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A review by eyreguide
Dark Companion by Marta Acosta
4.0
I was suitably intrigued by the Janian aspect of the novel. Dark Companion did not so much rehash the plot of Jane Eyre but weaved its plot points into this story, creating something very new. Where retellings of Jane Eyre are interesting to me in how they update or re-imagine the story, Dark Companion was much more of it's own story with a homage to Jane Eyre as well as other Gothic literature. In fact I was delighted to read that the secret of Birch Grove was similar to the main plot of a fantastic Gothic short story called "Blood Disease" by Patrick McGrath. I'm not sure if that story was actually an influence, but from the quotes heading each chapter, the author is obviously acquainted with many Gothic stories.
I think what stood out about this novel is the development of Jane Williams as a disadvantaged girl, going after the opportunities to make something of her life. With her Helen Burns equivalent/inspiration Hosea, I did wish there was more explanation of why he was so positive, practical and upbeat in such rough surroundings. The other side characters were interesting, and the wittiness of the some of the characters made for some good laughs. The male love interests were not as compelling a character as Jane, however, and I felt like the main focus of the book was more on the women. The novel is intensely atmospheric in the approved Gothic tradition, and I loved the maturity of the text in addressing issues such as sex, drugs, bigotry, and poverty. Overall, this novel seemed a particularly well developed Gothic coming-of-age story with the touches of Jane Eyre a joy to happen across.
I think what stood out about this novel is the development of Jane Williams as a disadvantaged girl, going after the opportunities to make something of her life. With her Helen Burns equivalent/inspiration Hosea, I did wish there was more explanation of why he was so positive, practical and upbeat in such rough surroundings. The other side characters were interesting, and the wittiness of the some of the characters made for some good laughs. The male love interests were not as compelling a character as Jane, however, and I felt like the main focus of the book was more on the women. The novel is intensely atmospheric in the approved Gothic tradition, and I loved the maturity of the text in addressing issues such as sex, drugs, bigotry, and poverty. Overall, this novel seemed a particularly well developed Gothic coming-of-age story with the touches of Jane Eyre a joy to happen across.