Tuesday, December 03, 2013

The Pursuit of Mary Bennet - Giveaway!


Mary Bennet is just such a pill--she is socially awkward, morally pedantic, and unutterably boring.  She is little more than a filler character in Jane Austen's masterpiece, Pride and Prejudice, which makes her perfect fodder for a make-over in the realms of Austen-inspired fiction.

Pamela Mingle's new novel, The Pursuit of Mary Bennet, gives Mary a chance to finally shine.  Mingle fleshes her out and gives her a story that she renders her still recognizable as Austen's Mary but with heart, depth, and soul that goes far beyond the comic form that Austen gave her.

Most of our favorite P and P characters show up--and it is a sequel, taking place but a few years after the joint wedding in which Mr. and Mrs. Bennet saw their two eldest daughters married--with Lydia and Kitty playing major roles in the story, and Jane and Lizzy now in more of the supporting cast roles.  In many ways, Mary's story parallels the Lizzy/Darcy arc and in lesser ways Kitty's story parallels the Jane/Bingley arc, but while marriage is the focus of the story (and in what self-respecting Regency Romance would this not be the case?), I was very happy to see that Mary's growth as a character was complex and the result of several forces not just the desire to be married and loved.

In The Pursuit of Mary Bennet, I think that Mingle has a very good handle on what makes Mary who she is in P and P:
I 'd always believed I would remain a spinster. I would disappoint as a wife. I had not the easy compliance, the ability to defer to a husband, and worst of all, I lacked beauty, conduct, and, at times, even common sense.
The difference in stories is that in her novel, Mingle makes Mary self-aware and through that self-awareness she is able to change in the ways she needs to in order become a vibrant, interesting character and not merely a caricature.

I would like to quote another passage that really demonstrates the growth of Mary--without giving away too much of the plot, Mary cares for Lydia's newborn daughter, Felicity, and becomes very attached to her:
I was not Felicity's mother, and yet my whole being cried out that I was. That it was not right for Lydia to separate me from her.  When I had arrived at Longbourn after Fee's birth, broken and dispirited, it was Fee who made me whole again. She who, by the mere fact of her existence, showed me how I might get on with my life.  Felicity had proved to me that no matter how low one's spirits may sink, life holds something in safekeeping to present at the most fortuitous moment. She had filled the emptiness in me with her innocent and trusting love, and I prayed I had given her that gift in return.
I really enjoyed The Pursuit of Mary Bennet, and would like to share it with others.

I have an uncorrected proof copy (not for sale) that the author has provided for a giveaway.  This is open worldwide, and to enter merely leave a comment along with your email address.  The giveaway closes at 8 pm on Tuesday, December 10.

20 comments:

  1. I've always felt sorry for Mary. Please enter me in the contest.

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  2. I would love love to win this book. Please enter me in shelleyreadsandreviews40@yahoo.com

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  3. Oh yes please! I would love to read this book and see what happens to Mary!

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  4. Sounds like a fun read. I haven't read a lot of Pride and Prejudice sequels but I wouldn't mind reading this one. Please enter me in the contest, too.

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  5. I've always wanted to read about Mary - I thought she was unfairly treated both by her sisters, and Austen. She was the ultimate outsider it seems.

    I especially like the fact that in this novel Mary shows this degree of self-awareness - it reminds me even more strongly of the fact that Elizabeth /didn't/ - which will definitely make Mary's story an interesting one, I think.

    I've love to have a chance to read this, so please enter me. Email address is: ladydisdainnotes@gmail.com

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  6. Oh I have loved the sound of this book since I first heard of it! Please enter me :)

    journeythroughbooks@gmail.com

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  7. I could understand the other character's exasperation with Mary, but she didn't really have a chance did she? I'd love to read more about her. Please enter me.

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  8. Jane, throw my address in the hat? amybellinger@gmail.com

    Thanks.

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  9. Whoopsies. S+H widgets was me, Amy, signed into a work account. Sorry about that.

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  10. I've never found many P&P spinoffs that lived up to the original but this one does sounds like it's worth the read.

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  11. One of the very few JA spin offs which are open to all. Thank you very much.

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  12. Yes please. Sounds like a fun story. jc_is_life@yahoo.com

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  13. I would love to read this! julie.crompton@gmail.com

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  14. I bet this is another great book. Congrats Pam. nancyos@centurylink.net

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  15. I´d love to read this book! Thank you for having this giveaway :)
    mmyheartishere@gmail.com

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  16. Oh poor Mary! I'd like to read this one. Thanks for the giveaway opportunity. I'm at frawli1978 (at) gmail(dot) com

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  17. Sounds intriguing! P&P is one of my favourite books. annesimonot@sasktel.net

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  18. I like that Mary Bennet is redeemed from her boring and annoying attitude into someone that I can relate to like Lizzy and Jane. Thanks for hosting this giveaway.

    evangelineace2020(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  19. Its good to see one of the lesser characters of P&P become a main character

    meikleblog at gmail dot com

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  20. This new book sounds really good. I have always felt sorry for Mary. Thanks for the giveaway!!
    kellik115(at)yahoo(dot)com

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