Review: Sense and Sensibility -- The Graphic Novel

Sense and Sensibility, adapted from the novel by Jane Austen
By: Nancy Butler and Sonny Liew
Publisher: Marvel
ISBN: 978-0-7851-4820-3

About the book:

Two-time Rita Award-Winner Nancy Butler returns to Jane Austen's world, accompanied by internationally acclaimed artist Sonny Liew!

Marvel's adaptation of Pride & Prejudice spent 13 weeks on The New York Times Graphic NOvel Best-Seller List, and now comes the adaptation of Jane Austen's first novel. Published in 1811, it introduced readers to the world of Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, two daughters without parents* or means, forced to experience hardship, romance and heartbreak -- all in the hopes of achieving love and lasting happiness.

Review:

Sense and Sensibility is the second of Jane Austen's novels to receive the graphic novel treatment from Marvel. Author Nancy Butler returns to adapt the text, while artist Sonny Liew brings the Dashwood sisters and their world to vibrant, colorful life. Where Butler's previous Austen graphic novel was a competently-executed adaptation of the source material, I felt my overall enjoyment of the book was hampered by the dark, bold tones of the illustrations. Happily no such issue exists with this version of Sense and Sensibility. Liew's whimsical, fanciful drawings contain all off the period detail one could wish for while possessing a light touch that enhances Austen's story. The softer color palette is easily adjusted to suit both Elinor's outward tranquility and in an instant, alter to complement one of Marianne's passionate displays of temper. Liew uses chibi figures throughout to artfully exaggerate the humor found in certain key scenes, supporting Austen's aim of illustrating the ridiculousness of individuals such as Fanny and John Dashwood and their penny-pinching ways. Throughout, each character is uniquely and gorgeously-rendered on the page. This is an attractive volume that retains, in large part thanks to the lyrical illustrations, the humor, pathos, and romance of Austen's original novel.

My one qualm with this adaptation relates to the manner in which Butler elected to translate key scenes to the page. She does a creditable job once again of retaining the flavor of Austen's text, but as she points out in her introduction, Sense and Sensibility was originally largely epistolary and narrative-heavy, a drawback when crafting a graphic novel version. In most cases, visual and textual renderings of events only hinted at in the novel are created on the page in a manner faithful to the story's spirit, striving to remain in-line with the author's intent. But in some cases, such as when Willoughby pleads his case to Elinor, so many panels are given to relating that event that a key turning point moment, such as Marianne's illness, receives the short shrift. That "balancing" issue aside, this is a lovely volume and a fine introduction to Austen's classic tale of the trials and tribulations of two very different sisters.

Sample panel:

*Clearly whoever wrote the back cover copy for this volume never read the book, or they wouldn't act as though poor Mrs. Dashwood was dead. :P

From Prada to Nada

Friday I went to see From Prada to Nada, a modern Latina spin on Jane Austen's classic Sense and Sensibility. I wasn't sure what to expect, but the movie was much better and more entertaining than I thought possible, and it succeeded in translating the characters and major story beats from Austen's novel more successfully and more thoroughly than I expected. Great cinema this isn't by any stretch, but if you're looking for a fun diversion to while away a few hours I can definitely recommend this flick.

Sisters Nora (Camilla Belle) and Mary (Alexa Vega - remember the Spy Kids movie? LOL) Dominguez have grown up privileged and beloved in west L.A., the center of their father's world after the death of their mother in a car accident years earlier. Though sisters, they couldn't be more different - Nora, our modern-day stand-in for Elinor, is a bookish law student, more concerned about others than the latest fashions or shopping sprees. Mary, our flighty modern-day Marianne, can think of nothing but shopping or men. When their father suddenly dies, they are shocked to discover 1) that they're completely broke and 2) that they have a brother, Gabriel (Pablo Cruz), the product of an affair their father was involved in years earlier. Gabriel brings with him a blonde, plastic Barbie-doll of a wife - Olivia (April Bowlby), who commences with remodeling their beloved home, alienating them at every turn, and finally driving Nora to leave, dragging her sister with her to their aunt's home in east L.A. (oh the horrors!).

Their aunt, Aurelia (Adriana Barraza), was hilarious. She was fiesty and sassy, fiercely loyal to family, and determined to teach her privileged nieces how to live in the "real" world - i.e., with less. One of her neighbors is Bruno (Wilmer Valderrama), whose reticence and rough manner hilariously freak Mary out, convincing her he's some sort of gang member. As a modern-day Colonel Brandon, I thought the Bruno character worked extraordinarily well. I loved the little things he was always doing to help out Mary (the car mirror! loved it!) or her family, and how in spite of her near constant rudeness he would just roll his eyes in exasperation. And it doesn't hurt that Valderrama is quite the hunk, either. :) Bruno was definitely one of my favorite characters in the film, and I thought it was interesting that his romance with Mary became my favorite. Despite the change in culture and time period, there's apparently no denying the hold the Marianne/Brandon romance has on  my heart in any form.

Olivia's brother Edward Ferris (Nicholas D'Agosto) is a lawyer, as kind and genuine as his sister is fake and self-absorbed. D'Agosto is absolutely adorable, and his Edward starts out with what seems like more gumption, I guess you could say, than his book counterpart which I really liked since Edward has a history of annoying me. After all he's already established in his career. I really liked how he had the chance to develop an actual relationship with Nora when she brings a pro-bono case to his law firm which they bring to a successful conclusion. The critical moment for their romance, when Nora turns down Edward's declaration of love because she has to focus on her career, felt more than a little contrived however. And the fact that Edward proceeds to cave immediately and get engaged to Lucy (Karla Souza) was a bit of a disappointment, given the character's stronger nature in the first half of the film. In spite of some disappointment with how the Edward and Nora storyline plays out, I was pleased with the resolution of it - I thought it was extremely sweet the way Edward bought a house in down the street from Nora's aunt as a wedding gift. This is a guy to whom class or position means nothing, and the hopeless romantic in me couldn't help but cheer a little.

Willoughby is transformed into a womanizing teaching assistant at Mary's college named Rodrigo (Kuno Becker). The movie does perhaps an even better job of making this character appear up-front when he's first introduced - since no one else knows him, there's no history to cast a shadow of doubt on his character. Mary's wake-up call was extremely realistic and heart-wrenching. She views Rodrigo as a savior for her old lifestyle, and once she sleeps with him she's a complete goner, certain they'll be married. When she discovers his duplicity at Edward's engagement party and meets his wife, it's a sad wake-up call for her. I liked how the filmmakers translated Mary's moment in the rain into modern day terms - her she gets into a car wreck in a downpour while fleeing from Rodrigo and the party. And Bruno couldn't be more romantic - though he doesn't visit her in the hospital, he's busy re-vamping her aunt's home so she can get around easily in her wheelchair while she recovers - and this after having his heart stomped on. Bruno/Brandon, I love you. :)

One major change to the Sense and Sensibility storyline involves Nora and Mary's brother Gabriel. He apparently grew up convinced that his father had abandoned him, never interested in a relationship, and that gives his character some real family baggage. He wants a sense of family but isn't sure how to relate to Nora and Mary, until Nora discovers a packet of letters to Gabriel among their father's papers that had all been returned to him by Gabriel's mother, unopened. So by the end of the film, and after this revelation, Gabriel splits from his horrid materialistic and annoying wife, and starts spending more time in east L.A. getting to know his sisters. I thought it was a nice twist to the sibling storyline - I always wanted the brother to have more interest in taking care of his family.

If you can get past the rather "jerky" camera work (it was almost like they were trying to give this movie a documentary-style feel, which was odd), From Prada to Nada is a cute, warm-hearted modern-day take on a Jane Austen classic.

This review marks my first entry in the Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge.      

The Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge 2011

Okay, I think I may have officially crossed the threshold from ambitious to insane when it comes to blog challenges. But at least I'm trying, right? :) Laurel Ann at Austenprose is hosting The Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the publication of Sense and Sensibility. Here are the challenge details from Laurel Ann's post:

The Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge 2011

We are very pleased to announce the Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge 2011. If you have not read Jane Austen’s masterpiece or would like to revisit it in honor of its significant anniversary, seen all of the movies or read all of the sequels and spinoffs, this is the year to join the challenge along with other Janeites, historical fiction readers and period drama movie lovers.

Challenge Details

Time-line: The Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge 2011 runs January 1, through December 31, 2011.

Levels of participation: Neophyte: 1 – 4 selections, Disciple: 5 – 8 selections, Aficionada: 9 – 12 selections.

Enrollment: Sign up’s are open until March 1, 2011. First, select your level of participation. Second, copy the Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge 2011 graphic and include it in your blog post detailing the novels or movies that you commit to reading and watching in 2011. Third, leave a comment linking back to your blog post in the comments of this announcement post. If you do not have a blog you can still participate. Just leave your commitment to the challenge in the comments below.

Check Back Monthly: The Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge 2011 officially begins on Wednesday, January 26, 2010 with my review of the novel The Three Weismanns of Westport. Check back on the 4th Wednesday of each month for my next review in the challenge.

Your Participation: Once the challenge starts you will see a tab included at the top of Austenprose called Reading Challenges. Click on the tab and select the Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge 2011. Leave a comment including the name of the book or movie read or viewed and a link to your blog review. If you do not have a blog, just leave a comment about your selection that you finished with a brief reaction or remark. It’s that easy.

The Prizes

Oh, of course there are prizes! There will be giveaways each month of the book or movie that I review in the challenge here on Austenprose to be drawn from comments left with each post, and one lucky Grand Prize Winner of all 12 titles tucked into a Jane Austen tote bag ($200.00 value) to be drawn from comments left at any and all of the reviews left on this blog or yours. Yes, that means that your readers who comment on your challenge reviews have a chance to win too. Winners will be announced monthly two weeks after each blog post, and the Grand Prize winner will be announced on January 01, 2012. Shipment to US or Canadian addresses only.

So, make haste and join the challenge today. I am so looking forward to revisiting Jane Austen’s classic tale through her eyes and others.

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Be sure to check out Laurel Ann's post for a list of suggested books and films that are eligible for this challenge. I'm signing up for this challenge at the Neophyte level (1-4 selections), though since films are eligible maybe I will be become a Disciple before the end of the year. :) Here's my tentative list:

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Sense and Sensibility (Marvel Illustrated)
Sense and Sensibility 1995
Sense and Sensibility 2008

Possible alternate/bonus selections:
The Dashwood Sisters Tell All by Beth Patillo (releases April 2011)
From Prada to Nada (releases January 28, 2011)

Let the fun commence! :)