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The Shocking Experiments of Miss Mary Bennet
A Novel
Description
An utterly fantastical and undeniably queer melding of Pride and Prejudice and Frankenstein that recasts Mary Bennet as an insatiable scientist, one who creates a monster in an attempt to save herself from spinsterdom
Awkward, plain, and overlooked, Mary Bennet has long been out of favor not only with her own family but with generations of readers of Pride and Prejudice. But what was this peculiar girl really doing while her sisters were falling in love?
As, one by one, Mary’s sisters get married, she hatches a plan. If the world won’t give this fierce, lonely girl a place, she’ll carve one out herself. In a desperate bid to avoid becoming a burden on her family or, worse, married to a controlling man, Mary does what any bright, intrepid girl would do. She takes to the attic and teach herself to reanimate the dead. If finding acceptance requires a husband, she’ll get one. . . even if she has to make him herself.
However, Mary’s genius and determination aren’t enough to control the malevolent force that she unwittingly unleashes. Soon, her attempts to rein in the destruction wreaked by her creations leads her to forge a perhaps unlikely friendship with another brilliant young woman unlike any she’s ever known. As that friendship blossoms into something passionate and all-consuming, Mary begins to realize that she may have to choose between the acceptance she’s always fought for and true happiness.
Awkward, plain, and overlooked, Mary Bennet has long been out of favor not only with her own family but with generations of readers of Pride and Prejudice. But what was this peculiar girl really doing while her sisters were falling in love?
As, one by one, Mary’s sisters get married, she hatches a plan. If the world won’t give this fierce, lonely girl a place, she’ll carve one out herself. In a desperate bid to avoid becoming a burden on her family or, worse, married to a controlling man, Mary does what any bright, intrepid girl would do. She takes to the attic and teach herself to reanimate the dead. If finding acceptance requires a husband, she’ll get one. . . even if she has to make him herself.
However, Mary’s genius and determination aren’t enough to control the malevolent force that she unwittingly unleashes. Soon, her attempts to rein in the destruction wreaked by her creations leads her to forge a perhaps unlikely friendship with another brilliant young woman unlike any she’s ever known. As that friendship blossoms into something passionate and all-consuming, Mary begins to realize that she may have to choose between the acceptance she’s always fought for and true happiness.
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Praise
“Crackling with warmth, wit and a dash of cosy horror, Taub spins an electric tale of discovery and romance, along with a very welcome dose of mad science.”
—Francesca May, author of The Vicious Hunger
PRAISE FOR THE SCANDALOUS CONFESSIONS OF MARY BENNET, WITCH
"[S]imply wonderful, a laugh-and-cry book. Taub’s close reading of and research into Austen’s work is remarkable; she threads a careful needle between invention and retelling, contemporary legibility and historical homage. The result is a terrifically well-balanced novel blending romance, fantasy and mystery." —New York Times
"[S]imply wonderful, a laugh-and-cry book. Taub’s close reading of and research into Austen’s work is remarkable; she threads a careful needle between invention and retelling, contemporary legibility and historical homage. The result is a terrifically well-balanced novel blending romance, fantasy and mystery." —New York Times
"Novels about witches are thick on the ground at present, but this one stands out for its wit and charm. . . [T]his Regency-era comedy of manners makes for a lively, delightful adventure."
—The Guardian
—The Guardian
"Wildly inventive and utterly addictive. I never thought I'd say this, but I'm now 100% Team Lydia."
—Julia Quinn
“This book is pure joy. Absolutely rollicking, thoroughly delightful; Melinda Taub peered directly into my soul and gave me the adventure I needed, plus feisty witches in empire waist dresses and the Kitty of my dreams. I’ll be over here, swooning on my fainting couch.”
—Samantha Bee
“A romping, lively retelling with surprises galore! It’s a delight to see Lydia Bennet receive her due.”
—Tamora Pierce
"What a delicious book this is — like Lydia, it’s headlong, a little wicked, and irrepressibly fun. And if that weren’t enough, it gave me an entirely new lens through which to appreciate Jane Austen’s Bennet family. Melinda Taub writes with a forensic wit and understanding of the desire to be loved and understood, even when those two things stand in seeming opposition. And like Georgette Heyer at her best, or, indeed, Austen, she has the alchemist’s touch which turns this exploration into something delightful."
—Kelly Link
"Witty, magical, romantic and altogether brilliant! There’s so much more to Pride and Prejudice than we ever knew."
—Lev Grossman
"[A] clever twist on Jane Austen's classic."
—Country Living
“[A] fun new hybrid of Jane Austen’s mannerly world and the highly contrasting world of 19th century witchcraft. It’s perfect for readers who enjoy a good mash-up involving a classic story, some modern views on social expectations, and a dose of occult suspense.”
—Shondaland