One More Makes...Three...

Book number three has come and gone... Sense and Sensibility.
The more I thought about it, and the more I desired to have another novel in my hands... I realized that I had never read Sense and Sensibility but had only seen the movie long ago when I was really more tired than interested in the movie. I had no idea what it was about.
So now I have read it and I can say that I liked it just as much, or close to as much, as Pride and Prejudice. It had all the annoying characters, unknown secrets and in the end the plain, sensible girl wins! hurray.
I just previewed a couple of the different versions of the movie and I have to say I am disappointed already! Even the BBC version seemed to take a large liberty in there interpretation. The BBC alluded to sex (what?!) and the other version didn't have a single line in the preview that was actually from the book. hmmm.
Austen does such a good job of making everything so twisted. No one's character is what you think they will be at first (well sort of.. they all have skeletons or unknown passions it seems). Hopes are always dashed and come to life again. I was really pleased that in this book there were so many characters that voiced the opinion that money was not a good reason to marry. There seemed a lot of (what would have been considered back then) progressive thought. It was also one of the only books where a man and a woman are allowed off to themselves..seems rather scandelous for the time.
I of course loved Elinor and could see much of my sister Claire (minus some of the foolishness) in Marianne! She is beautiful and much more outgoing than I am but I am probably a little more sensible than her at times... but mostly b/c I'm older and already made some silly mistakes that I wish she didn't have to make too!! They love each other like friends...as we do, and always rejoice in the other forming a good relationship! Like Marianne, Claire was always especially good at giving evil looks and cold shoulders to boys who broke my heart!! I am glad she doesn't have a Willoughby on her hands though! whew
I also really liked Col. Brandon... broken hearted, gossiped about and yet always steady, generous and loving. At first I did think his age a little much but his sweet and long-lasting love of Marianne was very convincing. I wouldn't have been sad to see him go for Elinor though. I liked the idea of him confiding in her and then one day realizing she was more his type anyways since he barely knew M at all. But that would be hard to know your husband initially liked your sister better. No thanks.
If you're looking for a summer read I highly recommend it. Now if you have recommendations I need them and quick.. I'm all out of books and trying to avoid having only Hebrew at my command...
Yay for novels... I don't think I'll break my record from last May but I'm coming quite close and getting a lot more done that is actually needed too!!