30 Day Book Challenge // Day 3: A Retelling You Love

Day 3: A Retelling You Love

This was a really interesting day for me, as I knew I would have to pick a retelling to highlight, when there are so many that I love. My first instincts went towards Marisa Meyer and her book Heartless, which is a retelling about the backstory of Queen of Hearts. I then thought I could use her series The Lunar Chronicles, which is a fantasy series retelling the lives of Cinderella and Prince Charming, among others.

However, I ended up choosing none of these books. It just so happens that at the end of May I was making my way through Joanna Trollope's Sense and Sensibility, and I felt that really fitted today! It was not only beautiful to read, but it was also what I would describe as a fantastic retelling.

I've had a love of Jane Austen my whole life, ever since I was a young girl and watched the six hour long adaptation of Pride and Prejudice over and over and over again in my living room! My mum was always a huge fan of the author, so I naturally fell into it too. I first read the original Sense and Sensibility when I was about 16 or 17. I remember being so intimidated by the language that I was convinced I would struggle through, but I surprised myself. I found the story very easy to read and follow, and the themes really classic and beautiful. 

When I heard a few years ago about 'The Austen Project', I was so excited! Well known and renowned authors coming together to rewrite some of Austen's most popular works for a modern audience; it's a great idea! I first read Val McDermid's Northanger Abbey, and thought it failed to capture the gothic charm of Austen's novel. I then read Eligible, the Pride and Prejudice retelling, which I really enjoyed, but which I found a little too modern, bordering on silly. I was therefore dubious about Sense and Sensibility by Joanna Trollope.

For those who don't know about the book, here is the blurb for Jane Austen's original novel:

Marianne Dashwood wears her heart on her sleeve, and when she falls in love with the dashing but unsuitable John Willoughby she ignores her sister Elinor's warning that her impulsive behaviour leaves her open to gossip and innuendo. Meanwhile Elinor, always sensitive to social convention, is struggling to conceal her own romantic disappointment, even from those closest to her. Through their parallel experience of love—and its threatened loss—the sisters learn that sense must mix with sensibility if they are to find personal happiness in a society where status and money govern the rules of love.

Blurb taken from Goodreads.

 

And here is the blurb for Joanna Trollope's retelling:

John Dashwood promised his dying father that he would take care of his half sisters. But his wife, Fanny, has no desire to share their newly inherited estate with Belle Dashwood's daughters. When she descends upon Norland Park with her Romanian nanny and her mood boards, the three Dashwood girls—Elinor, Marianne, and Margaret—are suddenly faced with the cruelties of life without their father, their home, or their money.

As they come to terms with life without the status of their country house, the protection of the family name, or the comfort of an inheritance, Elinor and Marianne are confronted by the cold hard reality of a world where people's attitudes can change as drastically as their circumstances.

Blurb taken from Goodreads.

I've already written a full review about Joanna Trollope's adaptation, so I'll try not to repeat myself too much. If anybody is interested in reading that review, you can find the link here. However, I will say that I thought this was an incredibly intelligent and respectful retelling of Jane Austen's original story. It captured all of the essence of the book, and elevated it for a new audience. When I was reading the story, I felt like it was really fresh, and I loved getting the opportunity to read this plot that I love so well in a really easy format. The characters are updated to be even more relatable, and the emphasis remains on love; after all, love is what Jane Austen always wrote about.

The reason I was so keen to spotlight this book today is because I think it is so important to make classic literature accessible to all. Many modern readers hesitate to read older books because the language is more difficult, and Jane Austen in particular is seen by many to have a very feminine style. However, Trollope has succeeded in many ways. I think the book captures the story perfectly, so it does feel like you are reading true to Austen's work and style, but it also captures many modern emotions and feelings of the characters, which makes it more relatable to a wider audience.

It's a beautiful book, and I would urge anybody who is thinking of reading it, especially as a gateway to more of Austen's work, to take the plunge. You won't regret it.