Scan barcode
readsbynush's review against another edition
5.0
One of the best female characters I have read in recent times!
I really loved this book - presumably the fact that I have never read Jane Eyre (or, indeed, Dracula) helped, though I do know the story of both novels pretty well - helped in how much I liked this book.
I guess John could be thought of as a bit insipid, but Bertha was magnificent and helped uplift his character.
Kudos to the author, she has a great writing style!
I really loved this book - presumably the fact that I have never read Jane Eyre (or, indeed, Dracula) helped, though I do know the story of both novels pretty well - helped in how much I liked this book.
I guess John could be thought of as a bit insipid, but Bertha was magnificent and helped uplift his character.
Kudos to the author, she has a great writing style!
scottishpixie26's review
3.0
It was a good story. Wasn't too fond of Beth. Wished for a bit more romance.
annarella's review against another edition
3.0
I read other books by this author and liked them. This one is well written and the atmosphere has the right level of creepiness but it's also so similar to the original that it didn't keep my attention
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
bogwitchreads's review against another edition
3.0
The concept of this intrigued me. I love Jane Eyre, and I love playing around with classics. Unfortunately, this book fell a little flat for me. It did not feel like Jane Eyre, at least not in the ways I look for, and it did not feel like it added anything particularly meaningful.
John himself felt downright dull in comparison to Jane, and while I did enjoy Bertha, I wish she bore some resemblance to the original Bertha -- by this I mean that the original Bertha grew up in the Caribbean, and it rubbed me wrong that in this book, she is English (with the occasional reference to a vaguely exotic appearance), while Rochester (here an) instead becomes the foreign one. I would have liked to see Bertha's story divert from the original once she and Rochester reached Thornfield, rather than have it swapped already from the beginning.
John and Bertha's relationship was perfectly fine, but (and I admit this is mostly a personal problem) I really wanted them to be weirder. They felt like a fairly conventional period romance, complete with now both being quite good-looking (even if John tries to hide it). I also had to roll my eyes at how often John referred to Bertha's "femininity" and his urges, as a man, to protect her, even though he knows she does not need it.
I think my problems with this book can be summed up by the author's note Matthews included in the end, wherein she defended her choice to write this and explained that there is nothing wrong with playing around with classics. She is right, of course, but reading that note I realized her audience is not me, a person who actively seeks out retellings of classic stories for the love of both seeing them again and seeing what new voices have to add. Her audience, it seems, is one just looking to dip their toes in.
There were parts of this book I enjoyed, yes, but everything about it felt so unchallenged yet so unlike Jane Eyre, except for where certain plot elements lined up, that I struggled to get into it. There is an audience for this book, I'm sure, but regrettably, I am not a part of it.
John himself felt downright dull in comparison to Jane, and while I did enjoy Bertha, I wish she bore some resemblance to the original Bertha -- by this I mean that the original Bertha grew up in the Caribbean, and it rubbed me wrong that in this book, she is English (with the occasional reference to a vaguely exotic appearance), while Rochester (here an
Spoiler
evil vampireJohn and Bertha's relationship was perfectly fine, but (and I admit this is mostly a personal problem) I really wanted them to be weirder. They felt like a fairly conventional period romance, complete with now both being quite good-looking (even if John tries to hide it). I also had to roll my eyes at how often John referred to Bertha's "femininity" and his urges, as a man, to protect her, even though he knows she does not need it.
I think my problems with this book can be summed up by the author's note Matthews included in the end, wherein she defended her choice to write this and explained that there is nothing wrong with playing around with classics. She is right, of course, but reading that note I realized her audience is not me, a person who actively seeks out retellings of classic stories for the love of both seeing them again and seeing what new voices have to add. Her audience, it seems, is one just looking to dip their toes in.
There were parts of this book I enjoyed, yes, but everything about it felt so unchallenged yet so unlike Jane Eyre, except for where certain plot elements lined up, that I struggled to get into it. There is an audience for this book, I'm sure, but regrettably, I am not a part of it.
olivia_meret's review against another edition
5.0
Thanks to #Netgalley and #perfectlyproperpress for the eARC (opinions are my own).
I’m a big fan of Mimi’s historical romances so when I saw she was coming out with a supernatural historical suspense novel I was so excited. I can’t speak to how good of a retelling it is since I’ve never read Jane Eyre but on its own it was so well done. This was overflowing with an eerie atmosphere, creepy undertones and a classic romance. From the first chapter I was drawn in. John takes on tutoring Mrs Rochester’s two sickly wards at her country estate filled with secrets. It’s told part from John’s POV and part flashbacks through Mrs. Rochester's letters and diary entries. If you’re familiar with the Jane Eyre story it might be predictable but regardless I recommend this one!
Adult Content Note: Little to no swearing, no sexual content and mild violence
⚠️: domestic violence
I’m a big fan of Mimi’s historical romances so when I saw she was coming out with a supernatural historical suspense novel I was so excited. I can’t speak to how good of a retelling it is since I’ve never read Jane Eyre but on its own it was so well done. This was overflowing with an eerie atmosphere, creepy undertones and a classic romance. From the first chapter I was drawn in. John takes on tutoring Mrs Rochester’s two sickly wards at her country estate filled with secrets. It’s told part from John’s POV and part flashbacks through Mrs. Rochester's letters and diary entries. If you’re familiar with the Jane Eyre story it might be predictable but regardless I recommend this one!
Adult Content Note: Little to no swearing, no sexual content and mild violence
⚠️: domestic violence
pencole's review against another edition
4.0
“My faith is solely concerned with matters of good and evil. And you must believe, sir, that I stand firmly and relentlessly on the side of good. The side of God. You would do well to determine where it is that you stand.” Her speech was so passionate, so unflinchingly earnest, that he felt the impulse to answer in kind—albeit with a trifle less heat. “At the moment,” he said. “I stand next to you. It seems a worthy place to be.”
melmo2610's review against another edition
2.0
Not my favorite read/listen. This Jane Eyre retelling took some different avenues then I was anticipating and I didn't enjoy them.
plottrysts's review
4.0
John Eyre is a super-fun gender-swapped [b:Jane Eyre|10210|Jane Eyre|Charlotte Brontë|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1557343311l/10210._SY75_.jpg|2977639] + [b:Dracula|17245|Dracula|Bram Stoker|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1387151694l/17245._SY75_.jpg|3165724] mashup, taken very seriously. By that we mean this isn't just some word-for-word retelling of Jane Eyre, nor is it [b:Pride and Prejudice and Zombies|5899779|Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, #1)|Seth Grahame-Smith|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320449653l/5899779._SY75_.jpg|6072122], but rather a well-constructed, period-perfect novel... that happens to feature Mr. Rochester as a vampire who is chained in the attic to prevent his preying on the good people of Yorkshire.
Perhaps the best part of the book is Bertha Rochester (nee Mason)'s character. She manages to escape from an actual vampire (instead of the emotional vampire of the original Jane Eyre's Mr. Rochester), conceal the identity of a prisoner in her attic, and get her wards' young and handsome tutor to fall in love with her, all without losing an iota of the original Rochester's mercurial temper and contrary dialogue. A true pleasure to read!
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
Perhaps the best part of the book is Bertha Rochester (nee Mason)'s character. She manages to escape from an actual vampire (instead of the emotional vampire of the original Jane Eyre's Mr. Rochester), conceal the identity of a prisoner in her attic, and get her wards' young and handsome tutor to fall in love with her, all without losing an iota of the original Rochester's mercurial temper and contrary dialogue. A true pleasure to read!
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
lola1229's review
1.0
DNF. Slogged through the first ~half, then skimmed the last three chapters. Just as overwrought and melodramatic as the original ‘Eyre’.
pinkfloydian's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0