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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
A complete delight! I just loved every moment of this book!
I liked this, but it felt overly long. The middle seemed to drag. My favorite parts were the ones that were the same timeline as Pride and Prejudice, which tells me I should probably just read Pride and Prejudice and would enjoy it more than this.
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
First 1/3 is P&P from Mary's POV, which does a decent job at expanding on some themes and making Mary a relatable character. There's then an abrupt time jump, after which we follow Mary through a repetitive cycle of staying at the houses of various marriages of P&P before getting upset and moving on before eventually getting her own romance. There's some really debatable character depictions here (mainly thinking about Charlotte Lucas and Caroline Bingley) but the real unforgivable error is the way this book dragged. The prominent callbacks to P&P and references to other Austen quotes were at times a bit jarring
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Surprisingly insightful and well written for a spin off book. Nice to see Mary's development and also a more critical view of Lizzie, Jane and Mr Bennet.
I've been very generous with the four stars lately but this work is truly deserving and was such a pleasant surprise. I will admit, mind you, that I was slightly discouraged for the first bit of the book - some of the most beloved characters don't come across entirely well and Mary too harsh in her judgment of others, and it forced me to really check myself.
I wasn't responding to the text, I was responding to my own feelings about Pride and Prejudice. What Hadlow does quite well is to offer a different perspective, a very distinct and strong perspective that makes complete sense for Mary. It is wonderfully done. To follow Mary Bennet as she comes into her own, as she develops self-worth and love is the true pleasure of this novel. The style is wonderful and convincing and there's something very true to the Austen spirit and I am so glad that I saw this one through!
Side note: Hadlow also wrote one of my favorite books about George III!
I wasn't responding to the text, I was responding to my own feelings about Pride and Prejudice. What Hadlow does quite well is to offer a different perspective, a very distinct and strong perspective that makes complete sense for Mary. It is wonderfully done. To follow Mary Bennet as she comes into her own, as she develops self-worth and love is the true pleasure of this novel. The style is wonderful and convincing and there's something very true to the Austen spirit and I am so glad that I saw this one through!
Side note: Hadlow also wrote one of my favorite books about George III!
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Interesting look at a classic through a lesser known character’s perspective. I enjoyed the growth and evolution of Mary’s identity and self-esteem.
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoyed this. It was remarkably well-written, and I felt like I was in Austen's world. I found Mary to be remarkably sympathetic. However, the last bit was just too long! It was nice to see Mary grow more and more comfortable and confident, but then it just got drawn out over long, so that the ending isn't nearly as touching.
I thought Mary being pursued by Ryder was an interesting addition - showing how attractive she was when she was herself. BUT the bit about him proposing that she be his mistress AND THEN proposing marriage after being turned down was... Weird.. Meant to be a throwback to Lydia? Even though we get references to her throughout the book? It honestly broke me out of the narrative.
emotional
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I like reading this book because I can somehow relate to the character as someone who is mostly misunderstood at home and I'm glad she found her own happiness that she deserved at the end🤸🏻♀️