The Pursuit of Mary Bennet

If you are a Jane Austen fan of Pride and Prejudice, you will love this novel. If you haven't seen Pride and Prejudice, watch it and then deeply immerse yourself in the richness this novel offers when it picks up where the original leaves off. It had been quite awhile since I had read or even watched the movie and in order to reacquaint myself in the characters of the Bennet girls I spent some time watching the movie. Since this novel takes a look at life from Mary Bennet's point of view I had to remember who she was. Since she isn't addressed much I wondered why Pamela Mingle chose this particular Bennet girl to write a sequel on, but trust me when I tell you, she needs to be applauded for her efforts. Jane Austen would be proud!

Mary Bennet was the middle of five Bennet girls and one that most of her sisters and often times parents ignored. She wasn't pretty or even possessed any real talent a man looking for a suitable wife would find worth turning his head for. In fact, in Pride and Prejudice, Mary is chastened by her father for her lack of musical talent at playing the pianoforte or even singing. Now after spending time working at music, she possess a fine talent in those areas, but lacking the self esteem or even being bold enough as her sisters, she prefers to read alone or take walks, much like the wall flower she sees herself as.

Even her parents know that Mary will undoubtedly be an old spinster lacking in finding a suitable husband and her best outcome in life will be the governess for her older married sisters Jane or Elizabeth. But deep down inside Mary wants more but isn't sure how to find it. She is constantly reprimanded whenever she offers an opinion in any situation because she lacks the experience in such areas that her opinion isn't considered from love to marriage or even raising children. When her younger sister Lydia returns home while expecting a child from her husband Mr. Wickham, it throws the Bennet household into more scandal. In fact it turns out that Lydia isn't sure the child she is carrying is even her husbands and she has left him.

Mary is taken to her sister Jane's while the family decides how to best handle Lydia's latest predicament and to avoid having the rest of the daughter's tainted in the process. As only one of two sisters now left unmarried, Mary finds herself drawn to Mr. Henry Walsh. He seems genuinely interested in her as well but when Kitty, Mary's youngest sister deems that Henry is off limits, will Mary once again fade into the shadow or will she fight for what she wants in life?

I received The Pursuit of Mary Bennet by Pamela Mingle compliments of William Morrow, division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review and did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review. However, this one was so worth taking the time to spend with Mary Bennet. I think out of all the Bennet daughters, I myself, relate to her more than the rest of the girls. Pamela Mingle did such a flawless job, I felt Jane Austen herself had written this one. I can easily give this one a well deserved 5 out of 5 stars and was so thrilled to be able to review this one. This is such a treat and to spend time savoring each page was well worth curling up with on a rainy cold evening. A MUST HAVE for any fan of Pride and Prejudice!

For more information about The Pursuit of Mary Bennet, Pamela Mingle, or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Pursuit of Mary Bennet by Pamela Mingle

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• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (November 26, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062274244
• ISBN-13: 978-0062274243
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 1 inches