Sense and Sensibility

By: Jane Austen

Narrated by: Juliet Stevenson

Length: 12 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

When Mrs. Dashwood is forced by an avaricious daughter-in-law to leave the family home in Sussex, she takes her three daughters to live in a modest cottage in Devon. For Elinor, the eldest daughter, the move means a painful separation from the man she loves, but her sister Marianne finds in Devon the romance and excitement which she longs for. The contrasting fortunes and temperaments of the two girls as they struggle to cope in their different ways with the cruel events which fate has in store for them are portrayed by Jane Austen with her usual irony, humour, and profound sensibility.

©2005 Naxos Audiobooks Ltd. (P)2005 Naxos Audiobooks Ltd.

One of my favorite Juliet Stevenson's performances

Would you listen to Sense and Sensibility again? Why?

Yes - and I have. This is one that always offers something new and Juliet Stevenson keeps me totally swept up in the story each time. There is always a part that I have forgotten which takes me by surprise and adds to my enjoyment.

What other book might you compare Sense and Sensibility to and why?

Clearly we have to compare it to Pride and Prejudice.

Not Pride and Prejudice.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

In the end all of Austen's writing is ingenious, and its so refreshing to hear sentences that, owing to their superb craftsmanship, are unafraid to meander and use language in a beautifully sumptuous way that you so rarely see in modern writing. Also Austen has a fantastic wit, which really shines here—there are some very funny lines amidst the drama (and plenty of the latter as well!)

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

I think listeners comparing it directly with Pride and Prejudice may be somewhat disappointed in the plot; Elinor is not Elizabeth Bennet; she is polite and subdued where Elizabeth was forthright and outspoken. Overall, it felt as if the matches were much more circumstantial and utilitarian than the "consequences-be-damned" unions in P&P, which might not sit as well with modern readers.

It was interesting looking at the 1995 film and what it *added* to actually make the matches a lot more charming and romantic than they appear in the original text.

Brilliant!

Vintage Austen, beautifully performed, as always, by Juliet Stevenson. Nobody does Austen better than Stevenson.

a wonderful novel and read beautifully

long and very enjoyable! I was enraptured by the life of the miss Dashwoods. can't wait to listen again in the future.

Two sisters, two lives

What did you love best about Sense and Sensibility?

Jane Austen is brittiant at creating characters that just stay in your heart long after you are done with the book.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Sense and Sensibility?

You mean... my borther... Mrs.... Mrs Robert Ferris

What aspect of Juliet Stevenson’s performance would you have changed?

Better sound quality mostly.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Two sisters, two lives

Classic Book

Sense and Sensibility is a classic book that is relevant today and is well read.

Well read and edited

Very good reader who uses consistent voice characterizations. The dynamics of the recording were good.

Perfection!

The story is fantastic and the narrator was excellent! Will listen to this many times again!

Slow start for someone new to Jane Austin

This is my first read (listen) to anything by Jane Austin and I almost didn't make it through because the story started so slow. The rewards were rich however as the last half of the book was a roller coaster of despair, hope, and finally felicity.

A joy to listen to

Juliet Stevenson is, by a large margin, my favorite narrator to listen to. I've bought books I have little to no interest in just because I know she will make it a joy to listen to.