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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Very well-written, but it began to lag in the middle, as I didn't find myself caring as much about the characters introduced at that point as Jane did. I wish it had remained more solidly her story. Nevertheless, I enjoyed how certain threads resolved, and while I'm not an avid Jane Eyre fan, I appreciated some of the nods to that source material.
A retelling of Jane Eyre. THIS Jane is also an orphan left under her aunt's care and there is also a horrible school, but she kicks but and takes names. Will her past stop Mr. Thornfield falling in love with her?
What if Jane Eyre was a serial killer? I confess that I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book. I enjoy retellings of "Jane Eyre," one of my favorite books of all time, and this premise of Jane actually being wicked both intrigued and repelled me. But I found that, once I started to read, I literally could not put the book down until I was done the last page.
SPOILERS FOLLOW!
Fear not; Jane is not actually truly wicked in this story, although Steele is far more violent, brazen, openly sexual, and "modern" than her older Eyre inspiration. Yes, she does kill, often deliberately, but it is both understandable and in many cases justified.
While Eyre longed to see justice served and fought for it in a quiet way with words, Steele actually follows through with action, albeit often in an ill-thought and reckless fashion. Steele is also more open about her affection when she falls in love with Charles Thornfield, a man clearly based on and inspired by Mr. Rochester, but, like every other character in this book, manages to be his own unique self. Steele is very fortunate to find perhaps the only house and people in England who would not shun her once the truth was out, as the inhabitants of Highgate Hall have plenty of scars and secrets of their own. I loved the Sikh influence at Highgate, which goes far to explain how Steele manages to fit in, further distinguishing "Jane Steele" from "Jane Eyre."
Some reviewers complained about the pacing of the story or the lack of of a true pathological serial killer, but I found it perfect for me. The language is lovely without being overwritten, the characters fascinating and believable. Woven throughout the story is Steele's commentary on "Jane Eyre," which is also her favorite book, as she compares her own experiences and choices to her "fictional" counterpart. It adds another interesting layer to the story, one that I can appreciate as a fan of the original with all it's strengths and flaws.
And any book that can keep me turning the pages long after midnight while my eyes are gritty with exhaustion I think is worth a read. Those of you who would like to see a more active, sharp-tongued version of Jane Eyre, welcome. Those who expected a female Dexter-like character may wish to look elsewhere. "Jane Steele," like its inspiration, is ultimately a romance.
SPOILERS FOLLOW!
Fear not; Jane is not actually truly wicked in this story, although Steele is far more violent, brazen, openly sexual, and "modern" than her older Eyre inspiration. Yes, she does kill, often deliberately, but it is both understandable and in many cases justified.
While Eyre longed to see justice served and fought for it in a quiet way with words, Steele actually follows through with action, albeit often in an ill-thought and reckless fashion. Steele is also more open about her affection when she falls in love with Charles Thornfield, a man clearly based on and inspired by Mr. Rochester, but, like every other character in this book, manages to be his own unique self. Steele is very fortunate to find perhaps the only house and people in England who would not shun her once the truth was out, as the inhabitants of Highgate Hall have plenty of scars and secrets of their own. I loved the Sikh influence at Highgate, which goes far to explain how Steele manages to fit in, further distinguishing "Jane Steele" from "Jane Eyre."
Some reviewers complained about the pacing of the story or the lack of of a true pathological serial killer, but I found it perfect for me. The language is lovely without being overwritten, the characters fascinating and believable. Woven throughout the story is Steele's commentary on "Jane Eyre," which is also her favorite book, as she compares her own experiences and choices to her "fictional" counterpart. It adds another interesting layer to the story, one that I can appreciate as a fan of the original with all it's strengths and flaws.
And any book that can keep me turning the pages long after midnight while my eyes are gritty with exhaustion I think is worth a read. Those of you who would like to see a more active, sharp-tongued version of Jane Eyre, welcome. Those who expected a female Dexter-like character may wish to look elsewhere. "Jane Steele," like its inspiration, is ultimately a romance.
I loved the protagonist in this book, although she turned out to be much different than what I expected when I first started it. The twists were fun and unexpected. I found it to be much more engaging than Jane Eyre, to be honest, even though there was a slow part in the middle.
I'm going to add this to my list of absolute favorite books! From the reviews I read, this was meant to be bloody and entertaining. Imagine my surprise when I start to read this book and find that it's deep, funny, and charming. To be clear, this is not exactly the Jane Eyre parody some people were making it out to be. The character of Jane Steele has read Bronte's work and empathizes with Eyre. The places she goes and secondary characters are certainly similar, but they stand out as their very own inspiring personalities.
What isn't there to love? There are snarky relationships, characters that surprise, Sikh culture and history, and absolutely beautiful writing. Honestly, even if the story had been awful (which it was NOT), I would have been glad to read it because the writing style was so pleasing. I borrowed this from the library, but I'll be promptly buying my own copy so I'll be able to re-read it in the future.
What isn't there to love? There are snarky relationships, characters that surprise, Sikh culture and history, and absolutely beautiful writing. Honestly, even if the story had been awful (which it was NOT), I would have been glad to read it because the writing style was so pleasing. I borrowed this from the library, but I'll be promptly buying my own copy so I'll be able to re-read it in the future.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was not for me and I probably should have known that from the description. Definitely a case of going off the serial killer blurb rather than reading the entire description. The first half I really enjoyed and it kind of tracked more with what I expected - Austen/Bronte vibes but add more murdering and rage with the patriarchy. Then an entirely new plot crops up which is also entwined with a blooming relationship with Charles Thornfield, which I had no interest in. It was also a bit jarring to have this brand new story line show up so late in the book. I would have rather continued to explore the feminist rage vibes and her relationship with Clark (such strong queer coding that kind of went nowhere).
I think if you enjoy regency/victorian era writing (which is not a favorite of mine) with a slightly darker twist and the full description sounds interesting to you, then it may be worth a read. Also worth noting the audiobook narrator was excellent.
I think if you enjoy regency/victorian era writing (which is not a favorite of mine) with a slightly darker twist and the full description sounds interesting to you, then it may be worth a read. Also worth noting the audiobook narrator was excellent.
Meh. It’s part mystery, part satire, and part psychopath murderer. It’s not quite one thing and it got better about half-way through, but not my favorite. It felt like a novel with an unreliable narrator, but it’s not, and that threw me off.
Utterly delightful. Faye captures the spirit of [b:Jane Eyre|10210|Jane Eyre|Charlotte Brontë|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327867269s/10210.jpg|2977639] and the Victorian cadence without sounding derivative or dull. I chuckled out loud many times and rooted for Jane Steele the entire way. She certainly captures what life is like for a variety of 19th century women all in Jane's experience - poor relation, boarding school inmate, working class woman trying to avoid prostitution, governess, marriage material, heiress. I also enjoyed the inclusion of various minorities, especially Sikhs. I don't want to say more for fear of ruining a wonderful, wonderful book, but this is a must read for fans of historical fiction, Jane Eyre, and awesome female-drive narratives. Fabulous historical description, engaging characters, fun plot, and a charming mix of suspense and humor. Why only 4 stars? I wanted more (mostly to fill the gaps in time)!
The fine print: received ARC from NetGalley.
The fine print: received ARC from NetGalley.