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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
I loved reading about Mary and how she came into her own. The author's development of Mary was and easy extension of Austin's Mary.
Mary and Lydia Bennett receive invitations from their sisters to live with them and experience society. However, instead of staying at Pemberley, the Darcys are summoned to visit Lady Catherine De Bourgh. When Mary befriends Anne, she is offered the job of companion which she takes thinking it is her best hope. However, when love arrives, she finds that her richest dreams can come true. A fairly standard rehash of the P&P characters.
I give most attempts to write any kind of sequel to Pride and Prejudice a wide berth; however, this book really intrigued me because it was dealing with Mary, who'd I'd never given much thought to. I was really impressed by how she was developed here, how her actions in the original novel can be understood as coming from a young girl that thought she had already figured out how the world worked (see: adolescence and parental neglect), but here she really gets a chance to mature and come into her own. The book also examines some other minor characters in a very interesting light. Her romantic lead was, well, unexpected and I had a bit of difficulty believing the attraction between them, but overall, I thought it was sweet. I'm glad that I read this and it's given me a new perspective for whenever I read P&P again.
2nd read: Still enjoyed it, but I found the love interest a lot more jarring and tacked on this time. Maybe more like a 3.5 stars. I feel like it's sort of a given there needs to be one in an Austen spin off book, but honestly I would've rather seen her relationship develop with Anne more? And I really wish the book did more with Lydia. Every year I get more and more strident in my belief that Lydia deserves better. She's, what, 16 when she marries Wickham? Yikes.
2nd read: Still enjoyed it, but I found the love interest a lot more jarring and tacked on this time. Maybe more like a 3.5 stars. I feel like it's sort of a given there needs to be one in an Austen spin off book, but honestly I would've rather seen her relationship develop with Anne more? And I really wish the book did more with Lydia. Every year I get more and more strident in my belief that Lydia deserves better. She's, what, 16 when she marries Wickham? Yikes.
I very much enjoyed this sort of sequel to Pride & Prejudice and the decision to focus on Mary. The author did a great job in making it feel almost cannon and although I, of course, wish there had been more Darcy & Elizabeth, I found myself very much enjoying reading about Mary.
I am a fan of most P&P variations, so I admit my bias, but I really enjoyed this. I would have given it all 5 stars if only we had seen more of Mary and Mr Aikens together...the ending felt a bit rushed and I felt a bit cheated. Beyond that though, I loved everything about it.
I am a fan of most P&P variations, so I admit my bias, but I really enjoyed this. I would have given it all 5 stars if only we had seen more of Mary and Mr Aikens together...the ending felt a bit rushed and I felt a bit cheated. Beyond that though, I loved everything about it.
Well written - very much in the style of the original pride and predjudice this follows the story of Mary as her character grows and develops. While the romance is quite understated and some may wonder at the little Mary and her suitor seem to have it common I actually found it very sweet and believable as they accepted and appreciated each other for who they were and were each happy to share the other's interests (which is usally what happens in real life).
I loved this book! It picks up a year after Pride and Prejudice and follows the life of Mary Bennett. Jane gets upset that her mother has decided to write Mary off as never getting married. So she enlists the help of Elizabeth to interfere and help Mary come out of her shell. Little did they know, that Mary was changing all on her own. Fed up with not being an accomplished pianist and being overlooked by everyone, Mary puts aside her sermons and piano and opens herself up to life and love.
It was a great little book. Written in the style of Jane Austen. There were some parts where it deviated from her style, but overall it was very similar.
It was a great little book. Written in the style of Jane Austen. There were some parts where it deviated from her style, but overall it was very similar.
I enjoyed this sequel to Pride and Prejudice!
Mr. Aikens was a refreshing character. I feel the story could have done without Catherine and Anne de Bourgh as well as Wickham or Lydia in the book but I guess the author wanted to add all the original characters. Worth reading if you like P&P.
Mr. Aikens was a refreshing character. I feel the story could have done without Catherine and Anne de Bourgh as well as Wickham or Lydia in the book but I guess the author wanted to add all the original characters. Worth reading if you like P&P.
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Unexpected Miss Bennet by Patrice Sarath tackles the enigmatic figure of Mary Bennet, the third oldest of the Bennet sisters. She’s the one considered unremarkable and religious in the original novel, Pride & Prejudice. Here readers will see the struggles of Mary as she finds that she is often ignored or laughed at on almost every occasion. She turns to sermons and music for solace, though she notes that despite the many hours she spends practicing, she is unable to improve her musical talents.
“It is a comforting belief among much of society, that a plain girl with a small fortune must have no more interest in matrimony than matrimony has in her.” (page 1)
Sarath’s Mary has grown from the quiet girl, who was content to remain in the background. Although she’s not sure what she wants out of life, she certainly realizes that her life is not where she wants it to be and that she wants to find a man who is her equal and to be more than her mother’s keeper or a possible governess to her sister Jane’s unborn children. Jane and Lizzy have bigger plans for their sisters, Kitty and Mary, and plan to expose them to a greater society. They hope that through their stay the younger sisters can find happiness, but this is Mary’s story.
Read the full review: http://savvyverseandwit.com/2011/12/the-unexpected-miss-bennet-by-patrice-sarath.html
“It is a comforting belief among much of society, that a plain girl with a small fortune must have no more interest in matrimony than matrimony has in her.” (page 1)
Sarath’s Mary has grown from the quiet girl, who was content to remain in the background. Although she’s not sure what she wants out of life, she certainly realizes that her life is not where she wants it to be and that she wants to find a man who is her equal and to be more than her mother’s keeper or a possible governess to her sister Jane’s unborn children. Jane and Lizzy have bigger plans for their sisters, Kitty and Mary, and plan to expose them to a greater society. They hope that through their stay the younger sisters can find happiness, but this is Mary’s story.
Read the full review: http://savvyverseandwit.com/2011/12/the-unexpected-miss-bennet-by-patrice-sarath.html
I very much enjoyed this sort of sequel to Pride & Prejudice and the decision to focus on Mary. The author did a great job in making it feel almost cannon and although I, of course, wish there had been more Darcy & Elizabeth, I found myself very much enjoying reading about Mary.
I am a fan of most P&P variations, so I admit my bias, but I really enjoyed this. I would have given it all 5 stars if only we had seen more of Mary and Mr Aikens together...the ending felt a bit rushed and I felt a bit cheated. Beyond that though, I loved everything about it.
I am a fan of most P&P variations, so I admit my bias, but I really enjoyed this. I would have given it all 5 stars if only we had seen more of Mary and Mr Aikens together...the ending felt a bit rushed and I felt a bit cheated. Beyond that though, I loved everything about it.