A review by lenorayoder
The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

This book mostly feels like wasted potential. There was a lot to love in the first half - Mary's relationship with her father is heart-wrenching, alternative perspectives of Lizzy, Jane, Charlotte, and Mr. Collins during the events of Pride & Prejudice add some interesting complexity to that story, and seeing Mrs. Bennet framed through a dramatic lens rather than a comedic one makes obvious what Austen only implied in her story. This book's strength lies in exploring these platonic and familial relationships - the hope Mary desperately places in her father (and to a smaller extent, Lizzy) is so compelling to read. 

Unfortunately, this book has a LOT of pitfalls. First, the characters. At some point those alternate perspectives of Charlotte and Mr. Collins start to feel very two-dimensional. Miss Bingley's character is absolutely assassinated, and becomes a weird amalgamation of her role and Lady Catherine's in P&P. Kitty is almost completely wiped from the book, it's kind of astonishing. Mary has two romantic interests, but one barely feels like a real person and the other feels more multi-faceted but

isn't endgame

so we don't get to see more. Mary herself starts to feel less like a real person and more like a pale imitation of other Austen heroines. 

And now, the plot... it barely exists. Very little happens with Mary in the first half of the book. Then, Mary

takes a whole ass trip to London, gets a new wardrobe, improves her conversation skills and

meets... two new people. The romantic plot feels lazy and it's the only thing the book has going on for the latter half. Every plot point feels like a pale imitation of something we've seen executed much better by Austen, sprinkled with less impactful paraphrases of Austen's iconic lines! It's rough. 

The more I think about this book the more holes I poke in it, but at the end of the day it still gets 3 stars from me because I really enjoyed that first half before I started thinking about it too hard.