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A review by winemakerssister
The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow
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.