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Jane

by April Lindner (Goodreads Author)

3.64 of 5 stars 3.64 · rating details · 5,117 ratings · 1,288 reviews

Forced to drop out of an esteemed East Coast college after the sudden death of her parents, Jane Moore takes a nanny job at Thornfield Park, the estate of Nico Rathburn, a world-famous rock star on the brink of a huge comeback. Practical and independent, Jane reluctantly becomes entranced by her magnetic and brooding employer and finds herself in the midst of a forbidden r...more

Hardcover, 373 pages

Published October 11th 2010 by Poppy (first published September 23rd 2010)

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Jan 03, 2011 Elizabeth rated it 2 of 5 stars

Recommended to Elizabeth by: Ariel gave it to me, she may have had ulterior motives

Shelves: in-by-of-the-americas, books-about-books, 2011, reviewed, the-knights-who-say-meh

I think I might have liked it...

...but I think I might have loved Jane Eyre and the residual feeling for Charlotte Brontë's Jane may have everything to do with why I liked this Jane. She wasn't an amazing character, here, she was rather bland, with mousy tendencies and an ability to bond with children. She was shy and had been unloved and now she was discovering herself. Her empowerment didn't involve bikini-wax so extra points to her (and her author). It's for those Eyre lovers who want to skip...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Brigid *Flying Kick-a-pow!* rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-of-summer-12, mary-sues, meh, everyone-warned-me, young-adult, bad-romance, romance, realistic-fiction, insta-love

This review is also featured on Tasty Books!

WARNING: This shall contain some spoilers for this book, as well as for Jane Eyre.

Meh. Just ... meh. I didn't hate this book. I just ... didn't really like it, either.

Before I picked it up, I knew it was a retelling of Jane Eyre. But, for some reason I didn't know it was a modern-day retelling. Okay, I don't know what I thought it was going to be, to be honest. But anyway, I get the book out of the library and I see this on the back:

"What if Jane Eyre...more

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Sep 21, 2010 Anne Osterlund rated it 4 of 5 stars

What if . . .?

Jane Eyre got her job at Discriminating Nannies, Inc.

And Mr. Rochester drove a fast car on a hairpin turn.

And they both ran into each other, of course, then floated on plastic rafts in the pool, flirted at rehearsals for his world rock band tour, and, oh yes, endured all the angst and self-doubt, jealousy and drama of the original tale.

Well, then you would have Jane—April Linder’s sparkling new novel of impossible love, tragic deceit, and . . . a wicked fine guitar solo.

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Jan 06, 2013 Sarah rated it 1 of 5 stars

***I guess I should say this review contains slight spoilers, but nothing of much consequence***
Earlier this year I had the pleasure or reading an incredible piece of literary genius, Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. I devoured it. And while my classmates were obsessing over Edward Cullen (I am only 15 after all), I was wishing for my very own Edward Rochester :) Needless to say, I became obsessed. So, when I came across April Linder's Jane while browsing on my kindle, I was extremely excited to re...more ***I guess I should say this review contains slight spoilers, but nothing of much consequence***
Earlier this year I had the pleasure or reading an incredible piece of literary genius, Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. I devoured it. And while my classmates were obsessing over Edward Cullen (I am only 15 after all), I was wishing for my very own Edward Rochester :) Needless to say, I became obsessed. So, when I came across April Linder's Jane while browsing on my kindle, I was extremely excited to read it. Little did I knowhow disappointed I would be. After the story, in the authors notes, Linder said: "Once I worked out answers to the plots many logistical challenges, the book practically wrote itself." Translation: Once I dummed it down for modern society, all I had to do was copy Charlotte Bronte for the rest. And that's exactly what she did. With serious detriment to the moral values that define Jane Eyre, a constant stream of profanities throughout, and the horrible way the main characters were morphed the fit modern times, it was all-together bad quality copy of the original.
Take the transformation of Mr. Rochester to Nico Rathburn. For example, "Great God! What delusion has come over me? What sweet madness has seized me?" was reduced to "For fuck's sake! Am I losing my mind now too?" And as a result, Rathburn was much less the dark, mysterious, and brooding man of the original, and instead a creepy, middle-aged, has been rock star who took up with his 19 year old nanny so he could feel young again.
The lack of Jane's character development was ridiculous. Sure, it explained that she was unloved as child, but it never explained how she grew to love. In other words, it's missed Helen Burns, Jane's only childhood friend in the original, who showed her what love was, and who died in Jane's arms.
But in my eyes, this books biggest flaw was that the Jane and Rathburn slept together. I know Linder was trying to appeal to a younger audience, but this still infuriated me. In the original, one of Jane's most difficult choices is wether she should live unmarried with Mr. Rochester. She decides not to compromise her values, and as much as it hurts her, she leaves him. In this modern version, Jane's sleeping with Rathburn before the issue should have even been brought up! Which made me think this Jane didn't even have those values in the first place. So my question is, why was the author willing to give up the values and principles that make Jane Eyre so influential, just to appeal to a more modern audience?
The one thing Linder got right was the transformation of St. John Rivers to Rivers St. John (real clever play on words don't you think ;). I really loved his character, so much in fact that I found myself hoping she'd choose him instead of Rathburn. Which, in my opinion, shouldn't ever happen. St. John should never surpass Mr. Rochester in charisma! So, by getting it right, Linder kind of got it wrong.
So, if you are just looking for a light read, Jane isn't as horrible as I've made is sound. But if your a fan of Jane Eyre, I would not suggest this one at all. And if you have not read Jane Eyre, I BEG of you, pick up the original first! It is an incredible book, that far outshines this rewrite.
Thanks for reading, and leave your comments :)
- Sarah Gibbs(less)

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May 09, 2011 aubrey rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. this is my review from the beginning of the book to where i ended on page 212. so if there is anything better past that, i will never know.

and now my review..

you have got to be kidding me?! i am surprised that none of the reviews that i read brought up the ludicrous fact that Jane has sex with Mr. Rathburn. is that what makes this "retelling" enchanting "for a new general of readers"? because who is her target audience that April would completely alter and, in fact, disregard this most important...more

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Aug 18, 2012 Shell Belle rated it 2 of 5 stars

I got this book with a rather hopefull heart; I generally love new twists on old tales. And plus, it was less than ten dollars for more than 300 pages, which is really rare now-a-days. However, I was sadly dissappointed by this book. I love Jane Eyre. I just love it! It's just such a rich, complex, beautiful tale, about so many more issues than just love. But I feel like this modern take just drained it of all its unique, interesting aspects and left it only a shell of a story, just another yuck...more I got this book with a rather hopefull heart; I generally love new twists on old tales. And plus, it was less than ten dollars for more than 300 pages, which is really rare now-a-days. However, I was sadly dissappointed by this book. I love Jane Eyre. I just love it! It's just such a rich, complex, beautiful tale, about so many more issues than just love. But I feel like this modern take just drained it of all its unique, interesting aspects and left it only a shell of a story, just another yucky modern romances about two people randomnly falling in love.

First, I feel like Linder didn't give us the full sweeping picture about what made Jane the way she was. Let's be honest, no one really likes reading the first chunk of Jane Eyre; it's not that pleasant and so on. But it gives us a deep connection with Jane, a deep sympathy, and a natural knowledge of her progress and how her experiences made her who she was. Linder gives us flashes, but they really only show us a few miserable memories and don't show how they strenghtened her, made her good, and taught her both what love did and did not act like, what wisdom was and wasn't. And because her experiences were more of bad memories than vital learning experiences, we have no idea where Jane's goodness came from when she IS good in Jane. Her past just doesn't make sense with who she is now. We just don't GET Jane in this version of Jane.

Secondly, we don't get a really good picture of the Rochester-character in this story. I guess in a weird way, Linder wasn't consistent in his, well, inconsitency. I just didn't feel drawn to him, so deeply interested in his strange character, so desperate for their happy ending in this book. I wasn't captivated by their conversations; I didn't feel the connection between them.

Also, I'm a relatively young reader and generally really enjoy all ages of fiction, but I was really disappointed that this story involved sex, not only because of my age and convictions but also because it wrecked the innocence of tale, the strong character and self-control that makes the ending so beautiful and satisfying in the original Jane Eyre. Where is the role model? Where is the Jane who inspires us to be better people? It seems her character (arguably the pivotal point of the book) was sold to people-please modern readers. All I can say is, what on earth? I was already not really feeling the deep connection of love between them (it seemed more like they just decided "hey, let's try being in love!" than actually truly loving the other person without even intending too, like in Bronte's.) Them going to far just pushed the story over the deep end. The beauty of love was not there; the importance of Jane's character was not there; it felt like just an animal-attraction, the effects of chemicals, not the life-changing heart rendering love Jane Eyre captures so well.

Ultimately, I got the feeling that this was just another tale about an obsesively dependent relationship between a bad boy and his newest phase. However, there are a few things I will congratulate this book for. Linder did actually better than Bronte, I think, in her portrayal of the governess/nanny aspect, especially in her development of the pupil, maddie (Adele in J.E.). She makes the girl so appealing to read about, and uses her to give us a better picture of (Rochester)Rathburn's real character. And second, I will say that she made it suspenseful/interesting enough to make one want to keep reading. And thirdly, I was proud of Linder's creativity in connecting/modernizing all the aspects of the old Jane Eyre. I can't think of any aspect/scene of the story she left out.

Putting aside the watery characters and the gray, drab atmosphere, Linder just didn't seem to capture the unique, fascinating, utter depth of story you find in Bronte's Jane Eyre. It was an all right story for now-a-days, maybe not one that makes you want to leap for joy and never put it down, but an all right one, maybe worth reading if you are in need/flexible about books. But if you have read Jane Eyre and you really get it, and are a true fan, this book is not one you'll want to read, unless you enjoy being indignant and unsatisfied.
I can't help sighing heavily right now. I had high hopes that this was going to be a spectacular book. :((less)

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Jun 06, 2011 Luu rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, new-adult, je-v-preklade, i-recommend, stand-alone

V tomto názore sa určite rozídem s 90% ostatných čitateľov, ale mne sa to vážne páčilo.

Páčilo sa mi, že sa to kŕčovite nedrží knihy. Celé to bolo veľmi voľné. Príbeh pôvodnú knihu nekopíruje, len sa inšpiruje v základnej osnove, veľa vecí vyhadzuje, nejaké pridáva. Charakter Jany je takisto iný, modernejší. Myslím si, že veľa ľuďom bude prekážať práve to.

Páčilo sa mi niekoľko alternácií - napríklad Janina spomienka, ako ju raz krutý brat zatvoril do skrine /Červená izba/ alebo St. John (nespome...more

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Nov 20, 2012 April rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, ya, romance, highly-recommended, contemporary

Are you looking for a modern take on a classic tale minus zombies or vampires? Friend, I think Jane by April Lindner is the book for you. To me, Jane was a worthy version of Jane Eyre. I absolutely loved this re-telling. In this version, Jane Eyre is now Jane Moore, a 19 year old who must drop out of college due to financial necessity. She accepts a job nannying for aging rocker, Nico Rathburn. What results is a quiet romance, never overt, but gently unfolding. ALSO omfg, DEVELOPMENT. It's not t...more

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Sep 01, 2010 Holly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Sitting in the lobby of Discriminating Nannies, Inc, Jane Moore never felt more different. She’d arrived in a suit jacket and pencil skirt from Goodwill and low heels. She wasn’t reading the latest issue of Instyle or People magazine or listening to her IPod. She wasn’t wearing trendy skinny jeans or ballet flats. Jane felt like an impostor. After her parents died leaving her nothing, she was forced to drop out of renown mostly female Sarah Lawrence university. Her sister ignores her; her brothe...more Sitting in the lobby of Discriminating Nannies, Inc, Jane Moore never felt more different. She’d arrived in a suit jacket and pencil skirt from Goodwill and low heels. She wasn’t reading the latest issue of Instyle or People magazine or listening to her IPod. She wasn’t wearing trendy skinny jeans or ballet flats. Jane felt like an impostor. After her parents died leaving her nothing, she was forced to drop out of renown mostly female Sarah Lawrence university. Her sister ignores her; her brother is decidedly on his own, and Jane is left with no one or way of supporting herself. She would’ve never guessed however that her ignorance of popular culture makes her the perfect candidate for rocker Nico Rathburn’s nanny vacancy. While not a crazed fan, groupie, or fame seeker, Jane quickly finds Thornfield Park, her charge Maddy, and Nico himself, home. Whether all its residents will welcome her is another question.

I had so much untempered expectation for this book and little room for reservations. If I’d had any at all, Angie’s glowing review would’ve put them to rest. But on the other hand I thought shouldn’t I be worried that one of my favorite books introduced to me by my mother years ago may be ruined in the process? Really, so many things could go wrong! Instead I inexplicably knew Jane would be special, and it was. I dove right into it after finishing Mockingjay, and it still held up, it was that good. As with many retellings, the suspense is there from the first page when several questions are racing through your head. How will this well-known, beloved story and characters be portrayed? How will it be the same but different? Will the essence be lost or maintained yet manage to become its own entity? And Jane comes off effortlessly successful on all counts. It’s amazingly faithful and brilliantly original. It serves as both an engaging introduction to Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre and a completely satisfying reinterpretation of the novel for old fans. April Lindner has taught and cherished the novel for years and it definitely shows. Where I thought it may have the most problems – modernizing a nineteenth-century novel set in a patriarchal society where unmarried women had no rights – the adjustments were logical and intuitive, no stretches required.

I adored Jane. She was both Jane Moore and Jane Eyre at the same time. The reserve, the confidence, the dispassionate exterior; there was already something modern and timeless about the original character that is in this updated Jane. Portraying Mr. Rathburn as an established rocker on the verge of a comeback gave him the perfect past and lifestyle to fill the shoes of brooding, above-my-station Mr. Rochester. And no old, comeback rock star at that (think ancient Rolling Stones), but a youngish, hot musician who plays the guitar brilliantly, sings lead vocals, and writes all of his songs. I know, try not to swoon. Jane and Nico’s romance is modernized but essentially the same forbidden relationship of soul mates, and I loved them for them and not just because they were different versions of Jane and Rochester. Fairy tale and Pride and Prejudice type retellings may abound, but only a rare few are nearly flawless, and Jane is one of them. It’s a lovely, entrancing novel that I didn’t want to leave my side long after I’d finished. Come October I will be buying my own copy and putting a few extra copies in the cart for all those potential and longtime Jane lovers I know. (less)

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Dec 22, 2010 Marija rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary

I’m truly sorry, but I must say this: If you love Jane Eyre as much as I do, do not read this book. I can honestly say that had I not read Jane Eyre before reading this, this book would have destroyed Brontë’s novel for me—this coming from a girl who’s known the story of Jane Eyre since she was four years old (from watching the Timothy Dalton and Orson Welles film adaptations, finally reading it for the first time at age eleven), and has been in love with it ever since. After finishing Lindner’s...more I’m truly sorry, but I must say this: If you love Jane Eyre as much as I do, do not read this book. I can honestly say that had I not read Jane Eyre before reading this, this book would have destroyed Brontë’s novel for me—this coming from a girl who’s known the story of Jane Eyre since she was four years old (from watching the Timothy Dalton and Orson Welles film adaptations, finally reading it for the first time at age eleven), and has been in love with it ever since. After finishing Lindner’s rendition, I was left feeling utterly betrayed and depressed.

Lindner literally takes Brontë’s novel and paraphrases it. The only differences in the two books is the modern day setting in Connecticut/Manhattan, some of the names of the characters, the lack of focus on Jane’s childhood schooling, the romance between a rock star and his daughter’s nanny and some minor details regarding St. John Rivers’ future plans (here named River St. John, though his sisters retain the ordinary names of Diana and Maria *rolling eyes*). The rest is exactly the same—the same order, the same conflicts, etc. While the madwoman in the attic story works in a 19th century setting, it just doesn’t cut it here in the modern day.

When I first saw Lindner’s novel, I was intrigued to discover how a modern author would take some of the themes addressed in Brontë’s work and put a fresh spin on it—a variation that while having the essence of Jane Eyre, offered something entirely new. A good example of what I’m trying to describe is Robin McKinley’s versions of the Beauty and the Beast tale. (You can even say that at its core, Jane Eyre is also essentially a variation of this tale as well, in terms of the characterization.) McKinley offers three versions of Beauty and the Beast—Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast, Rose Daughter and Sunshine. While keeping the basic essentials of the fairytale, the dramatic changes to the story and plot in each version make it feel like you’re reading a completely different novel each time. Each story is a further digression away from the original fairytale, but that basic essence still colors the stories. That’s what I was looking for, but it was certainly not what I got.

You’d think that since Lindner is copying her story directly from Brontë’s novel, she couldn’t go wrong. But her paraphrasing cuts the soul out of the dialogues amongst the characters. For me, the language of Brontë’s novel builds the characters… their interactions and that witty banter helped me fall in love with Jane and Rochester and helped me understand how that initial spark developed into a burgeoning romance. Consider Rochester’s profession of his feelings, I think it goes something like this: “I have a queer feeling with regard to you, especially when you are near me, as now. It’s as if I had a string somewhere under my left ribs, tightly and inextricably knotted to a similar string situated in the corresponding quarter of your little frame. And if a distance came between us, I’m afraid that chord of communion will be snapped, and I’ve a nervous notion that I should take to bleeding inwardly.” Compare that beautiful passage to this: “Right. Even as I was giving you shit and you were standing up to me in that quiet, stubborn way you have, I had this feeling about you…that we were, you know… kindred spirits.” I felt like Lindner stabbed me with a penknife and twisted it in my heart. All of my favorite sections… every interaction between Jane and Rochester/Nico Rathburn have been reduced to this. There’s absolutely no chemistry between these two characters; and I couldn’t see how Jane’s affection for her employer developed into a “passionate love.” To me, it seems more like the shallow lustful yearnings of a groupie for her music idol; and on his side, a thirty-something year old man trying to recapture his youth by seducing a nineteen year old girl. Yuck!

Even though Nico doesn’t seem to be very articulate in his speech, I at least expected to be able to read some of his music lyrics—especially the lyrics of the song he wrote for Jane, as a means to get some understanding as to why she fell in love with him. But we don’t even get that—at the most there is one line, which isn’t enough to give any kind of information—since Lindner’s main focus is trying to cram in all the essential plot points from the original novel she’s copying. Yet while she does this, she leaves some of the plot points unfinished, namely the points that resulted from the “major” digressions she made from Brontë’s novel. Completely disheartening.
(less)

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Mar 21, 2013 Mara rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-to-avoid, classic-retelling, romance

This will be the first review I have written on a book that I have not finished. But I won't finish it - I don't need to. I dislike modern-set stories, but I was willing to try this one out because it was a contemporary version of the famous novel "Jane Eyre", which I enjoyed. I was curious to see what April Lindner would do with it.

Four words: I was not impressed. While Jane Moore herself is, for the most part, a likable character and fairly close to Jane Eyre, Nico Rathburn is an entirely diff...more This will be the first review I have written on a book that I have not finished. But I won't finish it - I don't need to. I dislike modern-set stories, but I was willing to try this one out because it was a contemporary version of the famous novel "Jane Eyre", which I enjoyed. I was curious to see what April Lindner would do with it.

Four words: I was not impressed. While Jane Moore herself is, for the most part, a likable character and fairly close to Jane Eyre, Nico Rathburn is an entirely different story. I never liked Mr. Rochester from "Jane Eyre", but my dislike for Nico Rathburn were for the simple reason that he was not at all like Mr. Rochester, and just basically annoying. However, the characters are the least disagreeable aspects of this book.

I got to Chapter 18 - so 209 pages into "Jane." It is 365 pages long, 27 chapters. In that short span of words, I encountered 8 f-words and 5 s-words. I know there are few people who care about that, but I do, and for those of my Readers who are like-minded, you will understand my frustration and appreciate the warning. There was no need for the language - especially when the story is based off of "Jane Eyre"! But what made me close the book so firmly and set it on my "To Return To Library" shelf was the beginning of Chapter 18 - Jane and Nico sleep together. Whether they actually go through with this scene, I don't know, nor do I intend to find out. But what little I skimmed, it is explicit and it completely ruined the author's claim of being a true "Jane Eyre" fan. No real fan of Charlotte Bronte's classic story would ever have Jane give into such immoral whims. In fact, in "Jane Eyre", Jane outright refuses to live as Mr. Rochester's mistress.

So, for those of you who like Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre" and were curious to read "Jane" - a contemporary version -, you will be disappointed. In modernizing it, April Lindner tainted the story with unnecessary language and sexual content that is completely out of the spirit of "Jane Eyre."
(less)

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Sep 06, 2011 Denise rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: young-adult, romance, not-for-Jane-Eyre-purists

Shelves: ra-ya-chick-lit, ra-ya-sci-fi-fantasy

I tried to come at this book with an open mind and not as a Jane Eyre purist, but I came away from April Lindner's Jane disappointed. I was hoping for a retelling more like Robin McKinley's Beauty and the Beast adaptations. Each time McKinley came at that fairytale it was from a different perspective and felt like a new story each time.

Linder's Jane felt less like a retelling of Jane Eyre than a modern paraphrasing. All the same characters and plot points appear with very little retooling. (vie ...more

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Jan 31, 2011 Allison rated it 4 of 5 stars

You know how you love a classic? Not many, just a few that hit you in the gut and heart so hard that you can't breath? That's how I feel about Bronte's "Jane Eyre." It is my favorite!

I approached "Jane" by April Lindner with some trepidation and inside-my-head warnings to the author and narrator: DON'T disappoint me. DON'T stink. DON'T be cheesy. DO be delightful and creative and please tickle me a bit. Well, I can honestly say that Lindner's "Jane" did just that. The contemporary setting of a...more

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Jan 26, 2011 lilly bear ♡ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: the-haves, favorites-ya

Let me start the ball rolling with an admission: I am a rabid Jane Eyre fan. In the author's notes, Lindner reveals herself to be the same, which endeared me toward her novel right away. I love love love that she feels as passionately about the original as I, and that she endeavored to tread lightly in her retelling so as not to compromise the integrity and poignancy of Charlotte Brontë's masterpiece. Ironically, I find that in her attempt at loyalty to the original, she restricted herself to a...more

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May 02, 2011 Nina rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: all the people who love a good romance novel

Recommended to Nina by: sharleen olsen

Shelves: finished

this book is amazing! it's sort of ur typical love story. But there are some twists and turns along the way. Jane Moore is the person trying to get through collage on what savings her parents gave her,wich wasn't much. So she decides to get a job. she meets up with this woman named lucia. Lucia asks Jane all sorts of questions and looks at her rsumee. Jane has dropped out of collage because she needs money to pay for it, and she barely has enough to pay for one semester. On Jane's resumee it say...more

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Aug 04, 2011 Chelsey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2010, reviewed, ya, ebook, signed, arc

I loved this book. Loved it more than any book since Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly. I devoured it and was sad when it was over. But why?

Well, it is a revision of Jane Eyre, which I adore, and it does a better job with the portion of Jane Eyre I hate (her time after leaving Rochester) but there was something more to it.

The characters are incredibly compelling. Jane makes sense. Her reasons for staying in the shadows and for falling so quickly in love with Rothburn make sense-- a child who had...more

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Dec 17, 2010 Precious rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

See full review here.

Jane has been through a lot. She had a family that held little love for her, had siblings who simply did not care and even hurt her and had a mom who tried to turn her into a carbon copy of her sister, Jenna. It was all very depressing. It saddened me and I wanted to be in the actual story to slap her siblings to reality. Jane is very considerate of her siblings despite what they did. Logic over emotions – that was her guide in life. Despite what she has been through with he...more

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Feb 21, 2011 Nafiza rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

Let me start by saying that I love Jane Eyre. There’s something so effortless about the way Bronte weaves her stories that even if I may not like the plot, I will invariably read her book for the strength of the prose alone. The mastery of the words, the beauty of the sentences – all these things that has the literature buff in me swooning.

I won’t say that Jane Eyre is timeless. I mean, yes, the themes explored in Jane Eyre are timeless but the actual events? No, not so much. At least, I don’t t...more

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Jan 29, 2011 Nan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Nan by: Angie

Shelves: nook, favorites, revision, romance, young-adult, gothic

My friend Angie gave this book a glowing review, and her review convinced me to buy the book.

Lindner does not try to hide that this is a modern retelling of Jane Eyre. As a rule, I don't mind retellings, and I've even taught a classes that I called "Literary Sequels, Prequels, and Revisions." When I approached this book, I tried to bring the same mindset that I applied to Gordon Korman's Jake Reinvented, a modernized The Great Gatsby. I can't help but think that Korman's novel is a great compari...more My friend Angie gave this book a glowing review, and her review convinced me to buy the book.

Lindner does not try to hide that this is a modern retelling of Jane Eyre. As a rule, I don't mind retellings, and I've even taught a classes that I called "Literary Sequels, Prequels, and Revisions." When I approached this book, I tried to bring the same mindset that I applied to Gordon Korman's Jake Reinvented, a modernized The Great Gatsby. I can't help but think that Korman's novel is a great comparison to use against Lindner's.

Linder's Jane succeeds largely because Lindner is an excellent writer. Angie's review quoted long sections of the novel, and those sections intrigued me. They gave me hints of what would be the best parts of the novel--the sections created entirely by Lindner.

Since Lindner updated Jane's story for a modern setting, some features of the plot did have to be changed. As you find out, quickly (so I don't feel the need to hit the spoiler button!), Jane Eyre's Reed relations are replaced by Jane Moore's parents and siblings. The sections of the book detailing Jane's relationship with her family were some of the best in the entire book.

The scenes where Lindner had to either revision the scene entirely or add a new scene were the best and most inventive parts of the book. I really liked her Jane and her Nico, and the few times when they get to be Jane Moore and Nico Rathburn (rather than transplanted characters from Jane Eyre) were wonderful. However, this novel adheres pretty closely to its source material, and bringing in the events and conversations from the earlier book occasionally felt forced.

Going back to Korman's novel, when I taught both it and Gatsby, my students could easily recognize that Fitzgerald's novel was better. But they still enjoyed Korman's revision of it. Korman's novel was mostly successful in that it contained the same plot arc as Gatsby but didn't feel constrained to act out every scene in the same way. (Without being spoilery, Korman changes quite a bit in the final scenes.)

As much as I loved Jane, I think Lindner's novel would have been better yet if she had followed a revision model a little closer to Korman's and allowed herself to invent more of the story.

Lindner's writing is clearly four-star level for me, but the close adherence to her source material lowers the book to a three-star total.(less)

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Dec 01, 2010 Julie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, fiction, signed-out, young-adult

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Ok, first of all, I am a huge fan of Jane Eyre. That brought me into this book with a positive attitude, not negative. I think that April Lindner did a really nice job modernizing the story in most aspects, but I think certain parts of the tale just don't jive well with modern sensibilities.

There is just no way that anyone would think it is acceptable for Mr. Rathburn to keep a schizophrenic woman in a secluded room in the attic, no matter how well he claims to be caring for her or how much he c...more Ok, first of all, I am a huge fan of Jane Eyre. That brought me into this book with a positive attitude, not negative. I think that April Lindner did a really nice job modernizing the story in most aspects, but I think certain parts of the tale just don't jive well with modern sensibilities.

There is just no way that anyone would think it is acceptable for Mr. Rathburn to keep a schizophrenic woman in a secluded room in the attic, no matter how well he claims to be caring for her or how much he claims that there is no such thing as a good mental institution.

In addition, I find it impossible that he would not have divorced her. I mean, really. It's just paperwork, these days. In Mr. Rochester's time the very fact of a mentally ill relation would have been a scandal, and certainly no one would have known how to deal with her other than to take her off to what would definitely have been a horrifying lifestyle. So I understand if Rochester never divorced his wife because he wouldn't have wanted anyone to hear about what happened and even the divorce itself might have been quite a scandal... but with Rathburn it just sat, uh, less well with me. He could certainly have pushed the paperwork through but still taken care of her.

So, parts just didn't work for me in a modern-day setting.

Also, some of the creative rewriting of how certain plot points happened was very jarring. Jane... mailed her cell phone away from her, concerned that Rathburn might get her phone number from the bill? Not to mention the fact that she was HIS DAUGHTER'S NANNY and he never had her cell phone number in all the time she worked there? What if there was an emergency!?! And now that she's mailed the phone off, she's going to do what? Stop paying the bill (since the bill is going to Thornfield Park)? I don't think so. Every cell phone company charges an early termination fee even if you want to kill the contract before it expires. And it wasn't a pre-pay without a contract, because she WAS getting a bill.

Yes, I think about these things. And I spent just a little bit too much time thinking about them while reading Jane.

Overall it's not a bad adaptation but I missed elements of the original story, and wasn't too fond of the addition of the sexual element. Jane Eyre refused to be Rochester's mistress; Jane Moore WAS Rathburn's mistress, albeit unknowingly.

It's a fun read but I would rather have just re-read Jane Eyre.

*****edited to add:

I would like to also point people to Elizabeth's excellent review here (http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...) which sums up all the emotional points very nicely.(less)

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Oct 15, 2010 Hope rated it 1 of 5 stars

I have to admit I am a big fan of Jane Eyre book and when I first discovered this book I had to have it. I could not wait to start reading it. Now that I have finished it, I am quite disappointed the book was not what I expected it to be. I wanted this book to be good so bad, but it was not. I am sorry to say but it was just very poor version of trying to recreate a modern version of Jane Eyre.

Jane, is a nineteen year old university student who has to drop out because she can not longer pay for...more

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Nov 15, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen for TeensReadToo.com

Jane Moore has just recently become an orphan, and with no one to help her financially and no one who she can truly turn to, Jane must quit school and find a job. She quickly finds a position as a nanny for Nico Rathburn's daughter, Maddy, at Thornfield Park.

Nico is a rock star who has been through all the troubles that a normal rock star would go through - relationships that go awry and drug problems that make for an escape. H...more

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Aug 13, 2012 Simone rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, fiction, read-in-2012, the-best-till-from-2012, favorites

Jana je nové a lepšie prepracovanie Jany Eyrovej. Nás, mladých zaujme skôr, lebo je dej je zasadený do dnešnej doby, ktorá je nám bližšia, vieme si to jednoduchšie predstaviť. Jana je kvalitným prepracovaním Jany. Ak ste čítali Eyrovú a teraz sa pustíte do tejto, uvidíte, že je to presne o tom istom, ibaže s rockovou hviezdou navyše a s úžasnými pesničkami. Škoda, že nie sú skutočné, lebo úryvky boli super, rada by som si ich pustila.

more>> http://incredible-books.blogspot.sk/2...

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Jul 02, 2011 Emily rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, classics

Terrible, just embarrassingly awful. I threw in the towel after 162 pages of hoping things would improve.

I truly thought that this one had potential to be maybe not life-changing, but at least thoroughly entertaining. I loved the idea of it. Sadly, Jane has no Jane in her, and Rathburn comes off as a creep, and not a very intelligent one. HOW can it be possible to so thoroughly screw up a story that is adapted nearly scene for scene? If Charlotte Bronte weren't already dead, I'm sure this would...more

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Apr 28, 2013 Amber rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is a modern day re-telling of Jane Eyre. In this version, Jane is a prim, college-age girl forced to quit school and take a nanny job after the sudden death of her parents. Her Rochester is Nico Rathburn, a rock star planning his big comeback. Parts of this work pretty well; I rather like Rochester-as-rock-star, for example, and here his wife's insanity is due to brain damage incurred by hard drug use the two of them indulged in during their marriage, which worked for me in the context of t...more

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Apr 11, 2013 Paula Phillips rated it 5 of 5 stars

Have you ever wondered what life may have been like for Jane Eyre if she had lived in today's society ? Meet Jane Moore, she is seventeen and an orphan. All she ever wanted to do was go to College but when her parents die and she is left penniless she must go forth and seek employment. Jane Moore applies with Diminishing Nannies Inc and gains a job working as a Nanny for 80's Rock Star Nico Rathbone and his 5yr old daughter Maddy. As the novel goes on , we see Jane and Maddy start to bond and th...more

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Apr 04, 2013 Helen rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm usually rather snooty and disparaging about reworkings of classics and never is this more true than when writers mess with my favourite Bronte novels. However I must say I loved this 'Jane Eyre' interpretation! It was great fun,very entertaining and if you don't take it too seriously, a really good read. I raced through it. Jane Moore is a serious, studious 19 year old who is forced to drop out of college when her parents are killed in a accident. To make ends meet, she applies to a nanny ag...more

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Mar 02, 2013 Megan Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars

When Lucia said "The third floor is forbidden." The first thing I thought of was Beauty and the Beast. As I got farther into this book Mr.Rathburn reminded me of Captin Vonn Tramp from The Sound Of Music. I laughed when Jane even said that to him. The age difference really didn't bother me at all. At the end of the book she is 19 and Mr. Rathburn (I really do not care for the name Nico) is in his 30's. His age is never really said. I still pictured him as a sexy rockstar (Jon Bon Jovi maybe :))...more

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Feb 22, 2013 Corinne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Jane is a retelling of Jane Eyre.

Not a "sorta like Jane Eyre" sort of book, but a complete modern retelling of the story.

If you have not read Jane Eyre, there will be spoilers in this review.

Jane is a nanny at the Connecticut home of a famous musician. What she learns about herself, how she creates relationships and remains true to what she thinks is best - that is what is at the heart of this story. Jane is just as shy, strict and "moral" as in the original. I put "moral" in quotes because ther...more

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Feb 14, 2013 Kate rated it 2 of 5 stars

Jane Eyre is one of my absolute favorite books, so when I saw this novel, I snatched it up immediately. Many people who read "re-telling" books have a tendency to judge them based on the original. I do not do this simply because no author will ever retell Jane Eyre better than Bronte.

Anyways, I was not expecting much with this book. Just wanted a light read and some entertainment. It was okay in providing that, but not stellar. Obiously it was predictable, since it is a retelling, but there was...more

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Quotes from Jane

“Every so often, a lightning flash would reveal us to each other, and the expression on his face - so rapt, so helpless, so utterly mine - was the most beautiful thing I ever expected to see in my life.” — 19 people liked it

“Come inside with me," he whispered, "and let me make love to you"-he undid another button-"all night along, and then all day tomorrow, and then the day after that..."
"You have a show to put on tomorrow night'" I reminded him.
Mr. Rathburn -Nico- sighed deeply. He brushed my hair back again, tucking it behind my ears. "That's the spirit. You'll keep me honest, won't you?"
"I'll try.” — 12 people liked it

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