Back during my (very brief) college days, a co-worker found out that I had never read anything by Jane Austen, and said that I could not call myself a proper English major without reading her books. This was during my first bookstore experience, and as it happened we had a collection of her novels in stock for about...12 or 13 dollars? (It's been more than ten years. I'm guessing.) "Sense and Sensibility" was first, so I started there.
And was...not impressed. I'd seen the movie and loved it (particularly as it stars two of my favorite actresses, Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet) but none of my favorite lines from the movie were in the book. And her sentences were so LONG, and the punctuation was so old-fashioned (more on that when we get to Dickens). The only one I really liked at all was "Mansfield Park", which I'd never heard of before. I just couldn't see what the big deal was, and after "Emma", I gave up.
Several years later, while living in Utah, I started my first alphabetical reading project, and in the course of time came to Jane Austen again. I discovered, much to my surprise, that I actually quite enjoyed her books the second time around. In addition, I read the three I hadn't attempted before and discovered a new love (more on that later also).
So here we are on my third time around, and I am less surprised (but thoroughly delighted!) to report that I like it even more still. Though not quite as funny as "Pride and Prejudice" or "Emma", Elinor's internal snarkiness is fantastic, and there is drama and romance to boot. If you've never read any of her books, or read them and didn't like them, I would encourage you to give her a chance. I will always be glad I did.
Author: Jane Austen
Potentially objectionable content: Nothing to worry about here
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