Mary Bennet and the Bingley Codex is the first of the Regency Mage series of novels by Joyce Harmon. They feature Mary Bennet, the third and plainest of the Bennet sisters. This first novel is about how Mary becomes a magician.
The novel is told in the first person. It’s only the second Pride and Prejudice inspired fantasy novel I’ve come across to do that. The other one was Miss Bennet’s Dragon by M Verant. (I’ve also reviewed that novel).I rather liked the story being told from Mary Bennet’s point of view.
Plot
Mary is visiting Jane and Bingley and offers to catalogue their library. Within the library she discovers a cache of old books and one special one teaches her how to do magic. When she successfully casts a spell to end a drought, she attracts the attention of the Order of St George, who regulate magic in the United Kingdom. Two magicians, Mr Danvers and Mr White are sent to find the source of the magic and end up training her. Then Mr Danvers and Mr White go missing, and it is up to Mary to help them.
Characters
This Mary Bennet comes across as a very different character from Jane Austen’s novel. Although she is bookish, she is pragmatic and shrewd. Mary is also a good judge of character. She knows the way to stop Kitty coming along on the proposed visit to Jane and Bingley, is to use Kitty’s reluctance to gamble and play on her fears that her suitors may forget her if she stays away too long. She is also quite outspoken, when Mr Hastings, one of Bingley’s friends but an annoying guest, makes delicate enquiries as to her assets, she tells him straight out, “My portion, sir, is tiny. There.” Also, Mary is the only person to think it odd that nobody has a bad word to say about Mr Spencer, a popular local bachelor.
One thing I found a little difficult to believe is that Mary would know what homosexuals were even if she had studied ancient Greek literature, and that she would be as tolerant as she is. But it’s a minor point.
Some of the original characters appear in this novel: Kitty, Mrs Bennet, Mr Bennet, Jane, and Mr Bingley. Some have cameo roles while Jane and Mr Bingley have supporting roles. There’s a whole subplot involving Caroline Bingley who invites herself to stay and a suitor who appears for her. I thought it was interesting that Lizzie and Mr Darcy barely get a mention. Will they appear more in other novels in the series?
I didn’t like that the author made Jane and Mr Bingley less intelligent and literate than they were in the original. In the novel, they have no interest in the library, which is necessary for the plot, but I thought did them a disservice.
Setting
I liked the setting of the novel. Only certain people know about magic. I did like that that there were no traditions or laws against women being magicians. And that there were dragons (or perhaps still are) and water sprites and pixies. Mary has a mix of talents, she can scry (when a little inebriated), persuade, and do water and fire work. She’s not very good at levitating objects though.
I loved the idea of a notebook that you could write messages in, and another magician could write back to you wherever s/he was. Also, that it was shielded so that if any one non magical saw it, they would think it had the usual sort of notes.
Overall, I thought it was a well written and entertaining novel. I’m looking forward to reading the next in the series.
