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Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'
John Eyre: A Tale of Darkness and Shadow by Mimi Matthews
1 review
reading_historical_romance's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
I love Jane Eyre and will read any retelling or adaptation. This is far and away one of the most creative and enjoyable ones. Mimi Mathews' take was to gender-swap many of the characters and write it in the style of an 18th century Gothic/horror novel. It is a fast, suspenseful, and intriguing read. My only complaint, and the only reason I am giving it just 3 stars, is that the love story between John Eyre and Mrs. Bertha Rochester didn't build itself on the page.
Of course I knew going in that the two main characters are supposed to fall deeply and truly in love with each other over the course of the narrative, and that their pairing would be the underpinning of the entire novel. However, I did not feel that we were actually given the opportunity to understand and feel that John and Bertha were fated, against all odds, to be together -- other than the fact that we were told repeatedly that this was the case. The narrative tells us that John was attracted to Bertha and found her mysterious; and Bertha did have several moments of honest vulnerability when she was with John. But otherwise we have no knowledge of the reason that Bertha endeared herself to John aside from becoming an object of his pity.
Of course I knew going in that the two main characters are supposed to fall deeply and truly in love with each other over the course of the narrative, and that their pairing would be the underpinning of the entire novel. However, I did not feel that we were actually given the opportunity to understand and feel that John and Bertha were fated, against all odds, to be together -- other than the fact that we were told repeatedly that this was the case. The narrative tells us that John was attracted to Bertha and found her mysterious; and Bertha did have several moments of honest vulnerability when she was with John. But otherwise we have no knowledge of the reason that Bertha endeared herself to John aside from becoming an object of his pity.
Content Warnings
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Blood, Violence, and Emotional abuse
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