Sea Monsters and Austen

While at the bookstore over the weekend (a day at Orchard Road cannot be complete without going to Kinokuniya!), look at what I found!

Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters expands the original text of the beloved Jane Austen novel with all-new scenes of giant lobsters, rampaging octopi, two-headed sea serpents, and other biological monstrosities. As our story opens, the Dashwood sisters are evicted from their childhood home and sent to live on a mysterious island full of savage creatures and dark secrets. While sensible Elinor falls in love with Edward Ferrars, her romantic sister Marianne is courted by both the handsome Willoughby and the hideous man-monster Colonel Brandon. Can the Dashwood sisters triumph over meddlesome matriarchs and unscrupulous rogues to find true love? Or will they fall prey to the tentacles that are forever snapping at their heels? This masterful portrait of Regency England blends Jane Austen’s biting social commentary with ultraviolent depictions of sea monsters biting. It’s survival of the fittest—and only the swiftest swimmers will find true love!

Of course I couldn’t resist picking it up. I also found the deluxe edition of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies which boasts of 30% more zombie mayhem, so I certainly couldn’t pass that one up. I pre-ordered the first edition of the latter off of Amazon and it’s one of the best things I’ve ever ordered from Amazon, no doubts about it. I don’t think I’ve talked about P&P&Z here before (possibly only in my journal), but any Austen lover must have it. It’s so irreverent it’s hilarious! If this one is 50% as fun as P&P&Z, it’s bound to be a good read.

S&S isn’t my second-favorite Austen novel (that goes to Persuasion) but it’s also pretty close; and the Colonel as a sea monster? Oh too much to resist! I’m still debating whether I’m going to bring both or just S&S&SM (that’s a whole lotta Ss!) back to the Philippines while on holiday. Holidaying with sea monsters and zombies sounds quite fun. ;)