2015 Reading Challenge [Closed] discussion

I have been wanting to read another one of her books, so I chose "Sense and Sensibility" for week 2. I enjoy reading books by a certain author in the order they were written so I can watch how they progress and grow in their craft. This being her first novel will give me the opportunity to see how she started as I read her works in order. She has never let me down, and I am excited to read a novel who left a distinct mark on English literature.

Sense and Sensibility is a wonderful novel! I'm certain you'll enjoy it. I need to be pedantic, though; Northanger Abbey, despite being published posthumously, was Austen's first major work. :) So if you want to go in order of writing, maybe check that one out, too?

I'm reading that one, too! I just started yesterday.

I just started Sense and Sensibility today. I'm only on chapter 4 or so, but I can't wait to see what's in store for the characters.

This is on my "to be read" list! Will be interested to see what others think of it :)

I read this a while back and enjoyed it, too. Although I enjoyed P&P more than this, I would still recommend this. Good luck for those reading this!

I'm reading Sense and Sensibility at the moment. I'm reading it so slowly because I don't really enjoy it all that much so far. Perhaps it gets better. I just started the part when Willoughby gets introduced in the story.

I finished the book last night, and I think it just wasn't the book for me. This is probably a really unpopular opinion but I didn't even like Elinor that much. I know she's supposed to be the voice of reason and the person through which we see everything unfold, but I thought she was kind of judgmental. And I'm not even going to go into Marianne's ending because it didn't make any sense to me.

I did watch the movie today (the 1995 version with Emma Thompson & Kate Winslet), which I liked a lot more. I think it had more to do with being able to see the characters fall for one another.

I'm a little late to the challenge, so I'm out of order, but I think I want to do this one for my classic romance novel. My other option is Pride and Prejudice which I have already read three times - but this time in Japanese. (Don't think I could finish reading it in Japanese in a week though, so I'm kinda leaning towards this one.) Still debating after reading all of your mixed reviews...

Loved the movie though!

I started; I FINALLY started!! Only one chapter in so far, but I'm really hating the step-brother and his wife right now.

I hate to say it, but the step-brother and wife don't get any better. She is very manipulative, as you can tell from the first scene when she talks him out of giving his family money. I'm not that fond of any of the characters, but I definitely despise them!

I'm about 30% in, and having a hard time with it. I didn't really like P&P either, but I read it a few years ago because my sister loves it. I guess I just don't get it.

So late, but I finally finished. It was a little hard for me to get into (mainly because my attention span has not been very great lately?), but I have too much respect for Jane Austen to give her anything less than 5 stars. I thought it was probably as good as Emma and better than Mansfield Park, but not as good as P&P--that book is still my all-time favorite. So anyway, I definitely have biases in favor of Austen.

My "official" review here.

I'm Still trying to get through this one! I'm finding everything else more interesting than reading this book. I felt the same way with P&P. I know, Austen fans can crucify me! I just don't think I'm a fan!

Alina wrote: "I'm Still trying to get through this one! I'm finding everything else more interesting than reading this book. I felt the same way with P&P. I know, Austen fans can crucify me! I just don't thi..."

I chose Pride and Prejudice for my romantic week (week 2), but it's still waiting in my shelf, I just can't find the courage to begin, so I can understand you perfectly :D

I'm trying to read more classics, but Jane Austen never really appealed to me. Now it's even worse reading your comments! ;)

At my school in UK Jane Austen was studied in English Lit classes quite often. I remember toiling through Emma in great depth for my English Lit 'A' Level (the final exams before leaving school at 18 to go to University) and absolutely hating it! Having to dissect and discuss practically every sentence, nuance, and action was just such a bore to me. I feel sorry for readers not brought up here having to make sense of the social history,class structure and manners of the time as Austen's work is quintessentially English. I love all the other English classics we studied (Thomas Hardy's work being a particular favourite then and now) but despite Jane Austen's revered status I just didn't 'get' her.