Sense and Sensibility

Sense and Sensibility starring Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet was my first exposure to Jane Austen. I have now seen at least one film version of every Jane Austen except Lady Susan and own three of them. Having said that, the book is a little hard to get into. If you're just starting out on Jane, you might want to start with Pride and Prejudice if for no other reason than the book starts in witty dialog. Sense and Sensibility is an interesting story that follows two sisters in surprisingly similar circumstances with regards to their love lives and how they handle said situations in their very different manner. One with great sense and the other with overly dramatic sensibility (hence the title). I think what I loved about this book was the same thing I loved about the movie, Brandon and Palmer. While Edward is Elinor's choice and for all intents and purposes the lead male, his character is dutiful to a fault. Brandon, on the other hand, is calm, reserved, and yet has a fire inside of him that longs to get out. In the movie, it is one of my favorite roles for Alan Rickman. As for my preference of Mr. Palmer, his sardonic wit has always appealed to me. The fact that Hugh Laurie plays him in the movie makes it that much more fun. Love it or leave it, Sense and Sensibility is Jane Austen to a tee. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.