With a new Netflix adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and a BBC spin-off series based on Janice Hadlow’s historical romance novel The Other Bennet Sister, we Jane Austen girlies are being spoiled.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that 19 years is too long to wait for a new adaptation. Let’s pray they get it right (some fans are cautious of a new adaptation since a certain Netflix adaptation of a different Austen novel) and that the wait is worth it.
The script, which will be written by Dolly Alderton (author of Everything I Know About Love), for the new Netflix mini-series is in the early stages of development, and I, for one, am so excited (if not a little terrified) to see what she does with her adaptation of Austen’s most beloved novel, Pride and Prejudice.
The other adaptation to look forward to is The Other Bennet Sister, a novel about Mary, the overlooked Bennet sister, as she finds her own love story. This has been taken on board by the BBC for a ten-episode mini-series.
So far, not much has been said about either adaptation. Here are eight books to keep you thoroughly entertained while we wait…
1. The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow
I’m all for reading the book before watching the film/series, so what better way to start this list than by recommending The Other Bennet Sister.
If you’ve read Pride and Prejudice, you’ll know that no onscreen adaptation has done Mary justice. It’s about time someone recognized how iconic she is! Let us not forget that Miss Mary Bennet was the OG “I can change him” girly:
“…though by no means so clever as herself, she thought that if encouraged to read and improve himself by such an example as hers, [Mr Collins] might become a very agreeable companion.”
Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
Told through the eyes of Mary, the awkward and overlooked middle sister, The Other Bennet Sister follows her journey of self-discovery and love. Her older sisters have found their Happily Ever Afters, what with their beauty and charm, but Mary has been conditioned to think she possesses neither of those qualities and is, therefore, unworthy of a compelling love story. It is only when she begins to love and accept herself truly that she can “recognize her partner when he presents himself.”
“It’s hard to persuade anyone, especially a man, that your regard is worth having if you have none for yourself.”
The Other Bennet Sister, Janice Hadlow
For anyone who has read or watched Pride and Prejudice and wished that Mary got her happy ending (when we weren’t cringing at her shocking performance at the piano, or her well-intentioned but sanctimonious proto-feminist ideology), this is the perfect read for you!
2. Faro’s Daughter by Georgette Heyer
As someone who lives and breathes Historical Romance, I can’t believe it took me so long to discover Georgette Heyer.
I was SHOCKED to learn this was published in the early 1940s — it’s sassy and chaotic, with not a hint of prudishness. It so easily could have been written now. So much of its personality is similar to that in the writing of Evie Dunmore and India Holton (see below).
The story begins with Mr. Max Ravenscar (our male protagonist) learning that his young and naive cousin, Adrian Mablethorpe, has fallen in love with Deborah Grantham (our female protagonist), an entirely unsuitable match for him, given that her aunt runs a gaming house, she is drowning in debt, and she’s most likely a gold-digger out for his large inheritance.
So when Max sets out to meet Deb and warn her away from his cousin, he doesn’t expect to meet a beautiful, witty, and worthy opponent. Deb is never serious about marrying Adrian, but when Max forbids it, she decides she will for the plot.
“ ‘You have had Ravenscar murdered, and hidden his body in my cellar!’ uttered her ladyship, sinking into a chair. ‘We shall all be ruined! I knew it!’
‘My dear ma’am, it is no such thing!’ Deborah said, amused. ‘He is not dead I assure you!’ ”
Faro’s Daughter, Georgette Heyer
So, if you’re looking for a fun, historically accurate adventure through 18th Century London, with witty banter and an unhinged female main character as obstinate and headstrong as Lizzy Bennet, look no further.
3. Lydia: The Wild Girl of Pride and Prejudice by Natasha Farrant
Have you ever wanted to know what actually (non-canonically) happened to Lydia in Brighton? Well, here is the answer!
Mary gifts Lydia a diary for her birthday with the hopes that writing will improve her mind. Spoiler alert: Lydia, a reckless, boy-crazy, and sheltered 15-year-old girl, has no plans to improve her mind. This novel is Lydia’s account of the events up to and including the Brighton trip and her elopement with Wickham.
“Mary, who was in the library when Harriet asked me and heard every word of our conversation, says there is a special place in Hell for girls who betray their sisters, and that I am heading straight for it…I may be going to Hell, but I am going to Brighton first.”
Lydia: The Wild Girl of Pride and Prejudice, Natasha Farrant
In Pride and Prejudice, Lydia is not a likable character. She’s foolish, spoilt, and selfish. But she is also just a girl, literally — here’s a healthy reminder that she goes from 15 to 16 years old during the novel.
I read Lydia when I was her age. I can see how, looking back on it 5 years later, Farrant does not seek to justify Wickham’s crime. We see everything through Lydia’s eyes. She is an unreliable narrator. She is a victim. This book does a great job of subtly highlighting her vulnerability. Dare I say it will help convince you to become a true Lydia defender!
4. Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore
Please check the content warnings for this book <3
Evie Dunmore does not get the hype she deserves. Few authors find the right balance between female-rage-tied-up-in-feminism, romance, and good writing. Evie Dunmore is one of these few.
Annabelle Archer has joined the fight for women’s rights. A noble cause. At least, it would be, if she weren’t being forced to persuade influential men to support it in return for her scholarship as one of the first female students at Oxford University. The influential man in question: Sebastian Devereux, an infuriatingly handsome, intelligent, and powerful Duke resistant to openly supporting the cause. Not ideal.
Even if this book didn’t pass the Bechdel test (it does), it wouldn’t matter. Any conversation between two named women that does discuss a man is mostly a feminist rant directed against them.
“How is it fair that my utterly inept cousin is in command of me, for no reason other than that he’s a man and I’m a woman? How is it fair that I master Latin and Greek as well as any man at Oxford, yet I am taught over a baker’s shop? How is it fair that a man can tell me my brain was wired wrong, when his main achievement in life seems to be his birth into a life of privilege? And why do I have to beg a man to please make it his interest that I, too, may vote on the laws that govern my life every day?”
Bringing Down the Duke, Evie Dunmore
This is so much more than your typical romance novel. If you’re in the mood for a lighthearted, fluffy rom-com, this is not for you. If you’re in the mood for a plot powered by female rage and injustice that just so happens to have a well-written romance, this is for you.
*Slight spoiler: for those of us who aren’t fans of ‘the mistress trope’ (Hero asks Heroine to be his mistress because the classist society would never approve of their marriage), please just bear with it; it’s so worth it.
5. Death Comes to Pemberley by P. D. James
Rather unhelpfully, just as Natasha Farrant paves the way for a Lydia redemption arc, P. D. James does not.
Elizabeth and Darcy have had a perfect and peaceful six years at Pemberley. On the eve of their Autumn Ball, Lydia ruins everything. Shock horror. Disregarding their ban from Pemberley, Lydia crashes into the grand estate, crying hysterically that Wickham has been murdered (if only.)
What has actually happened is Wickham and Denny (a friend from his days with the Militia) had an argument on their way to the ball — that they were deliberately not invited to — and Wickham is found crying over Denny’s body, blaming himself for murder. “With shocking suddenness, Pemberley is plunged into a frightening mystery.”
“People should make up their minds whether to live or to die and do one or the other with the least inconvenience to others.”
Death Comes to Pemberley, P. D. James
P. D. James’ love for Austen is clear in this thrilling murder mystery. If you love crime and Pride and Prejudice, you couldn’t get more perfect than Death Comes to Pemberley.
6. A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting by Sophie Irwin
If there’s even a hint of superiority and dislike between two love interests in a historical romance, I’m putting it on this list. Therefore, allow me to introduce you to A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting.
Is Kitty Talbot a gold-digger? Technically, yes. But as the oldest of four orphaned and penniless girls on the brink of homelessness in a world that seems intent on only benefitting men, she has no other choice but to try to snag a rich husband.
While pretending to be someone she is not, i.e., someone with money, she meets Mr de Lacy (Archie) and promptly chooses him as her means to a fortune. Unfortunately, Archie’s older brother, Lord Radcliffe, sees right through her story and is set on ruining her plans. But will pulling her away from one brother lead her directly into the arms of the other?
” ‘Aunt Dorothy is the only person of our acquaintance with a residence in London…and she was kind enough to pay for our travel too. We cannot turn up our noses at her aid.’
Cecily still looked unconvinced, and Kitty leant back into the seat with a sigh. Both of them would have preferred Beatrice to accompany Kitty on this mission, but at the end of Aunt Dorothy’s letter had been a clear instruction: Bring your prettiest sister. And as Beatrice was currently – by her own admission – half girl, half forehead, and Cecily was the possessor of a sweet prettiness very much contrary to her sulky nature, she was the obvious choice.”
A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting, Sophie Irwin
This book is pure vibes. Charming, fun, and witty, it’s a quick read for historical romance lovers.
7. The League of Gentlewomen Witches by India Holton
I will never shut up about India Holton’s writing. And if you’re a die-hard fan of Pride and Prejudice, you won’t either after reading her books — specifically this one.
Charlotte Pettifer: sheltered, bookish, determined to steal a valuable amulet from the museum, and heir to the Wicken League. Alex O’Riley: rake, rogue, also set on stealing the amulet, and notorious pirate, AKA the Wicken League’s enemy. Result: a magical romp around the country, battles with house-flying octogenarian pirates, “forced”-proximity, witches doing witchy things, and so, so much more.
This whirlwind adventure is perfect for fans of Stardust, The Princess Bride, and, of course, Jane Austen. The sheer number of literary references is *Chef’s Kiss*
“Her outrage was so great, she struggled to summon a witty retort. Elizabeth Bennet, consulted urgently, could only suggest that his arrogance, his conceit, and his selfish disdain of the feelings of others, were such as to bypass her disapprobation and move straight to dislike! But Charlotte did not have time to express all that before he spoke again.”
The League of Gentlewomen Witches, India Holton
Charlotte is one of the most lovable, delightful, and fierce characters I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Holton is truly the queen of soft heroines. Alex O’Riley is an Irish Eugene Fitzherbert (Flynn Rider), and that’s all you need to know. Convinced yet?
This is the second book in the Dangerous Damsels trilogy. However, each book can be read as a standalone. I would highly suggest reading all three of them (and then her other books); they are incredible, and Holton’s writing style is wonderfully unique!
Jane Austen was talking about books like Holton’s when she wrote, “I declare, after all, there is no enjoyment like reading!”
8. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
Like I said at the start, I prefer reading a book before watching its adaptation. Had I known the film, starring Lily James, was based on a book, I would have read it instantly. I didn’t, but now I’m obsessed with both!
In what I think is one of the most beautiful books ever written is a soft and gentle love that truly speaks to the Bingley and Jane lover in me.
After receiving a letter from Mr. Dawsey Adams, a resident of the island of Guernsey, regarding a book he found once belonging to her, Juliette Ashton begins a written correspondence with Dawsey and the other members of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
As they tell her more about the society and the island’s time under German occupation during the war, Juliette sets out to write their story.
“Perhaps there is some secret sort of homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers. How delightful if that were true.”
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mary Ann Shaffer
Truly heartwarming, and now a comfort read of mine, this book is written entirely in letters. Each character is fully fledged, and I’m in love with them all.
This may look like something your granny would read, but I implore you to pick it up if you need your spirits lifted, and then temporarily drowned in sorrow before being lifted again.
The End of My Austentatious List
These recommendations may not exactly fill the Pride and Prejudice-sized hole in our hearts. But there are enough on this list to sate our appetites while we wait for these onscreen adaptations. If they aren’t enough, there are so many more to be found. Happy reading!
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