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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
I do tend to admire authors who have great self-awareness! , things went along really well for me.
I seem to be eyeballs-deep in retellings these past few months - [b:The Gap of Time: The Winter's Tale Retold|25776011|The Gap of Time The Winter's Tale Retold (Hogarth Shakespeare)|Jeanette Winterson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1440622854s/25776011.jpg|44353880], [b:Shylock Is My Name|25614272|Shylock Is My Name|Howard Jacobson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1449107284s/25614272.jpg|45268913], [b:Eligible|25852870|Eligible (The Austen Project #4)|Curtis Sittenfeld|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1460477855s/25852870.jpg|26428236], and now 'accidental avenger', Jane Steele - which the author describes as a 'satirical riff'. It is part retelling, part tribute, and Faye's love for [b:Jane Eyre|10210|Jane Eyre|Charlotte Brontë|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327867269s/10210.jpg|2977639] is wonderfully evident . (Also, [b:Vinegar Girl|27070127|Vinegar Girl|Anne Tyler|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1454365037s/27070127.jpg|46190740] is coming from Anne Tyler super-soon, and I am so stoked for that one.) I often think I am not a fan of retellings, but I have had great success with the books I just mentioned (save for Jacobson's, which... ugh!). And Eligible and Jane Steele both serve as excellent escapist options, for times you night want a bit more fun in your reading, though still smartly, sharply written.
It's ben eons since I last read Jane Eyre, and I wasn't sure if my lack of a detailed recollection would impact my experience with Jane Steele -- it didn't. I think Faye structured this book in such a way that it stands alone very well. As with my recommendation the other day re: Sittenfeld and Austen (Eligible): if you are far too serious about your Jane Eyre and Charlotte Brontë, probably don't bother with Faye's book. If, however, you can appreciate fun and have an open mind, I hope this book works really well for you!! It would be a great summer or vacation read, since we are moving into that time of year in the Northern Hemisphere. :)
"Finally, it would be disingenuous of me to suggest that this book isn’t rather ridiculous, and be it known that its ridiculousness is based in both truth and in fiction."Jane Steele is 'rather ridiculous', and I loved that Lyndsay Faye included this statement in her acknowledgments. But this ridiculousness was of the utterly fun and engaging variety. Unlike many other readers - from perusing GR reviews this morning - I found the latter part of the story reading at a quicker pace, and far more interesting. It took me quite a good bit of the story to really feel invested (100-ish+ pages), but once Steele
Spoiler
arrives at her new school and meets ClarkeI seem to be eyeballs-deep in retellings these past few months - [b:The Gap of Time: The Winter's Tale Retold|25776011|The Gap of Time The Winter's Tale Retold (Hogarth Shakespeare)|Jeanette Winterson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1440622854s/25776011.jpg|44353880], [b:Shylock Is My Name|25614272|Shylock Is My Name|Howard Jacobson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1449107284s/25614272.jpg|45268913], [b:Eligible|25852870|Eligible (The Austen Project #4)|Curtis Sittenfeld|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1460477855s/25852870.jpg|26428236], and now 'accidental avenger', Jane Steele - which the author describes as a 'satirical riff'. It is part retelling, part tribute, and Faye's love for [b:Jane Eyre|10210|Jane Eyre|Charlotte Brontë|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327867269s/10210.jpg|2977639] is wonderfully evident . (Also, [b:Vinegar Girl|27070127|Vinegar Girl|Anne Tyler|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1454365037s/27070127.jpg|46190740] is coming from Anne Tyler super-soon, and I am so stoked for that one.) I often think I am not a fan of retellings, but I have had great success with the books I just mentioned (save for Jacobson's, which... ugh!). And Eligible and Jane Steele both serve as excellent escapist options, for times you night want a bit more fun in your reading, though still smartly, sharply written.
It's ben eons since I last read Jane Eyre, and I wasn't sure if my lack of a detailed recollection would impact my experience with Jane Steele -- it didn't. I think Faye structured this book in such a way that it stands alone very well. As with my recommendation the other day re: Sittenfeld and Austen (Eligible): if you are far too serious about your Jane Eyre and Charlotte Brontë, probably don't bother with Faye's book. If, however, you can appreciate fun and have an open mind, I hope this book works really well for you!! It would be a great summer or vacation read, since we are moving into that time of year in the Northern Hemisphere. :)
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Loved this one. The perfect marriage of literary classic and crime fiction. Once I actually started reading it, I pretty much didn't put it down for two days.
I'm giving this the full five stars because as a fan of Jane Eyre, it won over my skepticism!
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Quite good, but not amazing. Fun twist on Jane Eyre in a seedier, more grotesque Victorian setting than the original. The last third of the novel drags a bit.
Got to about 46% and I couldn't read any more. The first 1/3 wasn't bad and then when she becomes a governess it went straight downhill. It reminded me of Annie, with the turbaned butler, the rich guy and the kid. Seriously crap!!!
I loved this retelling of Jane Eyre sooo much! Imagine if Jane Eyre wasn’t a pushover and instead she pushed back. Fun and fierce.
Also, the language felt naturally of that era. You know how sometimes you read a historical fiction and the language mixes contemporary expressions with old-fashioned words? This book was good at not doing that.
Also, the language felt naturally of that era. You know how sometimes you read a historical fiction and the language mixes contemporary expressions with old-fashioned words? This book was good at not doing that.
Strong woman does it all to survive and falls upstairs after falling downstairs with the help of some friends from India.
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I liked the premise, but gosh it was such a slow read. i was so close to dnf'ing it numerous times.
Definitely not enough stabbing and too much romance. Would've loved to see Clarke happy and over her feelings for Jane in the end - give me more happy lesbians . The prose had its moments ( the line at the end about humans being storytellers! ), but was dragging and felt too much like it was trying to be something it isn't.
2.25 stars for the premise, some twists i did not foresee, having a diverse list of characters and playing with the source material.
Definitely not enough stabbing and too much romance. Would've loved to see Clarke happy and
2.25 stars for the premise, some twists i did not foresee, having a diverse list of characters and playing with the source material.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault, Blood, Colonisation
Minor: Suicide, Xenophobia, War