Why one author was drawn to the "dislikable" Mary Bennet

Bookworms are all behaving differently during the coronavirus pandemic.

Some are seizing the opportunity to read more and grabbing new works, while others are turning to familiar reads for comfort — and there are probably even a few who find themselves struggling to read at all, due to the increased stress we’re all facing.

But for those who split time between the first two camps? How about a novel that expands upon an old favorite?

NPR recently talked to author Janice Hadlow, who has written just that.

Her new novel, The Other Bennet Sister, imagines the life of Mary, often perceived as the “disliked and dislikable” sibling in Pride and Prejudice.

Hadlow explains that she, like many Jane Austen fans, has read that novel on and off for years — but that eventually she found herself thinking more and more about the sidelined Mary.

You can read her conversation with Mary Louise Kelly on NPR’s website or listen to it below.

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