The Other Bennet Sister

By Janice Hadlow

Book Overview

A NPR CONCIERGE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

"Jane fans rejoice . . . Exceptional storytelling and a true delight." --Helen Simonson, author of the New York Times bestselling novels Major Pettigrew's Last Stand and The Summer Before the War

Mary, the bookish ugly duckling of Pride and Prejudice's five Bennet sisters, emerges from the shadows and transforms into a desired woman with choices of her own.

What if Mary Bennet's life took a different path from that laid out for her in Pride and Prejudice? What if the frustrated intellectual of the Bennet family, the marginalized middle daughter, the plain girl who takes refuge in her books, eventually found the fulfillment enjoyed by her prettier, more confident sisters? This is the plot of Janice Hadlow's The Other Bennet Sister, a debut novel with exactly the affection and authority to satisfy Jane Austen fans.

Ultimately, Mary's journey is like that taken by every Austen heroine. She learns that she can only expect joy when she has accepted who she really is. She must throw off the false expectations and wrong ideas that have combined to obscure her true nature and prevented her from what makes her happy. Only when she undergoes this evolution does she have a chance at finding fulfillment; only then does she have the clarity to recognize her partner when he presents himself--and only at that moment is she genuinely worthy of love.

Mary's destiny diverges from that of her sisters. It does not involve broad acres or landed gentry. But it does include a man; and, as in all Austen novels, Mary must decide whether he is the truly the one for her. In The Other Bennet Sister, Mary is a fully rounded character--complex, conflicted, and often uncertain; but also vulnerable, supremely sympathetic, and ultimately the protagonist of an uncommonly satisfying debut novel.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1250787629
• ISBN13: 9781250787620
• Release Date: April 2021
• Publisher: Picador USA
• Length: 480 Pages
• Weight: 0.86 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.4" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

Just a retelling of P and P with emphasis on Mary.

I don't understand the five star ratings on this book. It does sound exactly like it came from the pen of Jane Austen, but there is no story arc, so far, that isn't almost a complete repeat of Pride and Prejudice, but with much more emphasis on Mary and the really bad manner in which she was treated by her family. Today we would call it emotional abuse. I have not found it the least bit uplifting or interesting. I am only half way through and am thinking of just passing it on. I'm guessing that there will be some sort of happy ending for Mary or there would be no point at all, but I'm really tired of waiting for it. Disappointed.

A great follow-up to Pride and Prejudice

Sometimes we need to get away from today’s politics, crimes, and wars. That is when a story like this is a delight. It is character- and relation-driven, as seen through the eyes of Mary Bennet, the seemingly self-righteous, priggish, and plain middle sister of the Bennet girls. I found it a wonderful escape from the current doom and gloom of our obsessive fear of the cold and flu season. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and felt a twinge of regret when I finished it, and hence had to step back into modern day.

Get to know the middle Bennet sister

I absolutely loved it! I'm a fan of Jane Austen, and this book reads as though it could have been written by her. I loved getting to know Mary Bennet more, and I found some of myself in her. I also learned another side to Mr. Collins. I would like to see this as a movie, like so many other books of that genre.