I recently read two books set in the 19th Century – Godmersham Park and A Lady’s Guide To Fortune Hunting. I loved them both and was keen to return to the regency period.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is my favourite book of all time, it’s the ultimate in comfort reading. I was therefore intrigued to read The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow.
The Other Bennet Sister was published in 2020 and was set to tell story of the often ignored and misunderstood Bennet sister, Mary.
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Plot
As the plainest Bennet sister, Mary is regularly ignored and belittled. Her awkwardness and uncertainty are often misconstrued as arrogance or conceit, and she struggles to make meaningful connections, even with her sisters. She’s a constant disappointment to her mother, who values beauty above all else. She also finds it hard to talk to her father, despite their shared love of reading. It’s hard for Mary to be an introvert in a family of extroverts and she turns to her books for both company and guidance.
As her sisters marry, either for love or some semblance of respectability, it seems Mary is destined to remain single and live out her life at Longbourn.
However, perhaps there’s more to Charlotte than anyone has realised and as she steps out of the shadows of her sisters, maybe she can show the world who she really is.
The Other Bennet Sister Book Review
I really enjoyed this historical fiction novel. It was interesting to see such well-known characters from a different perspective and read what might have happened after Lizzie married Darcy.
It’s not Jane Austen. It doesn’t have the same subtle wit and acerbic observations that I love in Austen’s novels. However, I was fully immersed in the story and felt the writing and dialogues were appropriate for the time.
I loved Mary and hated how she was treated by some of the other characters, especially her mother. I have always found Mrs Bennet to be an irritating character but I utterly loathed her in this book. Mary was relatable, a plain girl with a love of books and a thirst for knowledge. She had neither the looks of her elder sisters nor the gaiety of her younger siblings. She was just desperate to find her own place in the world. I found it really sad in places, especially her interactions with Mr Bennet, whose approval she always sought. It was also sad to read about Mary’s own perception of herself.
It’s quite a lengthy book but I enjoyed that. I savoured being back amongst some of my favourite characters, as well as some of my least favourite (Caroline Bingley, I’m looking at you!) Despite its length, I felt the story was well-paced and I was never tempted to skim read.
I enjoyed the author’s interpretation of events and was interested to see a different side to some characters. I certainly wasn’t expecting a Mr Collins redemption arc! However, I’m not sure what the author held against Charlotte Lucas as all the kindness and intelligence she showed in Pride and Prejudice seemed to completely disappear. I would never have expected Mr Collins to be the more amiable of the two!
I loved the slow burn romance but, for me, the best part of the book was Mary stepping out of the shadows of her sisters and finally being confident in herself.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and would definitely read more by Janice Hadlow.
What should I read after The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow?
If you’re interested in novels about the life of Jane Austen, you may be interested in Miss Austen and Godmersham House by Gill Hornby.
For Pride and Prejudice fans, I would recommend Curtis Sittenfeld’s modern retelling, Eligible. If you’re looking for more regency romances, I can highly recommend A Lady’s Guide to Scandal and A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting by Sophie Irwin.
Laurel Ann Nattress
Sunday 24th of April 2022
I enjoyed this as well. It was a bit too long, but the author got Mary and her personality perfectly.