Jane Eyre 1956 - an early miniseries adaptation

On my trip to England last month, I made a point of visiting the British Film Institute in London to see an early six-part (half-hour each) adaptation of Jane Eyre starring Daphne Slater and Stanley Baker.  Now, I'm definitely a purist when it comes to adaptations, and for an older adaptation, I was totally prepared to watch something over-the-top, overwrought and not very true to the story.  I was pleasantly surprised by this version however!  It was quite good!  There were a few stand-out aspects to the way the story was told, and I enjoyed Slater and Baker's interpretation of the characters.  I might have wished for a little more from them, but we can't always get what we want, haha.  For this post,  I'm going to go a little in depth with the whole adaptation, so this is another lengthy Jane Eyre-related post that I'm sure my blog does not have enough of!

The dialogue/script is a good jumping off point for my initial impression of the story.  It follows the general plot of the novel very well, but often veers off from using the actual dialogue in the book.  Which is interesting to me, because that can so easily go wrong, but in this case, I quite liked the script.  There were the odd missed moments - when it came to the more emotional scenes, it would have been nice to have Charlotte's beautiful words come into play, but the gist of the scenes, and the characters' emotions were there.

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Brooding with the Brontes - Interview with N.B. Roberts

Before I present my post, I need to acknowledge that today is a very special day - it's the 200th anniversary of Charlotte Bronte's birth!  Happy Birthday Charlotte!

For Brooding with the Brontes, I reached out to a lovely author, who wrote a fantastic Jane Eyre inspired novel called "Halton Cray" (which I reviewed on my blog), for her Bronte related thoughts, since I found her novel so fascinating and was curious about her experiences and thoughts on the Brontes.

Her follow-up novel to "Halton Cray" - titled The 13th Baronet, is coming soon, and the author was kind enough to share the cover and a teaser from the second book with my blog!  Check it out below.  And thank you so much for your time Nicola!

Q. With your novel Halton Cray being inspired by Jane Eyre, I know you are a big fan of Charlotte’s novel, but what are your thoughts on the other Bronte novels you’ve read?

What’s so striking to me is how different the Bronte books are from one another; the authors had distinct styles, and I love their works in different ways. Wuthering Heights is my second favourite and I’m particularly fond of those first few chapters, with Mr Lockwood grasping a cold hand through the window: it’s a chilling discovery that kept me reading this intense, fiery tale. It’s full of dislikeable characters, but who I enjoyed reading about. In that sense, I found it as brutally honest as the ruthless climate, and ultimately not a romance at all, but a tragedy. I appreciated the story much more on reflection than during reading, probably due to the extreme and contrasting dialect used to show the class divide, which is vital to the story of Cathy and Heathcliff, but ultimately creates a bit of work for the reader. I’m no stranger to broad northern English accents (my father is from the north, my mother from the south), but I struggled with some of the northern vernacular. I really wanted to immerse myself in the unfolding of such a stormy and engrossing tale, but the stop-start of constant translation took me out of the flow a little. It was only once I had a complete picture that I could admire it for the excellent work it is.

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Jane Eyre 1973 - on Fidelity in Adaptation

For Brooding About the Brontës, I thought I should talk about my all time favorite adaptation of Jane Eyre.  I did talk about this version some years ago as part of Awesome Adaptations, but I didn't really expand on the depth of my feelings for this miniseries.  There are a lot of reasons why this is my favorite, but to give this post cohesion, I want to give it a focus and that will be in it's fidelity as an adaptation.  Most people who really love a book want it's adaptation to live up to whatever it was they loved about it.  The plot, the characters, the tone, the feelings they got when they read it.  But that's very subjective and it's difficult to translate a book to a visual medium.  Usually when these people like or dislike an adaptation it's because they feel it didn't capture the book in the right way.  Most of the time I think it comes down to: did the adaptation fulfill your perception of the book or not.  And for me, this adaptation fulfilled my perception of Jane Eyre because of it's fidelity to the novel.

Jane Eyre 1973 is a version that many love because it's so faithful.  Personally I think it is the most faithful, because while it omits scenes, it adds or embroiders very little.  I would say the adaptation that is also often cited as the most faithful - the 1983 adaptation, added a bit more to the story.  But many people also find fault with this adaptation because it is too faithful (someone is always unhappy!)  I see disparaging comments on the voiceovers in this version which takes viewers out of the story (even though the voiceover supplies narrative from the novel), or on the feeling that this version is boring because it features a lot of almost verbatim dialogue from the book.  And the staging and visuals of the production are quite dry.

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Three Times Young Jane Eyre Was The Realest

Most everyone remembers Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre as a paragon of virtue and restrained, passionate righteousness, but the beauty of the first nine chapters of Jane Eyre is in young Jane’s rebellious, fierce nature.  The child, who was bullied by her cousin, demeaned and ignored by her aunt, and constantly made to feel an outsider, finally makes a stand in the opening chapters of the novel, and also made it clear to the 19th century reader that this was no conventional heroine.  The child’s vehement spirit is later softened and tempered by the example of her saintly best friend Helen Burns, as well as by simply maturing, but there’s something to be said about young Jane’s fury.  Her appealing defiance made her the sort of heroine you can identify with, even today.  Her raw truthfulness fleshed out the character and made readers fall in love with Jane’s story right from the start.  And to celebrate that, here are three times young Jane Eyre was the realest:


Mr. Brocklehurst: “What must you do to avoid [going to hell]?”
Jane: I deliberated a moment; my answer, when it did come, was objectionable: “I must keep in good health, and not die.”

This is often the first laugh line in every Jane Eyre adaptation it comes up in - audiences love Jane’s child logic and her sassy response to Brocklehurst’s alarming question.  Because let’s not forget this question was asked of a child.  I get Brocklehurst’s intention of instilling a fear of God, and a moral code thereby, but maybe it would be better to ramp up to talking about burning in eternity, instead of confronting a ten year old with that within minutes of meeting her.  I could write a whole other post of helpful tips for Mr. Brocklehurst however.  


The gorgeousness of Jane’s answer though is that she knows it’s wrong.  She’s barely met this imposing, grim pillar of a man, who apparently wants to make her feel guilty and afraid, but in answer to the question he no doubt thought would be a slam dunk in making his point, he gets a reply that highlights a foolish question deserves a foolish answer.  Jane doesn’t give him the submissive shame that he wants.  Child logic for the win!


Jane: “When we are struck at without a reason, we should strike back again very hard; I am sure we should—so hard as to teach the person who struck us never to do it again.”
 

Peace, tolerance, and understanding are all noble goals to attain.  Every single person can make this world a better place by adhering to these principles.  Unfortunately we are not a perfect species, and there’s just something so basic and satisfying in seeing that if someone treats you terribly, there will be repercussions.  Can I be as forgiving as adult Jane is at the bedside of her dying, still hateful aunt?  I’m not sure if I’m there yet,  I hope I will be, but for now young Jane’s words resonate with me, even if maturity tells me I should be more forgiving.

I love that she makes a distinction too about being struck at “without a reason.”  Jane has a pretty firm moral code already at her young age, and it doesn’t accept irrational and undeserved punishment.  There’s no understanding for the ignorance or the prejudice that led to it, there’s only the need to make sure the other person knows it is not acceptable.  Swift justice from little Judge Jane.


Jane: “No; I know I should think well of myself; but that is not enough: if others don’t love me I would rather die than live—I cannot bear to be solitary and hated, Helen.”


First, round of applause for Charlotte Bronte on her perfect foreshadowing for Jane’s character development.  Young Jane can’t imagine thinking well of herself will be enough for her; older Jane clings to that completely in making her difficult decision to leave Mr. Rochester.  


So, really, how many of us could be as strong as adult Jane today?  Our culture is overflowing with our need to be validated and loved by family, friends, and strangers.  How could you bear being alone and hated?  Adult Jane espouses the ideal, but young Jane is the reality.  It would just suck to not be loved by anyone.  While, wonderfully, our culture also supports the fact that loving ourselves is important and leads to happier and healthier lives, young Jane’s plaintive need to be loved is something everyone feels.  It’s something we might not want to verbally admit to, but young Jane’s filter is off, and she is dropping truth.

Review: Jane Steele

Jane Steele
by Lyndsay Faye
Historical Fiction
Amazon  /  Goodreads

Plot Summary:

Reader, I murdered him.

A Gothic retelling of Jane Eyre.

Like the heroine of the novel she adores, Jane Steele suffers cruelly at the hands of her aunt and schoolmaster. And like Jane Eyre, they call her wicked - but in her case, she fears the accusation is true. When she flees, she leaves behind the corpses of her tormentors.

A fugitive navigating London's underbelly, Jane rights wrongs on behalf of the have-nots whilst avoiding the noose. Until an advertisement catches her eye. Her aunt has died and the new master at Highgate House, Mr Thornfield, seeks a governess. Anxious to know if she is Highgate's true heir, Jane takes the position and is soon caught up in the household's strange spell. When she falls in love with the mysterious Charles Thornfield, she faces a terrible dilemma: can she possess him - body, soul and secrets - and what if he discovers her murderous past?

Review:

The premise of this retelling of Jane Eyre does sound utterly out of place.  Brontë's character is so righteous and a perfect role model, that to then turn Jane into a serial killer for a retelling sounds like the worst reading of Jane's character ever.  However, this book manages to pull it off beautifully!  It helps that Jane Steele is seen as a parallel to Jane - that while we are reading this book, for some reason Jane Steele's life parallel's Jane Eyre, and Steele takes inspiration from Eyre's morality and steadfast honesty.  However Steele is a different person, and in this extreme version of her story, Jane Steele feels the need and the satisfaction to make sure the horrible people in the book reap what they sow.

That's another reason why this story works so well though.  The characters are more Dickens-esque (even more so than that however) in their grotesque villainy, and it is still completely wrong, but just so satisfying that Jane Steele deals them the consequences of their actions.  Jane does not kill people for no reason, and it's some horrible actions on the part of her victims that leads Jane to act.  It was intriguing to read how certain characters - merely selfish and cruel in the original novel - become even more outrageously brutal and merciless in this version.  It made me completely sympathetic to Jane Steele.

A true highlight of this book though, is that even though it is a retelling, Jane Steele is completely her own character.  The novel takes it's time to develop her story, her history and the characters that populate her world, without relying on prior knowledge of Jane Eyre.  It's a complete story on it's own, and there are many memorable new characters in this book.  Many of them are villainous, but one that very much appealed to me was Charles Thornfield's friend and confidant Sardar Singh - a capable, intelligent, Sikh commander, who just wants peace and contemplation.  And who has a hilariously wry sense of humor.

Charles Thornfield was this novel's take on Rochester and he was a very intriguing character.  Secretive like the original, sardonic, curt, but a bit more virtuous perhaps to counter Jane Steele's past, and also wonderfully dry and humorous himself.  His sarcastic comments that Jane always recognized as coming from a place of real affection made me smile, and love him all the more.  It's sweet how touched Jane is by Charles's love for his friends and close family, and how that makes her want to be with him.  Jane has had a very difficult life til this point and it's intriguing to see Charles Thornfield as her redemption, instead of the other way around as it is for Rochester and Jane Eyre.

This novel is full of it's own twists and turns on the original, to make it a surprising and engaging read.  I loved seeing all the nods to Jane Eyre, and the scenes that were repurposed or transformed to fit this narrative.  And for the nods to other classics of literature like Nicholas Nickleby.  This is a great mystery too, in addition to a coming of age story for Jane, and an examination of guilt and consequences for Jane as well as for Charles Thornfield.  Even though I came to this book, expecting a re-visit on Brontë's novel, there is so much more depth to this novel, and I admired how brilliantly the author brought everything to life!

(I received this book from the publisher or author for a fair and honest review.  I was not compensated for this review.)

Thoughts on the 1961 Jane Eyre

1961 adaptation of Jane Eyre (this is such a staged photo, there's no scene like this in the episode!)

There have been a handful of American hour long adaptations of Jane Eyre that were produced in the 40s/50s/60s for anthology television shows.  Three are generally available - one of them starred Charlton Heston as Rochester and another with Patrick MacNee (from the TV show The Avengers) as the brooding hero - and they are all interesting in their way, but there is another version that is not very accessible (but you can watch for free at the Paley museum in LA and NYC).  This one starred Sally Ann Howes and Zachary Scott.  It's one that I want to explore in this post because it's so interesting to me as an adaptation.  And in many ways I adore it.

I think of this post as a way for me to show that I can like Jane Eyre adaptations that change a lot of things from the book.  I'm not completely close-minded when it comes to liberties taken.  I do generally like for adaptations to be faithful, but if, in the event of time constraints, or catering to the audience, etc, there has to be some big changes, I still hope that those changes remain faithful to the story/characters/spirit of the original.  And in this TV version, I found that to be the case, which is very rare, especially with the changes they decided to make, and the fact that it is only an hour long.

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Jane Eyre - National Theatre Live

On Sunday, I eagerly watched the theater broadcast of the recent U.K. play adaptation of Jane Eyre. It's a 3 hour production directed by Sally Cookson and starring Madeleine Worrall as Jane, Felix Hayes as Rochester, and five other actors playing all the other roles.  I thought it would be fun to write a short review of it.  I'm sorry.  Because this is not short.

During the interval of the broadcast, there was an interview and behind the scenes video about the play, and I really liked what I heard from the director about how she views the story, and how she feels that Jane's journey is the essential feature.  It is called Jane Eyre after all.  I very much agreed with her on that, and I loved that she felt such a connection to the story and put that love for it into her production.  The play is focused on Jane's story as a whole, starting with how she develops, so it was nice to see that all five parts of the book (Gateshead, Lowood, Thornfield, Morton, and Ferndean) get pretty fleshed out (the first three though are really focused on).  It was overall a good adaptation and a bold and unique interpretation of the story.  But I may have had some minor issues with it.

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Review: Thornfield Hall

Thornfield Hall
by Jane Stubbs
Historical Fiction
Amazon  /  Goodreads

Plot Summary:

The Rochesters are very good at keeping secrets...

Thornfield Hall, 1821. Alice Fairfax takes up her role as housekeeper of the estate. But when Mr Rochester presents her with a woman who is to be hidden on the third floor, she finds herself responsible for much more than the house.

This is the story Jane Eyre never knew - a narrative played out on the third floor and beneath the stairs, as the servants kept their master's secret safe and sound.

Review:

This was such a disappointing read for me.  While initially I was enjoying it - the account of the elder Mr. Rochester (the present Mr. Rochester's father) was interesting and Mrs. Fairfax - a poor widow, forced into service from her previous status as gentry - felt true to the vision of the original book Jane Eyre.  When Bertha was introduced, I also felt like it was a sensitive portrait of a woman who has had a lot of hardships, but who is quite definitely dangerous at times (she seemed so initially) and that made me feel like this would be an intelligent reworking of Jane Eyre from the servant's point of view.  Sadly as the story developed, the believability of this novel as a retelling of Jane Eyre became lost.  Jane herself, was painted in such an unappealing way - as a pert, uptight thing - so naive in her innocence as to be almost stupid.  Mrs. Fairfax seemed unable to truly respect her, yet she had the utmost respect for Bertha and Grace Poole.  Jane's life and her story seemed trivialized in the extreme, especially with how this novel twists the events to make pretty much everything Jane believed to be inaccurate.

It was incomprehensible to me as well to see Bertha in this new light - someone who is a little simple, but not really dangerous - actually quite gentle, and yet there had to be a culprit behind the fires and the attacks at Thornfield, so a new female servant was created to serve that purpose.  I didn't understand what was wrong with the original, that the story couldn't have kept Bertha as the perpetrator yet in the more ambiguous light of an unfortunate woman with dangerous tendencies.  Basically the story made anyone, who was seen in a negative light in the original story, out to be more sympathetic and unfortunate in this book.  And the only way I could find that believable is if I completely disregard all my knowledge of the original book.

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5 Things I Learned about Jane Eyre

Some months ago I was interviewed by a UK based educational company in preparation for their release of content about the Brontës aimed for teachers and students.  I guess my Jane Eyre obsession (and especially my website) led these wonderful people to me.  If you would like to read my answers to their questions (bless you!) - check out the interview here.  And although asking ME to talk about my love of Jane Eyre is my ultimate reward for doing anything in life,  Train of Thought Productions was generous enough to send me a complimentary copy of the educational DVD "Brontës in Context."  Which I don't think will be generally available in the U.S., so it was even more of a boon to get a copy!

While I watched the Jane Eyre section of the DVD (and even took notes, cause I wanted to take everything in!) I realized that I was learning new things about the novel!  I have never studied Jane Eyre in school, and although I've read critical texts about the story, there are schools of thoughts that I've not yet really explored, and Jane Eyre is such an intertextually rich story, that I should have absolutely anticipated that this DVD would be eye-opening in unexpected ways.  And while I'm a bit afraid that everyone who reads my blog is getting sick and tired of all the ways I work in talking about Jane Eyre here, I really would like to talk about the things I learned from the "Brontës in Context" DVD.  And uh... this post does get a little long...

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Jane Eyre & The Sound of Music

After watching The Sound of Music recently, I was impelled to write this post. I know that seeing the similarities between Jane Eyre and The Sound of Music is not new.  It seems to be common among Jane Eyre fans to wonder at the similarities, and although I have seen this posted about on other blogs, I thought it would be fun to point them out on my own.  And perhaps go more in depth (because I have thought about this far too often!)  I do wish I could find out whether or not the writers who created the stage show for Sound of Music or rewrote it for the film did get some influence from Charlotte Brontë's novel.  Because even though The Sound of Music is based on a true story, there are a couple Janian elements to the musical that are not true to life.  And I would love to know if it's all just coincidence or if there really is a connection!

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Book Signing: Patricia Park "Re Jane"

Last week, I was able to go to Patricia Park's book signing for her novel "Re Jane".  (Which I reviewed over here!)  It's a modern Jane Eyre retelling with a Korean American heroine, that takes place in New York and Korea.  It was a wonderful read for me - very intelligent with a main character who grows so much as the story progresses.

It was also much fun to listen to Patricia talk about her novel at the book signing.  She was so friendly and kind - she happened to sit in front of me before the event to talk to someone and said hi to me and remembered me from twitter!  During the talk she read different excerpts that highlighted different and interesting things in the novel - one descriptive of Queens, New York, one about Korean dramas (I loved how fond and yet gently teasing Jane, the character, is in the book about the obsession with them), and the last excerpt was about language.  I thought it was a great way to get an overview of the novel, and Patricia also talked about her experiences with those things.  Since she lived in Queens, grew up watching Korean period dramas, and went to Korea to do research for her book.  (And that is very evident since I felt the part of the book where Jane goes to Korea was so detailed, vivid and culturally enlightening!)

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Review: Re Jane

Re Jane
by Patricia Park
Contemporary
Amazon  /  Goodreads

Plot Summary:

For Jane Re, half-Korean, half-American orphan, Flushing, Queens, is the place she’s been trying to escape from her whole life. Sardonic yet vulnerable, Jane toils, unappreciated, in her strict uncle’s grocery store and politely observes the traditional principle of nunchi (a combination of good manners, hierarchy, and obligation). Desperate for a new life, she’s thrilled to become the au pair for the Mazer-Farleys, two Brooklyn English professors and their adopted Chinese daughter. Inducted into the world of organic food co-ops, and nineteenth–century novels, Jane is the recipient of Beth Mazer’s feminist lectures and Ed Farley’s very male attention. But when a family death interrupts Jane and Ed’s blossoming affair, she flies off to Seoul, leaving New York far behind.

Reconnecting with family, and struggling to learn the ways of modern-day Korea, Jane begins to wonder if Ed Farley is really the man for her. Jane returns to Queens, where she must find a balance between two cultures and accept who she really is. Re Jane is a bright, comic story of falling in love, finding strength, and living not just out of obligation to others, but for one’s self.

Review:

I have read quite a few "Jane Eyre" retellings, of various quality and variety, but I am happy to say that I've never read one quite like this book.  Many retellings put the focus on the romance which is always lovely, but "Re Jane" is much more about the main character Jane's development into an adult - dealing with her family, an affair, and her cultural heritage.  There's so much more to this story than just a reimagining of "Jane Eyre" - Jane Re is a powerful character in her own right.

I do want to touch on the Jane Eyre aspect first however.  It definitely wasn't what I thought it would be, but it was everything it should have been for a modern version of Jane Eyre.  It was realistic, with serious consequences for Jane's actions despite her youth and naiveté.  The story has quite a few differences from Charlotte Brontë's work, but the basics are there, and it's interesting to see how the author, Patricia Park, brings it all up to date for the New York setting.  There's also tons of little nods to the original novel - from short lines sprinkled into the narrative, to names reminiscent of their Victorian counterparts.  I think a "Jane Eyre" retelling works best when it remains true to the spirit and the intent of the original, while also making it's own statements that are true to the characters and the setting of the retelling.  And in this way, "Jane Re" is wonderfully imaginative and intelligent.

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Sassy Jane Eyre

Inspired by this FlavorWire article highlighting one-liners and disses from "Pride and Prejudice", I wanted to feature some of the lines that I find pretty hilarious from "Jane Eyre".  Jane is so sassy to me, and I love that she can say some really unexpected things behind her solid, practical exterior.  The novel has this heavier connotation of Gothic melodrama but it's not all brooding and wives locked up in the attic!

Jane's commentary on Mrs. Reed's maid Abbot's thoughts of her, when she was but 10 years old, highlights the sort of biased thinking that most everyone in the Reed household seemed to regard Jane with.  (Guy Fawkes planned unsuccessfully to blow up the Houses of Parliament.)

“Missis was, she dared say, glad enough to get rid of such a tiresome, ill-conditioned child, who always looked as if she were watching everybody, and scheming plots underhand.” Abbot, I think, gave me credit for being a sort of infantine Guy Fawkes.

Once in Lowood, Jane comments on the horrible breakfast they are given with some more snark:

I perceived I had got in hand a nauseous mess; burnt porridge is almost as bad as rotten potatoes; famine itself soon sickens over it. The spoons were moved slowly: I saw each girl taste her food and try to swallow it; but in most cases the effort was soon relinquished. Breakfast was over, and none had breakfasted. Thanks being returned for what we had not got, and a second hymn chanted, the refectory was evacuated for the schoolroom.

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Review: Jane F---ing Eyre

Jane F---ing Eyre
by J.K. Really
Humor/Mashup
Amazon  /  Goodreads

Plot Summary:

"You can trust and believe I had the childhood from hell. When my spoiled-ass cousins weren't cracking me upside the head with leather-bound novels, I was getting locked in the family murder room by my bitchface Aunt. Just the fact we even had a murder room should tell you something about the next level kind of bullshit I endured."

Jane F---ing Eyre is the Victorian gothic romance Jane Eyre, retold by a heroine who's ready to get real. While Charlotte Bronte's classic has spawned dozens of film iterations, it's never been updated, probably because Mr. Rochester's little tricks wouldn't fly with any woman navigating the dating scene today. Re-telling this iconic piece of literature as a mashup of the original verbatim dialogue and what Jane's thinking with her Victorian filter off, allows fans to experience the romance, the horror, and the passive-aggressive jabs of Ms. Fairfax again as though for the first time... but with all the boring parts cut out.

Review:

You know that strangled, eruptive laugh that comes out sometimes when you are surprised into laughing at something?  Well that happened to me a lot with this novella.  As a huge fan of the original, I wasn't expecting to be so delighted and entertained by this retelling.  I always thought Jane had a lot of restrained sass in her in the original novel, and it's wonderful to get all that sass unrestrained in this book.  To the extent that I wanted to high-five this real talking Jane multiple times!

What really impressed me too with this novel, was how spoken dialogue, as they were said in the original novel, was repeated in this book, but the real story is told through Jane's irreverent internal commentary.  And both worked together so well!  Profane and saucy comments followed logically from what Jane actually says - given that she has to hold back from really speaking her mind.  This book does a great job of mashing up the original novel with this extremely cheeky Jane.

The last fourth of the novella is a little rushed, and I would have wanted to read more of Jane's thoughts on St. John, but perhaps there's only so many times Jane can inwardly curse out someone.  If you are sensitive to bad language then this isn't for you, but for a fun, modern and hilarious interpretation of Jane's story, you should definitely give this a read!  And now I'm going to have trouble not seeing Mrs. Fairfax as a hater.

And in the author's note at the end, it says she's working on a version of Pride and Prejudice!

Interview with N.B. Roberts, author of Halton Cray

On Wednesday I reviewed the Jane Eyre inspired novel "Halton Cray" by N.B. Roberts and I'm delighted that the author agreed to do an interview for my blog!  I hope you'll enjoy reading her answers as much as I did!  And if you are a fan of Jane Eyre, Gothic, paranormal, or suspenseful romance, definitely check out "Halton Cray"!

And find N.B. Roberts on:

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Q: What is your "Jane Eyre" origin story? When/Why did you first read the novel and what were your first impressions?

I've always loved period dramas, and while subscribing to a ‘classics’ DVD collection in my mid-twenties, I received a free paperback copy of ‘Jane Eyre’. Up until that point, I struggled to find books that enthused me to turn pages, despite reading in various genres. I had been under the illusion that classic works were written in an archaic style I might not grasp. Having Jane Eyre (the book) in front of me, I determined to read it before cheating with the TV adaptation – and so glad I did; I discovered my kind of novel! Jane Eyre kindled my interest in reading other classic works too.

From turning those first pages, the relationship that Charlotte Bronte establishes with the ‘reader’ was the hook for me. Jane, as a child, has a love for books with pictures and exciting titles. I felt that she couldn't see a book as interesting otherwise; she couldn't see beyond the boring black text – what interest could that hold? That was me as a child; I resonated with that, and the fact that Jane has a tough time at school. Jane’s experiences in many respects put my own complaints to shame. Watching Jane mature and take control of her life was mentoring to me, and I felt I could be anything I wanted to be. Though I found the author’s wit and turn of phrase absorbing, the story became enthralling and truly entertaining when Rochester appeared. In short – I couldn’t put it down. It will always be a book I return to for encouragement, comfort, and comedy!

Q: "Halton Cray" has some very striking horror elements and is in many ways more Gothic than "Jane Eyre". What inspired you to make the story darker and introduce a paranormal element?

I have a *slight* fascination with the macabre anyway; a love for Edgar Allan Poe tales, Vincent Price movies, gothic horror in general – adaptations of Frankenstein and Dracula (1993) are among my favourites. It wasn't long after first reading Jane Eyre that I began compiling notes for Halton Cray. At that point I was reading the works of Robert Louis Stevenson. But I was keen to expand on the darkness I saw in Jane Eyre and explore. The horror in Bertha viciously attacking her own brother is only hinted at because Jane doesn't witness it first-hand. Even the way in which Bertha’s end was described to Jane is rather gruesome, and again, only a hint at the darkness of what happened. Jane also alludes to the supernatural to explain how she heard Rochester call her name from Ferndean,and he heard her reply. I saw an opportunity to magnify the darkness and weave my favourites together. Additionally, in Halton Cray, Thom is not the best behaved man on the planet. Therefore, my villain had to be really bad…

Q: Halton Cray, the house, is described in detail in the book, along with the workings of running a 'historic' home in England. What kind of fun research did you do for that aspect and is Halton Cray based on a real house?

The research was especially fun because I got to do something I love in exploring historic houses. I have a deep-seated admiration for the architecture and domestic stories. While writing, I was working as a software analyst, so I didn't have much of an idea on a curator’s responsibilities in a stately home: learning that role for Thom was an enjoyable challenge.

I feel lucky to have grown up within walking distance of a reputedly haunted Tudor manor, which provides my mental picture for the Halton Cray estate. Our National Trust manages it and they do a marvellous job. I am though a little sceptical about naming the house because I feel it may colour a reader’s interpretation of my setting. Having said that, if anybody is curious to know – I have had emails asking for more information – I will happily send them a link to this particular house. I spent the best days of my early teens there annoying the poor staff who were incredibly good to allow unaccompanied children inside. They were great too when I would phone them or turn up to ask odd questions such as ‘what would happen in a power cut?’

Q: What was your favorite scene to write in "Halton Cray" and why?

It’s difficult to pick one, but I’ll go for the blackout scene, which you mention in your review. That was a lot of fun to write, and I really enjoyed making dialogue dominant over general narrative. It was an exciting challenge to incorporate various elements of the book in one scene: the mystery, panic, and romance all thrown into the mix. It makes you wonder what you would do in that situation, whether you would stay cool or lose it.

Q:  I found the chemistry between Alex and Thom to be a highlight of the book - I was wondering if you had any tips for how to write/craft a good romance?

Thank you – I’m glad you felt that. It depends on what kind of romance would best fit a story. I don’t personally like insta-love. If going for a slow burn romance as I did with Alex and Thom, then the best advice I could give would be to read Jane Eyre (*grins*). A few key things I identified were:

1.  Establish good/clear motivations for why your characters are drawn to each other. A durable romance based on him falling for her because she looks good in a pencil skirt isn't going to add chemistry, because it isn't going to add depth or understanding from a reader’s perspective. To help create those motivations, look at what your characters need and give that to their intended.
2. Gradually does it. Don’t rush your characters in love. It is nothing new to have your lovers not even getting on in the beginning (Mr. Darcy and Miss Bennett are a well-known example); whatever works for your story to keep that build-up gradual, giving you plenty of time to have them challenge, explore, and appreciate each other. A misunderstanding, bit of jealousy, and the big will-they-won’t-they question never did any harm.
3. Last but certainly not least! And this is a must when following no. 2, your characters need to make some physical contact occasionally, and their reactions need to be highlighted. Don’t rely on the reader taking the hint. If your character liked that his fingers brushed against hers, say so. She liked it.

Q:  Will the rest of the books in the Shadows of the World series have some inspiration from Jane Eyre? Or another book?

As with Halton Cray, the sequel will certainly inherit some elements of Jane Eyre, but does continue on more of its own path, with the occasional nod to Brontë’s work.

Q:  Just for fun - do you have a film dreamcast for Alex and Thom?

This is a tough one to answer, because before now I have never put an actor’s face to any of my characters. I would love to see the wonderfully versatile and talented Abigail Breslin play Alex. And since this is a lot of fun, I would nominate two actors to play Thom: Sam Claflin as seen through Alex’s eyes; he’s such a cheeky looking guy as well as a superb actor. Plus, check out the dimples! – And Norman Reedus, but as seen through everybody else’s eyes, because to me he can look truly sinister. Ha!

DREAMCAST!  L-R: Abigail Breslin for Alex, Sam Claflin and Norman Reedus for Thom

Q:  And because I have to ask one more "Jane Eyre" related question - which adaptation is your favorite?

Despite it being a less than perfect production, the 1983 BBC adaptation is my favourite. It captures everything from the book I want to see on screen. I really enjoyed Zelah Clarke's spirited performance of Jane. And I just loved how Timothy Dalton captured Rochester: his exacting and rather compelling tone – particularly when teasing Jane – met up with my idea of the Byronic hero from the novel. I had previously seen Mr Dalton in various roles when I was a child, such as James Bond, but I really rated him as an actor after seeing this series. His portrayal even became an inspiration for me when writing Thom's teasing of Alex. Although Timothy Dalton is a deal too striking in looks, he is in every way the perfect Rochester, and is additionally deserving of the role for playing the part of the gypsy! which still makes me laugh aloud – ‘Off ye lendings!’

Of course, being a TV series gave it sufficient coverage of the book, but what I really appreciated was the ample interaction between Jane and Rochester to warrant the profoundly passionate connection they formed; that coupled with the use of original text, this is by far my favourite.

I have to say, if I was in a similar situation with the blackout scene in this book, how I would react would depend on two things.  One -is Thom there to save me?  Because then I wouldn't panic, and two - if there are other people panicking like crazy, then I would most definitely endeavor to keep my cool!  And about the dreamcast - I love the author's choices, but Sam Claflin I double love!

Thank you for your fantastic answers N.B.!  And please everyone check out "Halton Cray" on Amazon or Goodreads!

Review: Halton Cray

Halton Cray (Shadows of the World #1)
by N.B. Roberts
Gothic/Fantasy
Amazon  /  Goodreads

Plot Summary:

‘Yes, I’ve killed! I’ve killed as indiscriminately as God! And yes, I will kill again.’

‘Sometimes Death lurks after them for days, weeks, or even months, waiting for their time... Sometimes it doesn’t, and I’ve often raced that omnipresent Reaper to one portion of its work.’

When Alexandra Turner takes a job at the eerie Tudor mansion, Halton Cray, she needs all her wit and spirit to cope with the enigmatic Thom Rues. Whilst a near constant fog envelopes the estate, Alex begins questioning the bizarre things she’s seeing around him, as gossip circulates that Thom is more than just different. Determined not to let rumours influence her, Alex tries to learn who he really is, even as he provokes her with his dark sense of humour. But discovery of Thom’s terrible secret propels Alex’s life in a direction she could have never predicted.

Halton Cray is the first book in the Shadows of the World series, a contemporary paranormal romance and adventure inspired by Charlotte Brontё’s Jane Eyre.

Review:

Obviously the fact that this book is inspired by Jane Eyre made me want to read it - and I have to say in one aspect this book totally honors the connection.  That aspect being the chemistry between the two leads.  While I was a bit iffy on them initially - because Thom Rues was sometimes unattractively abrasive and I really wanted Alex to stand up to him more and keep up her side of the banter - but eventually their growing romance won me over.  The story itself doesn't really bear a lot of similarity to the plot structure of Jane Eyre, but draws more on the major elements, like the dynamic and the rocky progression in the romance, a very ominous house, and a big secret, and I think because it is more of it's own story, that helped make this a very absorbing read on its own.  Especially when it came to finding out what Thom was hiding.

I don't want to reveal too much about the secret because I think it's a great surprise, and the explanation behind it was really well done.  There's a real impact in the reason why Thom and Alex are separated because it is a conflict that is very difficult to resolve.  Often with stories inspired by Jane Eyre, that reason can seem pretty weak, but that is not the case here.  However, it is resolved somewhat in this book, and probably that plot point is the one thing I had the most problems with in the story.  Because the way the problem is done away with, really stretched believability for me even though this book does dabble a bit in fantasy.  It just took me out of the story, and I had to decide to go with it, to really start enjoying the book again.

This was an absorbing read for me though, because of the atmosphere and the gradual sparks between the two main characters.  Alex is a very relatable character, and Thom is so darkly magnetic once you get to know him (which is a great reflection on the character of Rochester.)  The suspense of not knowing Thom's secret in the first half the book really carried the story for me as well, because there are so many hints and clues, but it's nearly impossible to put them all together.  The author really created something very different with Thom.  The dark atmosphere is enhanced by some really creepy scenes in this book, and in particular a great scene where Halton Cray loses power in the middle of a big storm and in the middle of a party.  Some of the guests get a little panicky, and I was really caught up in the pervasive feeling of dread and suspense in that scene.

As a Jane Eyre fan, I would recommend this book as an interesting modernized version, but with the focus more on it being a great, dark Gothic tale.  It's a little overwrought, with tons of atmosphere which is just perfect in capturing the Gothic tone.   I'm definitely looking forward to the next installment of Alex and Thom's story!

(I was asked to review this book by the author, but obtained my copy through the Amazon Prime Lending Library)

On Friday, I will be featuring an interview with the author, N.B. Roberts.  There will be some burning questions about the romance in this book as well as the author's thoughts on Jane Eyre!

10 Books That Have Stayed With Me

I was recently tagged by my friend Eva on Facebook to list 10 books that have stayed with me.  The instructions are as follows:

List 10 books that have stayed with you in some way.  Don't think too hard.  They don't have to be the "right" books or great books of literature, just ones that affected you in some way.  

I'm not really big on posting to Facebook, but luckily this meme is book related, so I thought it would be more fun to bring it to my blog.  So here we go!

1. Jane Eyre
by Charlotte Brontë

I'll just get this one right out of the way.  Obviously, reading this in high school was a profound experience.  Just being so obsessed with a book was a new thing for me.  I re-read the book and parts of it alternately over and over again.  I would do fan-art (not great) and watch adaptations, and found just about anything surrounding it to be interesting.  The book also helped me make the decision to go away from home for college (it was only to Northern California) but it was a big thing for me to be so far away from home.  (And also the best thing!)


2. Fairy Tales

I loved reading these short magical stories when I was younger, and having them reinterpreted into Disney movies really cemented my love for them.  They represent some of the best, most imaginative and clever storytelling - and it's even more amazing to know how old they are and how much they affected the fiction of our culture with their iconic motifs.

3. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
by Mark Twain

This was my first real classic literature novel.  I remember I started to read it when I was maybe 10 or so years old and couldn't get into it, so I DNF'd it (my first DNF?) but in high school I picked it up again, and loved it.  The way the story was told was so different to me - way more mature, and it opened my eyes to the importance of a good exposition to set up characters.  And the subtlety of the humor!  At least it seemed very subtle to me at the time.  It wasn't something I could really tell like a joke, but the humor was in the situation and the characters.  And that was so eye-opening to me.  This isn't my favorite Mark Twain novel (that'll be Huckleberry Finn) but I'll always remember this fondly as the book that got me started reading classics.

4. The Big Four
by Agatha Christie

This is my favorite Poirot novel and I have such a particular memory of being unable to put this down as I was trying to read quickly before my class started.  It was also raining on that day and there were worms all over the walkway.  Ah. Memories.  I loved this book for how different it was from the other Christie mysteries I read, and for how exciting the storyline was.  Even if a bit improbable (I didn't notice that at the time though.)  And I feel like this was one of the first times I ever had a book hangover, because no book could compare to the wonderful, thrilling conclusion, and the trick that Poirot played in the end.

5. And Then There Were None
by Agatha Christie

I have to put another Christie novel in my list, because this is the book that got me started as a Christie fan.  I had seen the film version before and I knew how the murderer committed the crime, but I still couldn't put this book down.  It was a great lesson for me in how important character and atmosphere is to a story because it was those things that kept me glued to the pages.  This is such a brilliant book, and after being such a fan of mysteries as a child, this book showed me the pinnacle of the genre.

6. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
by Douglas Adams

I can't remember what first made me want to read this book - or if I heard the radio series first (I think I did...) but the droll British humor, the clever and silly story, and the lovable characters won me over immediately.  I adore this book (and series, and every iteration) because it was the first time I really appreciated a book that could make me laugh so much.  This story is a wonderful adventure, but it's also one that makes you think about your place in the universe, and just how ridiculous humanity can be.

7. Twilight 
by Stephenie Meyer

A friend recommended this book to me and it was pretty much my first introduction to the modern YA genre, and really captivated my imagination.  I so loved these characters, and the immediacy of their emotions.  It felt like they were very real to me,  which is an aspect of YA that I love.  And the romance was just lovely.  As a side note - I think this was one of the first books I really pressed my Mom to read and while she wasn't that enamored with it, after the movie came out she loved it.  Now I get to press more books on her and sometimes she will read them.  Win.  When I finished this book, I was ruined because I was only in the mood for a book that would make me feel just as completely invested in the characters, which was hard to find - thankfully Stephenie Meyer had a book recommendation on her website which I followed through on - a little book called The Hunger Games.  I am so fond of Twilight as my gateway YA book.

8. Hatchet
by Gary Paulsen

I read Hatchet when I was in grade school, and it had a pretty big impact on me.  I have not read it since, but I remember some parts of the story so well - like I had actually been there.  This book was a great introduction to survivalist stories with it's beguiling mix of adventure, danger and perseverance.  The story is so much in Brian's head too, so we get a great perspective on his thoughts and his reasoning.  Because of this book I knew not to eat unknown berries in the forest (nevermind that I'm not near any forests), I can possibly make fire by striking a blade against the right kind of stone, and I realized I really wanted my own kind of cave hideaway.  And then there's the appreciation of nature and fantastic character growth in Brian as be becomes more self-reliant that really appealed to me as a kid.

9.  Austenland 
by Shannon Hale

This is such a cute and fun story - a chick lit romance about a girl who takes an immersive Jane Austen themed vacation to get over her Darcy hang-up.  But of course she finds her happy ending in a fluffy, charming romance.  I love that part of the novel to no end - it makes me smiley with glee to get to the ending - but it's the main character's personality that really made this book stay with me.  I understood and identified with her obsession with Pride and Prejudice (of course for me I would substitute another book) and her sense of humor about it, and the silliness of Austenland, while also wanting to let herself go in it would probably be just how I would react.  And the idea of whether or not such happy endings in books can exist in real life is wonderfully explored in the novel.  For chick-lit romance, this is my standard to which I compare all others in the genre.  If it doesn't quite make me feel as giddy and as invested in the characters, than it has failed me.

10. The Sword of Truth series
by Terry Goodkind

This is an epically long fantasy series (and possibly the longest series I've ever read at 11 thick books) but it is my ideal of an involved fantasy series.  Everything works in these stories for me - there's lots of darkness, magic, quirky, endearing characters, and an epic romance.  And above all, there is this philosophy of justice and the power of the individual and inner strength.  It's such a satisfaction to me that in this series people get what they deserve.  Not always of course, and not always immediately, but there are so many moments when people come to realize that they can't escape their punishment and that sense of justice always appealed to me.  Just be kind, and things will work out for you.  Even though each book can be very long, I was always so invested in the story that I didn't care, and I enjoyed diving into each installment.  Sometimes I can feel overwhelmed with starting a long book, but after reading the first book in this series - Wizard's First Rule - I didn't mind the length at all.

And I just saw this article that lists the most common choices from people who took this meme on Facebook.  I only have two of the most common books on my list.

Time to tag some people to do this!  Only if you have time of course and apologies if you've seen this done to death on Facebook!  But I would love to see the book choices from -

Angela's Anxious Life / Deadly Darlings / Doing Dewey / Ode to Jo and Katniss / Paper Cuts / Picture Us Reading / Rally the Readers / Read Me Away / Rinn Reads

The Autobiography of Jane Eyre

Now that this webseries is over, I have the chance to write my thoughts about the whole show!  This was a modern vlog adaptation of Jane Eyre which I posted about back in November when the show was about halfway through.  I was really impressed by how close they stuck to the novel - adapting scenes that are often disregarded in other adaptations (granted they have a lot more time with this series) but also to make some scenes from the book modern must have been a great challenge.  And I was really mostly happy with how they managed to make everything fit in their world.

I think the only problem I had in general with this production was how some moments or videos seemed a little too filler.  There would be a couple nods to the novel and then a lot of random - it really didn't happen often though, but there were some videos that didn't make the most of the story to me.  And there were times when I thought it was weird that Jane would just have her camera running while she was doing mundane things - I suppose I don't really understand the point of just filming herself while sitting there even though the show sets up that having these vlogs was like therapy for Jane.  But then of course someone would just happen to come into the room and we'd have a story.

The actors were all really excellent in their parts.  Jane was so endearing and quirky - definitely different from Jane in the book, but believably the modern version.  The Rivers were also believable surprisingly - I mean especially when it came to the St. John character - now called Simon.  St. John in the book would be very difficult to modernize I think - because he's so zealous and religious, selfless but selfish.  They made Simon a little bit too dorky and cute, but he was also stubborn and unsympathetic to others which fit.  I thought it was a bit sad though that he is so quickly out of the picture in the end - it seems like he really wasn't very happy in the last mention of him, and at least St. John of the book seemed happy to be doing what he wanted.

The whole thing with Rochester was unfortunate though.  I really loved how they adapted him, and the actor brought a great sense of humor to the character.  Apparently the actor left towards the end due to some differences with the team, so the viewer gets a very unsatisfactory ending.  I think they did the best they could with what they had, but I wonder if it would have been better to just get some Rochester scenes on screen even if the actor had a different face?  Or just a voice-over from hoarse-voiced Rochester?   It would have been nice to get some of the dialogue from the last part of the book.  I don't think the resolution was what they had truly planned since it seemed rushed, and more like a footnote, instead of a proper farewell to the fans.  Like in the Lizzie Bennett Diaries.  Of course it was great that they showcased how far Jane had come, and how much she had accomplished because that is the most important point of Jane's story.  But I am a bit of a romantic, and more closure from the Jane/Rochester relationship would have been wonderful.

This adaptation had it's ups and downs for me, but I always felt there was a lot of love for this book in every episode, and the writing and the story planning were often exceptional in adapting the book.  I was always happy to get a new episode (okay, towards the end, I felt happy after I got over my disappointment that Rochester was not in it!) and it was such a great experience getting a little dose of Jane's story every week.

Jane Eyre Pet Peeves

The novel Jane Eyre is pretty much perfect (let's have no arguments on that)  - but I do have these pet peeves when it comes to the way the novel is often interpreted, which probably bothers me more than it should.  But that's okay, because after I vent in this post, I will feel much better! Theoretically.  (Apologies in advance for all the ranting!)

• Pet Peeve #1: When Jane is not the focus

I understand from a marketing viewpoint why the DVD cover to the right happened but... that still doesn't make it right.  Honestly, "Jane Eyre" starring Timothy Dalton??  At least put Zelah Clarke's name with Dalton's!  I also understand that Mr. Rochester can often take over the focus of the story because of his personality and because many people swoon over the romance.  I too am guilty of this!  But I always go back to the idea that Jane is the most important aspect and the real reason I love this book so much.  The story is about her, filtered through her, and is most about her development.  I get a little sad when adaptations are referenced by the actor who played Rochester - even if the actor dominated in performance.  So when adaptations or cover images do put the focus on Jane (example, the 2011 film poster - not so much the DVD cover) then they are doing it right.

• Pet Peeve #2: Mr. Rochester is a bad man

Alright.  This might bother me the most actually.  Yes, he does a terrible thing by keeping such a major secret from Jane.  He tries to manipulate her and make her jealous, and he didn't treat Blanche very nicely either.  Nobody said he was perfect.  (And btw Blanche does not treat him very nicely either.)  These are mistakes that are the result of a childhood with little affection, 10 years of an unhappy marriage, and arrogance bred from his social position.  He's a Byronic hero.  And if you read the novel carefully, he does not deserve Jane until the end when he truly repents and intends to live a better life.   Charlotte Brontë wrote this character with intention and the intention is Mr. Rochester is redeemed.  He is not bad, but he has done bad things.  And the whole thing about Rochester's poor treatment of Bertha is just ridiculous.  Keeping Bertha in the attic with a caretaker was more humane at the time than putting her in an asylum.  Her madness is genetic and "her excesses had prematurely developed the germs of insanity."  ("Excesses" perhaps meaning sexual, because she was not faithful, or perhaps her violent tendencies?)  And why are her homicidal tendencies so easily dismissed?  She's dangerous and needed to be locked up.  

• Pet Peeve #3: Jane is not a strong character

I had a discussion with a friend once who did not like Jane for this reason.  And ultimately I think it came down to Jane marrying Mr. Rochester in the end, after he treated her so badly (reference: above).  Jane is obviously socially constrained, but she is much more outspoken and passionate than her rank and station allow.  She acts in accord with her own concept of morality and stays true to herself all the way through.  Only when she can be equal in all things with Mr. Rochester does she marry him - the man she loves.  Pretty much in everything, she does what she wants to do.  I don't know how else you can portray a strong character.

• Pet Peeve #4: The Jane/Bertha

I think the idea of Jane and Bertha reflecting each other started with the 1979 literary criticism work The Madwoman in the Attic by Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar.  It's a feminist reading which really took off, but I just don't buy it.  What do Jane and Bertha have in common?  They are both passionate and constrained by society.  Um, so is Mr. Rochester. (Okay granted, Rochester has like 80% less constraints.)  To my mind, I think it much more believable to see Bertha as a warning for what Rochester can become than for what Jane can become.  Especially since Bertha and Rochester are both flawed characters who share a skewed sense of morality.  They are much more alike.  And I think it telling that near the end, when Jane hears about Rochester's blindness, Jane thinks - "I had dreaded he was mad."  Hmm, like Bertha?

• Bonus Pet Peeve! - This quote:

"Crying does not indicate that you are weak.  Since birth, it has always been a sign that you are alive."

Credited to Jane Eyre for some reason.  It's not in the novel anywhere, and also unlikely that Charlotte Brontë wrote it.  It's not even a quote from one of the adaptations.  So stop it tumblr.  

Review: Braving the Brontës

Braving the Brontes (Carly Keene Literary Detective #1)
by Katherine Rue
Middle Grade Mystery
Amazon / Goodreads

Plot Summary:

"Voracious readers who share Carly’s wish to end up in a literary adventure will enjoy exploring the world of the literary sisters."–School Library Journal

Carly Keene is a twelve-year-old from Alaska who has always longed for adventure. She gets her wish when she is transported back to 1846 and finds herself living with the Bronte family in England. There is a mystery surrounding the Bronte sisters, and until she solves it Carly is stuck in the past. Will adventure be what she thought it would be? Will she ever get home?

Review:

This was a very sweet and endearing read!  I was already interested because of the link to the Brontes but the author managed to bring the Bronte history and the era to life so well, which was surprising for such a short read.  I think this is a wonderful start to Carly Keene's adventures!

Carly (whose name must be inspired by Carolyn Keene, the pen name for the author of Nancy Drew) is a very believable and likable protagonist.  The Alaskan setting, Carly's family, and her best friend Francesca, give Carly such a distinctive personality as well, because through these things, you can understand why Carly is so quirky.  It's also fun to read how Carly copes with 19th century England with all of it's less savory aspects (like the food, poor hygiene, and the lack of plumbing) as well as her delight in wearing period dress and in exploring the beautiful countryside.  These little details really captured the time and place, and felt so true to how someone would feel traveling out of their own time. This book made the time travel aspect very satisfying because it felt so realistic.

This story reads more like an adventure than a mystery to me.  Perhaps later books in the series will explore true mysteries, but this book was more about Carly helping the Brontës be true to themselves and finding out more about their lives than any mystery surrounding them that Carly has to solve.  (Although I may feel this way because I am pretty familiar with the Brontes' lives already.)  There is a supernatural aspect though that felt very true to the Brontë legacy which I really appreciated.  I think kids will enjoy Carly's adventure and spirit and adults will appreciate the authentic details, the multi-dimensional characters and the nostalgia of reading exciting books like this when they were young.

(I received this book from the publisher or author for a fair and honest review.  I was not compensated for this review.)