News for Austen Enthusiasts: March 2026

Until then, here's all the Jane Austen news and updates you might have missed in March! 

The Other Bennet Sister is finally here

We've been following the buzz around the BBC's adaptation of Janice Hadlow's The Other Bennet Sister since its announcement last year. Now, the show has started on the BBC, with all of the episodes streaming on iPlayer. The show follows the least appreciated Bennet sister, poor, plain Mary, giving her her time in the spotlight. With a properly stacked cast and rising star Ella Bruccoleri in the titular role, this show promises a lot of fun for fans of Pride and Prejudice. Apparently, it's also creating quite the buzz around Austen country, with enquiries on tours and events up!

The Other Bennet Sister calls into question the fate of the bookish young woman

Mary Bennet, as the quietest member of her family, is often overlooked. She's mousy and bookish, living in the shadows of bolshy Lydia, charismatic Elizabeth and beautiful Jane. Guardian writer Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett has spotted a glimmer of her younger self in Mary, a girl who would wince at attention and try to keep to herself. In her piece for The Guardian, Cosslett calls into question just how much has changed for the bookish young woman. 

Read more at the Guardian >>

Can reading Jane Austen help teenagers with growing up?

In her FT Magazine column, Miranda Green asks whether Jane Austen has wisdom to offer a young girl in 2026. She considers the social whirlpool of a small town like Sanditon, or the peril of the romantic 'blunder' as issues with clear analogues for modern teens. In many ways, teenage girls today are just as corseted (metaphorically, of course) as they were two centuries ago. 

Read more at the FT >>

What did Jane Austen think about periods?

When comedians Julia Aks and Steve Pinder pivoted to making short films, they didn't expect their period (yes, it is a pun) comedy, Jane Austen's Period Drama, to scoop an Oscar nomination. The 13-minute comedy, which you can watch here (though do be advised it contains some strong language), follows Ms Estrogenia Talbot as her engagement to the handsome Mr Dickley is interrupted by the unexpected arrival of her period. In her Lit Hub article, Jane Austen expert Devoney Looser considers how Jane Austen must have thought about her monthlies.

Read more at Lit Hub >>

Finally, it's Caroline Bingley's time to shine

Caroline Bingley is the classic mean girl - in this article, writer Meg Walters says that she 'walked so that Regina George could run.' Now, Walters isn't arguing for a full Caroline Bingley redemption arc, but she does think that The Other Bennet Sister is leaning into the opportunity to give her more breadth and depth, so that maybe we can understand how she came to be, well, the way she is.

Bridgerton's fifth season to embrace LGBTQ+ romance plot

Women's Prize for Non-Fiction Shortlist revealed

Now in its second year, the Women's Prize for Non-Fiction aims to identify the finest factual titles written by women. In March, they announced six titles in the running for the grand prize, which will be announced on 11th June. The titles range from history to medical science to personal memoir. If non-fic is your thing, your new reading list just landed!

Women's Prize for Fiction Longlist revealed 

Over at the sister fiction prize, the judges at the Women's Prize have bestowed upon us the list of sixteen titles in the running for this year's prize. This year's judging panel is chaired by former Aussie PM Julia Gillard, who will announce the shortlist on 22nd April, so we'll be able to bring you the shortlist in our next news update!