Monday, May 19, 2014

Review: Jane by April Lindner


Title: Jane

Author: April Lindner

Rating: 3 Stars

When it comes to JANE, I find it difficult to summon much feeling for this modern re-telling of Jane Eyre.

You see, Jane Eyre is the novel that cemented my relationship with my mother. We'd always been close, but during those awkward, teenage years of Middle School, I slowly began to gravitate away from her opinion, discovering my own instead. Needless to say, our relationship was strained, but that all changed -- surprisingly -- when I picked up my mother's well-worn copy of Jane Eyre from the recesses of our dusty attic. Jane Eyre is my mother's absolute favorite novel. Not only can she quote from it seamlessly, but her passion for the story pours out, even from the pages of the copy she has carried with her from India. Thus, to read Jane Eyre at fourteen, carrying with it my memories of late-night book discussions with my mother, is to render it a novel close to my heart.

With JANE, April Lindner certainly writes a respectable re-telling. It sticks closely to the original tale, with Jane Moore taking up a position as a nanny in the house of former rockstar, Nico Rathburn, following her parents' tragic death. Jane Moore's childhood hasn't been any easier than Jane Eyre's, complete with a cruel mother and even crueler siblings. Even following her entrance into Nico Rathburn's life, Jane Moore's life is similar to that of Jane Eyre's. Whether it be her passion for painting, quiet demeanor, or straightforward aura which catches the eye of Nico Rathburn and draws them together into a tight friendship, Lindner refuses to gloss over or forget these details. The flashy Bianca Ingram, the startling fire, the mysterious third floor...it's all present in JANE, though with a modern twist, as befits a re-telling.

Yet, despite these stellar qualities, JANE lacks the true spirit of Bronte's Jane Eyre. Jane Eyre's story is tragic, difficult, and tough to swallow but Jane's constant strength of will drives both her -- and the reader -- forward through hardship. Jane Moore, on the other hand, bitterly reflects upon her past in flashbacks which did little but connect this tale back to the original. Jane Moore's recollections of her family lack the underlying current of strength that is present in Jane Eyre's experience with her family. While we read -- and struggled -- alongside Jane Eyre as she was sent from her home to boarding school and later left to fend on her own, with Jane Moore we are merely given glimpses into the difficult childhood she suffered and told she made it through. Even in her present-day relationships, Jane Moore fails to strike much of a cord. JANE certainly captures the bare-bones of Bronte's complex characterization, but without filling in that skeletal structure with muscle, tissue, and pumping blood, Jane Moore merely remains a character on the page where Jane Eyre could just as easily have been my sister.

Nevertheless, perhaps my largest roadblock with JANE arrived in the form of Nico Rathburn. Rathburn? When I was eight, I would voraciously watch Arthur, a fellow third-grader who often suffered under the ministrations of his no-nonsense and "evil" teacher, Mr. Ratburn. Unfortunately, every time Jane Moore addressed Nico as Mr. Rathburn, I thought of a rat. (Rest assured, I quickly grew accustomed to thinking of this sexy rockstar as a human, not a rodent, but...it was difficult.) Nico's name aside, I found myself unimpressed with his rockstar occupation. While it provides fertile ground upon which to build Edward Rochester's dark past, not to mention his current lifestyle in a modern-day setting, I found the charisma of Nico to dull the rougher edges of Mr. Rochester which I'd grown to love. JANE utterly impressed me by rendered Nico a flawed -- very much so -- hero, not to mention the fact that I couldn't help but lean in closer, falling in love with Nico and Jane's conversations, but Mr. Rochester is a whole other level of dark, brooding, and swoon than Nico Rathburn is, I'm afraid.

JANE is, I believe, I only modern-day adaptation of Jane Eyre I've stumbled across and, as such, it certainly plays homage to the original. I believe YA lovers of JANE will certainly pick up Bronte's masterpiece, which is an incredible feat to pull off. Lindner has cleverly woven in the historic details of Jane Eyre into the 21st Century and though aspects of her plot feel contrived, false to our dynasty, and the atmosphere she builds is far from the creeping gothic aroma behind Jane Eyre, I still flew through JANE, soaking up its every word. Granted, it's a poor substitute for the original, but every now and again even we lovers of classics need a break from the lengthy, wordy originals we stack on our shelves. And for those days, JANE is absolutely perfect.

19 comments:

  1. Ah sometimes it's difficult with retellings because they're not as good as the original story. I confess that I haven't read Jane Eyre, but I know I need to do so one day because I keep hearing great things about it. Thanks for the review.

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  2. I love retellings but they can be so hit and miss. I have this one in my TBR pile and was really hoping it would be somewhat better.

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  3. I love that you and your mum re-connected via Jane Eyre :)

    I do want to read this, but I am always prepared for re-tellings to fall short

    Mands @ The Bookish Manicurist

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  4. I can definitely see where you faltered with JANE, Keertana. I think when I read a retelling, I find it a bit easier to separate myself from the original and count the two as separates but equals in their own right, you know? I think you're right - it does pay homage to the original, but it's different enough that fans of the original will have qualms. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

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  5. I can only hope that one day, my daughter and I will find one such novel, something that will give us both insight and a chance for long book discussions. It's exactly the type of relationship I hope to have with her. You're both very lucky.
    I don't much care for retellings or adaptations of any kind, so I can't really say I'm surprised that this didn't work. I'll just stick to the original. :)

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  6. I hate to say it but Wuthering Heights is one of my least favorite classics. I had a horrible impulse to smack both MCs around. Names trip me up sometimes, especially when they're too close to a "bad" association. Ratburn/Rathburn are unfortunate.

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  7. Love that story about your mom Keertana! It's so great that Jane Eyre helped you and your mom find some common ground again. I can see then why this retelling would have a hard time competing with the original. Any book with the kind of personal history you have with Jane Eyre is going to be impossible to do justice to.

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  8. Jane Eyre is my mom's favorite as well. Reading it, I was reminded of days spent with her talking about the book. I do agree, Jane is not a good substitute for Jane Eyre but definitely a good read. Fantastic review, Keertana (:

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  9. Yay! I'm glad you and your mom love Jane Eyre also. Jane Eyre has been my favorite book for years, and one of the few books I have chosen to reread, and I cannot even begin to express how amazing this book is. So, when I heard of this modern retelling, at first, I was excited to read it, but now I'm not so sure it's for me. After reading your review and others, I think I'm better off just rereading the original despite my love for retellings. Wonderful review, Keertana!

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  10. I've never really read Jane Eyre. But I'm still glad this was an okay book. I should definitely check out that out :D

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  11. I'm sorry you didn't care for this re-telling that much Keertana. I've read both the original Jane Eyre and this version and I love this one more. Wonderful review. :)

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  12. Lol, Rathburn, ok I can't get over that

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  13. Lol, Rathburn, ok I can't get over that

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  14. I really thought you were going to end up hating this one. I so want to read it. I really like Jane Eyre and retellings. I knew it was a retelling, but didn't realize it was contemporary. Oh I can't wait to pick this one up!

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  15. That's so cool that you were able to bond with your mom over Jane Eyre; love that! i've never read the original, but I have heard of this one. I'm glad you didn't it find it too bad...sounds fun enough.

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  16. I do love my retellings, but there are a select few stories that I feel are almost impossible to be retold to great effect, as the original stories occupy a place near and dear to my heart. It sounds like the same is true with you and Jane Eyre.
    Jane Eyre would be a difficult story to retell, I imagine, so the fact that you did find so much to enjoy in this one speaks volumes.
    Lovely, thoughtful review, Keertana! Out of curiosity, are you interested in reading Lindner's retelling of Wuthering Heights at all (Catherine)?

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  17. I do love my retellings, but there are a select few stories that I feel are almost impossible to be retold to great effect, as the original stories occupy a place near and dear to my heart. It sounds like the same is true with you and Jane Eyre.
    Jane Eyre would be a difficult story to retell, I imagine, so the fact that you did find so much to enjoy in this one speaks volumes.
    Lovely, thoughtful review, Keertana! Out of curiosity, are you interested in reading Lindner's retelling of Wuthering Heights at all (Catherine)?

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  18. Wonderful review Keertana, I love the anecdote you share about you and your mother - it's wonderful that Jane Eyre was able to cement your relationship! I think I'll skip this retelling because I love Jane Eyre way too much to go through a lackluster retelling of it (my desktop background is a picture of Mia Wasikowska from the film.) Have you seen the film?

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  19. Oh, I've read another retelling of Jane Eyre called "A BREATHE OF EYRE" by Eve Marie Mont that I enjoyed. I think I want to try this one despite your lukewarm enjoyment of it. I love Jane Eyre, too, but I watched Arthur as a mom so I didn't remember Mr. Ratburn. LOL! But it's funny you have that association and how that can really affect your enjoyment of a book. Not that you didn't rise above it, but it can be hard. As always, I enjoyed your review!

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