I'm usually wary of continuations of classic novels and coming back to the same characters written by a different author but I also find it hard to resist trying them! I was curious how Mary Bennett could be turned into a sympathetic character and become the heroine of her own story.

I expected the story to immediately pick up from where Pride and Prejudice ends and instead found that there was some repetition of that story now told from Mary's perspective, initially I wasn't keen on this but Janice Hadlow managed to do so without being annoyingly repetitive and it did help to frame Mary's character from the beginning. However, I was pleased to get on with the new stuff!!

Hadlow explains the rather dislikeable, silly and self-righteous aspects of Mary's character as described in P&P as a result of being the least attractive and confident of all her sisters and the subsequent parental neglect she suffers. Her piousness and studiousness therefore being her attempts at trying to better herself to gain the respect of her father and a proposal from Mr Collins. This does work to a certain extent and I certainly felt sorry for Mary and as the novel progressed did warm to her as she benefited from her residence in the kinder Gardiner household.

The romance plot was enjoyable but I didn't fully understand the immediate attraction Mary's love interest felt for her and felt that this could have been fleshed out more thoroughly.

This was an enjoyable read and I do think fans of Jane Austen will be pleased to read it.

I did enjoy this book - but read it over rather a long period of time. At points it felt like a real hard slog - rewarding in the end. But my sense is that this is really for died in the wool Jane Austen fanatics rather than dilettantes like myself.

This was an intriguing look into the most unloved Bennet sister from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

Mary is often portrayed as the plain, spinsterish music snob without much in depth look into her thoughts and feelings - which we thankfully get in spades in this reimagined Austen world.

Whilst I enjoyed this book and seeing things from Mary’s perspective, I felt that a few characters came across a little unfeeling - I have no doubt that Mr Darcy would have put more of an effort in making her comfortable in his home and the Elizabeth wouldn’t have dropped her like a stone as soon as Georgiana came into the picture. But that’s because those two are my original OTP and I think highly of them. More than I should, some might say.

I was really disappointed by this book. It is far too long and I had to force myself to keep reading. If it had been a lot shorter I feel I would have enjoyed it more.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

THis book tells the story of Mary, the awkward, plain middle sister out of the Bennet's from Pride and Prejudice. I found the story over long (way, way too over long) and quite dull in that towards the last third it became rather a chore to finish. Howver, there is a good book in here, it just needed a lot of editing and to be a similar length to Jane Austen books not the brick thick book publishers seem to favour at the moment. I'm invariably disappointed with sequels or offshoots of classics such as Rebecca and Gone with the Wind as the authors take the storyline off into strange places, scenarios and dectective thriller territory. This book didn't do any of that. It was a simple tale of Mary coming out of her shell, finding happiness within herself and receiving appreciation back but just dragged on.

The first few chapters dealt with Mary's early childhood, her mother's disappointment at having a plain, untalented girl, trying to court her father's favour by visiting his library to read but being eschewed and then follows the Pride and Prejudice plotline in detail (from Mary's viewpoint) up unitl Lydia's elopement which is curiously glossed over and then the storyline jumps a few years ahead which was a bit strange. It settles down and Mary's growth becomes interesting and we meet old friends again, such as Charlotte Lucas and the Rev Collins as well as Mary's sisters and their spouses. I think there is a lot for Jane Austren fans to like but for me the simple plot just dragged on when cutting out a lot of navel gazing on Mary's part and contrived obstacles on her path to true love would have made this boo one to be greatly admired.

This is a continuation story in the style of Jane Austen and set's off with a recap of the Bennett sisters and their trials and tribulations during Pride and Prejudice. Janice Hadlow seamlessly continues the story from the perspective and somewhat ugly duckling of the family, Mary's point of view as she seeks to find her true self and transforms into a women of some substantial substance.

As the marginalized middle daughter to the Bennett family, the plain bookish girl of frustrating intellect takes Mary on a journey by her siblings before her. She learns that true happiness can only be found within herself and that the rantings of her mother are both found less and hurtful preventing her from ever being able to meet with the expectations placed upon her.

The writing is beautifully alliterated in the style of Austen and draws you immediately back into the welcoming and warm embrace of a family known and loved for generations. Mary may not have a leading man as proud as Darcy or as handsome as Mr Bingley but she will find herself in the company of a gentleman in keeping with her idea of happiness and love.

This vulnerable, conflicted protagonist will have you speeding through these pages with great delight until its inevitable conclusion, this book did not disappoint and I shall be happy to read the next novel by Janice Hadlow.

Blessed with neither good looks, wit or vivacity Mary Bennet was the invisible one of the five daughters of Mr and Mrs Bennet of Meryton.  When she realises that she needs to wear spectacles her mother despairs of her ever marrying and when she attempts to draw attention to herself at the ball she is humiliated.  After her sisters marry and her father dies Mary is dependent on the kindness of family as she has no permanent home and she becomes more introverted as she feels she is a burden.  Finally she goes to stay with her uncle and aunt in London and things start to change but will there be a happy ending for the other Bennet sister?

This book is fabulous.  Often when sequels of greatly loved novels are produced they are a disappointment and tampering with Pride and Prejudice is a notorious trap.  Here, however, Hadlow takes one of the lesser characters and builds a novel around her which tangentially overlaps with events in the original but also explores a completely different life.  I love the fact that Mary is not a beauty and is introvert and awkward in society, her naivety is innocent and yet her depression very heartfelt.  There were many woman like Mary in the 18th and 19th century, daughters without riches or beauty yet too gentile to work and here their lives are considered.  There is an overwhelming sadness about Mary's life for the first half of the book and although the romance feels a little forced it is also exactly what the reader wishes for an honest heroine.

A thoroughly enjoyable return to the world of the Bennet sisters and all that comes with them. This was a lovely opportunity to see the ‘lesser’ Bennet sister take centre stage and find her own path through life. The first part of the novel remains in the world Austen created, but as it progresses through the years we find out what the future likely held for the sisters and their wider circle.
The text feels wholly accurate to the world first created by Austen, building on the wry and gentle humour we have come to know and love. A very easy and absorbing read - perfect escapism.

3.5 stars

I would like to thank netgalley and Pan Macmillan for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this continuation of P&P following Mary, especially with the characters visiting the Lakes. I found it quite a long book, it could have done with cutting down on the parts that take place during the original novel.

I have read many Jane Austen spin-offs, but this has to be the best one yet. Janice Hadlow has managed to write a book that remains faithful to the spirit of the original but also introduces a whole new point of view and takes it into new and interesting directions.
Much as I love Austen, I had never really considered how much the characters of the plain and bookish middle sister Mary Bennett as well as the ridiculous figure of Mr Collins the clergyman, are there mainly to provide amusement. They are never fleshed out much beyond comedic caricatures and serve mainly to make us laugh but also to evidence – by comparison – the wit, beauty and refined nature of the main characters in the novel.
It was a real delight to see very credible back stories created for both of these figures of fun. In Hadlow’s hands they become fully fleshed out characters that we can understand, sympathise with and root for.

The first part of the book views Austen’s story from the viewpoint of Mary as we see her as plain, unloved and an outsider in the Bennett household. Halfway through however, Hadlow takes the story over with the death of Mr Bennett and the dispersal of the Longbourn household. It is a real credit to Hadlow’s narrative skills that this is seamless. We believe in the new story as much as the old. It’s hard to believe that this is her debut novel.
I really could not put this book down as I was so keen to follow Mary as she finds out who she really wants to be and grows from the Bennett family’s ugly duckling to a confident and self-assured swan. As a homage to Austen this journey does of course involve her finding a husband, but only after she has accepted her true nature and determined to become the architect of her own happiness. And although Mary’s destiny does not include titles, stately homes and rolling acres of countryside, I have to confess that what she chooses for herself appears to be so much more fulfilling.
This book is a warm homage to Jane Austen without being a pastiche, it is a delightful and witty story in its own right which fans of Jane Austen should love. I soon found myself loving Mary best of all the Bennett sisters – she is no longer bookish, prim and boring, but an intellectual woman who wants more from life than either dreaded spinsterhood or a marriage of despair. What a transformation!

Lovers of Jane Austin will love this book.
The first part is a reprieve of Pride and Prejudice but from Mary’s perspective and then it continues to tell Mary’s story and the problems this strong willed lady had to deal with not only from her family but also the confined rules of society in Regency times.
The delight is that the way it is written you could actually believe that it was written by Jane Austin herself.
Beautiful story cannot recommend it enough

I have read several 'sequels' to one of my favourite novels - they usually feature Elizabeth and Darcy, and Mary often has a minor or non-existent role. In this excellent pastiche - the writer could be Jane Austen herself - Mary plays centre stage; and deserves to.. The story is believable, the characterisation is superb, and I can't recommend it highly enough.

Thank you NetGalley for a preview.

I absolutely loved ‘The Other Bennet Sister’ by Janice Hadlow. It was like reading an alternative Pride and Prejudice but from the viewpoint of Mary Bennet. It was almost as if Jane Austen wrote this herself as it had the same quality as the original. I was praying that there, would be a happy ending for Mary and I got one. Very satisfying read.

This was a book of two halves for me. I found the first section of the book, which is essentially a revisit of Pride and Prejudice but from Mary's perspective a bit slow.

Once the writer was beyond the world of the original novel and had more freedom to develop Mary's character she really came alive for me.

The glimpse into the future world of the Collinses, who had married for mutual convenience rather than love, was revealing and realistic. Charlotte Collins is unerringly pragmatic until she sees Mr Collins' attentiveness to Mary.
Mary's own relationships with potential suitors Mr Haywood and Mr Ryder are very much in the tradition of Austen and Mary's holiday to the Lake District echoes Lizzy's trip to Derbyshire that led her to Darcy.

Caroline Bingley and Lady Catherine De Bourgh are just as horrid as ever. Although you can't help but have some sympathy for Caroline who is more than aware that her chances of making an eligible match are waning and still holds a grudge against the Bennet sisters.

Mary blossoms in this book. She becomes much more than the figure of fun she is in the original. I was really happy for her and the life she makes for herself at the end of the book.

This is definitely going to appeal to a lot of Pride and Prejudice fans when it's published next year.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy in return for an honest review.

I really really loved this book. Underdog stories are always the best. I'll be releasing a proper review on my website on the publication date.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an E-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The author has an interesting background. Beginning at the House of Commons she then worked as a BBC Producer before moving onto Channel 4 where she promoted and popularised history on TV. She's won a number of awards and been involved in some great dramas (Line of Duty, Wolf Hall) but this her first novel.
If you like Jane Austen and particularly adore the Bennet family in Pride and Prejudice this is a great read for you. It's not a book for feminists (however much Austen fans call her such) and the beginning of the story tells again of the buildup with Mrs Bennet seeking out marriage partners for her daughters and of course the developing romance and eventual marriage of Elizabeth to Darcy.
But the plot revolves around the unknown sister - Mary Bennet. "Only Mary, the middle sister,possessed neither beauty, wit nor charm, but her sisters shone so brightly they seemed to cancel out her failure." Close observers of Pride and Prejudice might say 'we've heard it all before,' and as a reader that is exactly what I thought. We are re acquainted with the terrible Mrs Bennet, the slimy Mr Collins (who for some reason Mary takes a shine to as he too loves reading) and the time spent on balls, fripperies and general making themselves beautiful by the other sisters.
As usual poor Mr Bennet is the sensible part of the family and he is drawn to Mary when he realises her serious intention to become more educated by allowing her time in his library. After his death Mary's position is made more difficult to stay in the family home of Longbourn and she eventually gravitates to London to stay with her uncle and aunt , Mr and Mrs Gardiner.
The plot evolves slowly and any reader of Austen will soon spot the potential suitors for Mary a mile off. There is more emphasis on her mind than her beauty but of course love will see through to a happy ending. The landscapes, polite manners and consequences of social etiquette are well developed so it feels like 'Austen'. But really how much more of Pride and Prejudice can one person take before they swoon away.....
PD James wrote a sequel that moved Elizabeth and Darcy as a married couple centred around Pemberley and this was quite a successful book. Personally I have no real interest in speculation through fiction of what might occur to the other Bennet family members but I know many do and this will be lapped up by lots of certain readers. I do feel the author has more to offer especially as she has written a non fiction book about George III and his wife and children which in retrospect I'd much rather have read.

The other Bennet Sister expands on the story of the more neglected, not quite as beautiful as Jane or quite as witty as Lizzy or wild as Lydia or easygoing as Kitty. But her story has always intrigued me since apart from Lizzy’s bits of information about Mary not a lot is known of her. It was lovely to get to read Mary’s story from her own perspective with her own words. And I have to admit it’s something that resonates with me, we can’t all be the Lizzie’s or Jane’s of the world, some us are just awkward, wanting to be hard, understood and loved. I can’t appreciate enough that I got to read her happy ending story.

This did not have the charm and wit of Pride and Prejudice and I found it to be over-long and quite tedious to read. Jane Austen has quite a lot of humour in her novels, and comic interludes which this lacks. Jane Austen's Mary is quite unself-conscious and content with the way she is, so to transform her into a feisty romantic heroine does not ring true.

This book is the definition of a cozy, uplifting, entertaining read when you need pure funa and warmth!
It begins at the same place as Pride & Prejudice and a part of the book goes through the same story from Mary's point of view, which I loved! It was so nice to listen to another narrative of the same story. But, then on, Mary leads her own story and develops as a character.
I loved how dramatic it was and I loved the writing. Also, there are a lot of nods to Austen's other books and characters. It was just brilliant.
As an Austen lover, I loved this book and the style of the author. Will definitely wait eagerly her next works.

Thanks a lot to the publisher & NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

The other Bennett sister by Janice Hadlow
This the story of Mary Bennett from the Bennett Family of Pride & prejudice fame. As the very plain quiet scholastic middle daughter of 5 daughter the other 4 very beautiful. She is very much teased ridiculed and unloved in a very narcissistic household. She is also very clever and misunderstood. As the other daughters find suitors of good fortune. The family circumstances change when Mr Bennett dies and Mary must leave Longford the family home. As we follow Mary’s trials & tribulations of life being past from pillar to post when no one in her family wants her & she is cast aside. In desperation she writes to a favourite aunt in London and asks to stay & she is welcomed with open arms. This is a totally different household (warm & loving ) from what she has known all her life.
This about Mary’s journey where she finally comes to realise that to find happiness you first have to love yourself. This is a beautifully written. You cry for Mary’s sadness and pain then feel such joy when her life completely changes. She to will eventually find love and forgive herself . Loved it !