September Sea Monsters

Greetings Readers,

We do hope you all have been reading enjoyable novels. This month we shall be revisiting one of our favorites Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters. For those of you who have not previously read it be aware that any post in which we discuss the book most probably will contain spoilers. If you have not previously read Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility then you should be prepared for a double dose of spoilers.

As you read take note of where the sea monsters come in, and how they are used in the story. What role does the sea play in the story? Who emerges as your favorite character? Whom do you wish were eaten by the Kraken?

If for some reason you are unfamiliar with the Kraken we suggest doing a bit of mythological research. You may also like the movie route to familiarization of the idea through such cinematic features as Clash of the Titans (1980 or 2010), and Pirates of the Caribbean: Deadman’s Chest.  (Yes, we could have supplied a link, but the effort put into finding answers makes them stick better in the mind.)

For those who have read Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility there are aspects of comparison to think on for discussion. What character alterations can be seen with the introduction of sea monsters? Which character seems more appealing for the change? Which worse? (For a crash course to familiarize yourself with Sense and Sensibility you can always watch one of the movie or the BBC masterpiece production, but we do strongly recommend reading the original. Jane Austen, you know.)

We look forward to your comments for discussions. We will also be posting the odd question or quote via Facebook and Twitter, so do join us in those threads.

Hoping you read with us,

Veronica

Dark Jane Austen Book Club

 

P.S. There will be a giveaway of a paperback copy of this month’s featured read thanks to one of our members, Mary C. M. Phillips. The giveaway will begin September 15 and run through September 26. The winner will be announced Monday, September 29. Please be sure to enter when the time comes.

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