Sense and Sensibility by Joanna Trollope is the first in The Austen Project series of books in which contemporary writers rework Austen’s classics to bring them into the modern day. In a world without the Lizzie Bennet Diaries, Emma Approved and Clueless, Trollope’s updating of Sense and Sensibility might appear fresh and fun. In comparison to these other modernisations, however, it comes across as unimaginative and safe. Too often it appears Trollope has simply transposed the characters and situations from Regency England to the modern day without using more up to date equivalents. A few references to Facebook and Twitter don’t make a modern adaption. In all fairness, perhaps Trollope was given a tight brief by HarperCollins to keep it close to the original. What I liked Faithful to Austen’s characters. Trollope stayed true to Austen’s characters. Elinor is still the level head of the family, Marianne is still a hopeless romantic, Willoughby is still a cad. The relationships between them remained true to the original – the interactions between the characters still follow the same themes. The characters follow the same development arcs. It’s clear Trollope understands the motivations of her characters and the main themes of the…
Sense and Sensibility by Joanna Trollope is the first in The Austen Project series of books in which contemporary writers rework Austen’s classics to bring them into the modern day. In a world without the Lizzie Bennet Diaries, Emma Approved and Clueless, Trollope’s updating of Sense and Sensibility might appear fresh and fun. In comparison to these other modernisations, however, it comes across as unimaginative and safe. Too often it appears Trollope has simply transposed the characters and situations from Regency England to the modern day without using more up to date equivalents. A few references to Facebook and Twitter don’t make a modern adaption. In all fairness, perhaps Trollope was given a tight brief by HarperCollins to keep it close to the original. What I liked Faithful to Austen’s characters. Trollope stayed true to Austen’s characters. Elinor is still the level head of the family, Marianne is still a hopeless romantic, Willoughby is still a cad. The relationships between them remained true to the original – the interactions between the characters still follow the same themes. The characters follow the same development arcs. It’s clear Trollope understands the motivations of her characters and the main themes of the…
On this week’s reading roundup I ended up getting sucked into Cassandra Clare’s/Joshua Lewis’s Shadowhunter’s Codex. This is an accompanying book to Clare’s Mortal Instruments/Infernal Devices series. [book-info] I hadn’t intended to read this right now; I have so many other books I need to read. However, it was one of those times where you think you’ll just leaf through a page or two and the next thing you know, it’s three hours later and you’re half way through the book. Cassandra Clare’s world is totally captivating and I REALLY want to just sit and marathon my way through the rest of the Mortal Instruments series (I’ve only read the first book, City of Bones) but I have other books I must read and review first. The Shadowhunter’s Codex provides background information to the two series. I have seen some very minor spoilers in there – for example, I didn’t know about Simon’s status – but nothing that would spoil the series. Although I am an advocate of ebooks, this is one book I would strongly recommend buying in hardback format. Part of the fun of the book are Clary’s and Simon’s in-world notes in the margin of this…
On this week’s reading roundup I ended up getting sucked into Cassandra Clare’s/Joshua Lewis’s Shadowhunter’s Codex. This is an accompanying book to Clare’s Mortal Instruments/Infernal Devices series. [book-info] I hadn’t intended to read this right now; I have so many other books I need to read. However, it was one of those times where you think you’ll just leaf through a page or two and the next thing you know, it’s three hours later and you’re half way through the book. Cassandra Clare’s world is totally captivating and I REALLY want to just sit and marathon my way through the rest of the Mortal Instruments series (I’ve only read the first book, City of Bones) but I have other books I must read and review first. The Shadowhunter’s Codex provides background information to the two series. I have seen some very minor spoilers in there – for example, I didn’t know about Simon’s status – but nothing that would spoil the series. Although I am an advocate of ebooks, this is one book I would strongly recommend buying in hardback format. Part of the fun of the book are Clary’s and Simon’s in-world notes in the margin of this…