of the sea have turned hostile by an unknown alteration.â
As our story opens, the Dashwood sisters suffer the loss of their father and are evicted from their childhood home and are forced to live on a mysterious island full of savage creatures and dark secrets, thanks to the generosity of Sir John. While sensible Elinor has fallen in love with amiable Edward Ferrars, her romantic sister Marianne is courted by both the handsome Willoughby, and the hideous, cursed, man-monster Colonel Brandon.
Instead of London for the winter the sea station beta is the fast paced town where much of the plot comes to a head, and as the waters rush in it's survival of the fittest-and only the swiftest swimmers will find true love!
While the newer version has it's liberties it is a fun read.
Very good book.
