4.5 stars
We know from the Memoir of Jane Austen, written by James Edward Austen-Leigh, that Jane told her family what happened to Mary and Kitty after the end of Pride and Prejudice. Kitty married a clergyman near Pemberley and Mary married one of her uncle Phillips's clerks and became a star in Meryton society. Although these are the canonical endings, stated by the author herself, I sometimes wondered what it would be like if Mary had fallen in love with the charismatic Colonel Fitzwilliam, so I was ecstatic when I discovered the premise of this book.
Most books about Mary Bennet paint a dark picture of her life, making her a misunderstood Fanny Price type, being negleted and even mistreated by her whole family just because she is not as beautiful and engaging as her sisters, when in fact Mary was an unpleasant young woman, full of a know-it-all attitude, who never expressed her own opinions, but only repeated snippets of advice from morality books. Although Mary was to some extent negleted she was far from a martyr, from P&P we know that the Bennet household was happy, all the sisters were interested in Bingley's arrival, they were all excited at the prospect of a ball at Netherfield, they all liked to read novels, yes, even Lydia. TV adaptations tend to show Mary completely detached from her family and uninterested in what was happening around her, when in the book it wasn't quite like that.
In A Red Coat, Mary has been self-reflecting since Lydia's incident, realizing her own flaws for the first time Mary perceives she needs to change. With the marriage of her older sisters, Mary also begins to fear for her future, as she thinks it is unlikely that she will ever get married, being the plainest in the family. But as Mary improves internally she also improves externally, showing more care with her appearance. At the wedding breakfast in Netherfield, Mary sees a handsome stranger in a red coat enter the room and then her fate is sealed!
Mary trying to be better was such a good thing, we feel her emotional struggles, they are so believable! She talks with sharpness sometimes but not like another Lizzy, Mary is still her, reserved, thoughtful and although no longer moralizing, she still has her faith. Now that Mary is sincere, caring and honest in her opinions it's no wonder she steals the heart of the most eligible bachelor after Mr. Darcy.
Colonel Fitzwilliam is exactly as I imagined, half jester and half serious, he was drawn to Mary at first sight and his feelings for her only deepened on further acquaintance, still he denies courting her because of his claims of lack of fortune, their quarrel about this matter was fire! Their chemistry was undeniable and their interactions very satisfying, I highlighted many quotes. Richard's family was a pleasant surprise, in many variations they are a supercillious family of the same pattern as Lady Catherine de Bourgh but in this novel the Lord and Lady Matlock are a loving couple, unconventional considering their rank, and Richard's brother who at first seemed like a scoundrel, was also a good person.
A Red Coat is a book that fulfilled all my expectations, I'm just not giving it a full five stars due to some small errors such as the misspelling of Georgiana's name, her introduction to the Gardiners, which she had already met in Derbyshire, the way Mr. Darcy is sometimes addressed in a very informal manner and some errors regarding the way the characters addressed people of rank. These small flaws bothered me a little, but they didn't affect the quality of the story. I recommend A Red Coat for those who, like me, desired Mary's pairing with Colonel Fitzwilliam and for everyone who likes a sequel that doesn't need to demean Elizabeth or Jane for Mary to shine. I will definitely reread it!