Book 1,082: Sense & Sensibility (The Austen Project #1) – Joanna Trollope

Trollope’s work is the first book of the ultimately unfinished Austen Project from the early 2010s where internationally renowned authors attempted to rewrite Austen’s six novels. I started the series with Val McDermid’s retelling of Northanger Abbey and then got early access to Curtis Sittenfeld’s Eligible, a retelling of Pride and Prejudice, and with this that only leaves Alexander McCall Smith’s Emma. Unfortunately, Persuasion and Mansfield Park never materialized.

Overall, this is a fine retelling of Austen’s work. It didn’t stray too far from the plot and the bulk of the modernization was in adding technology and cars and a very moody teenager. I will say that it felt like it was written somewhat confusingly somewhere between vaguely between 1995 (the W hand sign for whatever) and 2006 (peak popularity of iPods).

What I did struggle with, however, was the dialogue and the interactions of the characters. Trollope seemed to want to write the characters a little older (so the marriage thing was less icky) and yet have them talk like they were younger and it was very stilted to me. It wasn’t super noticeable and didn’t impact the flow of the plot, but it definitely stood out. Think about when you were a teen and your parents tried to use your slang, yeah like that, AWKWARD (turtle motion if you’re an elder millennial).

The gem of most of the retelling of Sense and Sensibility that I’ve read (especially recently) is Margaret, the third Dashwood. Honestly, if you would’ve quizzed me prior to this year I would’ve told you there were only two sisters, but all of the retellings seem to give Margaret a large role or at least more personality. When I reread the original later this year it’ll be interesting to see if she stands out more for me. I also need to see if John and Fanny are as horrid, or if even possible more horrid, in the original too. I remember not liking them, but damn these last two adaptations I’ve read made me actively despise them.

Bill Brandon, was the other piece of this retelling that I really liked. I think his story has the most staying power 12 years after it was written. He’s turned his estate into a recovery center for veterans (and others) who experience substance abuse, and with the opioid epidemic still gripping large swaths of the US and UK, it just felt like the one piece that held true and I think really fit the characters. Plus it then made sense when he offered Edward a job and a flat and tied everything together.

Recommendation: For the most part I found this book mediocre, it’s worth checking out if you’ve read some of the other adaptations but I wouldn’t put it toward the top. It was a faithful retelling of the story with all of the characters and quite a bit of updating, but awkwardly. It was a quick read and stayed engaging, but it was definitely stilted and a bit like someone who doesn’t quite know what’s hip trying to figure it out and just throwing things at the wall. This included references to iPods and social media, a flamboyant not out older brother, texting, and other things that could seamlessly be included in a novel from the early 2010s, but just feel somewhat outdated already.

Opening Line: “From their windows – their high, generous Georgian windows – the view was, they all agreed, spectacular.”

Closing Line: “‘All.’ he said contentedly. ‘All. I’ll settle for that.'” (Whited out to avoid spoilers, highlight to read.)