Marianne Dashwood wears her heart on her sleeve, and when she falls in love with the dashing but unsuitable John Willoughby she ignores her sister Elinor's warning that her impulsive behaviour leaves her open to gossip and innuendo. Meanwhile, Elinor, always sensitive to social convention, is struggling to conceal her own romantic disappointment, even from those closest to her. Through their parallel experience of love – and its threatened loss – the sisters learn that sense must mix with sensibility if they are to find personal happiness in a society where status and money govern the rules of love. This edition includes explanatory notes, textual variants between the first and second editions, and Tony Tanner's introduction to the original Penguin Classic edition.
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Yes, this book was written over 2oo years ago, but don’t be fooled; under all its’ elegant prose Austen’s novel is bursting with intelligent humour and authentic characters that will capture your heart centuries after their creation. Her character development in the socially tumultuous and restraining setting of Victorian England is incredible and I am in awe at how cunningly she balances social convention with passionate emotions and captures both humanity’s beauty and flaws. - Lindsay (QBD)
Guest, 15/04/2017
