The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow

“Our happiness depends on ourselves”

I love Pride and Prejudice. I have loved it since I read it in middle school years ago. It is easily in my top 10 books I've ever read. I think Elizabeth Bennet is one of my favorite heroines I've ever read also. I loved how smart, strong, defiant, and opinionated she is. I remember dreaming that one day I would marry my own Mr.Darcy! Pride and Prejudice holds a dear place in my heart and that's why I have always been slow to read other retellings. You can't redo what Jane Austen has done and think it will be near as good. Maybe that's somewhat harsh but I tend to be harsh about the things I love! But I saw that this book isn't really a retelling. It's giving a whole new story to one of the most forgotten about characters in the whole story. Most of the book picks up after all the events of Pride and Prejudice which made me want to read it even more. It gives an underrated character life and a story that truly moved me.

Mary Bennet in Pride and Prejudice is the plain middle sister. The sister that no one thinks about. The sister that is destined to be a spinster for life. The sister that isn't known for her looks and reads too much for her own good. But what if Mary's path takes a new course other than the one that is laid out for her? What if Mary finds the same joy and happiness in life her prettier and more confident sisters are able to find? Welcome to The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow.

I fell in love with this book from the first chapter. It opens up in the months before the first events of the classic Pride and Prejudice. It really shows how lonely and almost ignored Mary is compared to her other sisters. Her two older sisters are best friends and so are her two younger sisters. Which leaves Mary as the odd woman out. She tends to fill her time with reading, which is highly looked down upon during those days. Women were not meant to be smart in the 1800's. Beautiful, yes. Subservient, yes. Know how to cook and clean, yes. But well read and intelligent? I think not. Also Mary is constantly told how she isn't near as pretty as her other sisters. Her mother constantly re enforces how plain and unattractive she is. My heart constantly broke for Mary as she's put down and never has an encouraging word spoken her way. As the book goes on, we see her other sisters marry and start lives. We see their father pass and how that effects Mary's life especially. It was eye opening to me to see how badly women were treated once they reached a certain age and weren't married. Society was quick to throw them away and write them off just because they didn't marry by eighteen or some other insanely early age.

I do want to say this book is somewhat longer than most books. It is not a quick read and it took me a few days to read. But that isn't a bad thing at all. I was surprised at how the book progressed and how quickly I fell in love with it. The second half of the book is about Mary truly finding herself, growing confidence, and refusing to let society tell her what to base her self worth on. The second half of the book had me screaming "YAS GIRL!' out loud quite a few times. With a change of scenery and some encouraging family members, Mary becomes a whole different woman. She even allows herself to fall in love, which is such a beautiful journey for her. Plus she stops dimming her own light, so that others can shine brighter around her. Which is a word for all of us, okay?

I've said before that five star reviews are hard to come by with me. I'm critical and historical fiction novels are some of my favorite books to read. So I tend to be a little harsher in judging them. But this book easily deserves a five star rating. I cannot think of one critique I had for it. It might have been that it was a little long but I think the length was needed to show all the growth that Mary develops in her life. Janice Hadlow does an amazing job giving an underdog character a journey you can't help but root for. I loved every moment of this book and I think it's a worthy companion piece to Pride and Prejudice. Even if classical books aren't your thing, I think this book is modern enough it would be a book you couldn't help but enjoy. Leave a comment below and tell me what one of your favorite books of all time is! I'd love to know!