I’ve been on a binge of Austen-related fiction, including two books about the imagined fate of Mary Bennet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First is The Other Bennet Sister<\/em> by Janice Hadlow. The pages are dense, thanks to the tiny type size, but the chapters are short and the pacing swift. The story begins during the timeline of Pride and Prejudice<\/em>, giving us Mary’s POV of the Netherfield Ball, etc., then extends past it. The basic premise is that Mary fails to find happiness at home or with her sisters, so she journeys to London to live with her aunt and uncle. There she finds acceptance, new friends, and to her surprise, suitors. Grade: A+<\/p>\n\n\n\n BTW, the show that was based on the book doesn’t follow exactly the same plotlines. It’s similar, but it leans more into the humor and gives every character, including the difficult ones, a chance at redemption, which is what I love best about it. I recommend both the book and the show, and IMHO you don’t have to put too much space between the two, due to the differences between them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The other is The Pursuit of Mary Bennet: A Pride and Prejudice Novel<\/em> by Pamela Mingle. In this story, Mary and her sister Kitty become rivals for the attention of a certain Mr. Walsh (friend and neighbor of the Bingleys), and Lydia causes more trouble. It’s entertaining enough, but Mary’s journey to happiness is more about becoming a traditional woman–dressing up, pursuing love, becoming motherly–than forging her own path. Grade: B+<\/p>\n\n\n\n Currently Reading: A Cottage Near Lambton: A Pride & Prejudice Variation<\/em> by Bethany R. Tolson. I got this book for free on my Kindle, and it appears to be self-published. It imagines a different series of events for the Bennets. Mr. Bennet dies before Jane and Elizabeth meet Bingley and Darcy. The Bennet ladies are forced to leave Longbourn, and they settle in a cottage not far from Pemberley. It started out strong–the family reeling from their loss, having to deal with the obnoxious Mr. Collins, and ultimately moving away from their beloved home–but it has gotten dull. I am 33% of the way through it, and all the characters are so nice, and everything that happens is so nice, and the ground always smells so damp, and there’s no action, tension, social commentary, or even unique description at this point. I hope it’s just a lull.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I’ve been on a binge of Austen-related fiction, including two books about the imagined fate of Mary Bennet. First is The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow. The pages are dense, thanks to the tiny type size, but the chapters … Continue reading