The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow (2020)
Fiction | Historical | Romance
Blurb:
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 The Other Bennet Sister, a debut novel with exactly the affection and authority to satisfy 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.
Goodreads | Amazon
pooled ink Review:
I’m not really back, but for some reason I can’t stop wanting to share my thoughts about this book lol.
I’ve been falling into book slump after book slump as of late, but I’m a Jane Austen fan and so when I came across this novel I thought, “Why not?” It may not have totally cured this chronic book slump I’m afflicted with lately, but it sure did give me a 463-page break from it! I’m hardly unique in saying I love Pride & Prejudice, but reading this story that’s akin to fan fiction in a way—now that I think about it—has unexpectedly deepened my appreciation for the original fictional world of the Bennets. Hadlow’s Mary & co. may not be canon, but by the end of this book they feel canon to me. It also might have simply happened to catch me in the right mood, at the right time, but catch me it did and not only did I fall head-first into its pages but it was the type of prose that both entertained and inspired thought. I love when I can enjoy a book for its simple entertainment yet simultaneously have it stretch and prod my mind.
But anyway, enough rambling and onto the book!
I think most of us like to think of ourselves as a Lizzy, but many of us I suspect will identify more keenly with the Mary presented in this novel. The way her character is unfolded and woven between Hadlow’s imaginings and the original text of Jane Austen’s creation was done, to me at least, incredibly seamlessly. It doesn’t challenge the beloved Pride & Prejudice (as far as I can recall anyhow), rather it deepens it by revealing a perspective not before included. It makes me want to go back and re-read P&P with this new knowledge. And to say I enjoyed reading Mary’s perspective and discovering her story (even if unofficial) is an understatement. She felt so real and so natural a fit into Austen’s world it was difficult to curb my curiosity and delay reaching the ultimate unveiling of her fate. Her character is one so complex and ill-fitting for the time even Austen’s well-crafted heroines struggled to understand her and I very much enjoyed having the opportunity to do so. I also really liked how other smaller roles were expounded upon in this book such as Charlotte, the servants/Mrs. Hill, Mr. Collins, Mrs. Gardiner, and so on. It was even revealing to see more of Caroline Bingley and her party. I’m no expert on Austen, but as a mere fan of her work I really thought this book was very well done and definitely recommend it to other Austen fans.
On one hand, perhaps Hadlow’s novel digs deeper than Mary or any of the others really are or were ever meant to be, like an English teacher finding meaning in every breath or pause of a story that would have even the author rolling their eyes, but on the other hand, Hadlow executed her exploration of What If’s and her dig for meaning in such a way that it didn’t feel forced or groan-inducing, but instead managed to craft a proposal that I very much enjoyed pondering over.
Overall I enjoyed it and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it!
Cheers.
P.S. It was recently announced that the BBC is making a show based on this book! I can’t wait!!
Meet Janice Hadlow!
Janice Hadlow has worked at the BBC for 28 years, including more than 10 years as a top executive. She was educated at comprehensive school in Swanley, in north Kent, and graduated with a BA in history from King’s College London. She currently lives in Bath. A Royal Experiment is her first book.
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