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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
This was a fun read. I think the author did a decent homage to Edgar Rice Burroughs, one of my childhood favorites. What did Jane make of this fabulous adventure she had? This interpretation is in keeping with the spirit of the book but maybe I will read the original again to make sure.
I had been really looking forward to this book from the moment I heard about it as I have very much enjoyed the two Maxwell books I have had the chance to read thus far. I also am attracted to books that tell the other side of the story from the traditional tale, and the story of Tarzan from Jane’s perspective offers so much for an author to work with. Maxwell did not let me down!
This novel allowed the reader into Jane’s world. The story is framed out as a story within a story - that is, Jane is telling aspiring novelist Edgar Rice Burroughs the tale of how she came to have these “missing link” bones and why she believes so highly that they are real. It is in this tale that we come to learn about Tarzan, his ape-like family, and the crazy adventure that Jane was a part of. I always wondered what a woman from that period in time would be doing traveling to Africa with an expeditionary party – it always seemed a little out of place to me, but Maxwell’s Jane as a very forward thinking woman and her reasons for going with her father, to find the missing link, made sense. I LOVED how she didn’t become just the damsel in distress that she is portrayed as in so many of the movies – but grew and evolved just as Tarzan did. She was admirable for her doubts, fears, courage, strength, and commitment.
The Tarzan that Maxwell creates in reminiscent of what we would all want Tarzan to be: the peak performer in his environment, caring, a fast learner, and of course handsome in that rugged way. He was very much human but still quite wild too – a perfect mix. He may have learned a little too quickly for me at times for it to be believable, but I can let that pass.
I like all of the little details that Maxwell added into tie Burroughs’ tale together with hers. We learn of Jane’s upbringing and her university education where she was admitted into an all-male class. I loved how Jane’s father and team were paleoanthropologists searching for the missing link – a very good reason for them to have been going to Africa. I liked how she was telling her tale to Burroughs who then had her permission to do with the story what he wanted – which resulted in his book, Tarzan of the Apes. These little touches really helped solidify the story for me.
While the first half of the novel was a little slower as the character of Jane is built, the second half of the novel zips right along. From the time we start learning about Tarzan’s family and how they ended up on the lone shore I was sucked in and couldn’t put it down. I just had to know what happened next! While the bulk of the story was an exercise in character building and understanding between Tarzan and Jane, the ending felt like it was straight out of an Indiana Jones type movie – a little bit of a shift for me, but apparently some of the movie versions have an action-adventure type take on them.
I haven’t read the original work of Burroughs, but I do still plan to get to it one day and see how the two books mesh. While this might not have been the absolutely perfect novel, it was a breath of fresh air that I absorbed with every pore – un-put-downable!
This book was received for review from the publisher - I was not compensated for my opinions and the above is my honest review.
This novel allowed the reader into Jane’s world. The story is framed out as a story within a story - that is, Jane is telling aspiring novelist Edgar Rice Burroughs the tale of how she came to have these “missing link” bones and why she believes so highly that they are real. It is in this tale that we come to learn about Tarzan, his ape-like family, and the crazy adventure that Jane was a part of. I always wondered what a woman from that period in time would be doing traveling to Africa with an expeditionary party – it always seemed a little out of place to me, but Maxwell’s Jane as a very forward thinking woman and her reasons for going with her father, to find the missing link, made sense. I LOVED how she didn’t become just the damsel in distress that she is portrayed as in so many of the movies – but grew and evolved just as Tarzan did. She was admirable for her doubts, fears, courage, strength, and commitment.
The Tarzan that Maxwell creates in reminiscent of what we would all want Tarzan to be: the peak performer in his environment, caring, a fast learner, and of course handsome in that rugged way. He was very much human but still quite wild too – a perfect mix. He may have learned a little too quickly for me at times for it to be believable, but I can let that pass.
I like all of the little details that Maxwell added into tie Burroughs’ tale together with hers. We learn of Jane’s upbringing and her university education where she was admitted into an all-male class. I loved how Jane’s father and team were paleoanthropologists searching for the missing link – a very good reason for them to have been going to Africa. I liked how she was telling her tale to Burroughs who then had her permission to do with the story what he wanted – which resulted in his book, Tarzan of the Apes. These little touches really helped solidify the story for me.
While the first half of the novel was a little slower as the character of Jane is built, the second half of the novel zips right along. From the time we start learning about Tarzan’s family and how they ended up on the lone shore I was sucked in and couldn’t put it down. I just had to know what happened next! While the bulk of the story was an exercise in character building and understanding between Tarzan and Jane, the ending felt like it was straight out of an Indiana Jones type movie – a little bit of a shift for me, but apparently some of the movie versions have an action-adventure type take on them.
I haven’t read the original work of Burroughs, but I do still plan to get to it one day and see how the two books mesh. While this might not have been the absolutely perfect novel, it was a breath of fresh air that I absorbed with every pore – un-put-downable!
This book was received for review from the publisher - I was not compensated for my opinions and the above is my honest review.
This is not a book for Tarzan purists. This is akin to watching a movie adaptation of a beloved story. The elements are all there: baby raised by apes in the African jungle grows into a man who falls in love with a cultured woman. But author Robin Maxwell reinterprets and rearranges every detail of Edgar Rice Burroughs' creation to the point of almost unrecognizability. (There is a framing story that attempts to explain away the incompatibilities, but this seemed hollow, at best.)
Which is not to say all the changes are bad. In fact, I loved that Jane was an independent, intelligent woman, way ahead of her time, and not just the McGuffin Burroughs used to move his plot forward. I also liked that the great apes turned out to be a lost tribe of homo erectus; a more plausible scenario for them having language and being able to raise Tarzan. I also liked that baby John Clayton learned to speak and read rudimentary English from his real mother before being taken in by the great apes. This answers the question of how a feral child could learn language. However, I thought it improbable that he would completely forget his infancy and language during his years with the apes.
What I didn't like was that Maxwell deleted characters, changed characters, and shifted timelines from Burroughs' canon for no apparent reason. Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of this book, though, was Maxwell's near obsession with sex. Yes, it's not at all unlikely Tarzan would have no sexual hangups and be ready to mate with the first female of his species. But to have it shoved in our faces just seemed wrong. It was as if this was a racy Harlequin romance rather than an adventure story. I could accept Jane being portrayed more modern than the original books, but I think the book took it too far. Even an enlightened woman of the late 19th Century would not, I think, behave, or certainly write about, what might be considered a risque manner even by today's standards.
If one is willing to overlook the incompatible timelines and characters, this book does give one a reasonably exciting adventure, just as a Johnny Weissmuller Tarzan movie had virtually nothing to do with the Burroughs' books, yet was entertaining for what it was.
Which is not to say all the changes are bad. In fact, I loved that Jane was an independent, intelligent woman, way ahead of her time, and not just the McGuffin Burroughs used to move his plot forward. I also liked that the great apes turned out to be a lost tribe of homo erectus; a more plausible scenario for them having language and being able to raise Tarzan. I also liked that baby John Clayton learned to speak and read rudimentary English from his real mother before being taken in by the great apes. This answers the question of how a feral child could learn language. However, I thought it improbable that he would completely forget his infancy and language during his years with the apes.
What I didn't like was that Maxwell deleted characters, changed characters, and shifted timelines from Burroughs' canon for no apparent reason. Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of this book, though, was Maxwell's near obsession with sex. Yes, it's not at all unlikely Tarzan would have no sexual hangups and be ready to mate with the first female of his species. But to have it shoved in our faces just seemed wrong. It was as if this was a racy Harlequin romance rather than an adventure story. I could accept Jane being portrayed more modern than the original books, but I think the book took it too far. Even an enlightened woman of the late 19th Century would not, I think, behave, or certainly write about, what might be considered a risque manner even by today's standards.
If one is willing to overlook the incompatible timelines and characters, this book does give one a reasonably exciting adventure, just as a Johnny Weissmuller Tarzan movie had virtually nothing to do with the Burroughs' books, yet was entertaining for what it was.
This book rocked my world over the last few days. I loved it with a passion and it made me sigh happily at the end. That is a rare occurrence for me.
The book is the Tarzan story, told from Jane's point of view. Jane is no fainting, screaming, weak, creature in this book. She is intelligent, educated, and a scientist. Her traveling to Africa is on a expedition that her father is leading. Her meeting Tarzan, it is well done and you route for them to get together because their chemistry crackles off the pages.
I had to pace myself to not read this book all in one sitting because I wanted to savor the story and the way it was written. It is that well-done of a book! It also has the perfect ending that leaves you wishing to hear more of Jane's story.
Definitely a good read!
The book is the Tarzan story, told from Jane's point of view. Jane is no fainting, screaming, weak, creature in this book. She is intelligent, educated, and a scientist. Her traveling to Africa is on a expedition that her father is leading. Her meeting Tarzan, it is well done and you route for them to get together because their chemistry crackles off the pages.
I had to pace myself to not read this book all in one sitting because I wanted to savor the story and the way it was written. It is that well-done of a book! It also has the perfect ending that leaves you wishing to hear more of Jane's story.
Definitely a good read!
This book was incredible--that's all there is to say... it has been almost a year since I've loved a book so much, I was unable to put it down (the last one being "Hook and Jill" if you're interested) and let me just say, it was worth the wait.
First off, the description of the woman Jane was somewhat freaking to me. To be simple: I am Jane. She is described as having a round face and almond eyes with a nose a bit longer with a bump in it with blonde hair (I dye mine black lately). Instantly, I fell in love with Jane because of how she looked and who she was--a paleoanthropologist. I just graduated with my degree in anthropology with a deep love for human evolution. It's always nice to see yourself in a character and connect with them as you are reading but I have never felt so (freakishly) connected in all my years of reading.
I loved it that we hear Jane's story from her own two lips just as Burroughs does in the story--making them have an interaction and a connection made the story so much more believable and grounded in a real world. I've never read ERB's Tarzan of the Apes (that'll change soon) so I am not sure how much of the story changed since Jane gave her permission to change and alter what needed to make it an interesting and successful story for ERB (though you can be darn sure it's much different from the happy- go- lucky Disney version [which is one of my favorites so no hard feelings]) but either way, I love everything about this book.
I loved seeing the evolution of Jane's character. She is a fish out of water--a strong woman in a man's world. A tomboy in Victorian/Edwardian England. A woman at Cambridge. She can't live up to the expectations of society but she easily finds her niche in the wilds of Africa.
I was a bit concerned for awhile--Tarzan took a bit of time to show up. Don't get me wrong--it was interesting traveling with the Porter Expedition through Gambon and grow to hate Ral Conrath as Jane did, but who doesn't what a half naked Adonis to come swooping down on a vine and take our Jane away? Again, it was worth the wait and I fell madly in love with the relationship between Jane and Tarzan.
Just like so many things and themes in the book, their relationship evolved. At first it was a curiosity on Tarzan's part. They couldn't communicate except for a few shared words and miming. Tarzan is Jane's protector and Jane is Tarzan's tutor. But of course, things never stay so simple and the beginning of their steamy love story begins in the Waziri village and it doesn't stop there. On their journey to discover who Tarzan truly is, they also discover the love and desire they feel for each other. I don't think there has ever been a sexier love story than the one of Jane and Tarzan in "Eden."
The fear you feel when you see Kerchak is unavoidable. You can't help but imagine the most terrifying beast with mated fur, one eye, and a rage that would make even the bravest man cower in fear. Ral Conrath is such a scoundrel that it's not that you love to hate him, you just hate him. Our two villains get what they deserve in the most torturous of ways--both our heroes getting their revenge.
The climax of the tale in the "Underworld" of Sumbula felt a bit disjointed from the rest of the story to me. Of course, I mentioned that I had never read anything of the original story so it could be that this aspect of the story was so worked into the original that it couldn't be avoided. I don't want to give anything away but it just felt out of place and a bit confusing... but that certainly did not take away from the rest of the story.
The final chapter ended on a bit of a saddening cliffhanger--thank God for the four page epilogue!!
All in all, this was one of the finest books I've read in a long time. I knew as soon as I saw the title "Jane: The Woman Who Loved Tarzan" that I would be obsessed with the story. Jane Porter has always been one of my heroes and one of the reasons why I studied anthropology in college. It uses excellent anthropological terminology and references that made me giddy. It was a wholesome story and refreshing from the books and series that try so hard to just make money and not tell a good story. There is no reason to make a series of books or a blockbuster movie based on Jane (though I would NOT be against that at all... I'd be the first to buy a ticket!). The epic tale was told in all its glory in one book--a book filled with adventure, horror, love, Africa, science, and Jane Porter... my hero.
Thank you, Robin Maxwell, for bringing one of my childhood heroes to life and breathing new life into a story that--even though it is 100 years old now--seems new all over again.
First off, the description of the woman Jane was somewhat freaking to me. To be simple: I am Jane. She is described as having a round face and almond eyes with a nose a bit longer with a bump in it with blonde hair (I dye mine black lately). Instantly, I fell in love with Jane because of how she looked and who she was--a paleoanthropologist. I just graduated with my degree in anthropology with a deep love for human evolution. It's always nice to see yourself in a character and connect with them as you are reading but I have never felt so (freakishly) connected in all my years of reading.
I loved it that we hear Jane's story from her own two lips just as Burroughs does in the story--making them have an interaction and a connection made the story so much more believable and grounded in a real world. I've never read ERB's Tarzan of the Apes (that'll change soon) so I am not sure how much of the story changed since Jane gave her permission to change and alter what needed to make it an interesting and successful story for ERB (though you can be darn sure it's much different from the happy- go- lucky Disney version [which is one of my favorites so no hard feelings]) but either way, I love everything about this book.
I loved seeing the evolution of Jane's character. She is a fish out of water--a strong woman in a man's world. A tomboy in Victorian/Edwardian England. A woman at Cambridge. She can't live up to the expectations of society but she easily finds her niche in the wilds of Africa.
I was a bit concerned for awhile--Tarzan took a bit of time to show up. Don't get me wrong--it was interesting traveling with the Porter Expedition through Gambon and grow to hate Ral Conrath as Jane did, but who doesn't what a half naked Adonis to come swooping down on a vine and take our Jane away? Again, it was worth the wait and I fell madly in love with the relationship between Jane and Tarzan.
Just like so many things and themes in the book, their relationship evolved. At first it was a curiosity on Tarzan's part. They couldn't communicate except for a few shared words and miming. Tarzan is Jane's protector and Jane is Tarzan's tutor. But of course, things never stay so simple and the beginning of their steamy love story begins in the Waziri village and it doesn't stop there. On their journey to discover who Tarzan truly is, they also discover the love and desire they feel for each other. I don't think there has ever been a sexier love story than the one of Jane and Tarzan in "Eden."
The fear you feel when you see Kerchak is unavoidable. You can't help but imagine the most terrifying beast with mated fur, one eye, and a rage that would make even the bravest man cower in fear. Ral Conrath is such a scoundrel that it's not that you love to hate him, you just hate him. Our two villains get what they deserve in the most torturous of ways--both our heroes getting their revenge.
The climax of the tale in the "Underworld" of Sumbula felt a bit disjointed from the rest of the story to me. Of course, I mentioned that I had never read anything of the original story so it could be that this aspect of the story was so worked into the original that it couldn't be avoided. I don't want to give anything away but it just felt out of place and a bit confusing... but that certainly did not take away from the rest of the story.
The final chapter ended on a bit of a saddening cliffhanger--thank God for the four page epilogue!!
All in all, this was one of the finest books I've read in a long time. I knew as soon as I saw the title "Jane: The Woman Who Loved Tarzan" that I would be obsessed with the story. Jane Porter has always been one of my heroes and one of the reasons why I studied anthropology in college. It uses excellent anthropological terminology and references that made me giddy. It was a wholesome story and refreshing from the books and series that try so hard to just make money and not tell a good story. There is no reason to make a series of books or a blockbuster movie based on Jane (though I would NOT be against that at all... I'd be the first to buy a ticket!). The epic tale was told in all its glory in one book--a book filled with adventure, horror, love, Africa, science, and Jane Porter... my hero.
Thank you, Robin Maxwell, for bringing one of my childhood heroes to life and breathing new life into a story that--even though it is 100 years old now--seems new all over again.
Cool premise, but I didn't enjoy reading this book. Like a history of evolution text and a Harlequin romance were put in a blender. Name-dropping Darwin and Ernst Haeckel, and then sentences like this: "Hungrily I surrendered, and as I pulled him down, a primal growl sounded deep in Tarzan's throat.... Lost time and the world around me, hearing only the ecstatic cries of seabirds. Cries that I finally, wondrously, recognized as my own." If only I were kidding.
This is a fascinating retelling if Tarzan through Jane's point of view. Jane is intelligent and brave, but most importantly of all, the author made her *real*. This book is a wild ride through the jungle from start to finish and I highly recommend it.
I totally picked up this book on a whim, and now, 3 years later, I'm so enthralled with the memory of it that I've just finished reading it for a second time.
Personally, I loved Jane's character and her continued character growth. Plus, um, Tarzan. Who doesn't love that plot?
Yes, it's a bit jumpy in certain parts, and the language barrier between the two characters gets awkward, and the plot has some holes, and I don't like the open ending whatsoever, but the concept is wonderful, and I read it again in one sitting.
Personally, I loved Jane's character and her continued character growth. Plus, um, Tarzan. Who doesn't love that plot?
Yes, it's a bit jumpy in certain parts, and the language barrier between the two characters gets awkward, and the plot has some holes, and I don't like the open ending whatsoever, but the concept is wonderful, and I read it again in one sitting.
I am absolutely in love with this story! Jane is such a strong woman who holds her own in the jungles of Africa. The story is so richly drawn out that I almost couldn't put the book down while I was reading! Absolutely amazing read.
For the 100th anniversary of publication, the Burroughs' estate authorized a new version of the origin story from the point of view of Jane Porter--this is pure pulpy Edwardian fun from someone who really studied the imperialist adventure stories and is having a good time turning them inside out. Framed as Jane meeting Burroughs during her paleontology lecture tour in 1912, this hits all the plot points of the original novel, rewarding and amusing people familiar with the tropes of Haggard, Verne, Kipling and co.