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katie_hale's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 I love Alexa Donne's YouTube channel. I was nervous that I would hate the book and it would ruin the channel for me. I know Jane Eyre, so I knew what would happen in the book generally speaking so there weren't many shocks. I enjoyed reading the book. Didn't love it, but certainly didn't hate it. I think I might be rounding up based more on my love of the author than the book.
saranel81's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars, bumped up to 3 because that's just how I feel today.
My first introduction to "Jane Eyre" was "Wide Sargasso Sea," which is probably why I have little to no sympathy for Mr. Rochester and, by association, his counterpart in this story, Hugo Fairfax. Brooding Byronic heroes from Gothic romances don't generally do anything for me, and now that I'm old enough to be the mother of a teenage YA male love interest, they REALLY don't do anything for me. I usually end up wanting to lecture them. And warn the female protags away from them, they're nothing but trouble. Avoid the Hugos of the world and find a Peeta instead.
That's probably why I'm having a problem really liking this book. Hugo is boring at his best and obnoxious at his worst. I'm not really sure why Stella falls in love with him - or how. He doesn't do much except drink, insult people, and brood. He reads, sure, but I kind of side-eye anyone who reads Kipling without acknowledging the problem with colonial imperialism. (Maybe this isn't the place to look for literary criticism, but the choice of "The Jungle Book" troubles me because you can't excuse it as a mere "boy's adventure" book in this modern world, and it doesn't quite accurately echo the themes or setting in this novel.)
The twist about the Fairfax family is pretty obvious and maybe doesn't go as dark as it could. It kinda falls flat as a result. The romance is similar, it just feels so shallow and uneven. Stella takes more risks and sacrifices so much to be with Hugo in the end, while he offers very little in return. By the end of the book, he's an object to be saved and won over, he does absolutely nothing on his own. I'm not sure what he has to offer Stella, really.
I think I'd like this book a lot better without the romance. Which begs a question: would Jane Eyre still be herself without her Rochester? No? I don't know, but I'd like to see that tried. I feel like Jane/Stella are both more proactive and dynamic than Rochester/Hugo, which is maybe why those two broodsters fall in love with them, to make decisions and do things because they won't/can't? Stella is constantly doing things, while Hugo only does something in an attempt to make Stella jealous. Meh.
It's not a terrible book, the romance just isn't my thing. The setting, the premise, the world-building, the other characters - those I liked. The plot involving the whole fleet works well, and it picks up nicely in the second half, after all the romance build-up in the first. I'd rather see Stella in a straight-up sci-fi, without all the Gothic trappings and Hugo weighing her down. The writing itself is fine, and I'll probably check out Donne's next book when it's released.
My first introduction to "Jane Eyre" was "Wide Sargasso Sea," which is probably why I have little to no sympathy for Mr. Rochester and, by association, his counterpart in this story, Hugo Fairfax. Brooding Byronic heroes from Gothic romances don't generally do anything for me, and now that I'm old enough to be the mother of a teenage YA male love interest, they REALLY don't do anything for me. I usually end up wanting to lecture them. And warn the female protags away from them, they're nothing but trouble. Avoid the Hugos of the world and find a Peeta instead.
That's probably why I'm having a problem really liking this book. Hugo is boring at his best and obnoxious at his worst. I'm not really sure why Stella falls in love with him - or how. He doesn't do much except drink, insult people, and brood. He reads, sure, but I kind of side-eye anyone who reads Kipling without acknowledging the problem with colonial imperialism. (Maybe this isn't the place to look for literary criticism, but the choice of "The Jungle Book" troubles me because you can't excuse it as a mere "boy's adventure" book in this modern world, and it doesn't quite accurately echo the themes or setting in this novel.)
The twist about the Fairfax family is pretty obvious and maybe doesn't go as dark as it could. It kinda falls flat as a result. The romance is similar, it just feels so shallow and uneven. Stella takes more risks and sacrifices so much to be with Hugo in the end, while he offers very little in return. By the end of the book, he's an object to be saved and won over, he does absolutely nothing on his own. I'm not sure what he has to offer Stella, really.
I think I'd like this book a lot better without the romance. Which begs a question: would Jane Eyre still be herself without her Rochester? No? I don't know, but I'd like to see that tried. I feel like Jane/Stella are both more proactive and dynamic than Rochester/Hugo, which is maybe why those two broodsters fall in love with them, to make decisions and do things because they won't/can't? Stella is constantly doing things, while Hugo only does something in an attempt to make Stella jealous. Meh.
It's not a terrible book, the romance just isn't my thing. The setting, the premise, the world-building, the other characters - those I liked. The plot involving the whole fleet works well, and it picks up nicely in the second half, after all the romance build-up in the first. I'd rather see Stella in a straight-up sci-fi, without all the Gothic trappings and Hugo weighing her down. The writing itself is fine, and I'll probably check out Donne's next book when it's released.
mkcannon21's review against another edition
4.0
I like this book because it's an interesting new take on a well known classic. While the story centers upon the major concepts of Jane Eyre, it actually recreates to plot to follow the needs of the world building. Thus I enjoyed reading it because I didn't actually know what was going to happen next. At times there were decisions in plot structure that I found questionable and the "closing" or wrap up of everything felt a little too rushed. But overall I think this is a great read for fans of Jane Eyre who want a new take on the original story.
the_book_addict_16's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
berlinbibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
This book is inspired by Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, and Alexa Donne does a really good job in staying true to the theme and character beats of the story without just retelling it plotpoint for plotpoint. The setting of a slowly dying fleet orbiting Earth is great, and the plot works really well in that setting. Stella, the Jane Eyre character, works great as a protagonist. Her perspective strongly tinges the narration and makes it more personal, and she keeps all the great bits of Jane Eyre's character, like her steadfastness and dedication to her young charges. This is, in my opinion, how retellings of the classics should work: by staying true to the characters and seeing what transferring them into a new setting can reveal about the themes and social issues present in the original and the retelling.
krys1993's review against another edition
5.0
I’ve never read Jane eyre so I can’t comment on whether or not it’s a good retelling but I love this story, I generally don’t like space books but this one I really enjoyed !
caitlyn_wilt's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
hijinx_abound's review against another edition
3.0
A sci fi mash up of Jane Eyre (with some tweaks) and Wall-E. Sounds awkward but it’s not.
I’m not a fan of the Brontes. Their work is too dark and moody and just depressingly tragic. But this book takes the better parts of Jane Eyre and repurposes them in space with Wall e elements that work in some weird way.
Earth has experienced another ice age so
Everyone lives on space ships. The wealthy, of course, are doing better than the poor and would prefer that the population be “diminished”. Many of the ships are on their last legs and cannot sustain the life aboard them.
A young orphan finds a job on a ship with a strange captain and his little sister. There is something sinister afoot in the ship but no one in talking. Bad things start to happen and then an entourage arrives from another ship with bratty girls and secrets of their own
I enjoyed the tweaks to the story and found this version of Jane eyre much more palatable than the original. Perhaps taking all the classics and sending them to space would help me enjoy them. (Gatsby in space?? I’d try it).
I’m not a fan of the Brontes. Their work is too dark and moody and just depressingly tragic. But this book takes the better parts of Jane Eyre and repurposes them in space with Wall e elements that work in some weird way.
Earth has experienced another ice age so
Everyone lives on space ships. The wealthy, of course, are doing better than the poor and would prefer that the population be “diminished”. Many of the ships are on their last legs and cannot sustain the life aboard them.
A young orphan finds a job on a ship with a strange captain and his little sister. There is something sinister afoot in the ship but no one in talking. Bad things start to happen and then an entourage arrives from another ship with bratty girls and secrets of their own
I enjoyed the tweaks to the story and found this version of Jane eyre much more palatable than the original. Perhaps taking all the classics and sending them to space would help me enjoy them. (Gatsby in space?? I’d try it).