Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters
Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters

Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters expands the original text of the beloved Jane Austen novel with all new scenes of giant lobsters, rampaging octopi, two headed sea serpents, and other biological monstrosities. As our story opens, the Dashwood sisters are evicted from their childhood home and sent to live on a mysterious island full of savage creatures and dark secrets. While sensible Elinor falls in love with Edward Ferras, her romantic sister Marianne is courted by both the handsome Willoughby and the hideous man-monster Colonel Brandon. Can the Dashwood sisters triumph over meddlesome matriarchs and unscrupulous rogues to find true love? Or will they fall prey to the tentacles that are forever snapping at their heels? This masterful portrait of Regency England blends Jane Austen's biting social commentary with ultraviolent depictions of sea monsters biting. It's survival of the fittest - and only the swiftest swimmers will find true love!

While first reading this novel, it started off a bit slowly and choppily and I didn't think it would hold up to the other Quirk Novels that I have reviewed. But as the story went on, it became more and more seamless and really started to work. In the end, the blending of the novel Sense and Sensibility and the idea of the sea monsters actually worked out better than I had thought it was going to.

While it is probably a good idea to have read the original Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen sometime before reading this re-vamping, it is not necessary. In fact, for those that roll their eyes at reading such "old" literature (shame on you if you're one of them), this might be perfect. At least someone can get a hint of the original novel through this re-working of it.

Various sea monsters, a suitor with octopus tentacles on his face, a scoundrel who breaks women's hearts, an insane Leviathan worshiping younger sister, an under the sea bio-dome which holds an entire city, and a dread pirate stalking the high seas are only a few of the things which change this novel, and yet make it so engaging.

Not to mention the fact that all undersea life is now highly intelligent and bent upon the destruction of all land living creatures, especially humans.

This novel was very fun to read and also kept the social commentary of its original. I highly recommend it.

My rating: Four and a half out of five snails.