Mary B by Katherine J. Chen is a different take on the Pride and Prejudice story. This ends up not being the book for me for two primary reasons. First is Mary herself. She is not a likable character, and she makes some pretty unsavory decisions, further leaving nothing to sympathize with. Second, the other characterizations in the book bear no resemblance to the characters from the original, except the names. So, the book loses me.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2019/03/mary-b.html

Reviewed for NetGalley.

Fans of Austen and Pride and Prejudice may clamor to read this but will probably end up sorely disappointed. I have always wondered a bit about Mary and wish that she could have just married Mr Collins and lived a quiet life. However, I feel this book strays so far from the "cannon" of Pride and Prejudice that it is totally about a different woman. Yes, I believe that Mary probably had a bit more going on than Austen gave her credit for, but I think I would have liked that channeled more into like a Jo from Little Women way- reading, writing, etc. It was hard to square the characters and the way they are portrayed here, compared to the original Austen.

It is rare for me not to finish a book, but I struggled to finish Mary B: A Novel. Although I am a huge Austen fan and have read all of Austen's work, I thought the characters in Mary B: A Novel, were unrealistic. The reaction to Mr. Collins didn't correspond (at all) to the picture that Austen painted of him and the while this book seemed to try to capture and build on some of the relationships between the Bennet sisters, those relationships felt a little off somehow as well.. Ultimately, I just plain got bored with this one and didn't really care what happened with any character.

I was super excited about this book since I love Pride and Prejudice. Unfortunately I didn't like this book, and I think that's because in my opinion Mary is one of the least exciting characters in the book. I hoped I'd love this but sadly I didn't.

It's hard to follow up a classic. Katherine Chen's Mary B: A Novel tried to tell the story of Mary Bennet from Pride and Prejudice. I think people who aren't familiar with the original story will enjoy it. Those who are passionate about Pride and Prejudice likely will not. That said, I wasn't originally the biggest fan of P&P as a child; it was years later that I reconnected with the book and got more out of it. I did enjoy this book but kept in mind that it was a spin-off so to speak. People looking for complete "accuracy" need not check this book out.

If you liked Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, you will love Katherine J. Chen's story of Mary Bennett the middle daughter and Darcy.

I was intrigued by the premise of seeing Pride and Prejudice thru middle sister Mary's eyes. I really enjoyed the beginning, the sisters were much like the original depictions, even Mr. Collins was suitably boring. The scene were Mary admits to continuing her piano playing because she knows it bugs Kitty and Lydia definitely sets the stage for a more forthright Mary.

Gave up 50 pages in. Couldn't get through it - everyone seemed completely out of character from Austen's novel. I don't mind a retelling or a side story but it does need to be in line with the original work.

Pride and Prejudice is one of my favourite books and I like to read new version of this novel. Since Mary is a character that remains much in the background throughout the novel I was interested in reading her side of the story. The first part of the novel is engaging and funny with many hilarious moments that made me laugh, but the second part of the book completely disappointed me: it’s set after the ending of the original Pride and Prejudice but both the story and the characters develop in a way that I didn’t like (I can’t say what I didn’t like without revealing spoilers) so, in the end, I can’t say I completely enjoyed the novel.

Mary B is a historical fiction novel set in the world of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, told from the perspective of Elizabeth Bennett’s younger sister Mary. Readers of Pride and Prejudice may remember Mary as the timid, somber one who preferred reading and playing the piano to socializing with Elizabeth and Jane. In Mary B, however, Mary is fleshed out as an introverted but thoughtful young woman who still longs for love and friendship – she just doesn’t relish the drama of Elizabeth’s life.

I do happen to love Jane Austen, and I think that her main characters were complex and interesting – but her secondary characters often left much to be desired. That was the best thing about Mary B – it took a familiar world and fleshed out the characters that were overlooked in Pride and Prejudice. Mary herself, of course, was developed, but there also was a good deal more made of Mr. Collins, Charlotte Lucas, and Colonel Fitzwilliam, and even Lydia. Unlike most fan-fiction, Mary B also did not take unlikable characters and make them likable – instead, they were just given depth and history. Mr. Collins, for example, is finally given a genuine voice and allowed to explain why he is such a flatterer. I still did not much like Mr. Collins, but he still was given a real motive and a sympathetic story.

In retrospect, it does not seem like there was all that much activity in Mary B, but still somehow it went quickly – I devoured this book, probably a good deal of that owing to the excellent character development – and it felt entirely too short at the end. There was just one large leap in the middle (a skip over some of the biggest action of Pride and Prejudice), and while that did feel a little artificial, I still had a lot of respect for the author’s disinterest in retelling the major plot points of Elizabeth’s romance.

Pride and Prejudice itself, as was the majority of Jane Austen’s literature, was a little light on world development – which made sense as it was set in the time during which the author lived. Mary B, however, gave the author the opportunity to go back and fill in all the blanks that were left behind in Pride and Prejudice, and I really enjoyed some of the small details of the characters’ daily life, and a look into the actual behaviors of young ladies from that time period (Jane Austen certainly never portrayed her main characters as engaging in pre-marital sex). Without feeling that way, Mary B was packed full of information about life in the early 19th century, and that really brought the story to life as well.

In all, I will give Mary B an 8 out of 10. Readers who want a good deal of action and satisfying resolutions will not care for it, but readers of drama, historical fiction, and certainly feminist literature will appreciate what Mary B has to offer: a complex heroine with an unusual insight into the sexist and classist society within which she lives.

I have started this novel twice now and I'm finding that perhaps it is just not the right book for me. Initially I was intrigued by the premise. I actually really enjoy a good re-imagining of a setting with characters I'm already familiar with. Mary appears to be as insufferable in this novel as she is in the original P&P. What makes this a hard novel to swallow is that everyone else that surrounds Mary appears as insufferable as herself, due to the fact that we are seeing all through her lens.

The writing style has been praised by some, but I did not enjoy it. Every sentence appears to be twice as long as it should be. It makes for a tedious reading experience.

This is not my favorite time period to read, that being said, I was pleasantly surprised by this novel.
Mary was not the most beautiful or clever of her sisters and she was very much content to be in her own world of reading the dusty books in her family library. She watched as her sisters were married off one at a time to dandies who has income to support them.
She did think a few times that she would be wed, but the men were penniless and had to marry into money. Out of boredom Mary began writing a novel, that became her solace that kept her sane.
The thing I do love about these books is that I’m so glad we don’t live that way anymore, I would have been the poor clergyman’s daughter who wasn’t eligible for marriage to one above my status is society.
If you enjoy reading this time period you will enjoy this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reading copy.
The opinions are my own
Sorry I did not get it read in a timely manner.

Thanks to NetGalley, Katherine J. Chen, and Random House for providing me with a digital copy of this book.

While I was very intrigued by the concept of this novel, ultimately I did not really connect with the main character, and I found myself overall a little bit disappointed. Chen is a good writer, but I don't think the approach she took with this concept was ultimately successful. It's extremely difficult to take something as beloved as Pride and Prejudice, and especially a character like Lizzie Bennett, and pull off something convincing, new, and original. My main distraction was the fact that I just didn't believe the characters. If you happen to agree with Chen's reading of the original characters, then I think this book will interest and entertain you. That wasn't the case for me. Books like these run the risk of reading a bit like fan-fiction, which has its place, but is not what I think most people are looking for in a full-length novel. If you are, then you may enjoy this, and more power to you, but it just didn't work for me.

Mary B is a retelling of Pride and Prejudice told from the perspective of Elizabeth’s sister, Mary. Mary is often overlooked in the family because of her plainness. Mary wishes that she was beautiful like her sisters and hopes that she can find happiness. She believes she has found it when she falls for the plain, bookish Mr. Collins. She finds that they both are similar. However Mr. Collins breaks her heart because he is not attracted to her appearance. It is not until a year later when Elizabeth invites Mary to Pemberley that Mary might truly find her own happiness and independence.

This was one of my most disappointing books of 2018! Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite novels of all time, and Mary is a character that I found most sympathetic because she is often neglected. When I got an ARC copy of this book, I quickly dove into it hoping it would become one of 2018's best reads. I read this in one sitting in a little over four hours. This was not because I enjoyed it. Instead, it was like a watching a train wreck from which I just could not look away.

Part 1 of Mary B was the best part of the novel. This part was a faithful retelling of Pride and Prejudice. I loved how the novel explored Mary’s unrequited love for Mr. Collins. I could see why Mr. Collins appealed to her. They were both the same. They had a love for history and books. They desired to live a humble and simple life. It is utterly heartbreaking when Mr. Collins rejects Mary because of her looks. I could understand Mary’s pain when she believes she will never love again.

When Elizabeth and Jane are married is when the novel goes downhill. From then on, I could scarcely recognize any of my beloved characters. Charlotte, who is nice and sensible, become a vain, harsh, and overbearing woman. She is mean to Mary. The amiable and good Colonel Fitzwilliam becomes a brash drunk who is looking to marry a rich heiress. He is more evil than Mr. Wickham. I was horrified when the author describes Mary’s nightly rendezvous with Colonel Fitzwilliam. It was so out of character for Mary.

What really made me sick to my stomach was how Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy were portrayed. Elizabeth was characterized as a selfish woman who married Mr. Darcy only for his money! This was not the Elizabeth Bennet that I know who would marry for love! Darcy was equally appalling! In Pride and Prejudice, we witnessed the depths of Mr. Darcy’s feelings for Elizabeth! We smiled when Darcy tries to resist his growing attraction for Elizabeth. We cried when Darcy confesses his love for Elizabeth, and we swooned when Elizabeth’s rejection makes Darcy a better man. However, in Mary B, it is not even a year into his marriage to Elizabeth that he instead falls for Mary! This was really the most disappointing aspect of the book! I love Mary as a character, but it is a disservice of the Austen novel because we went through so many emotions for Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy to have a happy marriage. It was just so out of character for Mr. Darcy to love Mary right after he got married.

Overall, this was a mediocre and frustrating read for me. The characters are different from their Pride and Prejudice counterparts. There were some aspects that I did like about the novel. I like how Mary strives to become a novelist. Still, the cons heavily outweigh the pros. I would not recommend this novel to any Austenite, especially those whose favorite hero is Mr. Darcy. There are much better books written about Mary Bennet. One book that I found particularly enjoyable is The Pursuit of Mary Bennet by Pamela Mingle. Thus, if you are an Austenite, I suggest you skip Mary B and read Pamela Mingle’s novel instead.

clever ...if maybe too clever. reexamination of classic novels can be dicey. good writing...not my cup of tea...

I don't really get all the hate over this book--I enjoyed it for what it was, a completely different story in the P&P timeline. If another P&P 'after' story can have Bingley having an affair with another woman and she bearing his child and then dying and Jane adopting it, I think we can have what Mary had here in this story. As far fetched as the Darcy/Mary storyline would likely be, I found it to be an interesting diversion. Mary as a writer? Yes! Mary having some rendezvous with some a few stations above her, sure, why not?

The first portions of the book went slow but after the 'main P&P' story ended and we got to go into new territory I was here for it!

I was very excited for a continuation of the Pride and Prejudice story! Mary seemed like an interesting character to continue on writing about, however, I feel as if this fell flat for me. I think the magical thing about Pride and Prejudice was the relationship between Darcy and Lizzie. In this book, in order to make Mary look better, the author portrays both Darcy and Lizzie in a bad light, which left a sour taste in my mouth. I had high hopes for this, but it just felt average to me.

Being a Jane Austen fan, I’ve read a lot of spinoffs from her books. Some I like, some are disappointing. This book I thought was disappointing and sad.
The author Katherine J. Chen wrote very well and used great language to match the time period.
Mary is the sister that most have forgotten because she is not very memorable. This is her story. In the beginning it overlaps some with Pride and Prejudice, but through her eyes and adding her story. It then continues and expands on the story. I honestly disliked her love story in part two and three of the book. It just wasn’t believable behavior from her, to me.
I really disliked what happened with Darcy and Lizzie. I’m too much of a die hard fan for it to go down like that. I wasn’t too surprised by Lydia or Jane’s story.
I was disappointed there was talk of sex in this book and a few crude words. 18+.
I received a free uncorrected proof e-copy through Net Gallery and Random House New York for my opinions and reviews.

Mary B: A novel. I read this because I am a Jane Austen fan (Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorites!), and I was interested in seeing how someone else perceived Elizabeth's sister Mary. I admit, I've often wondered what path Mary's life would take--she's an odd duck in the book and is portrayed as a stick in the mud in the movies. I didn't really care for this description. The novel is very well written, I could imagine Jane Austen had actually written it, but personally I don't see Mary's life being that involved with her sisters. This is just my opinion, in my book club we touched on Mary and what we thought became of her, I know we didn't go into much depth. I won't give any spoilers, it wouldn't be fair to those that wish to read it, but I can't imagine one line of thought in this book happening, it upset the romantic in me!

I have to admit that I never really wondered what happened to Mary Bennett after the closing lines of Pride & Prejudice. And I smiled and laughed at the subtle humor Jane Austen used in portraying Mary's opinions, her unattractiveness, and sullen behavior in social situations in comparison with her other four sisters. I glossed over Mary as just a plot point, an unimportant side character. I never really gave her much thought. Until now.

Mary B is a re-telling and continuation of the Pride and Prejudice story from Mary Bennett's point of view. Mary starts out by saying that she realized at a very young age that she was totally plain and that this one fact would effect her entire life. She wouldn't be considered a prize for marriage or ever be a contender for her parent's love, affection, or pride because she would be over-shadowed in entirety by all of her other sisters. Then she tells the familiar classic story from her vantage point. Is she morose, jealous, insecure, whiny and at times vindictive? Yep. But, she is the middle child in the center of a classic novel people have been reading for more than 200 years. In all those 200 years nobody ever thought to ask what happened to poor Mary Bennett when her pretty sisters left. Jane Austen didn't even care enough about the character to give a hint at the end of P&P. Mary just disappeared. *Poof* Not important.

Many will balk at the idea of the P&P canon being challenged when characters put forth as kind and intelligent show themselves to also be a bit vain, mean, and even careless. But, it must be kept in mind that this re-telling is from the perspective of a middle child who sees her sisters in a different light than anyone else. She lives with them, eats with them, watches their behavior.....and colors everything with the backlash of her emotions as the plain one, the one nobody wants or cares about.

I found this book to be well-written....a creative and brave debut novel! Taking classic, beloved characters and giving them a bit of a public dressing down opens a story up to backlash from loyal readers of the original. Judging from some of the reviews I read, some just couldn't "connect" with this book. They love Lizzy and Jane.....and didn't care about some side character's jealousies and feelings. Understandable. But, I put my feelings about Jane, Lizzy and all of Austen's intentions for her characters aside for awhile, and just let Chen tell Mary's story. The story gives insight not only into Mary and the Bennetts, but also into the characters of Mr. Darcy, Mr. Collins, and Col. Fitzwilliam outside of the confines of the original novel (which is also a brave move on the part of the author). Did I agree with all of it? No. I felt that Mary's side of things was perhaps a bit too harsh, pessimistic and dark. But......Mary feels slighted by her family and everyone around her. Of course her view of everything would be pessimistic and dark.

All in all, I enjoyed this book. I like the original better and always will. It's a classic...and perfect the way it is. It is Mary's fate to be a side character included in the story only to further the tale of Lizzy and Darcy, Jane and Bingley. Just like Kitty and Lydia who pretty much got dumped unceremoniously at the end....Mary flings off into nothingness at the close of P&P. She was never a fully developed character, but a caricature of the less attractive sister who is an embarrassment and impediment for her elder sisters.

Mary B is Katherine Chen's debut novel. I would definitely read more by this author. I like her writing style. The story concept is interesting and very creative. The tale kept my attention from beginning to end, even if I did disagree with some of the characterizations and events.

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Random House via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**