Rating
3.0

There is sense, sensibility and not much else from the novel Jane Austen wrote after Ben Winters added sea monsters. While Winters provides an interesting follow-up to Seth Grahme Smith’s Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters does not really have the zest of its predecessor.

This new and improved book is just that — a story peppered with improvements and passages that steal from the overall tone and underlying meaning of Sense and Sensibility.

While Zombies had some alterations in phrases, characters and plot, the ends more than justified the means. A more complete picture of Pride and Prejudice was given to the reader.

In addition, Zombies delivered new insights into characters’ thoughts and, let’s say it, some really awesome zombie-killing scenes. Zombies gave readers who were unable to care for Austen’s dry tone and flowery way of speaking the ability to enjoy a classic.

Sea Monsters creates a completely new novel, albeit an interesting composition, which completely detracts from the original story of Sense and Sensibility. This tale is now entirely altered to the point where you can barely dig up the dregs of the original characters and storyline. The characters have a completely new lease on the roles they play and run rampant among the pages.

This is not to say the book is all bad. It was rewritten well, and the new story is an interesting one. It is full of swashbuckling and monster-battling. Winters also did an excellent job unearthing the subtle sexuality hidden in Austen’s books that makes the characters’ intentions more obvious to the reader.

Unfortunately, lovers of Austen have nothing to gain from this book. Unlike Zombies, the readers are not given an alternate view of Austen’s characters or a fresh look into their methods. Winters has not added anything to Elinor’s character to make her appear less cold or explain her coldness. Marianne does not appear to be any less willful and naïve.

In fact, Winters seems to have detracted from these characters, making them seem more involved with themselves. Winters has several deaths occur within the narrative, and yet no insight is offered into how either girl is affected. Rather, Winters carries on the characters’ everyday activities and conversations as if nothing has happened. This makes the characters appear indifferent, making the reader feel unsympathetic to anything that may befall them.

Even Margaret, whose new role as the deviant sister who runs off into the mountains to join an underground cult, is still portrayed as the same character. She is still horribly unimportant, is never listened to, and does not provide the reader with any depth or new understanding of Austen’s original story.

When any large event occurs to or around a character in Sea Monsters, Winters glosses over the occurrence as if nothing has happened.

He makes casual mention of it, returning abruptly to whatever was happening previously. Winters fails to properly enhance Sense and Sensibility and instead creates a totally different story.

Sea Monsters does not succeed in bringing in followers of Austen’s work like its predecessor accomplished. Lovers and haters of Austen alike can enjoy this book, but neither audience will come away with a better understanding of the original content.
Winters has conceivably created a monster of his own.