Doodle Lit: Drawing on the Classics
10.0
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From the creators of BabyLit®, now kids can celebrate classic literature in doodle form! With...
The Merry Spinster: Tales of Everyday Horror
5.0
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A collection of darkly playful stories based on classic folk and fairy tales (but with a feminist...
The Brontes: A Family Writes
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The Brontes of Haworth were a prodigiously imaginative literary family. From the earliest...
Essentially, it’s an adaptation of Jane Eyre (which I LOVE). I always joke that it’s fanfiction that has become a classic (if only). I didn’t actually read Jane Eyre until after I had read this for the first time, but the book made so much more sense to me then.
The nameless narrator is brilliant, if a little bit childish. I can remember the first time I read it, it really annoyed me that she whined like a child a lot. But then again, when your new husband is still obsessed with his dead wife, who wouldn’t complain?
I fell in love with Maxim in the same way that I fell in love with Mr Rochester. They are so similar – all dark, mysterious, and brooding… what every girl wants in a book! Even through the whole plot, I found it impossible to ever dislike him, despite some of the events. I’m not sure why.
I love that there’s so many different meanings of the book. Spending one year analysing it in college was never enough for me – I’m still constantly digging out new meanings, especially now I’ve got a friend who loves this even more than I do.
I almost always take this to Cornwall with me to re-read on a miserable day. It’s the perfect place to read this book and I can always snuggle down with it.
This is something everyone should read at least once in their life.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Wife Upstairs in Books
Jan 7, 2021
Jane is a dog-walker in the glamorous Thornfield Estates subdivision. Until she meets Eddie Rochester. Widowed, Eddie is Thornfield's most talked about resident. His wife, Bertha "Bea" Rochester--founder of the Southern Manor line of furniture and accessories--died in a boating accident with her best friend, though Bea's body was never found. As Jane gets to know Eddie, she can't help but fall for him: he's rich, handsome, and protective. He can offer her a life of security and love that she's never had. But she's also fascinated by the tale of Bea, who built herself up from nothing through her company. Can she ever compare to Bea--and win Eddie's heart? And what really happened the night Bea and Blanche died?
"...and later, I'd look back at that moment and wonder if I somehow knew what was going to happen. If everything in my life had been leading me to that one spot, to that one house. To him."
I read this book solely because it's billed as a loose retelling of Jane Eyre, which is one of my absolute favorite books. Loose is definitely the right word for it, but this also a gloriously fun read with some exciting twists and turns.
The Wife Upstairs is a page-turner that kept me frantically reading. Yes, parts of it are somewhat predictable, but Eddie is a fascinating rogue and Jane a mysterious lead. Who is telling the truth, what happened in the past, and what on earth is going on now--you'll find yourself swirled up in all these questions as you flip the pages.
Overall, this a foreboding and enjoyable thriller, with plenty to entertain its readers. 3.5 stars.
I received a copy of this novel from St. Martin's Press and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
Kaileb Bryant (3 KP) rated Jane Eyre in Books
Jun 11, 2019
When reading, it is interesting to pay attention and watch out for references of fire and ice - this can add layers to your understanding and add a depth of interest.
Also, watch out for gothic tropes such a doubles, and see how these add to the plot.
Overall a fantastic read, though the ending may seem anti-climatic to some, I personally find it charming.
Enjoy this Victorian novel!
Rebecca
Daphne du Maurier and Sally Beauman
8.6
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Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again ...Working as a lady's companion, the orphaned heroine...
Charlotte Bronte: A Life
9.0
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On the 200th anniversary of Charlotte Bronte's birth, Penguin is publishing the definitive biography...
Wide Sargasso Sea
Angela Smith, Jean Rhys and Andrea Ashworth
7.0
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Her grand attempt to tell what she felt was the story of "Jane Eyre's" 'madwoman in the attic',...
Charlotte Bronte: Legacies and Afterlives
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Charlotte Bronte: legacies and afterlives is a timely reflection on the persistent fascination and...