the forgotten sister

'I prayed for a brother every night. My two older sisters also prayed. They felt the want of a brother equally keenly, for our father's estate was entailed upon a male heir, and without a brother to provide for us or a rich husband to rescue us, we would all be destitute.' Mary Bennet has been long overshadowed by the beauty and charm of her older sisters, Jane and Elizabeth, and by the forwardness and cheek of her younger sisters, Kitty and Lydia. From her post in the wings of the Bennet family, Mary now watches as Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy – and Mr Wickham – glide into her sisters' lives. While she can view these three gentlemen quite dispassionately (and, as it turns out, accurately), can she be equally clear-sighted when she finally falls in love herself? In this elegant retelling of Pride and Prejudice, Mary at last learns – with a little help from the man she loves – to question her family's values and overcome her own brand of 'pride and prejudice'. – Goodreads

I'm always sucked in to books that claim to be a retelling of Pride and Prejudice...and I'm always disappointed. Because really? There is the only one Jane Austen. But once I'm able to let go of the fact that an author is silly enough to try to rewrite a classic and just enjoy the book as it's own story I can enjoy it. I didn't like the personality that this author tried to give Jane Austen's Elizabeth Bennet or of Mr. Bennet. And why are modern authors so cruel to Mr. Bennet? As a retelling of Pride and Prejudice I really disliked it.

As a story about a girl named Mary Bennet I like it...quite a bit.

rating: 4 stars