A fun and empowering Austen reference

Being Mary Bennet
By J.C. Peterson
Publisher: HarperTeen (March 15, 2022)
Hardcover: 384 pages
ISBN-10: 0063060132
ISBN-13: 978-0063060135
Reading age: 13 - 17 years
Grade level: 8 – 12
 
Publisher’s Blurb:

It is a truth universally acknowledged that every bookworm secretly wishes to be Lizzy Bennet from Pride and Prejudice.

A less acknowledged truth is that Mary Bennet might be a better fit.

For Marnie Barnes, realizing she’s a Mary Bennet is devastating. But she’s determined to reinvent herself, so she enlists the help of her bubbly roommate and opens up to the world. 

And between new friends, a very cute boy, and a rescue pup named Sir Pat, Marnie finds herself on a path to becoming a new person entirely. But she’s no Lizzy, or even Mary—instead, she’s someone even better: just plain Marnie.

With a hilariously sharp voice, a sweet and fulfilling romance that features a meet-cute in an animal shelter, and a big family that revels in causing big problems, this charming comedy of errors about a girl who resolves to become the main character of her own story (at any and all costs), is perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Becky Albertalli…and Jane Austen, of course.

My Thoughts:

It should come as no surprise that I am a huge Jane Austen fan. I am a sucker for an Austen retelling. This one is a good one. Marnie loves literature, and she sees the parallels between her own family and the Bennet family of Pride and Prejudice. When she is compared to pedantic Mary Bennet, she vows to change her ways. It’s not an easy path. She has to learn about what friendship is, and just how much her family really means to her—and how much she means to them. She also has to see the light about her longstanding childhood crush.

It’s not always easy to read. Marnie gets into some excruciatingly embarrassing situations. You cringe with her as she recognizes her faults. But it’s uncomfortable in the good way—the growth way.

I loved watching Marnie’s friendship with Adhira grow, particularly because Marnie is realizing just how much she needed a friend.

This was a book that had me sneaking pages during class while my students were working.

Possible Objectionable Material:

Teenage drinking. Dysfunctional family. Sexual harassment. Kissing. Swearing, mostly mild but a few F words. A car accident leads to miscarriage. Same-sex marriage.

Who Might Like This Book:

Any Pride and Prejudice fan will probably get a kick out of this book. Anyone who likes big families will get it. If you were the nerdy awkward kid in high school, it will resonate.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my thoughts.