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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
Jane Steele is inspired in basic plot and structure by Jane Eyre, but with a decidedly different take on how to react. Jane Eyre is an interesting mixture of activity and resigned passivity. On the one hand, she has the courage to confront the people (largely men) in her life who tease, torment, or otherwise minimize her . But she also lives out many of the precepts of Victorian morality without internal struggle
Jane Steele, on the other hand, actively rebels against the moral strictures of her time, even as she internalizes many of them. For that reason, Thornfield ends up being the perfect match for her, as he, raised in India, doesn’t buy into Victorian moral codes.
The first half of the novel is, I think, most successful in echoing Jane Eyre’s structure and themes, even as it carves out its own take. When Jane takes up residence with Thornfield, the story becomes more of a conventional romance. Jane Eyre’s romance with Rochester has an element of cruelty to it that is absent from Steele’s romance with Thornfield. Thornfield’s mystery isn’t nearly as shocking as, and far more forgivable than, Rochester’s. As a result, I found the second half something of a letdown.
Critical to Thornfield’s mystery is the history of the Anglo-Sikh wars. To Faye’s credit, she doesn’t interrupt Jane’s first-person narrative to explain to a modern audience the history of these conflicts (both the background reasons and the actual events). She does her best to give the modern reader enough context so that the mystery holds together. And she succeeds to a certain extent. But, as someone without any familiarity with these events, I found myself struggling a bit to make sense of Thornfield’s mystery. I don’t know that Faye could have done anything to make the history clearer while maintaining her first-person narrative, but it is a bit of a weakness.
Spoiler
(her cousin, when she fights back; her aunt Reed, when Jane tells Mrs. Reed off before leaving for school; Mr. Brocklehurst, when she tells him the way to avoid hell is not to die; Rochester, when she bravely confesses her feelings in the belief that he’s about to tell her of his engagement to someone else; Rivers, when she clearly declines his proposal, and ultimately leaves to return to Rochester)Spoiler
(accepting Lowood’s privations after watching Helen do so; nursing Aunt Reed during her final illness and forgiving her awful cousins; running from Rochester after she discovers his wife, without ever telling him off for his selfishness, and resigning herself to living as a spinster; agreeing to go to Africa with Rivers to live as a missionary).Jane Steele, on the other hand, actively rebels against the moral strictures of her time, even as she internalizes many of them. For that reason, Thornfield ends up being the perfect match for her, as he, raised in India, doesn’t buy into Victorian moral codes.
The first half of the novel is, I think, most successful in echoing Jane Eyre’s structure and themes, even as it carves out its own take. When Jane takes up residence with Thornfield, the story becomes more of a conventional romance. Jane Eyre’s romance with Rochester has an element of cruelty to it that is absent from Steele’s romance with Thornfield
Spoiler
Rochester knows he’s in love with Jane, and he suspects her feelings for him, but he teases her by apparently courting Blanche Ingram, and leading Jane to believe he intends to marry Blanche, which, considering the power imbalance between them, is pretty rottenCritical to Thornfield’s mystery is the history of the Anglo-Sikh wars. To Faye’s credit, she doesn’t interrupt Jane’s first-person narrative to explain to a modern audience the history of these conflicts (both the background reasons and the actual events). She does her best to give the modern reader enough context so that the mystery holds together. And she succeeds to a certain extent. But, as someone without any familiarity with these events, I found myself struggling a bit to make sense of Thornfield’s mystery. I don’t know that Faye could have done anything to make the history clearer while maintaining her first-person narrative, but it is a bit of a weakness.
***4.5 Stars****
One can grow accustomed to carrying unseeable scars...
I loved this.
As I sit here, I am trying to find the words to explain why I loved it, and I tell you, it's hard. Not because this book doesn't deserve my adoration, because it totally does, but because this book just felt a little like magic, and that is hard to capture with words.
Since this is considered a retelling, and most are already familiar with Jane Eyre, I'm not going to write a synopsis, although I will say this: it'd be fairer to say that the Jane of this book modeled her life around the other fictional Jane, versus it being a true retelling. Jane Eyre happens to be Jane Steele's favorite book so she mirrors a lot of her life through that lens.
Where this book truly shines is with its characters. I thought the author did a fantastic job of capturing their essence, of breathing life into each one so that we are presented with a being, whole and hale, though never truly clear because they each have their secrets. Oh yes, they do. But that's what makes them so fascinating, their secrets. Reading and experiencing the peeling back of layers so that we can know them better and, at the end, maybe, just maybe, understand who they are, was utterly captivating.
I've been feeling really jaded lately, thinking that books just aren't living up to their potential or that authors must think their audience is not clever enough to figure things their own so they end up practically spelling out the twists. I mean, literally the only way not to see it coming would be not to read the book. So, imagine my surprise when this author threw a little twist in to the mix that I totally did not see. Like not at all. I was caught totally unaware. I freaking love that. It restores my faith, really it does, so thank you!
This book was magnetic and charming, it was quick witted and moving.
In a word, it was exceptional.
We tell stories to strangers to ingratiate ourselves, stories to lovers to better adhere us skin to skin, stories in our heads to banish the demons. When we tell the truth we are often callous; when we tell lies, often we are kind. Through it all, we tell stories...
One can grow accustomed to carrying unseeable scars...
I loved this.
As I sit here, I am trying to find the words to explain why I loved it, and I tell you, it's hard. Not because this book doesn't deserve my adoration, because it totally does, but because this book just felt a little like magic, and that is hard to capture with words.
Since this is considered a retelling, and most are already familiar with Jane Eyre, I'm not going to write a synopsis, although I will say this: it'd be fairer to say that the Jane of this book modeled her life around the other fictional Jane, versus it being a true retelling. Jane Eyre happens to be Jane Steele's favorite book so she mirrors a lot of her life through that lens.
Where this book truly shines is with its characters. I thought the author did a fantastic job of capturing their essence, of breathing life into each one so that we are presented with a being, whole and hale, though never truly clear because they each have their secrets. Oh yes, they do. But that's what makes them so fascinating, their secrets. Reading and experiencing the peeling back of layers so that we can know them better and, at the end, maybe, just maybe, understand who they are, was utterly captivating.
I've been feeling really jaded lately, thinking that books just aren't living up to their potential or that authors must think their audience is not clever enough to figure things their own so they end up practically spelling out the twists. I mean, literally the only way not to see it coming would be not to read the book. So, imagine my surprise when this author threw a little twist in to the mix that I totally did not see. Like not at all. I was caught totally unaware. I freaking love that. It restores my faith, really it does, so thank you!
This book was magnetic and charming, it was quick witted and moving.
In a word, it was exceptional.
We tell stories to strangers to ingratiate ourselves, stories to lovers to better adhere us skin to skin, stories in our heads to banish the demons. When we tell the truth we are often callous; when we tell lies, often we are kind. Through it all, we tell stories...
Overall a completely delightful riff on Jane Eyre. I'm not sure how well the ending sits with me but this book was compulsively readable.
A strong female lead character, a reimagining of "Jane Eyre", and an asexual character!!! I loved it!!
"But you must understand, it is very easy for someone who is not tempted by flesh to be celibate, and I have always been so--"
"But you must understand, it is very easy for someone who is not tempted by flesh to be celibate, and I have always been so--"
This was such a fun and clever read. It was hard to put down, the characters were interesting and the story was captivating, the atmosphere was suspenseful at times and the writing refreshing.
dark
slow-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
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
Jane Eyre, proper, is my all-time favorite classic novel, so it was no surprise that the moment i heard that this book was a riff of that from a friend, that i would immediately put it on my to-read list. I took great pleasure in answering the question of "what are you reading?" with a flourish of the book cover and a gleeful "Its a retelling of jane eyre...BUT WITH MURDER."
Reader, the story holds up for itself, even if it wasn't taking its own structure from the heroine's own favorite novel and character. on its own, Jane Steele is a lovely, captivating story about 19th century women and their trials and tribulations. From Jane's school days and the downright horror's she experienced and witnessed there, to the way women are treated throughout the book, the author's eye for ENOUGH detail gets right to the heart of the matter. the confessional style in which it is written allows the reader to believe what they're being told is true (enough) while also leaving room for speculation. But Jane, as a character, doesn't lie to US and she doesn't lie unless she is required. She has no need to hide her true self from the reader, and that makes her all the more accessible.
While not overly delighted with the secret that Jane's employer is keeping (no where near as profound as Rochester's secret, by any means, but to outright lift that plot device would be too close to the source material. i simply wish the secret had held more weight to ME. it was clearly defined how it affected each character, however) it fits the story and while it was the impetus for a good portion of the action, it is JANE'S actions that buoy that one small "failing" in an otherwise incredible story.
Reader, the story holds up for itself, even if it wasn't taking its own structure from the heroine's own favorite novel and character. on its own, Jane Steele is a lovely, captivating story about 19th century women and their trials and tribulations. From Jane's school days and the downright horror's she experienced and witnessed there, to the way women are treated throughout the book, the author's eye for ENOUGH detail gets right to the heart of the matter. the confessional style in which it is written allows the reader to believe what they're being told is true (enough) while also leaving room for speculation. But Jane, as a character, doesn't lie to US and she doesn't lie unless she is required. She has no need to hide her true self from the reader, and that makes her all the more accessible.
While not overly delighted with the secret that Jane's employer is keeping (no where near as profound as Rochester's secret, by any means, but to outright lift that plot device would be too close to the source material. i simply wish the secret had held more weight to ME. it was clearly defined how it affected each character, however) it fits the story and while it was the impetus for a good portion of the action, it is JANE'S actions that buoy that one small "failing" in an otherwise incredible story.
I really struggled to get through this one. Did a little “speed reading”. For me, that involves skipping quickly pages at a time