Joan Aiken books are always a pleasure to read as readers get to feel the spirit of Jane Austen in how the prose is crafted. Yet the author remains true to her vision and own voice as she spins the story sequel into her very own. This Jane Austen Sense and Sensibility sequel immerses readers into the life of Liz, Eliza Williams and John Willoughby’s daughter from the original novel Sense and Sensibility. 

As an illegitimate child, Eliza lives a life with minimal supervision and help of her parents. She possesses a creative, free-spirited and intellectual soul and is not wary of the restrictions and criticisms of society. Eliza meets Samuel Coleridge and William Wordsworth who are both poets, and makes friends out of them along the way. The protagonist eventually ends up in London and gets to travel the world, as she seeks to discover the mystery surrounding her natural parents. In this wonderful tale, we see her live an adventurous and artistic life filled with a bout of her own determination and persistence.

Most readers find the rendition of this Sense and Sensibility appealing when ironically treated otherwise. It deviates greatly in terms of the overall tone of the original story in that, in the original novel, readers get to see the protagonists end up having better dispositions. This Joan Aiken novel, on the other hand, dwells on the opposite side. The overall tone of the story is quite dismal and stark. This is highly recommended for realists who are comfortable with reading stories that are not always so pleasant and whose endings are not necessarily happy.

This Joan Aiken rendition for a Sense and Sensibility sequel is well written and is jam-packed with wit and humor. Her writing style reminds the reader that this is indeed a sequel on a work of Jane Austen, no matter how the story or the tone of the plot may have changed.

This Sense and Sensibility spinoff has also been praised for its engaging plot as well as the development of genuine and diverse characters. This Joan Austen work was obviously well-researched as well, as references to the time period where this story was set was well executed. In effect, this makes readers become more engaged to the story.

In this Joan Aiken book, the author has yet again showcased her capability as an innovative and witty storyteller. It is a pleasant sequel to Sense and Sensibility with a touch of realism that is sure to appeal to avid Jane Austen sequel readers.

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