Welcome to Litsy!

Now this book has filled me with sympathy for Mr Collins. What sorcery is this?!

I‘m in Hertfordshire revisiting some of my all-time favorite characters and wishing I could give Mary a hug.

This is exciting - BBC series in the works! 🤓
https://variety.com/2024/tv/global/bbc-pride-and-prejudice-mary-the-other-bennet...
#pemberlittens

Well. I don't know what I expected from a story about the most boring Bennett sister. But this 460 page book is about 200 pages too long. I am 40% (of 180) in and Charlotte Lucas not liking her husband but ruling the house is the most interesting part. I have been starting at the book all day and cannot bring myself to pick it back up again. I absolutely am not making it to the end so I am bailing now.

#12Booksof2022 day 4

About Mary, the middle Bennett sister. Before, during and most importantly after the setting of P&P.

#AdventRecommends December 6th

A retelling of Pride and Prejudice where the middle sister, Mary, is the main character. We get her life before, during and mostly after the original novel.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This was a very well done story highlighting a young woman of the 18th century who doesn‘t get married off right away like her sisters. Mary Bennett does something so unusual for her era: she figures herself out first. Very honest portrayal of girl told by all that she needs to settle for any man because she‘s not conventionally attractive or wealthy and believes the nonsense she‘s told before growing into herself. #pemberlittens

“She had gradually discovered that the best response to glorious, unexpected happiness was not to seek explanation for its appearance but simply to embrace it and be glad.” ⚜️I loved this book. It read as very true to Austen. Mary, take center stage. I was so delighted by this story. #audiobook

I‘m enjoying Mary Bennet‘s story. She‘s the Bennet sister I relate to the most.

#pemberlittens

Saturday morning in a coffee shop ☀️☕️📖

This book is a blast. I love how it gently spins off from P&P and all its beloved characters and how they slowly develop.

I‘m nearing the ending and can‘t wait to see what happens 😬😅

I really enjoyed this story about Mary Bennet. I did feel quite sorry for Mary and her treatment from the other family members was quite horrible. Once Mary moves to live with her aunt and uncle her life becomes much better.

1. Well it depends on the length of my holiday. From 1 to 5 books.

2. Yes always and I usually leave them in the place I stay.

@TheSpineView #Two4Tuesday

I HATE giving up on books but life is too short to read books you don't enjoy so I threw this one in the DNF folder. I felt so sorry for Mary and while she often is ignored I was too depressed by her story after reading a third of the book to continue.

Some characters were different from how I would imagine them, and the P&P references/quotes were amusing in the beginning but became cringy after a while. The whole book is a bit too long, with especially the final drama going on and on forever.
That said, it was an enjoyable read with lots of empathy towards the other Bennet sister, and Mary Bennet absolutely deserves this novel.
Thanks for hosting the buddy read @StayCurious 😊
#pemberlittens

#Pemberlittens Ch.93-95 Whew, we did it! Finally, our prayers are answered and Mary and Tom actually speak to each other honestly about their feelings, and he proposes! Thank heavens because they‘re perfect for each other and I really wanted to see Mary happy. We hear that Ryder ran off with Caroline (😲), Mrs.B gets the satisfaction of seeing all her daughters married, and I think we can safely say that Mary and Tom get their HEA. A great ending!

I loved this book about the middle sister in Pride and Prejudice. The first third is from the novel and the rest is just Mary‘s own story.

I loved reading about Mary finding out who she is and learn more about her.

And an author how make Mr Collins seem like a nice guy is definitely doing something right.

#PemberLittens
@sprainedbrain

I loved your daily summaries and memes @StayCurious

I couldn't resist finishing this one up last night! I really enjoyed Mary's story, especially reading at the chapter-a-day pace with the #pemberlittens - I just had to get through the last bit and witness Mary's ending! I liked all the new development that this author gave to the smaller characters from P&P and I loved all the little nods to the original story scattered throughout.
Very enjoyable read, thanks for your fun daily posts @StayCurious

#Pemberlittens Ch.85-88 - Back in London, Mary waits desperately for Tom to make contact but he‘s MIA. She does see a lot of Ryder, though, and unfortunately her mother comes for a visit. Mrs.B senses prey in Ryder and attacks - trying to get him to propose to her last unmarried daughter, even when Mary begs her to stop. Ryder does tell Mary he wants to run away with her- and thank heavens she declines because it isn‘t marriage he‘s looking for😳

#Pemberlittens Ch.81-84 A storm‘s brewing on the mountainside. The guide and Tom insist they must head down but the rest of the party (ugh - Mary included) resist. They stay, get soaked and Tom is angry - and rightfully so. Why must Mary be so stubborn? Tom leaves their holiday with nothing but a note and Mary is heartbroken. Can she repair the damage done? Or is it too late for them?

It's amazing how you can find #ThingsInCommon between two books that are really 100% opposites 😂 @Clwojick

I couldn't resist finishing this one, mostly because Mary was driving me CRAZY these last couple of days! 😂 I overall really enjoyed this one, but I am not sure I would have liked it as much if I hadn't been reading just two chapters a day, because the story was really slow in parts, which I think would have bogged me down more if I had been reading this all in one go. 463 pages was just tooooo long for the amount of story we have here. I did ⬇

Misplaced my copy of the book so I ordered a new copy of the book.

A little draggy in parts but overall a pleasant read.
I loved joining the author on this book of the overlooked Bennet sister.
Read for #pemberlittens but also considering this for #aboutsisters for #booked2022

I‘ve been doing a read along of this but I couldn‘t stay at the 2 chapter a day pace. (Discovered an unknown #readinghabit) The first half of the book includes some of the P&P story from Mary‘s perspective and details after that gives her character more depth. It is was hard in many places because it was so sad at the beginning but like an Austen novel this heroine gets a satisfying end as well.

#Pantone2022 #AutumnBlonde #Midnight

I‘m between pick and so-so, but I‘ll round up. It was hard to read the early sections with Mary getting mistreated by everyone (Mrs. Bennet is just awful, and Charlotte‘s a queen bitch), but when Mary moves in with the Gardiners things got much better. What I disliked was the bits “borrowed” from Austen novels (Caroline Bingley and Mary have a Lady Catherine and Lizzy exchange, there‘s a Knightley-esque declaration), which might be 👇🏻

#Pemberlittens Ch.33&34 - Mary arrives at Pemberley and is happy and bonding with Lizzy until Darcy returns with his sister Georgiana-Lizzy‘s new BFF. Mary realizes there‘s no place in their bliss bubble for her so she heads to Longbourne to visit Charlotte Collins. Maybe the former spinster can give her advice on her future. Maybe, after she gives Mary the tour of all the improvements she‘s made to her former home - kinda rude, no?

#Pemberlittens Ch.25&26 It‘s the Netherfield Ball and the Bennets come crashing through polite society like the Kool Aid man crashes through a wall - it‘s messy, and there will be a lot to clean up afterwards. Mr.Collins oversteps, Mrs.Bennet loudly gossips - Elizabeth is ashamed, Mr.Bennet is amused - but don‘t worry, Mary‘s singing will surely win the night and smooth ruffled feathers. Right?

I'm not usually big on variations and adaptations, but so glad I decided to read this with the #pemberlittens. I found it super absorbing (if a wee bit too long) and an so glad the slighted Mary got the chance to be her own heroine and make her own happiness in this accomplished book.

I enjoyed this rehabilitation of Mary Bennet, the much maligned, bespectacled sister of the Bennet family in Austen's Pride & Prejudice. My main issue with it was that it was far too long & went over the same path repeatedly, & I felt like I could do without some of the mawkish sermonising in places. But otherwise it was absorbing & entertaining. I wouldn't have minded a single, revolutionary Mary Bennet, though! However, Marriage Is Everything.

I am so very bad at #ChapterADay #ReadALongs, especially when I. have to borrow the book. Anyway finished this one yesterday. I enjoyed it. I was thinking it would be a “so so“ because I felt so sad for Mary the whole time! And so mad at her momma!

Continue to look forward to the #PemberLittens discussions though :) @StayCurious

#the52BookClub2022 Prompt : Jane Austen Inspired

Started this one last night.

#pimberlitten

What a fantastic take on one of the most underdeveloped characters in literature! I've read Pride and Prejudice countless times and rarely given Mary Bennet a second thought, so I was not prepared to find this book and Mary's story so wonderfully engaging. Mary is the heroine I never knew I needed! I'm so glad this was one of the #pemberlittens chosen books this month!

This was an exceptionally well-done pastiche of Austen‘s Pride and Prejudice, telling the story of the much maligned bookish sister, Mary. Only the first third of this novel covers the same ground as the classic and then we jump two years ahead and see events after the death of Mr Bennet.

It‘s perhaps a trifle long but this author knows her stuff. She wrote one of my favourite Georgian era biographies of the last few years, The Strangest Family.

Happy International Women's Day! This is just some of the many books by women authors that I still need to read. #tbr

Mary endures two chapters of post-dance shame and regret for dancing with Mr. Sparrow. Surprise, surprise, her mother and Lydia are both horrifically condescending and snide to her, and Mary internalizes their criticism once again, deciding that since she cannot trust her traitorous heart not to get her into trouble, she will henceforth read only instructive texts and be solely head-driven. Gah, this poor girl! #PemberLittens

My husband and I do this a lot. I love it when he recommends a book for me. He has gotten me into so many lovely books!

#PemberLittens @StayCurious
The Other Bennet Sister

1. The Other Bennet Sister, Hamnet and Judith, The Last Rose of Shanghai

2. Library Holds; I do browse from time to time.

3. Anxious People, The One Hundred Years of Lenin and Margot, Bringing Down the Duke, The Silence of the Girls

#weekendreads

Man, Mary just cannot catch a break from her scrutinizing, critical mother who is a heinous bitch about Mary dancing with kind John Sparrow- after all, his father is only an oculist who keeps a shop with a bell on the door! UGH. Whenever I'm confronted with this disgusting classism in period novels, I always think of the sweet, wonderful, wise Betsy Ray, who asks, "How can she love money so much and yet despise the good hard work which earns it?"

Sometimes, I don't know if this book is for me. I mean... I don't hate it (by any means) but it's just so so depressing to me.

#PemberLittens @StayCurious
The Other Bennet Sister

It is a sad fact in life that if a young woman is unlucky enough to come to the world without expectations, she had better do all she can to ensure she is born beautiful.

#FirstLineFridays a day late
@ShyBookOwl

Awe... “If you can't love yourself, how the hell are you going to love anyone else“

#PemberLittens @StayCurious
The Other Bennet Sister

#bookspinbingo picks for March. I have a good feeling about this month. 🤞❤📚😁

#bookspin 19
#doublespin 3

Thank you for all your hard work organising this fun game @TheAromaofBooks

I don't read many Austen adaptations, but I'm glad to be reading this! The beginning shows much of what we already know about the Bennets, but also makes us think about the girls' childhoods, positing that Jane, Lizzy, and Mary used to be thick as thieves. But Mrs. B's treatment of Mary as an ugly ducking made her withdraw into herself, and isolated her within her own family. The writing feels very true, and heartbreaking, and I'm already hooked.

Let‘s see what Janice thinks Mary is up to! #buddyread #pemberlittens

My #bookspinbingo list for March

I am enjoying this one but... it's super slow-moving for me. Maybe I don't care about this sister? Really like this quote though :)

#PemberLittens @StayCurious

Hello fellow #Pemberlittens! I‘m so excited because @sprainedbrain has graciously allowed me to lead the readalong for one of our books in March/April, The Other Bennet Sister. I‘ve never read this one so I‘m really looking forward to discovering it with you all. Please let me know if you want to be tagged in my daily posts. I will be reading 2 chapters a day starting March 1. @LitsyEvents

The #Pemberlittens Austen adaptation for March/April is The Other Bennet Sister. I read this P&P variation not so long ago (loved it!), and it‘s a bit soon for a reread for me.

@StayCurious will be leading the readalong. This book has 95 chapters, and I believe Renee is planning two chapters per day, starting 3/1.

Tagging those who have expressed interest in comments. If you want to be added or removed from the list for this book, let us know!

I love Mary's love of reading!

#PemberLittens