When pressed for your favorite or the most memorable character of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, I doubt anyone would mention Mary Bennet. Mary is overlooked by readers, the other characters in the novel, and by the author herself. Thankfully, Janice Hadlow has taken a closer look at Mary and given her a voice and story that is all her own.
You may remember Mary Bennet as being the dowdily-dressed, middle-sister who perhaps desperately wanted to be thought astute and erudite. The Other Bennet Sister explores her background, and what it would really be like growing up with such sisters as Jane and Elizabeth to overshadow you and Kitty and Lydia being young, fun, and boy-crazy. Mary sets out to distinguish herself from her sisters by educating herself, since her mother will not hire a governess. Mary desperately longs for her father's approval--but true to the original novel, Mr. Bennet remains as aloof and unaware of his own family as ever (this is what got him into trouble with Lydia--but with Mary, it is just a bit heartbreaking as she will always clash with her mother and just wanted the approval of at least one of her parents).
Mary's story begins with events that take place before Pride and Prejudice, then some events that take place during the novel--leading up to Charlotte's engagement to Mr. Collins. However, the bulk of the novel takes place a few years after the end of Pride and Prejudice, Mary finds herself a guest in a series of houses and learns something different from each of them. Finally, she ends up in London with her relations, the Gardiners, and that is where things really begin to happen for Mary.
I have to say that I ridiculously loved and enjoyed this novel! Jane Austen is, of course, one of my favorite authors, even if Pride and Prejudice isn't my favorite of her novels, I was really happy to read about one of her background characters being taken off the shelf, dusted off, and given new life. I liked the little "Easter egg" quotes from Austen and other authors that Hadlow leaves here and there. I have to say that I also enjoyed the return of the vicious Caroline Bingley. She may have been a very minor threat to Lizzie Bennet, who had Wickham and Lady Catherine De Bourgh (who does, also, make a cameo here) to contend with, but to Mary, Caroline is a much bigger bully and I like that eventually Mary finds her fight and stands up to Caroline.
To me, Mary's journey to finding her courage and her own happy ending was every bit as fulfilling as I had hoped it would be.
I would recommend this book to fans of Jane Austen or fans of Pride and Prejudice--even if you only like the BBC miniseries from the 90's with Colin Firth.
Also, if you're interested in reading other Pride and Prejudice spin-offs, I shared some of my favorites with BookTok (on TikTok):
@libraryscience_lemon #BookTok #bookrecommemdation #janeausten #prideandprejudice #jobaker #longbourn #janicehadlow #theotherbennetsister #book
♬ original sound - Molly Miller