Rewrites of classics are my favorite genre. I love Jane Austen stories but have always struggled with the language. This book made me see p and P in a different light and the characters grew for me

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel.

As a fan of Austen and Pride and Prejudice I was excited to read this variation told from the perspective of Mary Bennet. I think many fans of the original have often wondered and fantasized about what happened to Kitty and Mary after the novel ends. I think Janice has done a great job of capturing Mary and all she goes through beautifully. The writing and flow of the book seems very natural and seems to pick up where we want it to and takes us on a pleasant journey. Enjoyed from start to finish. Would definitely recommend.

When I first spotted this book, The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow, on the upcoming publication list, I was struck by the bravery of the author to take on a character in one of the most timeless beloved classics by one of the most renowned authors of all time. This author's bravery was well-placed. This book was great. As other reviewers have noted, she captured the essence of the book, while shining a bigger spotlight on this oft overlooked character.

i received an advance digital copy of this book from the author, publisher and NetGalley.com. Thanks to all for the opportunity to read and review.

The Other Bennet Sister is a post-Pride and Prejudice variation told from the perspective of Mary Bennet. For myself, as an avid Jane Austen reader, I always wondered and imagined what happened to Kitty and Mary after their sisters marriages. It's implied that Kitty turned out well in the end of Pride and Prejudice, but we never quite get a feel for what happened to poor, unfortunately plain Mary.

Ms,. Hadlow fleshes out Mary Bennet and all of her trials and tribulations beautifully. She stays as true as she can to Austen's writing style and flow. Overall, it is a greatly entertaining read from start to finish.

Recommended for any Austenite.
4 out of 5 stars.

Mary Bennet has been one of the most overlooked characters in Pride and Prejudice. In this new retelling of the beloved classic, Mary is at the center of the story. In a family of five daughters, Mary is the middle child and is often overlooked because of her plainness. Mary feels that she can never find a suitable man to marry her. Over time, Mary becomes a woman who eventually learns to take chances in love.

Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite novels, and I always thought that there was more to Mary Bennet than just a comic relief character. In this novel, the reader gets to take a deeper look at Mary and learns that she is more than just a silly character. In this novel, Mary has low self-confidence because her family often comments on her plain looks. She is lonely and has no close siblings whom she can confide in. Her only friends are her books, and they bring her great comfort. Therefore, Mary is a relatable character because she feels that she cannot fit in with her family. Throughout the novel, Mary strives to find her place in the world. Thus, Mary is a very likable character, and I could not stop rooting for her to find her own happiness.

Overall, this novel is about family, identity, and self-acceptance. The novel is very well-written, and all the characters were very engaging and complex. I thought that Mary’s love story was well-developed and was the best part in the novel. I also thought that the author stayed true to the original version and felt like Jane Austen herself would have been proud of this sequel! Thus, this is one of the best Jane Austen adaptations that I have ever read! The Other Bennet Sister is a must read for any Austenite because you will fall in love with this charming story! I recommend this for fans of Unequal Affections, The Clergyman’s Wife, and Georgiana Darcy!

I very much enjoyed revisiting the Bennetts from a new perspective. I appreciate a closer look at a different/less seen character in a well known story.

As a Janeite, there is no book I will not read inspired by one of my favorite authors. This book is no different. THE OTHER BENNET SISTER was simply pure enjoyment for me. Hadlow breathed new life into the character of Mary Bennet and opened my mind to what she could be. I was gifted the chance to see her develop into such a delightful and fascinating character. Bravo!

***Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***
I loved delving into another Austen character. The author did a splendid job of really making Mary more than simply a secondary character from Pride and Prejudice.

Wow--how nice it is to get to know Mary! I must confess, she was my least favorite of the Bennet family. In having her own story, we get to know who she really is. I couldn't wait to see how she finds love... I mean I absolutely require an HEA... I loved this story and hope to read more from this author.

Hadlow offers an alternative and sympathetic portrayal of Mary Bennet that provides greater insight into her character while the events of Pride and Prejudice are going on. The reader is given better understanding of Mary's motivations, and drawn to Mary's sense of loneliness and displacement when compared to her other sisters. Many readers will see themselves in Mary throughout her journey to find her place in the world and who she is as an individual.

Interesting... I love fiction that brings real-life characters to life like this!

Thank you to NetGalley for my copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow ☆☆☆☆⠀⠀
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This book is about Mary Bennet and her struggles with the unending comparisons to her more beautiful and graceful sisters. She seeks to find her place in life, but also to develop her own identity. She spends her days perfecting her piano-playing skills and reading great philosophical works. ⠀

The first part of the book is basically Pride and Prejudice as seen through Mary's point of view, and although that is one of my favorite books it felt a little redundant to me. The rest of the book is a lovely story about Mary's search of identity, coming to terms with herself and appreciating who she is and how her uniqueness is an inspiration. Overall, a breath of fresh air.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a gifted copy (Instagram giveaway) of The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow.

Mary has always been the forgotten sister in Bennet household and this was an interesting story of what may have become of her.

Overall, I found this to be an enjoyable read but at times Mary's thoughts seemed to turn to rambling. This is perfect for fans of Pride and Prejudice.

Historical Fiction
Publication Date: March 31, 2020

Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite books, and I have always been fascinated by Mary, the "ugly duckling" of the Bennet sisters. Unfortunately, I don't know if it was the timing of this book for me or something else, but I struggled to get into this one and ended up losing interest.

In the universe of Pride and Prejudice re-writes and spin-offs, The Other Bennet Sister is ok. Hadlow attempts to recuperate Mary Bennet by telling the story from her point of view and showing how her family's disparagement of her made her withdraw into herself and her books. That's ok, although it turns Mary into an almost unrecognizable character. In the same way, Hadlow recasts Mr. Collins in a more sympathetic light, but how is it that he magically NEVER displays any of the irritating behaviors that make him so repellent in the original? Like, how does he suddenly have nothing to say about Lady Catherine's munificence?

For anyone hoping to see Mary come into her own, this book attempts to provide it. For me, it wasn't very credible, including the romance that seemed very unlikely. The last third of the book is drawn out, especially as you can spot the conclusion 150 pages before the end but still have to wade through the unnecessary complications to get there.

SO GOOD. Hadlow manages the (impossible?) task of capturing Austen's wit and warmth with a slightly anachronistic introspection that really lends itself to the story - even the Austen purists will be impressed! She borrows plot points from other works, Emma in particular, to give a thread of authenticity, but otherwise the story is Hadlow's own creation.

My Thoughts:
The Other Bennet Sister is the behind the scenes story of the Bennet family, but its focus is on the life of Mary Bennet.
I don't know if you remember? Mary Bennet is the middle sister in the Bennet family of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. The older sisters are Jane and Elizabeth. The two younger sisters are Catherine and Lydia.
Mary is an overlooked, mousy character both in the book and films. She's a character I'd not been attracted to nor had an interest in exploring. I'm ashamed.
The Other Bennet Sister is a gem. I love everything about it.

Reasons why I love this story:
~Mary is a surprising, interesting, and heroine figure in the book. She is a character that comes from behind everyone else (if you can picture a stage in your mind) and stands squarely front and center. She does come across as "uninteresting" at first. But then I began to understand how she felt about herself. She felt as if she didn't belong in the family. She felt as if she didn't have a role and purpose. She was a square peg trying to fit in a round hole. She wanted what we all want: to be accepted, loved, and feel connected to people. This is a huge reason why I love this story. It is easy to identify with Mary. At some point in life, we wrestle with trying to have a connection to other people.
~The Other Bennet Sister is a lengthy book. I didn't know what to expect when I began reading this story. Sometimes books explore a certain chapter in a person's life and then the book ends. This book explores several places in Mary's life, because of this, I felt a full scope had been given to me about Mary. I knew her as a young girl, young woman; and, how she develops in her personality, character, thinking, spirit, and life choices.
~I was given a peek at the married lives of Jane and Elizabeth. Not perfect. I'm not saying there is anything scandalizing, but their marriages were no more perfect than anyone else's.
~The Other Bennet Sister is a strong study on people's character (definition -the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual) and the choices they make.
~Other lesser known characters in Pride and Prejudice are revealed. For example: Charlotte, Mr. Collins, Mrs. Bennet, and the aunt and uncle who live in London.
Source: NetGalley

Part one read like a slanted lens within the 6 hour film version of Pride and Prejudice. But when part 2 began, wow - the story truly took off. I was fascinated with Mary's resilience. She illustrates, so vividly, the importance society (then and NOW) places of the superficialities of money, background, and looks. Mary is a champion. Go girls with glasses!!!!

All in all I enjoyed this book!
The first half of the book made me want to tear my hair out, it moved very slowly and I found Mary to be too pathetic for me to sympathize with. I wanted to shake her and tell her to stop feeling so sorry for herself and just do something!
Once she started to stand up for herself and began to think critically and intellectually (instead of just being relentlessly self-hypercritical), I began to enjoy the book much more.
I really enjoyed the story lines with the Collins' and with Caroline Bingley, they opened up new facets of characters that readers of the original love to hate. The growth that Mary showed when dealing with the two characters over the course of the book was really wonderful.
I didn't necessarily agree with or like some of the characterizations of some of the central Pride and Prejudice characters (mainly Elizabeth and Jane, Mr Darcy, and Mr Bennet) I could definitely see where those characterizations came from and they made sense in the context of the story and made me think about my own perceptions of characters.