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allycereadsbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Enjoyed this book a lot more in the second half once Mary had gotten to London and I’ve now got a hankering to go to the Lake District. And one day I will actually get around to reading the actual Pride & Prejudice.
mpgoyabean's review
funny
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5
book_addict24's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
happilywilted's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This actually felt like a Jane Austen read. I liked how the author was able to transport me into Mary's mind. I feel like Mary was the forgotten one who was kind of clowned on in the books/movies, so it was nice to see her rich inner mind. This book made me see myself in her, and made the character that much more important to me.
raye_loves_reading's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I have to be honest, I did wonder if I was ever going to reach the end. The first half was very slow moving while the second (happily for me) moved at a much better pace.
I have completed a full video essay on my love/hate for this book. I found the first half dragged and could have been so much shorter than it ended up being. However, once Mary heads to London to live with her aunt and uncle (Mr & Mrs Gardiner, who were great in P&P), I felt that the story started to get going. Yes, some surprising events occurred before this move, but I found myself racing through the book once London was reached, Tom was introduced and Mary finally started to do more than exist.
I always found Mrs Bennet to be an embarrassing, uncomfortable character. However, in this book, she was unbearable, as though she had been turned up to 10 and made to be less embarrassing and more hateful. That said, the same could be said for the "ever-charming" Miss Caroline Bingley!
I have completed a full video essay on my love/hate for this book. I found the first half dragged and could have been so much shorter than it ended up being. However, once Mary heads to London to live with her aunt and uncle (Mr & Mrs Gardiner, who were great in P&P), I felt that the story started to get going. Yes, some surprising events occurred before this move, but I found myself racing through the book once London was reached, Tom was introduced and Mary finally started to do more than exist.
I always found Mrs Bennet to be an embarrassing, uncomfortable character. However, in this book, she was unbearable, as though she had been turned up to 10 and made to be less embarrassing and more hateful. That said, the same could be said for the "ever-charming" Miss Caroline Bingley!
winemakerssister's review against another edition
4.0
Told from the viewpoint of Mary Bennet, Hadlow's story is quite different from Austen's original. During the P&P period, Mary is a sad character - alienated, insecure, and profoundly lonely. The other two sets of sisters are best friends and basically ignore her. And her mother, portrayed as crueler than in P&P, dislikes her because she's plain and bookish - the opposite from herself.
Mr Bennet passes away after the other girls are married, and Mary bounces between households, never really comfortable in any of them. She finally lands with the Gardiners - the heroes of the story. From them she learns that a marriage can be happy and loving, and she ends up feeling welcome in their home.
This is the story of Mary coming into her own. Raised in a household that values looks over everything else, she must learn to value herself.
The beginning of the book was difficult to read because Mary was just so lost and sad. And I thought it was too long. But the author did a nice job of emulating Austen's style. My only historic criticism was that she allowed men and women to be alone together many times and this would not have been possible in this era.
Cover: Appropriate
Narrator: She did a lovely job
Hogwarts Sorting Hat: She is most definitely a Ravenclaw, and I think he is too.
Mr Bennet passes away after the other girls are married, and Mary bounces between households, never really comfortable in any of them. She finally lands with the Gardiners - the heroes of the story. From them she learns that a marriage can be happy and loving, and she ends up feeling welcome in their home.
This is the story of Mary coming into her own. Raised in a household that values looks over everything else, she must learn to value herself.
The beginning of the book was difficult to read because Mary was just so lost and sad. And I thought it was too long. But the author did a nice job of emulating Austen's style. My only historic criticism was that she allowed men and women to be alone together many times and this would not have been possible in this era.
Cover: Appropriate
Narrator: She did a lovely job
Hogwarts Sorting Hat: She is most definitely a Ravenclaw, and I think he is too.
lettucemendham's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
dotty92's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
A lovely homage to Jane Austen and a delightful follow up to Pride and Prejudice. Remained true to the original text while adding in enough new twists and characters to keep it fresh and interesting
beckywiththegoodscare's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0