Litsy

Chapters 16 and 17 bring the return of our old friend Edward Ferrars! The Dashwoods are delighted to see him, but sadly Edward goes all Sad Keanu on them, unable to shake off, or even mask, his low spirits. Elinor is "vexed and half-angry" about his behavior- and honestly, I get it! I always WANT to love Edward- he is kind and honorable, and I sympathize with his feelings of social awkwardness; but the dude is also kind of a drag.

Ruthiella If Marianne is allowed to spend “whole hours at her pianoforte alternately singing and crying” for days (which 16 year old me totally understands), then Edward should be allowed to be a little sad. Besides, we know why he‘s depressed and he has a pretty good reason for it! Lucy Steele! 😱 4h

Andrea313 @Ruthiella You're very right! Lucy is HORRIBLE, and it's absolutely reasonable to infer that Edward is managing some level of depression. I guess I just sympathize so deeply with Elinor and wish he would have been even slightly effusive about seeing her. I know he tries not to lead her on, but if that's the case, why leave the Steeles to even come visit? 3h

Andrea313 #PemberLittens 3h

Ruthiella @Andrea313 Yes, it is hard on Elinor and doubly so when her own sister assumes her feelings aren‘t deep because she is able to hold her composure. ☹️ 1h

Blueberry I enjoy reading your chapter reviews 💜 1h

20 likes5 comments

aroc

Lies Jane Austen Told Me | Julie Wright

A #wineandbook while waiting for dinner to cook. 💛

24 likes

BarkingMadRun

Sense and Sensibility | Jane Austen

Chapter 17 gives us another peek into Edward‘s personality…. #pemberlittens #buddyread

BarkingMadRun @sprainedbrain @ravenlee @suvata @megnews @chili @scientistsam @moonwitch94 @kdgordon88 @ruthiella @melissajayne @mollyrotondo @indoordame @inthegreensandblues @cathythoughts @sarahbookinterrupted @mklong @bklover @wanderinglynn @andrea313 @danamaniac @tineke @divinediana @momtobugnbee @jhod @staycurious @peanutnine @blackink_whitepaper 14h

Ruthiella Indeed! Dare I say he has a sense of humor behind his reserved exterior? 🤔😀 12h

BarkingMadRun @Ruthiella it looked that way for a minute! Good for him! 11h

Ruthiella @BarkingMadRun Upon my honor! I mixed up the chapters! It‘s in the next one that Edward shows a bit of self deprecating humor. He is quite glum in this one. 2h

32 likes4 comments

Crinoline_Laphroaig

A Truth Universally Acknowledged: 33 Reasons Why We Can't Stop Reading Jane Austen | Susannah Carson

My early Monday Morning Me Time with #PemberLittens & @jenniferw88 #BuddyRead.

Jane's niece Fanny - Lady Knatchbull had me ?.
But ending with this made me ?:
"Make friends with this quiet but brilliant woman, this superb artist in fiction, and you have made a friend for life."

37 likes

AmyK1

Northanger Abby | Jane Austen

pick

This was my first Austen. I enjoyed it and definitely laughed at some parts. Catherine is sweet, honest and innocent, if a bit clueless. Henry is funny and kind and the Thorpes are the worst.

This was my #doublespin for January.
@TheAromaofBooks

MadelineMcCrae Northanger Abbey is one of my favorite of Jane Austen :) 1d

TheAromaofBooks I love this one!!! 1d

batsy That's a cute cover! 21h

mabell This is one of my favorite Austens too! ❤️ 16h

40 likes4 comments

AmyK1

Northanger Abby | Jane Austen

1. Hoping to finish the tagged today.
2. We‘re having an ice/wind storm in SC today. Freezing rain, trees encased in ice, lost lots of branches from our large pine tree. But at least the power came back on!
3. Blankets, hot chocolate, good book

#weekendreads @rachelsbrittain

Scochrane26 Ice storms are so beautiful but wreak so much havoc! Glad you got power back. 1d

AmyK1 @Scochrane26 Thanks! We were very thankful it was only off a couple hours. Ice in the trees is definitely beautiful but we‘ve got quite the mess to clean up lol 1d

26 likes2 comments

BarkingMadRun

Sense and Sensibility | Jane Austen

Chapter 16 has Marianne moping and Edward visiting, but being very cold to Elinor. #pemberlittens #buddyread

BarkingMadRun @sprainedbrain @ravenlee @suvata @megnews @chili @scientistsam @moonwitch94 @kdgordon88 @ruthiella @melissajayne @mollyrotondo @indoordame @inthegreensandblues @cathythoughts @sarahbookinterrupted @mklong @bklover @wanderinglynn @andrea313 @danamaniac @tineke @divinediana @momtobugnbee @jhod @staycurious @peanutnine @blackink_whitepaper 2d

suvata These moody men are killing me. 😖 1d

34 likes2 comments

jenniferw88

A Truth Universally Acknowledged: 33 Reasons Why We Can't Stop Reading Jane Austen | Susannah Carson

Just one question this week, and follows on from the essay I didn't like - NA is my fave, and my answer is it definitely is one of her 6 novels. #PemberLittens

@sprainedbrain @ravenlee @DebinHawaii @Bookwormjillk @MeganAnn @Amandajoy @Eyelit @kspenmoll @Kdgordon88 @mklong @Chrissyreadit @inthegreensandblues @Vansa @Ruthiella @mom2bugnbee @Andrea313 @Crinoline_Laphroaig @MaureenMc @sb3626 @Lcsmcat @ScientistSam

Vansa Oh, I absolutely LOVE Northanger Abbey,should be considered as one of the 6.I love her spirited defence of "women's fiction",and Henry Tilney is my favourite Austen hero-sweet,unassuming,and so kind. 2d

sprainedbrain I‘m with you… it‘s definitely complete and a full novel. And it‘s wonderful!! 2d

RaeLovesToRead Definitely with the novels 💕 2d

See All 20 Comments

MaureenMc Yes, I agree, should be considered one of her 6 novels. 2d

Ruthiella Novel for sure! 2d

DebinHawaii I vote for novel without a doubt! 💜 1d

Andrea313 Northanger absolutely deserves its place among the novels! I've heard the argument before that it lacks depth, and it makes me so mad. Just because it's lighter in tone than Persuasion or Mansfield doesn't mean it's not well-constructed. And I agree with @Vansa about the defense of women's fiction! 1d

ravenlee It‘s definitely different, but it‘s a novel. I haven‘t read any of the juvenilia yet, but I just don‘t see how it couldn‘t be a novel. 1d

inthegreensandblues I also disagreed with Carson's assertion that it "can't carry the burden" of being classed with her other novels. But I did find her argument about the improbability of the Catherine+Tilney pairing intriguing (and the question of whether they'd end up like Mr & Mrs Bennet). 1d

mollyrotondo Definitely a novel and an excellent satire/tribute to the gothic novel. I also felt like this critic was missing the mark. It‘s not all supposed to be taken so seriously. Especially Catherine and Tilney. She was writing a very gothic novel couple so they don‘t have to be like Elizabeth and Darcy or Elinor and Edward. They are perfect for one another according to the “rules” of a gothic novel. It‘s a novel and a very smart one at that. 1d

Vansa Banged out my response in a hurry yesterday,so here's a longer response to this essay.I didn't agree with even one of Carson's assertions in this essay-I'm not sure which “Janeites“ feel let down by NA,which is beloved by many.I can't agree at ALL with Carson's argument in this essay that Catherine and Henry are completely ill-matched.I would argue the opposite-this is one of the few novels where we see a relationship slowly develop(1/n) 1d

Vansa (2/n)and the protagonists have multiple conversations,about mutual interests such as literature,life,other people's foibles.Catherine might be naive,and sheltered,but she's not an idiot-she holds her own perfectly well against the completely obnoxious John Thorpe.Carson seems to confuse kindness with stupidity,and this essay suffers from that basic flaw.FOrtunately,Henry TIlney does not suffer from that,and he clearly recognises her basic decency 1d

Vansa (3/n)and that unlike most typical young women of the time,who were told to keep their opinions to themselves,Catherine stands up for what she believes in.I find this one of her best character sketches,so recognisable to this day-the 'frenemy' Isabella,the rich snob John THorpe,the quite avaricious General Tilney.I also thought she captured that feeling of isolation you get when you feel you're not one of the 'cool kids' really well, 1d

Vansa (4/n)and the absolute thrill you get when someone else likes the same books as you-isn't this why we're all on Litsy?!These are such universal feelings,and I'm not sure there were books till then that showed the power and delights of sorority.Austen sends up her heroine gently,but at no point does she patronise or condescend to her-something Carson does.And a mark of just how modern this book is-Val Mcdermid's 21st century update just tweaks

Northanger Abbey

1d

Vansa (4/n)and the absolute thrill you get when someone else likes the same books as you-isn't this why we're all on Litsy?!These are such universal feelings,and I'm not sure there were books till then that showed the power and delights of sorority.Austen sends up her heroine gently,but at no point does she patronise or condescend to her-something Carson does.And a mark of just how modern this book is-Val Mcdermid's 21st century update just tweaks

Northanger Abbey

1d

Vansa (5/n)the language a bit to modernise it,it's otherwise exactly the same as the original-reflecting how truly universal Austen's writing is.As for the comparison to the Bennett marriage-completely misguided.Mr.Bennett,while he might be witty and sarcastic,isn't a nice person at all-as a father,or as a husband.Henry's affection for Catherine isn't entirely for her looks,it's also for her disposition.He knows she's naive,and also knows she'll mature. 1d

Vansa (n/n)He's a much kinder person than Mr.Bennett,apart from sharing his wit and humour.I think among all the couples, this was my favourite pairing,since we get to see them genuinely interact and fall in love. And that ends my hundreds of comments! 1d

MaureenMc Excellently put, @Vansa ! 👏 14h

Vansa @MaureenMc thank you!! 2h

49 likes20 comments

BarkingMadRun

Sense and Sensibility | Jane Austen

Chapter 15 and Willoughby is acting sketchy as he flees the area. Elinor is distrustful but Mrs Dashwood still thinks he‘s perfect. #pemberlittens #buddyread