This meme celebrates an awesome adaptation related to a weekly category. Any format of adaptation (television series, film, web series, etc.) is acceptable as long as it is based in some form on a book. Awesome Adaptations was created by Alisa Selene at PictureMeReading.
An Awesome Adaptation I'm Thankful For
This web series has Jane, a 21 year old university student, working as a nanny for Mr. Rochester's daughter Adele. She vlogs about her life, and through the videos we get to meet all the people in her lives. Of course, as a huge fan of Jane Eyre, I was so glad that someone decided to adapt this book in a style similar to the Lizzie Bennet Diaries. Jane Eyre is a bit harder to adapt in this style than Pride and Prejudice but the cast and crew have been doing an amazing job so far retelling the book as a realistic, modern life story.
I do have some issues with this as an adaptation though. Sometimes I lose focus on what some episodes are trying to adapt from the novel - it doesn't always flow well for me, and I had an issue with Jane taping people in the beginning without their consent. I mean she can accidentally leave the camera on, but she doesn't have to post it. But the reason why that bothers me is because Jane is supposed to have better sense than that. She can be a bit naive, but she always knows what's right and wrong. But then again, it is difficult to adapt this kind of story! The audience would want to see these people! The series is also only about halfway through, so I'm sure all the kinks in trying to start this series and find a way to make the format work for the story are practically ironed out, and now the best is yet to come.
At the moment, we have a clear idea that Jane and Rochester are interested in each other and I am really enjoying seeing them interact. While the side characters are really well done (Blanche is very believable, the Reed sisters were just as exasperating as they should be, and I loved the scenes that sassy Suzanna, the maid was in) it is very important that Jane and Rochester's relationship develops believably and I believe it so far! I really look forward to seeing how they will adapt Rochester's secret and Jane's reaction to that!
I am so thankful to the cast and crew of this series for creating another adaptation of Jane Eyre I can scrutinize, sigh, and exclaim over, and I am particularly grateful that so far this has been such an excellent adaptation!
I do have some issues with this as an adaptation though. Sometimes I lose focus on what some episodes are trying to adapt from the novel - it doesn't always flow well for me, and I had an issue with Jane taping people in the beginning without their consent. I mean she can accidentally leave the camera on, but she doesn't have to post it. But the reason why that bothers me is because Jane is supposed to have better sense than that. She can be a bit naive, but she always knows what's right and wrong. But then again, it is difficult to adapt this kind of story! The audience would want to see these people! The series is also only about halfway through, so I'm sure all the kinks in trying to start this series and find a way to make the format work for the story are practically ironed out, and now the best is yet to come.
At the moment, we have a clear idea that Jane and Rochester are interested in each other and I am really enjoying seeing them interact. While the side characters are really well done (Blanche is very believable, the Reed sisters were just as exasperating as they should be, and I loved the scenes that sassy Suzanna, the maid was in) it is very important that Jane and Rochester's relationship develops believably and I believe it so far! I really look forward to seeing how they will adapt Rochester's secret and Jane's reaction to that!
I am so thankful to the cast and crew of this series for creating another adaptation of Jane Eyre I can scrutinize, sigh, and exclaim over, and I am particularly grateful that so far this has been such an excellent adaptation!
I totally agree..and I do wonder how they are going to adapt the 'secret' in a modern way..because of modern day laws, they will have to do some justification as to why Rochester would make the choices he does..I think as long as they keep the core of it.. will be okay with it. I did have a problem with that as well..and I do think it makes Rochester worse in some ways that he is actively participating in the vlog now..it means he is not only lying to Jane but the audience as well..so I will be interested as to how they handle that. I developed a theory as to why he is eager to participate..because Jane is so reserved and she really starts opening up when she does her video diaries..so I figure he sees it as a way to connect to her..and get her to interact with him more. I wonder if Mason will see the videos and that will be how he is outed later on?
ReplyDeleteI am enjoying this adaptation..I think the acting is good and the leads have great chemistry!
Very true, it's pretty much the only reason why Jane Eyre is so difficult to adapt as a modern story - the secret just doesn't make sense now. I did just watch the Proposal vid - and I loved it - a little bit awkward, so that Rochester doesn't seem so much like a jerk for leading Jane on with Blanche! And so sweet in the end!
DeleteInteresting point about Rochester lying to the audience now too. It could be a way to validate having the Jane leaving scene as an episode since Rochester might want to explain to the audience why he did what he did too. I love the idea of him watching the videos to see what she's thinking though! That is a brilliant move Rochester! :D
P.s. I so hope he does his own video to explain!
DeleteI wonder if they will keep the secret exactly the same or alter the context slightly? The betrayal will be the same though and I think that will be more than enough explanation for why Jane decides to leave him..do you think they will adapt signon section of the story? I hope they do and keep him as big a jerk as he is in the novel lol
ReplyDeleteI know, that is going to be interesting! And I wonder if Grace knows about it too? Her reaction to the "engagement" will be interesting. I really hope they do the St John section - it seems like they are pretty complete! Maybe St John will be a teacher! Though I can't imagine that he will propose to Jane too!
DeleteMaybe he will be teaching abroad and ask her to go with him! I was wondering about that as well..because on his twitter he keeps trying to keep her from coming home!
DeleteOoh, I'm so glad you watch this! I am not remotely caught up (I got caught up to episode 28 and then forgot to keep up.. I will be doing so once I'm done with this comment!) but I was so excited when I found the series. I agree that Jane Eyre is harder to adapt than Pride & Prejudice, definitely. Rochester's secret is something that wasn't great at the time, but at least made some sense given how terrible mental institutions were then, but now... I'm so curious to see how that plays out!
ReplyDeleteAnd I loved Suzanna too!! Now I'm off to catch up. :)
Oh awesome! You are watching it too! It is nice to have a bunch of episodes to watch at once - I almost wish I waited to watch them! :) I hope they do a good job with the secret - I don't want to hate Rochester!
DeleteWhat a cool idea! I have yet to watch the Lizzie Bennet Diaries, but I've heard great things about them :)
ReplyDeleteBoth are excellent! And pretty easy to keep up with because they are such short episodes! I hope you check them out soon!
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