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Jane Eyre's Husband-The Life of Edward Rochester
"Jane Eyre's Husband" tells the fascinating story of Edward Rochester's life in richly textured detail, revealing Rochester’s innermost thoughts, hopes, and passions. This is the Rochester of Charlotte Brontë’s proud, arrogant, privileged, and searching for love and a better life. Beginning with his early years, then continuing to his time in Jamaica and his nightmarish first marriage, his desperate wanderings in Europe, his love for Jane Eyre and the tragedy that follows his attempt to marry her, his recovery from his injuries, and his married life with Jane, this story will take you inside the secret workings of Rochester’s mind. Edward Rochester is one of literature's most compelling male characters, and this book discloses Rochester’s own intimate experience of his life in vivid narrative. This is a story that is always original, while set firmly within the context of Charlotte Brontë’s work.
566 pages, Paperback
First published February 21, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
August 11, 2023
How can i begin to review this book?Well,it's definately not Jane Eyre.Tara Bradley's writing skill is very poor compared to Charlotte Bronte's.Jane Eyre's mr Rochester is like living fire,so strong,so passionate,so real.He is a tortured man who seeks for love cost what may.Tara struggled to catch mr R's spirit but failed.In her novel we are introduced with a totally different man,a weak person who depends on others,a man who does not only seek for love but tries to hold on it like there's no tommorow.The only part i really enjoyed this book was the separation part,Rochester's despair and depression.The accident which led to his blindness was thoroughly explained and i felt for Rochester so much.
He has always been my ultimate hero.The words he speaks in JE are poetic,deep and real.Dialogues in JEH feel so stiff compared to the original book.Words feel so poor,lacking Bronte's emotion.
I was put off by the huge amount of sex.The novel could be also called,"Rochester-the sex machine".I was so pissed having to read about Rochester's intimate relations,i mean,give me a break it's Rochester and not mr Grey from fifty shades of grey!!!!
Ultimately,i should say the book is readable but don't excpect a masterpiece and don't even think to compare it to Jane Eyre.Jane Eyre stood the test of time and will live for many years to come.Jane Eyre's husband is just another fanfiction and once more one realizes what an influential novel Jane Eyre is.
Conclusion:GO AHEAD AND READ JANE EYRE OR REREAD IT,you'll feel much better than reading this one,i promise!!!!!
He has always been my ultimate hero.The words he speaks in JE are poetic,deep and real.Dialogues in JEH feel so stiff compared to the original book.Words feel so poor,lacking Bronte's emotion.
I was put off by the huge amount of sex.The novel could be also called,"Rochester-the sex machine".I was so pissed having to read about Rochester's intimate relations,i mean,give me a break it's Rochester and not mr Grey from fifty shades of grey!!!!
Ultimately,i should say the book is readable but don't excpect a masterpiece and don't even think to compare it to Jane Eyre.Jane Eyre stood the test of time and will live for many years to come.Jane Eyre's husband is just another fanfiction and once more one realizes what an influential novel Jane Eyre is.
Conclusion:GO AHEAD AND READ JANE EYRE OR REREAD IT,you'll feel much better than reading this one,i promise!!!!!
August 4, 2012
I may have this to share on Kindle, if they'll still let me do so. I thought the story line that led from Edward Rochester's childhood to his death was extremely well-plotted and true to the original novel by Charlotte Bronte. Jane Eyre has been one of my favorite books since I first read it as a teenager.
I was not prepared for this version, which was written in the style of romance novels of our time, the bodice rippers. There was far too much prurient matter for my comfort and preference. For me, any was too much. I prefer to be able to think of the book I had loved without tarnishing it with anything more than a tooth throbbing. I didn't want to know that about Jane Eyre and Edward Rochester. I may be in the minority by finding silly and offensive; a number of readers who reviewed it for Amazon didn't mind it at all. I would have liked for it to have been written with the taste of the original. I think it would have been a fine novel. And for the reader's information, I enjoy those details when they're expected and anticipated. Not exposed like a flasher on a subway platform.
All that notwithstanding, I cried at various points throughout the book, and was happy to find so many ends tied up neatly as the story progressed. I think Charlotte Bronte would have been offended to have Jane's private life aired this way, but would have liked the story choices.
I was not prepared for this version, which was written in the style of romance novels of our time, the bodice rippers. There was far too much prurient matter for my comfort and preference. For me, any was too much. I prefer to be able to think of the book I had loved without tarnishing it with anything more than a tooth throbbing. I didn't want to know that about Jane Eyre and Edward Rochester. I may be in the minority by finding silly and offensive; a number of readers who reviewed it for Amazon didn't mind it at all. I would have liked for it to have been written with the taste of the original. I think it would have been a fine novel. And for the reader's information, I enjoy those details when they're expected and anticipated. Not exposed like a flasher on a subway platform.
All that notwithstanding, I cried at various points throughout the book, and was happy to find so many ends tied up neatly as the story progressed. I think Charlotte Bronte would have been offended to have Jane's private life aired this way, but would have liked the story choices.
November 14, 2011
This was a good book. At first I was a little put off by Rochester's seemingly "Emo" nature and the amount of graphic sex, but in the end it paid off well. Rochester finally learned his lesson, became less whiny, and self-absorbed. I was also curious about the other characters in Rochester's life, Grace Poole being one of them. I thought that if the story had interwoven between characters more and focused less on Rochester it would have been a more balanced and compelling book. But Bradley gives the other character their due, and in the end it is Rochester's story. The love between Rochester and Jane Eyre (like in the original) is what propels the story forward. Edward's never-ending journey to find true happiness (both inner, and with another person) is the main theme. All in all, it was a fantastic journey. If you are a Rochester fan, read it. If you are a fan of Jane Eyre...still read it.
May 22, 2011
This book gives an extraordinarily detailed backstory for Mr. Rochester, and does a fine job of filling in details of some of the lesser characters in Jane Eyre such as Adele, Mrs. Fairfax, Grace Poole, Mr. Carter the surgeon, and, of course, Bertha Mason Rochester. It fits perfectly with Bronte's novel, expands on the ten years of marital bliss that Jane tells us she has enjoyed with her Edward, and then takes it farther. It doesn't rise to the level of literature, but is a cut above the rest of the Jane Eyre knock-offs available. I loved it!
December 22, 2021
Back-Story: I stumbled across this on Amazon right when it first came out back in 2011. I was so bummed because it originally only came out in Kindle edition. Back then, I was anti-e-reader and was so disappointed that I would never be able to read it. However, I finally decided I wanted a Nook and when I did get one for Christmas, I knew immediately the book I wanted to get for sure was this one.
Review: I'm with the majority of reviewers. I loved the book up to a certain point: when Edward finally met Jane. After that, I just didn't like it as much. I think it's probably because I'm used to "Jane Eyre" and after already hearing the story once, I just didn't like it that much a second time. Which I'm honestly disappointed about because I expected to love this book so much because, like everyone else, I love Edward Rochester and I wanted to love hearing "Jane Eyre" from his point of view.
Looks- The cover is okay. I understand that it's the burnt down Thornfield but I think it could've had something more to it. Although most "Jane Eyre" books do not have a very interesting cover. Also, does anybody get the bird? If you do, can you tell me? Because I just don't get it.
Content- I really liked how this book was written from birth to death. It definitely added something special to the telling of "Jane Eyre." It was really interesting to me to see how Edward grew up. It was so heart-grabbing to "see" him as a child and how he was then. I loved seeing the origin of Grace Poole and how she came into being one of Edward's most trustworthy people he knew. I thought it was interesting to play up the possibility of a romance between Grace and Edward before Jane came along. I definitely find it realistic. I also find it realistic how Grace's life ended up going, sadly. I liked seeing when Edward was recovering from his injuries at Thornfield since we didn't get to see that in "Jane Eyre." Finally, I thought the plot twist in the ending was really unexpected but interesting. I never imagined Jane going first.
The plot was well-paced. Although I personally flew through the chapters up until Jane came along and then I read a little slower. The characters were interesting and dynamic. I really liked having some of the mysteries from "Jane Eyre" explained in this. Such as the tie between Grace and Edward, where he got Pilot and Mesrour, the details between Edward and Celine--that kind of thing.
I personally would've liked it better if it had been written in first person point of view, like "Jane Eyre," rather than third person. I really wanted to be able to feel Rochester's anguish when Jane left and also at Jane's death I think it would've been a lot better in first person. I wasn't really able to feel it with the third person point of view. It just didn't capture me. But maybe that's just me. Sometimes I felt like Rochester was out of character. I felt like the spirit of "Jane Eyre" didn't transfer to this book. Of course, I realize it's a different author, a different time period for us, that kind of thing. But I wish it still had a bit of that spirit in it.
One thing I really could've done without was the sex scenes. Totally unnecessary. They were so frequent in the beginning that I was really getting irritated because I had to skip so many pages I felt like I wasn't getting my money's worth.
Likes: How it's written from birth to death. The beginning. Seeing Jane Eyre's part in Rochester's POV. Seeing the destruction of Thornfield. Their children. The last sentence!
Dislikes: The needless sex scenes. Written from third person POV. Rochester felt out of character at times. Doesn't have the same spirit as "Jane Eyre."
Overall:
Recommend? Yes. If you're not a diehard "Jane Eyre" fan and if you like spin-off/adaptations.
Review: I'm with the majority of reviewers. I loved the book up to a certain point: when Edward finally met Jane. After that, I just didn't like it as much. I think it's probably because I'm used to "Jane Eyre" and after already hearing the story once, I just didn't like it that much a second time. Which I'm honestly disappointed about because I expected to love this book so much because, like everyone else, I love Edward Rochester and I wanted to love hearing "Jane Eyre" from his point of view.
Looks- The cover is okay. I understand that it's the burnt down Thornfield but I think it could've had something more to it. Although most "Jane Eyre" books do not have a very interesting cover. Also, does anybody get the bird? If you do, can you tell me? Because I just don't get it.
Content- I really liked how this book was written from birth to death. It definitely added something special to the telling of "Jane Eyre." It was really interesting to me to see how Edward grew up. It was so heart-grabbing to "see" him as a child and how he was then. I loved seeing the origin of Grace Poole and how she came into being one of Edward's most trustworthy people he knew. I thought it was interesting to play up the possibility of a romance between Grace and Edward before Jane came along. I definitely find it realistic. I also find it realistic how Grace's life ended up going, sadly. I liked seeing when Edward was recovering from his injuries at Thornfield since we didn't get to see that in "Jane Eyre." Finally, I thought the plot twist in the ending was really unexpected but interesting. I never imagined Jane going first.
The plot was well-paced. Although I personally flew through the chapters up until Jane came along and then I read a little slower. The characters were interesting and dynamic. I really liked having some of the mysteries from "Jane Eyre" explained in this. Such as the tie between Grace and Edward, where he got Pilot and Mesrour, the details between Edward and Celine--that kind of thing.
I personally would've liked it better if it had been written in first person point of view, like "Jane Eyre," rather than third person. I really wanted to be able to feel Rochester's anguish when Jane left and also at Jane's death I think it would've been a lot better in first person. I wasn't really able to feel it with the third person point of view. It just didn't capture me. But maybe that's just me. Sometimes I felt like Rochester was out of character. I felt like the spirit of "Jane Eyre" didn't transfer to this book. Of course, I realize it's a different author, a different time period for us, that kind of thing. But I wish it still had a bit of that spirit in it.
One thing I really could've done without was the sex scenes. Totally unnecessary. They were so frequent in the beginning that I was really getting irritated because I had to skip so many pages I felt like I wasn't getting my money's worth.
Likes: How it's written from birth to death. The beginning. Seeing Jane Eyre's part in Rochester's POV. Seeing the destruction of Thornfield. Their children. The last sentence!
Dislikes: The needless sex scenes. Written from third person POV. Rochester felt out of character at times. Doesn't have the same spirit as "Jane Eyre."
Overall:
Recommend? Yes. If you're not a diehard "Jane Eyre" fan and if you like spin-off/adaptations.
January 4, 2015
So my husband picked this book out for me as a gift after I told him I had read Pride and Prejudice from a Mr. Darcy POV and liked it (I decided to go ahead and try it, since the spin-offs of old classics are getting ever more popular, and was glad I did so). He did a lot of research and said this one had gotten the best reviews. And boy, I can see why. I have always been a sucker for Jane Eyre - I love how much love is in the story, rising above all obstacles and physical concerns. I feel like it's very raw and real but also almost unattainable at the same time. I felt like, reading through this tale of Mr. Rochester's life (from is perspective), he just really came to life. The fullness of his decisions, his dilemmas and his eventual bliss were portrayed wonderfully and, although I am not a man and can only really resume here, quite realistically and reasonably. This novel really just made the original Jane Eyre that much fuller (especially as it provided much more information and background on characters like Bertha, Grace Poole, Dr. Carter and then further explored the life after marriage, with children between Jane and Edward) and, if possible, more perfectly romantic. I enjoyed every second of the reading, even through the tears, and give this particular "fan fiction" (if you will) a full BIG 5 stars.
September 17, 2012
Jane Eyre is one of my favorite stories, so when I came upon, "Jane Eyre's Husband" I had to read it.
Tara Bradley told a thoroughly detailed story of the life of Edward Rochester from his birth to death and everything in between.
After reading the book, I felt like I knew him personally and really enjoyed that aspect of the book. The family bond was so beautiful, it brought me to tears, however, I'm not quite sure how I felt about the sexual content of the story. Sometimes there was just too much information for the type of story and of course this is my own opinion and not meant to discourage anyone from reading the book. Tara Bradley would do really well writing erotica romance novels. Again, only my opinion.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction with a twist of modern thinking.(less)
updated 19 hours, 6 min ago ·
Tara Bradley told a thoroughly detailed story of the life of Edward Rochester from his birth to death and everything in between.
After reading the book, I felt like I knew him personally and really enjoyed that aspect of the book. The family bond was so beautiful, it brought me to tears, however, I'm not quite sure how I felt about the sexual content of the story. Sometimes there was just too much information for the type of story and of course this is my own opinion and not meant to discourage anyone from reading the book. Tara Bradley would do really well writing erotica romance novels. Again, only my opinion.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction with a twist of modern thinking.(less)
updated 19 hours, 6 min ago ·
December 11, 2014
There are two great works in Western literature that, in my humble opinion, deserve all the praise which is heaped upon them. One is "The Painted Veil". The other is "Jane Eyre".
Yes, it's got a great plot, fantastic pathos, and a Gothic setting but what it really has is Edward Fairfax Rochester. He isn't handsome, he isn't even especially charming. Rochester is often a bully, rude, arrogant and plays cruel mind games with the 18 year old governess assigned to his bastard child with a French Opera dancer. He's also tormented and twisted from fifteen years of...nope, not going to give it away to people who don't know the story.
Rochester is a lot of things but to the reader, only one feature matters--he's REAL. He lives and breathes on the page in infinite complexity. Of course Jane forgives him for everything because the reader forgives him everything.
"Jane Eyre's Husband" does for Rochester what Jane Eyre did for Jane -- explains the events and people in his life which led up to him becoming the man he was at age 37 when he first meets Jane. A man who's experienced all the faults of women through various relationships. A marriage to a maniac, a one-sided love affair with a French mistress, a rather explicit relationship with an Italian dominatrix drug addict. A compassionate but passionless friendship with a German seamstress.
This novel then continues on after Jane and Edward marry (and have lots of satisfying sex) by following the birth of their children. It starts to sag a bit when Bradley no longer has Bronte's plot lines to work with and has to make things up. Still, it's nice to have some idea of what happened to Adele and the other characters in the novel.
If you like Jane Eyre, you'll appreciate this exploration of Rochester.
Yes, it's got a great plot, fantastic pathos, and a Gothic setting but what it really has is Edward Fairfax Rochester. He isn't handsome, he isn't even especially charming. Rochester is often a bully, rude, arrogant and plays cruel mind games with the 18 year old governess assigned to his bastard child with a French Opera dancer. He's also tormented and twisted from fifteen years of...nope, not going to give it away to people who don't know the story.
Rochester is a lot of things but to the reader, only one feature matters--he's REAL. He lives and breathes on the page in infinite complexity. Of course Jane forgives him for everything because the reader forgives him everything.
"Jane Eyre's Husband" does for Rochester what Jane Eyre did for Jane -- explains the events and people in his life which led up to him becoming the man he was at age 37 when he first meets Jane. A man who's experienced all the faults of women through various relationships. A marriage to a maniac, a one-sided love affair with a French mistress, a rather explicit relationship with an Italian dominatrix drug addict. A compassionate but passionless friendship with a German seamstress.
This novel then continues on after Jane and Edward marry (and have lots of satisfying sex) by following the birth of their children. It starts to sag a bit when Bradley no longer has Bronte's plot lines to work with and has to make things up. Still, it's nice to have some idea of what happened to Adele and the other characters in the novel.
If you like Jane Eyre, you'll appreciate this exploration of Rochester.
July 23, 2013
More aptly titled "50 Shades of Edward Rochester." But seriously, the harlequin-style doesn't bug me so much as the fact that (SPOILER ALERT) the author tells us how they die. Now, Jane & Edward are dead in my mind. I generally like it when authors are inspired to create backstories for other characters from great works, but I think this book provided too much closure. Too many gaps were filled in. It detracted from the magic of Jane Eyre for me.
September 28, 2013
I am very passionate about the novel this book drew inspiration from. However you want to value fan-fic, I think this should rank fairly high.
The author has done a pretty fantastic character study of Rochester which delivers most strongly in Part I. His family relationships are great, his relationships with other women are shown with purpose yet still titillating. Rochester has positive relationships which lay the foundation for him to become the good man Jane Eyre falls in love with.
However, I have three main bones of contention.
(1) Did the character Rochester has a childhood romance with need to be Grace Poole? Perhaps the author was trying to avoid introducing too many non-canon characters, but this falls flat. As it is, it deviates so far from canon that I don't see the purpose. Also, ew.
(2) Jane's "innocence" gets fetishized. I can understand Rochester having that attitude, but the novel is in written in 3rd person and doesn't always follow his perspective. Yes, she's a virgin. But we're writing in the 21st century for goodness sakes! A woman's value is not determined by her vagina!
(3) Its 2000+ pages and someone must have been sleeping on the editor's job. In the third part especially does it become repetitive. Its like its trying to recycle the more interesting bits from earlier on in the book and then really denigrates the quality.
TLDR
Great Rochester-Jane squee. But not consistently so.
The author has done a pretty fantastic character study of Rochester which delivers most strongly in Part I. His family relationships are great, his relationships with other women are shown with purpose yet still titillating. Rochester has positive relationships which lay the foundation for him to become the good man Jane Eyre falls in love with.
However, I have three main bones of contention.
(1) Did the character Rochester has a childhood romance with need to be Grace Poole? Perhaps the author was trying to avoid introducing too many non-canon characters, but this falls flat. As it is, it deviates so far from canon that I don't see the purpose. Also, ew.
(2) Jane's "innocence" gets fetishized. I can understand Rochester having that attitude, but the novel is in written in 3rd person and doesn't always follow his perspective. Yes, she's a virgin. But we're writing in the 21st century for goodness sakes! A woman's value is not determined by her vagina!
(3) Its 2000+ pages and someone must have been sleeping on the editor's job. In the third part especially does it become repetitive. Its like its trying to recycle the more interesting bits from earlier on in the book and then really denigrates the quality.
TLDR
Great Rochester-Jane squee. But not consistently so.
August 30, 2013
The book had potential but fell short. Rochester and Jane's personality were very one dimensional and bland. Gone were the humor, teasing and romance, which were replaced by their sexual attraction and relationship once they married. Basically all the elements that made Jane Eyre the novel great were missing. However, the author did a good job delving into Carter and Grace Poole's characters and addressing questions that Bronte left unanswered. Good effort overall but not really compelling or interesting read.
September 6, 2011
I don't think this book was very good. I thought it was enjoyable hearing about the beginning of Mr. Rochester's life but that was where my enjoyment ended. The Mr Rochester of this book is either crying or being morally repulsive. I really think Bronte would be rolling in her grave to read this one.
January 6, 2014
LONG. I didn't get through it because I got so tired. What I did read, I liked but...it was so tiring.
October 1, 2013
The first half was great, but the rest...eh. It just seemed to drag on way too long.
August 30, 2021
What an incredible book!
I have to state that going out first. This self-published book doesn't seem to be one that has garnered attention, and it should. Not only is is masterfully written, but it is also an exceptional work of fiction by someone who CLEARLY adored the characters and source material.
Tara Bradley takes you through the Rochester family, beginning with Edward's father John and mother Elizabeth. We learn about the workings of these people and how they came to have this family that produced the iconic Edward Fairfax Rochester. By using points of the book as support, you can see her taking the facts we've been given by Charlotte Bronte and expanding upon them.
There is such detail, care, and insight into all of the characters from the book and it is a marvelous and epic story spanning generations.
I don't want to spoil anything, so I will say this....
There is ALOT in this book and not all of it is pretty. The things that are alluded to in "Jane Eyre" are explicitly stated and explored. I have noticed a few reviews were turned off by what they felt like was graphic content, mostly sexual, and I won't deny that that is part of the book. It is tastefully written and handled. It's not erotica by any means, but most certainly does not shy away from those aspects of Edward's life or personality. It makes for a richer and more well-rounded story and character arc. With that being said, know that you will understand most of the characters deeply and intimately and there is a beauty and passion to this story that is truly explored in a more thorough manner.
This is a love story and one of growth and redemption. Edward Rochester is one of literatures enduring anti-heroes in a way that is frequently discussed, but not truly understood or explored until now. This book truly moved me and I love "Jane Eyre" all the more for it. This theoretical "fanfic" has become a vital part of the entire story for me and I can't praise this book enough.
I have to state that going out first. This self-published book doesn't seem to be one that has garnered attention, and it should. Not only is is masterfully written, but it is also an exceptional work of fiction by someone who CLEARLY adored the characters and source material.
Tara Bradley takes you through the Rochester family, beginning with Edward's father John and mother Elizabeth. We learn about the workings of these people and how they came to have this family that produced the iconic Edward Fairfax Rochester. By using points of the book as support, you can see her taking the facts we've been given by Charlotte Bronte and expanding upon them.
There is such detail, care, and insight into all of the characters from the book and it is a marvelous and epic story spanning generations.
I don't want to spoil anything, so I will say this....
There is ALOT in this book and not all of it is pretty. The things that are alluded to in "Jane Eyre" are explicitly stated and explored. I have noticed a few reviews were turned off by what they felt like was graphic content, mostly sexual, and I won't deny that that is part of the book. It is tastefully written and handled. It's not erotica by any means, but most certainly does not shy away from those aspects of Edward's life or personality. It makes for a richer and more well-rounded story and character arc. With that being said, know that you will understand most of the characters deeply and intimately and there is a beauty and passion to this story that is truly explored in a more thorough manner.
This is a love story and one of growth and redemption. Edward Rochester is one of literatures enduring anti-heroes in a way that is frequently discussed, but not truly understood or explored until now. This book truly moved me and I love "Jane Eyre" all the more for it. This theoretical "fanfic" has become a vital part of the entire story for me and I can't praise this book enough.
July 21, 2022
Really loved this book. Jane Eyre is my fave book and I loved the 2011 movie so was able to hear the voices of the movie characters while reading the book which made it even more awesome! I had always wished for the story to go on and on and this facilitated that! Not sure that Charlotte Brontë would have been a fan of the very detailed “relationship” portions of the book however. Wish the ending had been slightly more drawn out as it was a bit abrupt but a great work on the life of Edward Rochester.
July 28, 2024
I couldn’t put it down!
Tara Bradley took a classic and answered all the nagging, unanswered questions all Jane Eyre fans had abut the mysterious Edward Rochester. Then, she gave us a beautiful glimpse into their married life and the legacy they left behind. So beautifully written! This is now one of my favorite novels. When I thought I couldn’t love the characters any more than I already do, this book proved me wrong. Thank you, Miss Bradley!
Tara Bradley took a classic and answered all the nagging, unanswered questions all Jane Eyre fans had abut the mysterious Edward Rochester. Then, she gave us a beautiful glimpse into their married life and the legacy they left behind. So beautifully written! This is now one of my favorite novels. When I thought I couldn’t love the characters any more than I already do, this book proved me wrong. Thank you, Miss Bradley!
May 24, 2021
Jane Eyre is the novel of my heart. But I always wondered how the story would read from Rochesters point of view. And this book is exactly that: it pictures the life of Edward Rochester, filling un tbe blanks left by Charlotte Brontë, but in such a respectfull way it complements the classic novel perfectly.
Loved it!
Loved it!
April 11, 2025
A Really Good Man
I loved how the work was an essay of a family story of Edward Rochester and the blessing of that family after Jane and he had married.
It was beautifully told in great detail and wonderful prose. Entertaining and a logical ending to a man who started out with no hope and dud TBE decent thing and lived thoroughly rewarded.
I loved how the work was an essay of a family story of Edward Rochester and the blessing of that family after Jane and he had married.
It was beautifully told in great detail and wonderful prose. Entertaining and a logical ending to a man who started out with no hope and dud TBE decent thing and lived thoroughly rewarded.
September 8, 2019
A pretty believable retelling and extension of Jane Eyre. At some points I found it too focused on minor details that did little to enhance the story, but it was obviously written by someone with passion for and detailed knowledge of the original. I think most Jane Eyre fanatics would enjoy it.
July 19, 2023
It's nice to see Rochester's perspective, but could have done without the spicy scenes. Even if that was the reason I read it.
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September 7, 2023I have read several books about Rochester and I have come to the conclusion that I don’t need to know anymore about him than what I know from the original Jane Eyre novel.
May 25, 2023
Jane Eyre has been a favorite of mine since the first time I read it, years ago. This book is a fantastic companion piece. It is long, but it was well worth the read. The author takes you through the entire life of Edward Rochester from birth to death and does a wonderful job of giving life to the character that had always maintained an air of mystery. The story was solid and engaging; it more than made up for the occasional grammatical or structural error. I am not normally an emotional person but the last line brought tears to my eyes. I had been hesitant to read it at first, but I am glad that I gave it a chance.
January 18, 2019
For the most part, this book was like pretty good, enjoyable fanfiction. And I don’t mean that as an insult…I don’t think it was ever trying to be anything else.
As other reviewers have noted, the best part is Rochester’s life before meeting Jane. Once Jane comes into the picture, the author’s creativity is constrained by the original story, so the part that overlaps Jane Eyre is less exciting. However, a sizable chunk of the book actually takes place after the ending of Jane Eyre. I enjoyed a good portion of Jane and Rochester’s future as imagined by this author. I didn’t like all the choices the author made, and it got a bit lengthy at times, but overall I thought it was pretty well done.
The main complaint I have about this book is that it goes on for way too long and often goes into way too much detail. You could easily cut a couple hundred pages and the book would only improve. One thing that really annoyed me was how, whenever Rochester decided to tell his life story to someone (which he did fairly frequently), I had to read every single word of it. I already knew the general outline of his story from reading Jane Eyre, and then I read it in the beginning of this book, and then I had to read it a few more times as he told it to various people. This really could have been sped along with something like, “And then Rochester told so-and-so the story of such-and-such,” instead of me having to read the whole thing over and over.
I would only recommend this book to someone like me who already loves the story of Jane Eyre in general and the character of Edward Rochester in particular. If you aren’t already pretty invested in Jane and Rochester’s relationship, this book is probably not going to interest you very much. That being said, I have read 4 or 5 different books from Rochester’s perspective (I told you I loved him) and this was my favorite. So if you love Edward Rochester and are only going to read one book from his perspective, I’d recommend this one.
As other reviewers have noted, the best part is Rochester’s life before meeting Jane. Once Jane comes into the picture, the author’s creativity is constrained by the original story, so the part that overlaps Jane Eyre is less exciting. However, a sizable chunk of the book actually takes place after the ending of Jane Eyre. I enjoyed a good portion of Jane and Rochester’s future as imagined by this author. I didn’t like all the choices the author made, and it got a bit lengthy at times, but overall I thought it was pretty well done.
The main complaint I have about this book is that it goes on for way too long and often goes into way too much detail. You could easily cut a couple hundred pages and the book would only improve. One thing that really annoyed me was how, whenever Rochester decided to tell his life story to someone (which he did fairly frequently), I had to read every single word of it. I already knew the general outline of his story from reading Jane Eyre, and then I read it in the beginning of this book, and then I had to read it a few more times as he told it to various people. This really could have been sped along with something like, “And then Rochester told so-and-so the story of such-and-such,” instead of me having to read the whole thing over and over.
I would only recommend this book to someone like me who already loves the story of Jane Eyre in general and the character of Edward Rochester in particular. If you aren’t already pretty invested in Jane and Rochester’s relationship, this book is probably not going to interest you very much. That being said, I have read 4 or 5 different books from Rochester’s perspective (I told you I loved him) and this was my favorite. So if you love Edward Rochester and are only going to read one book from his perspective, I’d recommend this one.
January 1, 2012
Blown away! Most of the books of this ilk are pale imitations, but this book breathes and sings. It is so true to Charlotte Bronte's style--it's seamless. It's a great narrative and such a rich experience to see the story from Rochester's POV. I read the last few pages with tears running down my face. I have loved Jane Eyre forever and this book was such a great experience.
April 10, 2013
This is an excellent companion to the classic Jane Eyre. Tara has done a good job of creating a back story of what drives Edward Fairfax Rochester This is a book for all those fans who wonder who Rochester was!! A must read!!
September 17, 2022
I love Jane Eyre so much and Tara opened my eyes to a new world for it. I loved finding out more about Edward's past and life beyond where the original book stopped. This book was well written and didn't stray from the original character's personalities.
January 2, 2017
I adored this book. i am a huge Rochester fan, he's flawed just enough to be better than Mr Darcy.
thia book was amazing, it incorporates so mich back story and the ending had me sobbing my eyes out.
thia book was amazing, it incorporates so mich back story and the ending had me sobbing my eyes out.
September 24, 2011
It was a good and loyal-to-the-source tie-in that told Rochester's life and point of view. Also a nice telling of what happened after the "happily ever after".
August 10, 2012
2.5 stars
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