The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet by Collen McCullough

The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet by Collen McCullough 

(author of The Thornbirds)

This book is set 20 years after the events of Pride and Prejudice when Mr’s Bennet’s death finally frees Mary the oh so straight laced middle sister into the wider world.

I have seen some harsh criticism of this book which paints the fate of the other four more comely sisters as far from the grand passion that we have seen them set on the path to in Pride and Prejudice, but, life is not all roses, this book injects some realism.

Mary’s adventures are very swash buckling with religious cults led by a mad monk, high way men and would you believe Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy who we are in no doubt is definitely a bad guy.

This alone may up set all the Jen-ite’s out there also the fact that the style is not strictly following that of Jane Austen, however, I enjoyed it, in fact I enjoyed it enough to buy a copy for a dear friend while on my travels (through Amazon of course) and have it delivered to England in time for Christmas, She, emailed me when half way through it and asked me if it was an anti marriage tirade, however by the end of the book she felt much better about it.

So to all the haters I say lighten up it’s an entertaining book.