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manwithanagenda 's review for:

The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow
5.0
emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

The Austen sequel I'd hoped to find. There are a lot out there, including about the bookish and sanctimonious Mary. In 'The Other Bennett Sister' Mary Bennet is a complicated young woman mentally beaten down by a vain mother who doesn't value her, a father who overlooks her, and confuses and exasperates her sisters. Hadlow doesn't skimp on detail and takes time to develop Mary's character and her reason. Nor does she sprint through the plot of 'Pride and Prejudice'. 

Authenticity can be hard to gauge, but the novel feels real and lived in and exists without any need to be familiar with Austen's novel. I can't recommend this highly enough.