Rating: 3 1/2 stars
As many readers are familiar with the plot of Sense and Sensibility, I won’t take the time to reiterate it but rather point out a few key changes. An event has taken place called “The Alteration” that, in the theory of Mr. Dashwood, a noxious water supply met with every sea, lake and stream to poison the inhabitants and thus turned all sea creatures into mutants that have waged war against man. These creatures include -- but are not limited to -- man-eating jellyfish, giant death-lobsters and sea serpents.
As in the Austen original, Mr. Dashwood dies but instead of some kind of consumption disorder, he sadly met his fate within the great jaws of a hammerhead shark. The only son, John, inherits the family home of Norland Park, taking precedence over his step-mother and half sisters who will have to find other accommodations. Personally, I’d rather be homeless than live with that shrew-of-a-wife Fanny.
The Dashwood women are still invited by their cousin, Sir John Middleton, to stay with him however in this version Sir John’s little cottage is located in an area fraught with a high concentration of sea monsters. All the usual love interests still await the Dashwood sisters, although poor Colonel Brandon has now been rendered as part man, part squid – but he has a really good personality…
As a big fan of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, I have to say I was looking forward to the next mash-up. Although I was hoping for Wuthering Heights and Werewolves, Quirk opted to stick with Austen and this time the menace would be sea monsters. I was all for Sense and Sensibility but must admit I was a bit skeptical of the sea monster aspect. I can understand the consensus that the usual suspects of vampires and the like are getting a little played out, but I think they’re still the go-to favorite. On one hand, I applaud the publisher’s attempt at trying to think outside the box but in this case, there’s a reason sea monsters are outside the box.
Where Pride stuck fairly close to the original Austen prose, Sense and Sensibility takes a larger step towards creative license. Although the story was quite funny, some of the humor was a bit over-the top making it necessary to take this one in small doses. The illustrations, however, were nothing short of great.
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Paperback: 344 pages
Publisher: Quirk Books (September 15, 2009)
ISBN-13: 978-1594744426