"
Jane Austen's first novel, in paperback format.
"" Sense and Sensibility tells the story of two sisters with very different personalities: Elinor is 'reason,' Marianne is 'sensibility,' and Jane Austen uses both to show the dangers of being too frank in an essentially hypocritical society, where there is much more merit in hiding than in showing."" Julia Romeu, excerpt from the preface
In Sense and Sensibility , after the death of Henry Dashwood, his wife and daughters—the sensible Elinor, the romantic Marianne, and the young Margaret—suddenly find themselves impoverished and forced to leave their comfortable mansion for a small cottage in Barton Park. While Elinor is controlled and cautious, Marianne openly displays her feelings, refusing to adopt the hypocritical behavior expected of her. Despite her prudence, Elinor becomes increasingly attached to an inaccessible man. Marianne, in turn, discovers that her affectionate temperament is not enough to guarantee her happiness. The sisters face great challenges in their love lives and are forced to find the balance between reason and emotion before achieving true love.
With her characteristic irony, the author paints a scathing portrait of early 19th-century English society. Sense and Sensibility is Jane Austen's first novel and has been adapted for television and film, the most recent starring Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet.
"