Current Reading: Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters
I have long held the belief that “very few things in the world cannot be improved by the introduction of sea monsters”. It’s as true today as ever. The original Jane Austen text of Sense and Sensibility bears far too few reference to tentacles, Cthulhu, and ravenous water-dwelling horrors. Until now we had to read between the lines and infer the presence of the lurking aquatic menace. Ben Winters has thoughtfully corrected Ms. Austen’s unfortunate omissions, neatly revealing the crucial subplot.
Let the record show that I heartily appove of this book. It’s currently available as a paperback. Even if you don’t like Jane Austen or sea monsters (what are you… utterly devoid of culture?) the book is well worth reading just for the double-takes from fellow train commuters.
In order to help the finer details sink in, the co-author thoughtfully includes some discussion points in the appendix to the novel. Some selected gems:
2. In Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, painful personal setbacks often occur at the same moment as sea-monster attacks, suggesting a metaphorical linkage of “monsters” with the pains of romantic disappointment; for example, Marianne is rebuffed by Willoughby at Hydra-Z precisely as the giant mutant lobsters are staging their mutiny. Have you ever been “attacked by giant lobsters,” either figuratively or literally?
5. Which would be worse: being eaten by a shark or consumed by the acidic stomach juice of a sand-shambling man-o’-war?
8. Have you ever been romantically involved with someone who turned out to be a sea witch?
10. Is Monsieur Pierre a symbol for something? Name three other well-known works of Western literature that feature orangutan valets. Are those characters also slain by pirates?
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Genius, truly. I already have my copy of Pride and Predudice and Zombies, which I’ll be reading next. And after that, I’ll get a copy of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Literature + monsters = better literature.