‘THE OTHER BENNET SISTER’: A REVIEW OF THE HERALDED BOOK
STORY: Out of five sisters, Mary Bennet is the other sister, the one who doesn’t seem to really fit. Her eldest two sisters possess beauty and wit and seem the best of friends. Her younger two meanwhile are silly teenagers who enjoy giggles and the attentions of men in uniform.
Mary spends her days reading and engaging her mind, and most recently has ruffled the feathers of her mother by obtaining something unthinkable, a pair of spectacles.
Now, as her sisters fall in (and perhaps out of) love, Mary falls deeper and deeper into her books. Until the day she meets someone who challenges her…
The Other Bennet Sister Book Review
The basis for a British TV series adaptation, The Other Bennet Sister book is a widely respected novel that, aside from its adaptation hype, has plenty of acclaim. The story is one that has been retold often, but this one has the benefit of being from a new perspective. It’s also a novel that leaves me more than a little conflicted.
‘THE OTHER BENNET SISTER’: A REVIEW OF THE HERALDED BOOK. Review of #TheOtherBennetSister, the novel by Janice Hadlow. #BookReview #Book Share on XOn the one hand, I think this novel is lovely. And objectively, it is. Having said this, I also think that the story is a little heavy-handed on the idea of Mary being a kind of victim. And I need to be clear about something. I’m not faulting Mary’s feelings or saying that 90+ percent of us have at some point or can relate. I am faulting the consistency of this narrative that becomes a kind of “poor Mary” plot that feels repetitive and yes, in a sense, belittles her.
The story does challenge this narrative (of course!) because it shows her choices and how they lead to change, not just for her possible circumstances, but also her mind and heart. Still, I think the idea that Mary is consistently a victim does wear a bit thin. Additionally, while very different, her sisters are also ill-used, just in a different manner.
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Even with some of my misgivings, The Other Bennet Sister book is a good read. It has surprising revelations and moments of joy. The book does overstay its welcome a little bit by being a few pages too long, but penned by the talents of a former BBC exec, one thing I am sure is true is that Janice Hadlow knows her history on this period. If you like Austen stories or period drama, well, this is a nice read.
ABOUT the BOOK
Author: Janice Hadlow
Publisher: Holt Paperbacks
Source: Bought
Publication Date: 2020
Genre: Fiction; Historical
Rating: 3 out of 5
Find the Review Elsewhere: Amazon ǀ Goodreads
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Do you like the Brit-box series or the book better, Rissi?
So far, I think I like the TV series better. The book is good and I understand its praise, but there is one thing about it that feels repetitive and so far, I think the series is lessoning this. :)
interesting sounding