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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
I was looking forward to this book as I knew a lot of people who liked it, but I didn't manage to finish. I got most of the way through, but I had to force myself to read it and I decided it wasn't worth the time. I couldn't connect with most of the characters and I spent the majority of the book urging Jane to get as far away from Mr. Rochester as humanly possible.
I know it's a classic, but it's just not my thing.
I know it's a classic, but it's just not my thing.
I came into reading this book already knowing the story of Jane Eyre but not having actually read the book. I have seen multiple film and TV adaptations, own a copy of the book but never got around to reading it. When I saw this manga edition was available on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance. I have read a bunch of the Jane Austen comic adaptations and loved them, so I knew I would enjoy this one as well. (And I was right!) This was the first manga book I've ever read, so it took some time to remember to read right to left, especially with speech bubbles, but I got the hang of it. I don't know if I need to explain the plot of Jane Eyre but I'll provide it anyway. There are definitely classics I haven't read.
Synopsis:
As an orphaned child, Jane Eyre is cruelly abused by her aunt, then cast out and sent to a charity school. Though she's met with further abuse, she receives an education, and eventually takes a job as a governess at the estate of Edward Rochester. Jane and Rochester begin to bond, but his dark moods trouble her. When Jane uncovers the terrible secret Rochester has been hiding, she flees and finds temporary refuge at the home of St. John Rivers.
I really liked reading the story of Jane Eyre with the illustrations. It made me connect with Jane in a way that I hadn't before, even with seeing the films. I felt gutted when she's abused, when she loses her friend, and even when she finds out what Rochester's secret is (which I knew was coming) in a way that I didn't when I watched the movies. Although, I usually have a stronger reaction to books than I do movies. With this version of Jane Eyre, I also perceived Jane as stronger than I have in other retellings. She seems more in charge of her circumstances. She's willing to go toe-to-toe with Mr. Rochester when necessary and I never got that strength or that in-charge attitude from the Jane Eyre story before. She always seemed so meek and timid in the films I've seen. It was refreshing take to see her in this light.
I also really enjoyed what was shown of the friendship between Jane and Diana and Mary, the sisters she meets at the home of St. John. Jane always seems to thrive when she has female friends to connect to and even when she runs off-- only to come back with Mr. Rochester-- they support her in everything which, for orphan Jane, is quite uncommon and a godsend. I also kind of love how St. John aka "nice guy" found out Jane wasn't going to marry him by her literally running away from him and then coming back with Mr. Rochester aka "the eye candy" and, now with his disability, is all about Jane's agency and her making her own decisions. It is the ultimate screw you to St. John and all his bullshit.
Now, the pictures. The illustrations were great. All the character's facial expressions were detailed really well and they added a lot to the story. With a purely written story, you don't always know what a character looks like, especially a supporting character and with the illustrations, that was possible. The reader gets to see Jane, Mr. Rochester, St. John, Mrs. Fairfax (Mr. Rochester's housekeeper), and Adele (Rochester's ward). Being able to read the story and look at the illustrations was the best qualities of the original book and the movies put together and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I could not have asked for a better book to be my first foray into manga. I will definitely be reading more of these books in the future.
Ok, now for the rating! Based on how connected I felt to the characters and the story in this adaptation, and how the illustrations helped in creating that connection, I give this version of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte 4 out of 5 stars. (I still wish Mr. Rochester's secret (spoiler alert: his first wife is locked in the attic of his house!!!) was dealt with differently. I wish Jane was done with him completely when she finds out what's going on, but the classics are not always the most progressive stories).
Thank you, NetGalley and UDON Entertainment & Morpheus Studios for this free copy in exchange for my honest review.
Synopsis:
As an orphaned child, Jane Eyre is cruelly abused by her aunt, then cast out and sent to a charity school. Though she's met with further abuse, she receives an education, and eventually takes a job as a governess at the estate of Edward Rochester. Jane and Rochester begin to bond, but his dark moods trouble her. When Jane uncovers the terrible secret Rochester has been hiding, she flees and finds temporary refuge at the home of St. John Rivers.
I really liked reading the story of Jane Eyre with the illustrations. It made me connect with Jane in a way that I hadn't before, even with seeing the films. I felt gutted when she's abused, when she loses her friend, and even when she finds out what Rochester's secret is (which I knew was coming) in a way that I didn't when I watched the movies. Although, I usually have a stronger reaction to books than I do movies. With this version of Jane Eyre, I also perceived Jane as stronger than I have in other retellings. She seems more in charge of her circumstances. She's willing to go toe-to-toe with Mr. Rochester when necessary and I never got that strength or that in-charge attitude from the Jane Eyre story before. She always seemed so meek and timid in the films I've seen. It was refreshing take to see her in this light.
I also really enjoyed what was shown of the friendship between Jane and Diana and Mary, the sisters she meets at the home of St. John. Jane always seems to thrive when she has female friends to connect to and even when she runs off-- only to come back with Mr. Rochester-- they support her in everything which, for orphan Jane, is quite uncommon and a godsend. I also kind of love how St. John aka "nice guy" found out Jane wasn't going to marry him by her literally running away from him and then coming back with Mr. Rochester aka "the eye candy" and, now with his disability, is all about Jane's agency and her making her own decisions. It is the ultimate screw you to St. John and all his bullshit.
Now, the pictures. The illustrations were great. All the character's facial expressions were detailed really well and they added a lot to the story. With a purely written story, you don't always know what a character looks like, especially a supporting character and with the illustrations, that was possible. The reader gets to see Jane, Mr. Rochester, St. John, Mrs. Fairfax (Mr. Rochester's housekeeper), and Adele (Rochester's ward). Being able to read the story and look at the illustrations was the best qualities of the original book and the movies put together and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I could not have asked for a better book to be my first foray into manga. I will definitely be reading more of these books in the future.
Ok, now for the rating! Based on how connected I felt to the characters and the story in this adaptation, and how the illustrations helped in creating that connection, I give this version of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte 4 out of 5 stars. (I still wish Mr. Rochester's secret (spoiler alert: his first wife is locked in the attic of his house!!!) was dealt with differently. I wish Jane was done with him completely when she finds out what's going on, but the classics are not always the most progressive stories).
Thank you, NetGalley and UDON Entertainment & Morpheus Studios for this free copy in exchange for my honest review.
Jane Eyre is a wonderful book. I love Charlotte Bronte's writing style, and I love the fact that the protagonist of this book is not a beautiful woman. I also love Jane Eyre's feminism. For the time in which this book was written, even passages such as the one found on page 111, in chapter 12, which reads, "It is in vain to say human beings ought to be satisfied with tranquility: they must have action; and they will make it if they cannot find it...Women are supposed to be very calm generally: but women feel just as men feel; they need exercise for their faculties, and a filed for their efforts as much as their brothers do; they suffer from too rigid a constraint, too absolute a stagnation, precisely as men would suffer..." are rather feminist in their statements.
Besides containing a lovely romance entwined with dark thorns which make it seem impossible for anyone's happily ever after to come true, this book contains many passages of pure beauty, or purple passages, which is a name they are also known by. "It was now the sweetest hour of the twenty-four:--'Day its fervid fires had wasted,' and dew fell cool on panting plain and scorched summit. Where the sun had gone down in simple state--pure of the pomp of the clouds--spread a solemn purple, burning with the light of red jewel and furnace flame at one point, on one hill-peak, and extending high and wide, soft and still softer, over half heaven. The east has its own charm of fine, deep blue, and its own modest gem, a rising and solitary star: soon it would boast the moon; but she was yet beneath the horizon" (ch. 23; 251).
I loved this story through each page. I loved Jane Eyre; I loved the writing style; and I enjoyed the read. No wonder this book is a classic!
Besides containing a lovely romance entwined with dark thorns which make it seem impossible for anyone's happily ever after to come true, this book contains many passages of pure beauty, or purple passages, which is a name they are also known by. "It was now the sweetest hour of the twenty-four:--'Day its fervid fires had wasted,' and dew fell cool on panting plain and scorched summit. Where the sun had gone down in simple state--pure of the pomp of the clouds--spread a solemn purple, burning with the light of red jewel and furnace flame at one point, on one hill-peak, and extending high and wide, soft and still softer, over half heaven. The east has its own charm of fine, deep blue, and its own modest gem, a rising and solitary star: soon it would boast the moon; but she was yet beneath the horizon" (ch. 23; 251).
I loved this story through each page. I loved Jane Eyre; I loved the writing style; and I enjoyed the read. No wonder this book is a classic!
I read this again. For a university class. Hated every second of it.
Mr Rochester is a first class slimy, manipulative, lying, emotionally-abusive Mr Darcy wannabe. And Jane doesn't display much character development and doesn't. learn.
“Please understand or I shall resort to violence.”
– Edward Fairfix Scummy Rochester
Mr Rochester is a first class slimy, manipulative, lying, emotionally-abusive Mr Darcy wannabe. And Jane doesn't display much character development and doesn't. learn.
“Please understand or I shall resort to violence.”
– Edward Fairfix Scummy Rochester
Finally finished Jane Eyre yesterday, and I don't get the big deal?
I know that Jane is a revolutionary, feminist protagonist throughout the majority of the novel, but the stereotypical happily ever after shits on most of the badassery that Bronte crafted throughout the story. I'm giving most of these stars based on Jane's behaviour in the first two volumes, but the third volume should have been much more worked on before publication. It's just so clichéd.
Rochester and St. John are both creeps, the narrative is repetitive and the descriptions are sprawling and yawn-inducing. I was expecting to love this book, but I felt so unmoved and apathetic towards it instead.
I know that Jane is a revolutionary, feminist protagonist throughout the majority of the novel, but the stereotypical happily ever after shits on most of the badassery that Bronte crafted throughout the story. I'm giving most of these stars based on Jane's behaviour in the first two volumes, but the third volume should have been much more worked on before publication. It's just so clichéd.
Rochester and St. John are both creeps, the narrative is repetitive and the descriptions are sprawling and yawn-inducing. I was expecting to love this book, but I felt so unmoved and apathetic towards it instead.
Jane Eyre tells the coming of age story of its titular character, following her life as an orphan at boarding school to becoming the governess at Thornfield Hall. Despite being written in the 19th Century, the prose is clear and easy to understand. What makes the book so interesting is that Jane is an incredibly strong and independent person. She refuses to be pressured and always stands her ground. Despite the hardships she's put through, she never loses confidence. Instead, she always grows from her experiences and strives to be better. I love how she addresses the reader directly as though she's telling her story to a friend.
Originally posted on A Frolic Through Fiction
*This was a reread for me, originally rated 3.5 stars but bumped up to 4 stars!
Despite being one of the most popularly known pieces of canonized literature, I still struggle to explain what this book is about beyond “it follows the life of Jane Eyre”. Honestly, I don’t feel like all that much happens for the length of it. But that’s not to say it doesn’t deserve it’s high acclaim. It’s just that when you read a lot of fantasy, you come to expect a lot of events (and numerous opportunities to wield your magic slaying-powers, of course).
So we start off with Jane as a child – a state I can just about manage. It’s far from my favourite stage to read about. To me, the language just seems rigid and almost wrong for her age. I’m well aware that the story is being narrated through an older Jane Eyre’s perspective, recounting her story and being able to add intelligence and hindsight beyond her focused years. But when that language and voice doesn’t change at all in recounting the dialogue of a ten year old…it’s strangely jarring. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it, no matter if it was true to the time period or character. So we’ll just ignore ten-year-old-Jane, okayy? Okayy.
Saying that, Jane Eyre soon grows older – as nature requires – and from that point on I can barely find anything to fault in the book. Because ohhhh it gets intense.
But how can it get intense if not all that much happens?
Well.
Blame the “flowery language” classics tend to be known for.
Every single word seems so carefully chosen. When every word sounds like it’s been deliberately selected for that sentence in particular, you can’t help but feel the emotions so keenly. When Jane was angry, so was I. When Jane spoke fondly of any character, I found myself warming to them even if I didn’t particularly liked them. And I can’t help but be awestruck by how carefully words are used, how Bronte manages to pluck out the exact words needed to convey the atmosphere she strives for.
“Prejudices, it is well known, are most difficult to eradicate from the heart whose soil has never been loosened or fertilised by education: they grow there, firm as weeds among stones.”
That atmosphere, now that I mentioned it, being another thing to win me over. Though not quite a gothic novel, there’s definitely a darker, drearier mood to this story that suits the Northern England/Yorkshire inspired setting perfectly (I say, as a fellow Yorkshire(wo)man). It’s not very often I particularly remember the landscapes described – lord, I find landscape descriptions boring 98% of the time – but you just can’t help being surrounded by sombre, yet weirdly comforting imagery of dreary days. I mean, what’s better that getting in from the cold rain and cosying up by a fire, right? The smaller pleasures in Jane Eyre’s life were only enhanced by her surroundings.
I still don’t have much to say character-wise this time round than I did the first, other than confirming how infuriatingly self-righteous the entire male species are in this book, and loving how sassy Jane is for dealing with such people (you go gal). It didn’t take anything from the book though. In fact, if anything, I probably appreciated Jane’s character more now than I did three years ago when originally reading about her.
So it’s safe to say this book has impressed me once again. I’m actually looking forward to picking it apart for university, rather than dreading the inevitable combing through of every sentence. Maybe I’ll come to love it more, maybe less, who knows. But for now, it’s a good ‘un.