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A review by tinaha083
The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow
4.0
I really enjoyed this! Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite novels of all time, and Mary is a character to whom I never gave much thought, simply because Elizabeth Bennet never seemed to give her much thought. Janice Harlow seeks to correct this viewing of Mary, by showing us the world through her eyes.
What I liked about this book: I have far more sympathy for Mary now than I did before. When I reread P&P I will be able to add in her view to scenes I already know and love. She’s a very well-crafted and well-defined character here, with thoughts and feelings as acute as the rest of her sisters. I was furious with the treatment she received from her family, and it’s perfectly understandable that she would grow up seeking to put as much distance between her sisters and herself as possible, simply because it was made clear to her that she could never be what they were. I enjoyed seeing Mr. Collins and Charlotte from the new vantage point (more on that in a second), and I loved the overall journey she took. There is a great deal of self-exploration in this novel and we live in her head much as we live in Fanny Price’s head in Mansfield Park. She grows so much into a better version of herself here. I also enjoyed the larger role played by the Gardiners, and Mrs. Gardiner’s fondness for her niece shines through wonderfully. The writing style, for a large part of it, wonderfully follows Austen’s own and I feel that this is a an excellent first novel.
What I didn’t like: While she did remain true to the characters for the most part, I do feel that there were some areas where she derailed. Charlotte Lucas in particular suffers as a character for reasons I won’t go into. Mr. Collins is benefited, but Charlotte? I didn’t care for her character at all, and while that was the novel’s intent, I don’t feel like Austen would have approved of her iteration here. I also would have liked to see some interactions between the sisters as Mary is developing into a newer, more confident version of herself. They are as non-existent (especially Kitty) as she was in P&P, and while I (again) feel that this was the novel’s intent, I would have appreciated seeing them become closer as they all grew older. At least they could have communicated more. And then there was the ending. I felt like the ending became a bit of a mess, as it decided to turn itself more into a typical romance novel, than a comedy of manners and exploration of human nature. Mary ceases to act even slightly rationally, there is some romantic drama for no reason at all, and Mrs. Bennet and Caroline Bingley behave extremely badly, even for them. I was left scratching my head and wondering what happened, because suddenly everyone was behaving out of character. There is also a slight subplot involving Lady Catherine de Bourgh that doesn’t really serve a purpose.
However, for all that I really enjoyed it. I had the few difficulties with it, but I can honestly say that this is the first retelling I’ve ever actually liked. I now have far more genuine affection for Mary than I did before and I would consider this a good recommendation for fans of the original, as long as you don’t mind some alterations and inconsistencies.
What I liked about this book: I have far more sympathy for Mary now than I did before. When I reread P&P I will be able to add in her view to scenes I already know and love. She’s a very well-crafted and well-defined character here, with thoughts and feelings as acute as the rest of her sisters. I was furious with the treatment she received from her family, and it’s perfectly understandable that she would grow up seeking to put as much distance between her sisters and herself as possible, simply because it was made clear to her that she could never be what they were. I enjoyed seeing Mr. Collins and Charlotte from the new vantage point (more on that in a second), and I loved the overall journey she took. There is a great deal of self-exploration in this novel and we live in her head much as we live in Fanny Price’s head in Mansfield Park. She grows so much into a better version of herself here. I also enjoyed the larger role played by the Gardiners, and Mrs. Gardiner’s fondness for her niece shines through wonderfully. The writing style, for a large part of it, wonderfully follows Austen’s own and I feel that this is a an excellent first novel.
What I didn’t like: While she did remain true to the characters for the most part, I do feel that there were some areas where she derailed. Charlotte Lucas in particular suffers as a character for reasons I won’t go into. Mr. Collins is benefited, but Charlotte? I didn’t care for her character at all, and while that was the novel’s intent, I don’t feel like Austen would have approved of her iteration here. I also would have liked to see some interactions between the sisters as Mary is developing into a newer, more confident version of herself. They are as non-existent (especially Kitty) as she was in P&P, and while I (again) feel that this was the novel’s intent, I would have appreciated seeing them become closer as they all grew older. At least they could have communicated more. And then there was the ending. I felt like the ending became a bit of a mess, as it decided to turn itself more into a typical romance novel, than a comedy of manners and exploration of human nature. Mary ceases to act even slightly rationally, there is some romantic drama for no reason at all, and Mrs. Bennet and Caroline Bingley behave extremely badly, even for them. I was left scratching my head and wondering what happened, because suddenly everyone was behaving out of character. There is also a slight subplot involving Lady Catherine de Bourgh that doesn’t really serve a purpose.
However, for all that I really enjoyed it. I had the few difficulties with it, but I can honestly say that this is the first retelling I’ve ever actually liked. I now have far more genuine affection for Mary than I did before and I would consider this a good recommendation for fans of the original, as long as you don’t mind some alterations and inconsistencies.