The Pursuit of Mary Bennet

October 1, 2013

In the three years since her sisters married, Mary Bennet has received a greater share of her father's attention, and it has benefited them both. With growing confidence in her own worth, Mary may have even caught the attention of a suitable gentleman, a neighbor of the Bingleys in Derbyshire. But perhaps too quick to doubt herself and further distracted by sisterly troubles, Mary believes her prospects are fading. Could she be right? In her adult fiction debut, former teacher/librarian/YA author Mingle (Kissing Shakespeare) has done a nice job of building on the characters and situations introduced in Austen's original Pride and Prejudice but wisely focuses on Mary, a sister set in the background of her family's life. Here, Mary is given the opportunity to become a three-dimensional character with thoughtful explanations for her feelings and behaviors in both Austen's original story and in Mingle's tale. All the sisters have a part to play and are well represented, but none overshadows Mary's transformation. VERDICT A few discordant moments that take readers out of the story briefly disrupt from the engaging process of witnessing Mary become someone they will find genuinely fascinating. Austenites and Regency fans will enjoy Mingle's interpretation as an alternative to Colleen McCullough's The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet.--Stacey Hayman, Rocky River P.L., OH

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from December 1, 2013
In Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Mary Bennet is the socially awkward, bookish middle sister who is rarely mentioned. In her first adult novel, YA author Mingle (Kissing Shakespeare, 2012) plucks the character from obscurity and brings her to life in this delightful spin-off. Of the five Bennet sisters, Mary is the one viewed by everyone as least likely to wed. Twenty-two years old and still living at home with her younger sister Kitty, Mary resents her predicament and her parents' expectations. Her life takes a turn when her very pregnant and disgraced sister Lydia arrives home, and Mary and Kitty are shuttled off to live with their older, married sister, Jane. There, at High Tor, Mary meets the handsome and prosperous Henry Walsh. While Kitty vies for his attention, it's Mary who holds Henry's interest. But Mary is reluctant to open her heart to the love she longs to receive. The Pursuit of Mary Bennet is the story of a woman's search for acceptance and identity and a man's quest for her affections. Mingle makes no attempt to replicate Austen's voice. Rather, she lets Mary speak for herself in this romantic charmer that will leave the reader sighing with pleasure and remembering what it feels like to fall in love.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)