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A review by dawnlizreads
Reader, I Married Him by Kirsty Gunn, Tessa Hadley, Helen Dunmore, Susan Hill, Patricia Park, Esther Freud, Elif Shafak, Linda Grant, Sarah Hall, Lionel Shriver, Elizabeth McCracken, Tracy Chevalier, Nadifa Mohamed, Joanna Briscoe, Jane Gardam, Namwali Serpell, Audrey Niffenegger, Evie Wyld, Emma Donoghue, Francine Prose, Sally Vickers
3.0
I was initially disappointed to discover that most of the stories within this anthology were "inspired by" Jane's famous declaration rather than different takes on "what happened next" (which is what I thought the book would contain).
However, I found I didn't actually enjoy that the few "what happened next" stories that the book did contain - they either questioned the love between Jane and Rochester or questioned Jane’s motives. I love Jane Eyre because it’s about finding love against the odds, so I don’t want read anything that undermines that! Mind you, Audrey Niffenegger’s (she of Time Traveller’s Wife fame) The Orphan Exchange was one of my favourite stories of the whole book. While that completely changes the plot of Jane Eyre, Jane is still the steely “poor, plain, and little” woman with a strong moral compass that made the Bronte’s book so great.
I much preferred the “inspired by” stories, so more so than others. I particularly enjoyed “Since I first saw your face” by Emma Donoghue, which I found reassuring because I have to read her Frog Music for my book club – would have picked up that book with a heavy heart if hadn't liked the story! Similarly, I am glad I liked A Migrating Bird by Elif Shafak because her The Architect's Apprentice is also on my "to-read" list.
Overall, I think this a lovely book to read if you’re a fan of Jane Eyre (not sure why you would read it if you’re not a fan). It does remind me why I don’t usually read short story collections – they can be hit and miss and the “hits” are never long enough – but I am glad I read it. Given my obsession with Jane Eyre, I think it would be remiss of me to not have done so!
However, I found I didn't actually enjoy that the few "what happened next" stories that the book did contain - they either questioned the love between Jane and Rochester or questioned Jane’s motives. I love Jane Eyre because it’s about finding love against the odds, so I don’t want read anything that undermines that! Mind you, Audrey Niffenegger’s (she of Time Traveller’s Wife fame) The Orphan Exchange was one of my favourite stories of the whole book. While that completely changes the plot of Jane Eyre, Jane is still the steely “poor, plain, and little” woman with a strong moral compass that made the Bronte’s book so great.
I much preferred the “inspired by” stories, so more so than others. I particularly enjoyed “Since I first saw your face” by Emma Donoghue, which I found reassuring because I have to read her Frog Music for my book club – would have picked up that book with a heavy heart if hadn't liked the story! Similarly, I am glad I liked A Migrating Bird by Elif Shafak because her The Architect's Apprentice is also on my "to-read" list.
Overall, I think this a lovely book to read if you’re a fan of Jane Eyre (not sure why you would read it if you’re not a fan). It does remind me why I don’t usually read short story collections – they can be hit and miss and the “hits” are never long enough – but I am glad I read it. Given my obsession with Jane Eyre, I think it would be remiss of me to not have done so!