Book Review: The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow

Me reading The Other Bennet Sister while traveling

The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow

Remember Mary Bennet, the moralizing middle sister in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice? Honestly, I felt it was a little mean-spirited of JA to present her so unsympathetically. Dull, pompous, and lacking in social graces, she is the perfect foil for her more brilliant and colorful siblings.

However, come to think of it, Mary is a character who’d appeal to modern readers for the sheer fact that she doesn’t fit in. Janice Hadlow’s novel is based on her character as well as the other characters who appear in P and P, but we see her not as a caricature but as a real flesh-n-blood woman with feelings and desires, who gradually overcomes her own weaknesses to emerge a strong and likable individual. She’s presented as a character who’s slightly out of touch with reality and lacks self-esteem and confidence, as well as an inability to voice her real feelings. Janice Hadlow tackles her subject with sympathy, humour and elan.

I recommend this book on many counts. For a start, it uses some of the same minor characters who appear in P and P but makes them appear more human. For eg, the ridiculous Mr Collins is treated sympathetically, although Charlotte and Mrs Bennet are shown to be not very different from the original. But what I enjoyed the most was the development of Mary’s character whose changes are very slow; nothing is done in a hurry. Some readers may find the book dragged a bit but I enjoyed the slow burn. This is why, by the end of the book, we accept the new Mary who is actually far more to our liking than former favourites Elizabeth and Jane. Their struggles are trivial and shallow compared to Mary’s struggles.

Another aspect of the book that appealed to me was the language and style. It is so close to JA’s own ( in fact, some of the sentences are lifted straight from the original) that you’d think this is one of the author’s own lost works. I absolutely loved the wit and humour that is so reminiscent of JA’s.

Of all Jane Austen’s novels, Pride and Prejudice happens to be my favourite. There are many spin-offs of this novel both in books as well as movies. But until now, no one bothered about poor Mary Bennet. But she comes into her own in this novel. Remember Lydia, the scandalous younger sister who elopes with the cad Wickham? Perhaps now someone can present Lydia also in a new light.

If you love P and P or Jane Austen, this book is for you!

Lies, d****ed lies, and reviews. (with due apologies to Benjamin Disraeli from whom I’ve lifted and twisted this famous quote)

Writers and Readers — this is especially for you.

Chat symbol above vintage old book on blackboard background

So, your book is published. Your friends and family have dutifully bought it, read it and praised it.

Now, you ask them to write a review. A review? You can see the look of bafflement or confusion or just sheer annoyance on their faces. Wasn’t it enough that they bought your book and even read it? ( Dear writer, just be aware that many of your friends will buy your book to please you, but never get down to reading it)

No, dear reader, it is not.

Writers ask for reviews for one simple reason. Reviews sell books. It makes them better known. And the more the reviews, the better the sales. Reviews are in fact the life-blood of any writer.

A BOOK WITH 500 OR 5000 5-STAR REVIEWS, AND NO BAD REVIEWS IN SIGHT, ESPECIALLY BY A NEW OR UNKNOWN AUTHOR, MAY BE A SCAM; Ever picked up a book with five hundred five-star reviews, not even a four star review in sight leave alone three or two? And you find it meh? Well, dear reader, you’ve been scammed. This writer has probably bought reviews. Yes, you can do that. Pay x amount of money to get 50 or 100 or 500 5 star reviews. That’s the promise. It’s a temptation for every writer because it plays with the algorithm. Now, I am not mathematically or statistically inclined, but it seems these Amazon algorithms are an indication of the book’s popularity. But ask yourself, do readers even look at the statistics? And there’s another thing – being no. 1 on Amazon in a niche category like Predicting the Future through your Nostrils doesn’t mean a thing, except for giving the writer bragging rights. DISCLAIMER: This is not to say every debut with excellent reviews is necessarily a scam, but you do see the odd one here and there.

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DON’T BUY REVIEWS: Now, I always wonder at the kind of writer who buys reviews. Don’t they have any confidence in their ability? Surely a few negative reviews shouldn’t make a big difference. And surely a reader is entitled to his or her opinion. Some may like it, some may not. Deal with it. But to actually buy reviews to boost yourself and your sales? Such things are short lived. Sooner or later you’ll be caught. And the repercussions are many — especially for future books.

WRITERS, CHOOSE NFLUENCERS AND BOOK BLOGGERS CAREFULLY: Coming to another point: Dear writer, you’ve sweated so much over your book, and all you friends and family have written their reviews. What’s next? Catch hold of influencers and book bloggers. Be careful who you select. they should be people who read in your genre or people who enjoy reading. And who write honest reviews. You don’t have to pay them. All you have to do is send your book along. And once that review is out, probably as a blog post or insta post, just hope that some of their followers buy your book. It doesn’t always work, but this is the next best thing you can do.

MANY ARE NERVOUS ABOUT WRITING REVIEWS, OR DON’T KNOW HOW TO:Talking again of reviews, perhaps many of your friends and family don’t have a clue about how to write a review .in that case, guide them. Tell them to write down what they liked about the book and what they didn’t like. Ask them to give you stars- if it’s very good, four or five stars. Explain that three Stars is average or below average. And surely your book does not merit just one or two stars, so don’t go there.

JUST KEEP AT IT! Now, every writer may get disillusioned by the entire review business. People may be reading your book but are too lazy or busy to write a review. Well, it’s something you have to live with. Only very famous writers get reviews in their thousands. And until you reach that exalted position, be humble, be realistic. But do everything in your power to promote your book, make it known without irritating people. And just hope those reviews keep coming!

Good luck to all us writers!

The Italian Connection – books written by Italians or about Italy

The Italian Connection – books written by Italians or about Italy

A visit to the Sistine chapel, the roof of which was painted by Michelangelo in the 16th century — took me back to books either written by Italians or set in Italy.

Italy is the stuff of literature and romance, of intrigue and murders. So here is a round-up of all the books I’ve read that have an Italian connection.

The Agony and the Ecstasy (1960) by Irving Stone. This author was all the rage when I was growing up, and his novel about Michelangelo started off my love affair with Italy.
The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco. (1980)This book too is about church intrigue and has got a lot of flak for being pretentious and pseudo. But I remember being hooked by it.
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante. (2012) – a novel about female friendship and part of the Neapolitan series. Excellent.
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. (2003) Now, I may be trolled by some for putting this author with some of the greats above. He’s been criticized for his clunky prose and historical inaccuracies . But his book’s become a massive worldwide bestseller, and makes me ponder whether readers are really concerned about the ‘writerly qualities’ of a novel.
Jhumpa Lahiri- ‘Whereabouts’ (2018) This author moved to Italy in 2012 and began writing in Italian. ‘Whereabouts’, originally written in Italian, is her first self-translated work. I loved it for its spare yet poetic style and how it goes deep into the unnamed narrator’s thinking process. Btw, Lahiri happens to be one of my fave writers.

As you can see, Italy is the stuff of romance and intrigue. One of the characters in my recently published middle grade novel, Zara and the Bumbling Genie, has one Italian name. Can you tell me who it is? https://shorturl.at/9VgHF

What are some of the Italian authors you’ve read? I’d love to know in your comments.

Book Review: Haruki Murakami’s 1Q84

Am I fated this year to read heavy tomes of over 700 or 800 pages? It appears so!

This book, 1Q84 parts 1 and 2 by Haruki Murakami is 805 pages long ( in my edition), in small print. . I haven’t yet picked up the third part. It took me an entire month and more to read, but let me tell you, this is one writer who takes you by your throat and makes you turn the pages. It’s riveting, robust, relentless.

At its heart is a love story- between the main characters Aomame and Tengo. But there’s more to it- a sinister cult, some crazy, unforgettable characters ( the editor, the insurance collector) and a big chunk of magic as well as sex thrown into the mixture.

I’ve never read anything like this before, and it’s hard to classify this book. Is it dystopian fiction, magical realism, literary fiction, or all three? But the voice is captivating and makes you read on and on. I’m hooked onto Murakami and look forward to Part 3 of 1Q84. And of course, his other books.

If you want to be challenged and move out of your comfort zone, pick this book.

Of launches and book signings — and the wisdom gleaned from both.

Something that I’d missed as a debut author was my book launch. My debut was published in 2020, at the start of Covid, so public gatherings were out of the question.

This time, though, it was different. My middle-grade fantasy, Zara and the Bumbling Genie, published by Om Books International, was released in March 2025. It was time to celebrate. I was going to go all out – have a launch as well as book signings.

What happens in a launch? Well, you invite family and friends as well as those in the publishing world who have helped you with your book.And you tell them about your book. Let me warn you, they are expensive affairs, but do help to create a buzz around your book. My launch was held in the beautiful Vasant Vihar Club in New Delhi, and my agent, Suhail Mathur, was nice enough to arrange everything for me, from the panelists to the snacks served to the gifts and even to the invitation itself.

IMO, you hold a launch not just to celebrate your achievement and talk about your book and your writing process, but also meet the people who matter to you the most, your family and friends. And to also thank those who are behind your book’s success. Of course, if you sell some of your books, that’s an added bonus. But it’s not essentially a ‘marketplace’ for your book. But it does help in creating some buzz around it, and if you’re lucky, some media attention. I was lucky, as one of the gentlemen who attended the launch asked me if I could be featured in his newsletter that has a subscription of 4000 people. To this I readily agreed. I mean, who doesn’t want media attention?

Book signings are a different cup of tea altogether. The publisher takes the responsibility of arranging your signings. I managed to do book signings in three cities, Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai. ( Hold on, Dubai. Your turn will come soon.)

The best part of a book signing is the interesting people you meet, many of them your potential readers. When a visitor to a bookstore sees an author, they naturally gravitate towards him or her. You have to be prepared to answer all kinds of questions, especially from kids ( I was stumped with this one- what was the inspiration behind your book? Honestly, the answer was so complicated). I was a little nervous too whether I had to convince people to buy my book. as I was wondering what this entailed. I’m a writer, not a marketeer, ( and I use this term with the utmost respect: hats off to those in sales who do a very difficult job of convincing people to buy a product).

However, I didn’t have to convince anyone to buy my book. Those who bought it were genuinely interested in reading it themselves or giving it to their kids. And I must say I thoroughly enjoyed talking to my readers, learning a bit about them, and of course, telling them a bit about myself. And let me add why I think book signings are such a hit. Most people WANT to meet authors. Especially kids. So it’s a win-win situation for both.

My advice to writers: a launch is not strictly necessary, but book signings are fun to do and don’t cost you an arm and a leg. So, if you’ve recently released a book, my advice is to arrange as many book signings as possible. Not with the agenda of selling, but more to meet people. And of course, it definitely helps in creating interest in your book.

Zara and the Bumbling Genie – a review that made my day!

In Zara and the Bumbling Genie, Padmini Sankar conjures a story that is as magical as it is moving, skillfully weaving together elements of fantasy and deep emotional truths. This is not just a children’s tale; it’s a luminous narrative that speaks to readers of all ages about resilience, compassion, and the true meaning of friendship.

At the heart of the story is Zara, a bright and courageous young girl facing the devastating challenge of losing her sight. But Zara’s world doesn’t shrink into darkness—rather, it expands with imagination and wonder when she encounters a genie unlike any other. Far from the omnipotent beings of legend, this genie is charmingly clumsy and endearingly human in his shortcomings. His magic doesn’t always work as intended, and his past is clouded with a mystery of lost powers and forgotten purposes.

Together, Zara and the genie embark on a quest that is as much internal as it is outwardly adventurous. The journey they undertake is laced with humor, danger, and tender moments of growth. Zara’s struggle with her impending blindness is portrayed with honesty and sensitivity, never descending into self-pity. Instead, her spirit of hope and determination becomes the guiding light of the story.

Sankar’s writing shines with a rare blend of simplicity and emotional depth. She captures the inner world of a child with authenticity and layers the fantasy with just enough realism to make the reader believe that genies and magic carpets might truly exist—if only we’re willing to see them with the heart.

What makes this story stand out is its unwavering focus on empathy and loyalty. The friendship between Zara and the genie is touching, built on mutual trust and the willingness to accept each other’s flaws. The genie’s arc—from a bumbling misfit to a being of renewed purpose—is subtly told, paralleling Zara’s own transformation from vulnerability to empowered agency.

The book also subtly addresses themes of disability and acceptance in a way that is uplifting rather than didactic. It doesn’t preach, but it teaches: that strength is often found in unexpected places, and that the loss of one ability can open doors to others—imagination, perception, kindness.

Zara and the Bumbling Genie is a beautiful, heartwarming tale that reminds us that true magic lies not in grand spells, but in the strength of the human (and genie) spirit. It’s a tale that lingers, inspiring young readers to be brave, to believe in second chances, and to see the world—and each other—with wonder and love.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

Join me for dinner, Vikram Seth?

Remember that quiz, usually featured in popular magazines – who would you like to take out for dinner? There’s usually a set of four options, and the one you choose shows something of your personality.

Well, this is no quiz. There are, of course, many writers I’d like to take out for dinner – and many I wouldn’t too. No, not William Shakespeare. His puns and double entendres would perhaps be beyond me. So too Arundhati Roy, possibly because I think, despite being a brilliant writer, she’s so depressing.

No, the writer I’d like to take out should be fun, have a sense of humour, and also be famous. An added bonus would be if he understood my culture, and was from the subcontinent. And Vikram Seth fits the bill.

Come to think of it, why are all the famous Indian writers of international repute so darned serious and gloomy? Think of Arundhati Roy, Rohinton Mistry, Jhumpa Lahiri, Amitav Ghosh, Salman Rushdie… they’re all soooo serious (although Rushdie can be very funny too). But that’s just what I love about Vikram Seth- he’s both serious and funny, and this was borne out in his well-attended talk at the Sharjah Book festival a month or two ago.

Vikram would be my perfect choice as a dinner partner. First, he speaks a beautiful public-school English (he was educated at the Doon school) and is of my generation – perhaps a few years older, but still, someone who I can relate to. He gave many wonderful tips on writing a novel. The best one was, in his own words: “You have to be very very very very lazy to write a novel.” This perhaps contradicts received wisdom, but he goes on to explain that there’s a lot of thinking involved during the writing, and for hours and hours, maybe days together, he’d be lying around staring into space and just thinking.

Then there is the point of research – painstaking research. Vikram goes to the nitty-gritty, and no matter what kind of character he’s writing about, whether they are eighty-year-old grandmoms or teen girls, he does his research. And the best part of this is that, it never appears as stuffy ‘research’ in his books, but blends in with the story, setting, and theme.

So Vikram Seth, if you’re reading this, next time you’re around here in this part of the world, (i.e. Dubai), let me know…

And yes, I’m still waiting for A Suitable Girl.