Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen * * * * *

I started reading Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility as a book but switched to an audiobook halfway through, listening to Karen Savage’s version. My aim is to read all of Austen’s novels this year and watch the movie adaptations as part of my “Year of Austen” project, celebrating her 250th birthday.

Sense and Sensibility was Austen’s first published work. It was originally intended to be an epistolary novel, a style where the story unfolds through characters' letters. Although Austen eventually moved away from that format, hints of it remain. Conversations are often reported rather than directly shown, giving the style a slight distance that can feel stark to modern readers. The story itself is overall positive but carries a distinct realism, especially regarding money matters.

Elinor is the main character, and it’s largely through her eyes that we view the world. At 19, she is already remarkably mature: sober, fully aware of her place in society, and with few illusions. She is always the most surprised when things actually go well. I personally identified with her the most. In fact, we see versions of Elinor across Austen’s novels. Sensible, clear-eyed women who seem to reflect Austen herself.

Marianne, by contrast, is 16 and almost Elinor’s opposite. It’s important to remember that she is, after all, a teenager, with all the impulsiveness and intensity that brings. Today, her first love would likely be seen as a high school sweetheart, not a serious marriage prospect, and certainly not a grown man. To modern readers, Marianne’s ending might seem a little sour, but for the time it would have been a happy one.

Besides the two sisters, Willoughby has always been one of the most interesting characters to me. Reading the novel, as opposed to watching the movie or TV versions, I felt that Austen was a little torn about him, perhaps showing him more forgiveness than modern readers might. Still, I see him as the classic selfish character who justifies everything to himself, a real-life example of the saying, “We are all the heroes of our own story.” Willoughby is a reminder that people don’t really change, and I’m sure many women today still encounter their own versions of him.

As for the audiobook, it wasn’t my favourite. I’ve seen a lot of praise online for Karen Savage’s reading, but frankly, I can’t understand it. Her tone struck me as lifeless: she barely paused, rushing through the text in a slightly angry-sounding monotone. At times, it was so fast that I struggled to follow the story even at normal speed. I was relieved to reach the end and made a note to avoid her narrations in the future.

Overall, Sense and Sensibility is a classic for a reason. Its characters and themes are timeless. While it takes place during the Regency Period, the emotions and challenges the characters face are still very relatable today.