After Watching "The Other Bennet Sister," I HAD To Read The Book — Here Are The Biggest Differences I Noticed As An Austen Fan

It's a truth universally acknowledged that well-loved Austenian novels must be in want of a BBC adaptation. And I personally vow to devour each and every one of them.

From Sense and Sensibility toThe Gilded Age, if it's got corsets and heroines who bravely rally against the confines of their rigid societies, I'm there. Which brings me to The Other Bennet Sister: the Pride and Prejudice spinoff series that's had a chokehold on my algorithm for months, and (because I live in the US and don't have a VPN) I have only recently had the pleasure of finishing.

The Other Bennet Sister is a BBC One series based on the 2020 novel by Janice Hadlow. It follows Mary, Lizzy's oft-overlooked middle sister, whose story was left primarily unwritten by the end of Austen's seminal text.

I loved the show so much that I read the book to see how showrunner Sarah Quintrell transformed Mary's story from book to small screen.

The Other Bennet Sister is a love letter to Pride and Prejudice and has been extremely well received by Austen fans. It's packed with allusions to Austen's other works and the beloved BBC One Pride and Prejudice (1995) series.

As someone who's read the book, I can attest that the series captures its feelings and character development. But I will say that the series made some sweeping changes to the story that I think all fans need to be made aware of, and I wouldn't dream of keeping them from you. Here they are:

🚨 Note: Spoilers ahead!

1. Mr. Bennet's relationship to Mary is highlighted more in the book.

2. Charlotte isn't as big of a b-word in the book.

3. Mary spends weeks at Longbourn staying with the Collinses in the book.

4. In the novel, Mr. Collins confesses that he wished he'd proposed to Mary when he had the chance (and that he taught her Greek).

5. In the book, Mary asks to go stay with the Gardiners; in the show, Mrs. Gardiner invites her.

6. Mary is never a governess in the book. In fact, she explicitly says she doesn't want to be one.

7. Once she is in London, Mary buys new dresses — the first she gets to pick out without her mother's input. In the series, she gets an allowance for clothes from her governess position, but in the novel, Lizzy pays for Mary's new wardrobe.

8. Ann Baxter doesn't exist in the book. A shock, I know.

9. The Game of Graces scenes were not in the novel.

10. The triumphant game night where Mary shows off her intellect and meets Mr. Ryder does not happen in the book.

11. Mary does not return to Pemberley in the novel.

12. In the novel, Mr. Ryder's indecent proposal to Mary doesn't come until after they return to London from the Lake District.

13. The boat scene at the lakes, while hilarious, does not happen in the book.

14. In the novel, Mr. Ryder tells Mr. Hayward about his inheritance before their trip to Scafell.

15. Mary does not get grievously ill after their Scafell hike in the novel.

16. When he proposes, Mr. Ryder doesn't tell Mary that he's inherited Lady Catherine De Bourgh's fortune in the novel, but he does say some other things.

17. Mary's final conversation with her mother is far more confrontational and empowering for Mary in the series than in the novel.

18. With Mr. Hayward gone, Mary allows herself to wallow, at least a bit, in the novel.

19. Mr. Hayward reunites with Mary at the Gardiners' home, not in a public garden, in the book.

20. In the book, Mary is the first to speak when she finally sees Mr. Hayward again. Not the other way around.

21. In the novel, Mr. Hayward had already made his mind up to go to Mary when he got Ms. Bingley's letter.

22. And finally, in the novel, there's no three-episode holiday special.

Have you also read The Other Bennet Sister? Which change surprised you most? Ann Baxter? Mr. Collins' proposal? Tell us in the comments!