Mary B - Katherine J. Chen

What is to be done with Mary Bennet? The awkward middle child of five, she possesses neither the beauty of her eldest sister, Jane, nor the high-spirited charm of Lizzy. Even compared to her frivolous younger siblings, Kitty and Lydia, Mary knows she is lacking in the ways that matter for single, not-so-well-to-do women in nineteenth-century England, who must marry in order to secure their futures. At least she has the silent rebellion and secret pleasures of reading and writing to keep her company. But her fictional creations are no match for the scandal, tragedy, and romance that eventually visit Mary's own life. In Mary B, readers are transported beyond the center of the ballroom to discover that wallflowers are sometimes the most intriguing guests at the party. Beneath Mary's plain appearance and bookish demeanor simmers an inner life brimming with passion, humor, and imagination--and a voice that demands to be heard. Set before, during, and after the events of Pride and Prejudice, this debut novel pays homage to a beloved classic while imagining a life that is difficult to achieve in any era: that of a truly independent woman.