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The Lady Janies #2
My Plain Jane
You may think you know the story. After a miserable childhood, penniless orphan Jane Eyre embarks on a new life as a governess at Thornfield Hall. There, she meets one dark, brooding Mr. Rochester. Despite their significant age gap (!) and his uneven temper (!!), they fall in love—and, Reader, she marries him. (!!!)
Or does she?
Prepare for an adventure of Gothic proportions, in which all is not as it seems, a certain gentleman is hiding more than skeletons in his closets, and one orphan Jane Eyre, aspiring author Charlotte Brontë, and supernatural investigator Alexander Blackwood are about to be drawn together on the most epic ghost hunt this side of Wuthering Heights.
Or does she?
Prepare for an adventure of Gothic proportions, in which all is not as it seems, a certain gentleman is hiding more than skeletons in his closets, and one orphan Jane Eyre, aspiring author Charlotte Brontë, and supernatural investigator Alexander Blackwood are about to be drawn together on the most epic ghost hunt this side of Wuthering Heights.
447 pages, Hardcover
First published June 26, 2018
About the author
Cynthia Hand
21 books9,491 followersCynthia Hand is the New York Times bestselling author of several books for teens, including the UNEARTHLY trilogy, THE LAST TIME WE SAY GOODBYE, MY LADY JANE, MY PLAIN JANE, MY CALAMITY JANE, MY CONTRARY MARY, and MY IMAGINARY MARY (with fellow authors Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows), THE AFTERLIFE OF HOLLY CHASE, THE HOW AND THE WHY, WITH YOU ALL THE WAY, and the upcoming TIMELESS and MY SALTY MARY (also with Ashton and Meadows). Before turning to writing for young adults, she studied literary fiction and earned both an M.F.A. and a Ph.D. in fiction writing. She currently resides in Boise, Idaho, with her husband, two cats, one crazy dog, two kids, and mountain of books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,255 reviews
January 5, 2018
This was everything I had wanted and so much more. I’ll be devastated if this series doesn’t go on forever because the Lady Janies truly belong together! I loved “My Lady Jane” SO much that when I got an ARC of this I knew I had to read it asap! I’m so excited for you all to read it in June when it comes out. It’s a long wait, but believe me it’s worth it! I’m just sad I now have to wait until 2020 for the next one!
June 26, 2018
I really wanted to love this. So badly. My Lady Jane was so so much fun when I read it last year, but I just felt like both the humour and the story were pretty bland in this book. I felt like the previous book was a hilarious historical comedy; this one was a meh Jane Eyre retelling.
I don't think it worked as well when the authors switched from a funny retelling of history to a not-so-funny retelling of a well-known book. Jane Eyre is easily one of my favourite books of all time and My Plain Jane doesn't do much new with it. There's a supernatural subplot but most scenes happen exactly as they happen in the Bronte classic, and there are very few new characters.
Maybe it is because I feel such strong emotional ties to the source material, but it really irked me how the authors turned Jane Eyre into someone obsessed with handsome boys (that's not Jane!) and Charlotte Bronte into someone obsessed with Jane Austen (that's not Charlotte!). It's a pretty well-documented fact that Charlotte Bronte really disliked Jane Austen's work, so her repeated declarations of love for Mr Darcy here were annoying.
It started fairly entertaining but it just became boring very quickly. I know the story so I saw pretty much everything coming. The real action doesn't kick off until more than halfway into the book, and the jokes fell a little flat instead of making me chuckle like they did in My Lady Jane. Plus, I just felt a real disconnect with the story and characters-- they lacked some spark or emotion to keep me invested.
Here are a few things/quotes I did like:
➽ How Bertha's character was handled.
➽
➽
It's difficult to recommend because, on the one hand, having read Jane Eyre spoils a lot of what happened, but you also kinda need to have read it to get a bunch of the jokes. Which is a problem. And also: I would never tell anyone not to read Jane Eyre.
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I don't think it worked as well when the authors switched from a funny retelling of history to a not-so-funny retelling of a well-known book. Jane Eyre is easily one of my favourite books of all time and My Plain Jane doesn't do much new with it. There's a supernatural subplot but most scenes happen exactly as they happen in the Bronte classic, and there are very few new characters.
Maybe it is because I feel such strong emotional ties to the source material, but it really irked me how the authors turned Jane Eyre into someone obsessed with handsome boys (that's not Jane!) and Charlotte Bronte into someone obsessed with Jane Austen (that's not Charlotte!). It's a pretty well-documented fact that Charlotte Bronte really disliked Jane Austen's work, so her repeated declarations of love for Mr Darcy here were annoying.
It started fairly entertaining but it just became boring very quickly. I know the story so I saw pretty much everything coming. The real action doesn't kick off until more than halfway into the book, and the jokes fell a little flat instead of making me chuckle like they did in My Lady Jane. Plus, I just felt a real disconnect with the story and characters-- they lacked some spark or emotion to keep me invested.
Here are a few things/quotes I did like:
➽ How Bertha's character was handled.
➽
“Go home, Miss Brontë.”
“I can’t afford any more delays, Miss Brontë.”
“Please stop talking, Miss Brontë.”
Nevertheless, she persisted.
➽
“You’re definitely not coming with us,” Alexander said. “Not a chance.”
Reader, Miss Brontë definitely went with them.
It's difficult to recommend because, on the one hand, having read Jane Eyre spoils a lot of what happened, but you also kinda need to have read it to get a bunch of the jokes. Which is a problem. And also: I would never tell anyone not to read Jane Eyre.
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June 18, 2018
4.5! So fun!
January 28, 2018
Very fun book! The authors took elements of the story of Jane Eyre and managed to turn it into a ghost hunting mystery adventure. It very much felt like a mix between a classic romance novel and Ghostbusters, and it was just a lot of fun to read. And I can safely say that even if you have never read Jane Eyre (as I haven’t), you can still wholeheartedly enjoy this book. Oddly enough, I think my favourite character was actually Charlotte (Charlotte Brontë), but the entire book is filled with a great cast of characters you’ll fall in love with.
Another thing to note is that you also don’t have to read My Lady Jane before reading this one. This is not a sequel, it’s a completely separate story.
Another thing to note is that you also don’t have to read My Lady Jane before reading this one. This is not a sequel, it’s a completely separate story.
April 12, 2022
A rollicking adventure and a spirited good time. Pun fully intended, as this novel is packed full of spirits!
My Plain Jane is the second novel released by The Lady Janies, made up of author trio, Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows.
As with their first collaboration, My Plain Jane is full of good humor and fantastical storytelling replete with pop culture references.
Dubbed as Jane Eyre meets Ghostbusters, this story provides a wacky and fun retelling of the classic tale with lots of supernatural twists.
I felt strong Scooby-Doo vibes from this and I'm not mad about it. There was something about the gang of characters and the style of the antagonist that really brought me there!
This story follows the perspectives of three main characters: Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre and Alexander Blackwood. Although the characters were fun, I personally didn't become as invested in them as I did with the characters in My Lady Jane.
I sort of felt like I didn't get a chance to know them as well as in the other book.
This may be because the plot was much more action-oriented in this one; at least it seemed that way to me.
A lot of ghosts and activities to follow at Thornfield Hall, London, the Lowood School and everywhere in between!
Although at times it felt a little overdone, overall I think the humorous effect was there and that the varied perspectives of the story wrapped up in a nice, cohesive way.
These authors are so creative. It is amusing to see the twists they put on these classics, portraying them in a whole new light.
Jane Eyre is such a beloved tale, though one I haven't read, that I can see some Readers perhaps being sensitive to it being altered in such a huge way.
To me, it is all in good fun and to pay homage to such a cherished classic only serves to bring renewed energy towards the original source material.
This is actually the second Jane Eyre retelling I have read recently and I can honestly say, I am much closer to reading the original now than ever before.
I had a fun time reading this and felt like it was a great Fall read. I look forward to reading more from these authors in the future.
My Plain Jane is the second novel released by The Lady Janies, made up of author trio, Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows.
As with their first collaboration, My Plain Jane is full of good humor and fantastical storytelling replete with pop culture references.
Dubbed as Jane Eyre meets Ghostbusters, this story provides a wacky and fun retelling of the classic tale with lots of supernatural twists.
I felt strong Scooby-Doo vibes from this and I'm not mad about it. There was something about the gang of characters and the style of the antagonist that really brought me there!
This story follows the perspectives of three main characters: Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre and Alexander Blackwood. Although the characters were fun, I personally didn't become as invested in them as I did with the characters in My Lady Jane.
I sort of felt like I didn't get a chance to know them as well as in the other book.
This may be because the plot was much more action-oriented in this one; at least it seemed that way to me.
A lot of ghosts and activities to follow at Thornfield Hall, London, the Lowood School and everywhere in between!
Although at times it felt a little overdone, overall I think the humorous effect was there and that the varied perspectives of the story wrapped up in a nice, cohesive way.
These authors are so creative. It is amusing to see the twists they put on these classics, portraying them in a whole new light.
Jane Eyre is such a beloved tale, though one I haven't read, that I can see some Readers perhaps being sensitive to it being altered in such a huge way.
To me, it is all in good fun and to pay homage to such a cherished classic only serves to bring renewed energy towards the original source material.
This is actually the second Jane Eyre retelling I have read recently and I can honestly say, I am much closer to reading the original now than ever before.
I had a fun time reading this and felt like it was a great Fall read. I look forward to reading more from these authors in the future.
Read
December 7, 2017Some notes:
1. You don't have to read MY LADY JANE first in order to enjoy this one. The books are connected only by the authors and the first and last words in the titles. And the look of the cover. And the amount of fun we had writing the books. And the amount of chocolate we ate. But other than that, totally different books!
2. You also don't need to have read JANE EYRE to enjoy this book. As with MLJ and knowing Jane Grey's history, we've got you covered in the prologue.
3. That said, I certainly do recommend reading both MLJ and JE! More books! Mooooreeee!
1. You don't have to read MY LADY JANE first in order to enjoy this one. The books are connected only by the authors and the first and last words in the titles. And the look of the cover. And the amount of fun we had writing the books. And the amount of chocolate we ate. But other than that, totally different books!
2. You also don't need to have read JANE EYRE to enjoy this book. As with MLJ and knowing Jane Grey's history, we've got you covered in the prologue.
3. That said, I certainly do recommend reading both MLJ and JE! More books! Mooooreeee!
July 15, 2018
Oh boy, this is going to be awkward.
➸ Disclaimer: I loved My Lady Jane. Every time I think of this marvel of a book a huge grin takes over my face. And, partially, that's the reason I may be too harsh on My Plain Jane (well this and my slow but steady transformation to a judgy old lady that is too difficult to please). I really wanted to love it. I expected to love it. I'm afraid, though, that My Plain Jane was exactly what the title promised. Plain.
➸ Add to the description ghosts, a not-so-secret organization that relocates said ghosts to talismans - and occassionally to the other side - (say hello to the Royal Society for the Relocation of Wayward Spirits), a murder or two, a seriously creepy estate, and that's your story. Oh, let's not forget it's a Jane Eyre retelling. There is your girl, Jane, who is the plainest of them all (in the human world, because the ghosts ask her for skin care tips. Because yes, she can see ghosts, talk to ghosts, even become friends with them). There is also Charlotte Brontë (the Charlotte Brontë), another plain girl, always holding a notebook and her glasses, an aspiring writer that switches genres once or twice (or maybe five times but who cares) and keeps poking her nose in everyone's business. And finally, there is Alexander Blackwood, the star agent of the Royal SRWS (see above) whose mind is constantly occupied by two thoughts: how to best serve the dwindling Society, and avenge his father's death. It all started in a shady pub, featuring a not-so-helpful assistant and a mysterious pocket watch. Then Jane's journey brings her to Thornfield Hall, a charming and welcoming house where piercing screams wake you up in the middle of the night and arsons go unnoticed, and the master is none other than the dark and brooding Mr. Rochester, who may be bipolar but Jane falls for him anyway, because why not, with Alexander following suit because he wants to hire Jane and Charlotte also following suit because meddling is her second nature (maybe first, who knows). And then things escalate quickly. There are possessions, conspiracies, spirits, castles (palaces),pirates and everything your heart desires. Well, maybe not everything.
➸ For starters, I must publically admit that I haven't read Jane Eyre (yes yes shame on me, I can practically hear Septa Unella ringing her bell somewhere), so on the bright side the story was not particularly predictable for me (the only thing I recall from the movie is a very dashing Michael Fassbender and that's all). And, like My Lady Jane, the pop-culture references (The Princess Bride, Pirates of the Caribbean and Harry Potter, to name a few) were highly entertaining. And...that's it. No swooning, no piglike laughter, not the heavy dose of mirth I expected. I did enjoy it, of course, but I missed the spark(and the horse) that marked My Lady Jane as a truly unique, hilarious, adventurous and romantic novel. It felt like I experienced everything through the looking glass, the senses were not heightened, the vision was blurred, the heart didn't falter. And I can attribute it to two main reasons:
➸ The humor fell flat and strained. The authors put too much effort into creating witty retorts that didn't turn out that witty. They were downright silly. Once more, I can't help but compare it to its predecessor: there, the humor felt natural, an integral part of the narration and the dialogues. Here, it was forced, the product of too much thinking instead of instinct. It had its moments, though, and that was its saving grace. Well, that and the supernatural element, because the departed were actually smarter than the living and more fun. Which brings us to the next issue:
➸ Most of the characters were extremely, I-want-to-punch-you-in-the-face-then-strangle-you annoying. Our plain Jane's brain was clouded by misplaced love for a great part of the book, and for the rest she kept refusing to join the Society without good reason. And speaking of reason, this word wasn't in her vocabulary, along with the term "common sense". Everyone, living and dead, pointed out the oddity of Mr. Rochester's behaviour. Did she listen to them? No. Did she melt when he gave her attention and forget all the times he mistreated her? Yes. See? No common sense. She was simply a lovestruck girl that grew a backbone in the last pages. And then there was Charlotte. I hated her. So much. What others called curiosity, I call it gossip. She forced her way into the Society even though she lacked the most basic skill, simply because she wanted it and thought she would be good at it. A little presumptuous, aren't we? She kept intervening in affairs that did not immediately concern her, she was the worst kind of intrusive. And dear Charlotte, I have news for you: we all know that Bran had good intentions when he screwed everything up (even though, to be honest, being this clumsy and prone to mistakes is simply unrealistic); Sam Winchester had also good intentions when he drank demon blood and listened to Ruby, but he ended up starting the freaking Apocalypse. See my point? And finally, Alexander. I had a itty tiny crush on him at first, but eventually I got over it. He was an intriguing character, with so much potential, but he didn't ignite any flames like I hoped. Which brings us to the romance, or the lack thereof.
➸ Well, aside from the oh so icky relationship between Jane and Mr. Rochester (and I'm not talking about the age gap), there was another love story on the making, and I couldn't care less about it. There were no signs of romantic feelings until the very end, and I just couldn't root for these characters to be together. And that made me angry because the premise promised me a sweeping romance (like the Other Jane and G - cue swooning) but this one? I would be more interested in reading about the weather.
➸ The way I see it, the authors deconstructed a classic story, but unfortunately didn't manage to reconstruct something wholesome. Their attempt was creative, and definitely fun, but there were gaps and patches instead of a polished, laugh-out-loud, toe-curling work like the ones I know for a fact they can deliver.
Review also posted on BookNest!
➸ Disclaimer: I loved My Lady Jane. Every time I think of this marvel of a book a huge grin takes over my face. And, partially, that's the reason I may be too harsh on My Plain Jane (well this and my slow but steady transformation to a judgy old lady that is too difficult to please). I really wanted to love it. I expected to love it. I'm afraid, though, that My Plain Jane was exactly what the title promised. Plain.
“Northern England, 1834, and the aforementioned penniless, orphaned girl. And a writer. And a boy with vendetta.
Let's start with the girl.
Her name was Jane.”
➸ Add to the description ghosts, a not-so-secret organization that relocates said ghosts to talismans - and occassionally to the other side - (say hello to the Royal Society for the Relocation of Wayward Spirits), a murder or two, a seriously creepy estate, and that's your story. Oh, let's not forget it's a Jane Eyre retelling. There is your girl, Jane, who is the plainest of them all (in the human world, because the ghosts ask her for skin care tips. Because yes, she can see ghosts, talk to ghosts, even become friends with them). There is also Charlotte Brontë (the Charlotte Brontë), another plain girl, always holding a notebook and her glasses, an aspiring writer that switches genres once or twice (or maybe five times but who cares) and keeps poking her nose in everyone's business. And finally, there is Alexander Blackwood, the star agent of the Royal SRWS (see above) whose mind is constantly occupied by two thoughts: how to best serve the dwindling Society, and avenge his father's death. It all started in a shady pub, featuring a not-so-helpful assistant and a mysterious pocket watch. Then Jane's journey brings her to Thornfield Hall, a charming and welcoming house where piercing screams wake you up in the middle of the night and arsons go unnoticed, and the master is none other than the dark and brooding Mr. Rochester, who may be bipolar but Jane falls for him anyway, because why not, with Alexander following suit because he wants to hire Jane and Charlotte also following suit because meddling is her second nature (maybe first, who knows). And then things escalate quickly. There are possessions, conspiracies, spirits, castles (palaces),
➸ For starters, I must publically admit that I haven't read Jane Eyre (yes yes shame on me, I can practically hear Septa Unella ringing her bell somewhere), so on the bright side the story was not particularly predictable for me (the only thing I recall from the movie is a very dashing Michael Fassbender and that's all). And, like My Lady Jane, the pop-culture references (The Princess Bride, Pirates of the Caribbean and Harry Potter, to name a few) were highly entertaining. And...that's it. No swooning, no piglike laughter, not the heavy dose of mirth I expected. I did enjoy it, of course, but I missed the spark
➸ The humor fell flat and strained. The authors put too much effort into creating witty retorts that didn't turn out that witty. They were downright silly. Once more, I can't help but compare it to its predecessor: there, the humor felt natural, an integral part of the narration and the dialogues. Here, it was forced, the product of too much thinking instead of instinct. It had its moments, though, and that was its saving grace. Well, that and the supernatural element, because the departed were actually smarter than the living and more fun. Which brings us to the next issue:
➸ Most of the characters were extremely, I-want-to-punch-you-in-the-face-then-strangle-you annoying. Our plain Jane's brain was clouded by misplaced love for a great part of the book, and for the rest she kept refusing to join the Society without good reason. And speaking of reason, this word wasn't in her vocabulary, along with the term "common sense". Everyone, living and dead, pointed out the oddity of Mr. Rochester's behaviour. Did she listen to them? No. Did she melt when he gave her attention and forget all the times he mistreated her? Yes. See? No common sense. She was simply a lovestruck girl that grew a backbone in the last pages. And then there was Charlotte. I hated her. So much. What others called curiosity, I call it gossip. She forced her way into the Society even though she lacked the most basic skill, simply because she wanted it and thought she would be good at it. A little presumptuous, aren't we? She kept intervening in affairs that did not immediately concern her, she was the worst kind of intrusive. And dear Charlotte, I have news for you: we all know that Bran had good intentions when he screwed everything up (even though, to be honest, being this clumsy and prone to mistakes is simply unrealistic); Sam Winchester had also good intentions when he drank demon blood and listened to Ruby, but he ended up starting the freaking Apocalypse. See my point? And finally, Alexander. I had a itty tiny crush on him at first, but eventually I got over it. He was an intriguing character, with so much potential, but he didn't ignite any flames like I hoped. Which brings us to the romance, or the lack thereof.
➸ Well, aside from the oh so icky relationship between Jane and Mr. Rochester (and I'm not talking about the age gap), there was another love story on the making, and I couldn't care less about it. There were no signs of romantic feelings until the very end, and I just couldn't root for these characters to be together. And that made me angry because the premise promised me a sweeping romance (like the Other Jane and G - cue swooning) but this one? I would be more interested in reading about the weather.
➸ The way I see it, the authors deconstructed a classic story, but unfortunately didn't manage to reconstruct something wholesome. Their attempt was creative, and definitely fun, but there were gaps and patches instead of a polished, laugh-out-loud, toe-curling work like the ones I know for a fact they can deliver.
Review also posted on BookNest!
June 24, 2019
“She took a shuddering breath. Crying, she told herself sternly, does not indicate that you are weak. Since birth, it has always been a sign that you are alive.”
4.5 bloody amazing stars.
I loved the first book and I loved this one.
“And if you find another suitable position, and leave me, you will pull it out. And I will bleed.”
“What do you mean?” Jane said.
“It sounds rather obvious, and slightly disgusting,” Helen said. “He’ll bleed.”
💫if you like the first book you will love this one! They are very different (is a hole different story and cast of characters) at the same time they are not (is just has good has the first one, almost better).
This book has everything that the first one had:
✨Humor;
✨Amazing characters;
✨Weird but cool things;
✨Funny and awesome writing (I absolutely loved that the authors explains some parts for the reader as if they were actually speaking to us! Is was so good and funny).
But it was also way more darker then the first one! I keep guessing about who was actually the villain of the story and who the has the hero, I was not actually super surprised about who was the bad guy, but DAMN I did not see some parts coming. SO GOOD!
Half of the book I was laughing out loud (really out loud, is very hard for that to happen), the writing was just on point.
The romance between (I feel like it would be sort of a spoiler so not going to mention names, although I fell like you would probably figure it out after 5 chapters in) was so cute, funny, great, loving and AMAZING.
Helen shivered next to Jane. “Perhaps we should return to Charlotte. She probably misses us.”
“Us? Charlotte doesn’t know you exist.”
“Well, if she did, she would surely miss me.”
=> Helen is AMAZING, I love her, one of my favorite characters of this book! She’s so funny, awesome and her friendship with Jane is beautiful.She’s just great.
One of the best lines are hers.That’s all I got to sat about her. But it basically explains everything.
“I came here to see you.” “Why me? I didn’t do anything.” Well, she might have murdered Mr. Brocklehurst, but that was beside the point.”
=> Mr. Blackwood is just MAN GOALS. I LOVE HIM. He’s such a charming character. I could not not love him, he’s clever, funny (every character, well not every character but mostly every characters are FUNNY), shy and I just adore him so much.
”Charlotte had always known Jane to be a kind, thoughtful sort of person. Even when she was committing murder, she was thinking of others”
=> Charlotte IS MY FAVORITE CHARACTER OF THIS BOOK. She’s so badass, smart, determined, funny, realistic, amazing friend and sister, intriguing and captivating character that also has one of the best lines. Just AMAZING.
”Jane fled, pausing only to swipe a pickled egg or two from the floor on her way out, because she had learned never to leave a room with free food without grabbing some.”
=> Jane is such a funny, interesting, lovable character. I just want to hug her. She’s awesome. And I love her.
“Can you keep a secret?”
“Of course.” It was Bran who couldn’t keep a secret to save his life. As evidenced here.”
=> Bran, oh Bran, I’m keeping him and marry him. That’s it. 🖤.
💫Okay, I loved ALMOST every character in this book.
The plot was great, is a very fast paced book, it never had me bored, and I’m so ready for the next one!
THERE ARE SO MANY GOOD QUOTES DAMMT, I WANT TO QUOTE THEM ALL..!!.!.!.!!.!.
“Faster!” Mr. Blackwood said.
“We’re going as fast as we can,” Charlotte said back. “Have you seen the shoes we’re expected to wear?”
The dedication in the start of this book always makes me laugh 😆!!
*Thank you to Edelweiss for a copy of this book in exchange of a honest review (the quotes were taken from a ARC, so they are subject to change in the final copy).*
Shelved as 'wishlist'
December 30, 2017I'VE BEEN WAITING TO USE THIS MEME IN CONTEXT FOR YEARS
...Wat? Tell me I'm not the only one who hoards weird memes and gifs and waits for proper context...
...Wat? Tell me I'm not the only one who hoards weird memes and gifs and waits for proper context...
December 28, 2021
I don't like Jane Eyre.
No. Really. I just dislike everything about the story.
So, my first thought was that maybe a retelling would make me like these characters better.
BUT.
I got bored when I tried to read the ebook. I think it may have had less to do with the writing and more to do with my dislike of the original characters, though.
So I tried the audio version.
Much better. <--Fiona Hardingham did a fantastic job as the narrator!
So this is an alternate reality where ghosts exist and there is a society that works in the open to relocate angry/annoying spirits.
You should know they're not big on hiring women (<--because we're prone to hysteria. duh.), but exceptions can be made. You know, when they have no choice.
And in the case of Jane, they have no choice. <--she's super special, but I won't spoil the why/how for you.
The gist is that Jane Eyre can see ghosts & Charlotte Brontë is one of her best friends. Charolette wants to become a member of this ghostbusting society, but her induction is contingent on Jane joining as well. <--due to the no women sentiment.
However, plot things happen, Jane meets & falls in love with Rochester, then wants to stay on as a governess, yadda, yadda, yadda.
Spoilery adventure stuff happens. The End.
Ok, if you adore Jane Eyre, you may feel that this tongue in cheek look at the romance between Jane and Rochester sucks the joy out of your day.
Because here's the thing: this book destroys it.
Rochester is old (or too old for Jane), assy, lies a lot, and doesn't particularly treat Jane well. <--which is exactly why I didn't enjoy the romance between them in the original book. I thought the dude was a dick. And I thought Jane was a doormat that I in no way wanted to emulate.
I get it. Times were different.
And if you loved the book, I'm not at all saying you have bad taste. I just didn't personally like it.
At any rate, I was nodding along with the narrative in My Plain Jane. Because I also mocked Jane in my head for falling for such a douchebag. And I loved that it was the ghost of Helen (the little friend of Jane's who died at the school) who kept interjecting common sense statements about how unswoonworthy Rochester was due to the rather large age gap and his overall dickish attitude.
I mean, he lied about a crazy wife in the attic. <--who does that?!
Liars and dicks, that's who.
And as far as the plot went besides eviscerating one of my least favorite couples?
It's a goofy-fun paranormal mystery.
Charlotte was the real main character, and she was quite likable. <-- and I thought the side romance between her and Alexander was cute. Some folks might find some of the stuff over the top silly, but for the most part, I thought it was an entertaining enough story.
Still. Most of what I liked was the fact that the authors called out Rochester for being a creeper.
So.
Reader, this story may not be for everyone.
No. Really. I just dislike everything about the story.
So, my first thought was that maybe a retelling would make me like these characters better.
BUT.
I got bored when I tried to read the ebook. I think it may have had less to do with the writing and more to do with my dislike of the original characters, though.
So I tried the audio version.
Much better. <--Fiona Hardingham did a fantastic job as the narrator!
So this is an alternate reality where ghosts exist and there is a society that works in the open to relocate angry/annoying spirits.
You should know they're not big on hiring women (<--because we're prone to hysteria. duh.), but exceptions can be made. You know, when they have no choice.
And in the case of Jane, they have no choice. <--she's super special, but I won't spoil the why/how for you.
The gist is that Jane Eyre can see ghosts & Charlotte Brontë is one of her best friends. Charolette wants to become a member of this ghostbusting society, but her induction is contingent on Jane joining as well. <--due to the no women sentiment.
However, plot things happen, Jane meets & falls in love with Rochester, then wants to stay on as a governess, yadda, yadda, yadda.
Spoilery adventure stuff happens. The End.
Ok, if you adore Jane Eyre, you may feel that this tongue in cheek look at the romance between Jane and Rochester sucks the joy out of your day.
Because here's the thing: this book destroys it.
Rochester is old (or too old for Jane), assy, lies a lot, and doesn't particularly treat Jane well. <--which is exactly why I didn't enjoy the romance between them in the original book. I thought the dude was a dick. And I thought Jane was a doormat that I in no way wanted to emulate.
I get it. Times were different.
And if you loved the book, I'm not at all saying you have bad taste. I just didn't personally like it.
At any rate, I was nodding along with the narrative in My Plain Jane. Because I also mocked Jane in my head for falling for such a douchebag. And I loved that it was the ghost of Helen (the little friend of Jane's who died at the school) who kept interjecting common sense statements about how unswoonworthy Rochester was due to the rather large age gap and his overall dickish attitude.
I mean, he lied about a crazy wife in the attic. <--who does that?!
Liars and dicks, that's who.
And as far as the plot went besides eviscerating one of my least favorite couples?
It's a goofy-fun paranormal mystery.
Charlotte was the real main character, and she was quite likable. <-- and I thought the side romance between her and Alexander was cute. Some folks might find some of the stuff over the top silly, but for the most part, I thought it was an entertaining enough story.
Still. Most of what I liked was the fact that the authors called out Rochester for being a creeper.
So.
Reader, this story may not be for everyone.
November 8, 2019
Few things: I got behind on my reading schedule due to a family thing and some unplanned buddy reads. I am LIVING FOR THIS BOOK, but it is taking me a while due to reading a little more than six books at a time and some with other people. So, therefore, know that I am so sad that it is taking me so long to read this book but also really happy I get to read it at a slower pace and stretch it out and enjoy it more. I am really getting My Lady Jane vibes with the humor and the paranormal part of ii and I couldn't be any happier I SWEAR TO YOU.
- - -
A hundred pages in and it’s surpassing everything I ever dreamed it would be and also can I have a ghost best friend?
- - -
Thank you HarperTeen/HarperCollins for sending me a physical Advanced Reading Copy of this marvelous and stunning book and giving me my soul back because I'm pretty sure I lost in the pages of My Lady Jane the first time I read it. I read it a few times after that and seemed to have misplaced it.... It probably went on vacation with my voice box because I completely lost my voice from laughing so hard.
I seriously cried when this came in the mail. I am really excited to dive into this! Everything else is ON HOLD until I finish this book!
- - -
COVER ALERT I AM SO EXCITED AHHH!!!!!
- - -
UHHHH WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN AND WHY AM I WAITING UNTIL 2018?! I NEED THIS PRONTO!
- - -
A hundred pages in and it’s surpassing everything I ever dreamed it would be and also can I have a ghost best friend?
- - -
Thank you HarperTeen/HarperCollins for sending me a physical Advanced Reading Copy of this marvelous and stunning book and giving me my soul back because I'm pretty sure I lost in the pages of My Lady Jane the first time I read it. I read it a few times after that and seemed to have misplaced it.... It probably went on vacation with my voice box because I completely lost my voice from laughing so hard.
I seriously cried when this came in the mail. I am really excited to dive into this! Everything else is ON HOLD until I finish this book!
- - -
COVER ALERT I AM SO EXCITED AHHH!!!!!
- - -
UHHHH WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN AND WHY AM I WAITING UNTIL 2018?! I NEED THIS PRONTO!
July 7, 2018
For this and more of my reviews, as well as my friend Petrik's reviews, check out my new blog, Novel Notions.
I loved this book so much.
Seriously. So. MUCH.
There aren’t enough comedic novels out there that don’t edge irritatingly into silly. This book, and the preceding book, are two of the funniest things I’ve ever read. They don’t take themselves too seriously, but the humor doesn’t overwhelm the plot. Both have made me laugh out loud with their pop culture references and plethora of awkward moments. I hope the authors write one of these on every famous Jane from history and literary, and that they move on to another first name from there. Maybe Elizabeth or Lucy or Alice or something. I wish that, some day, there would be dozens of these books, just lining book shelves and waiting to brighten someone’s day.
This particular book was a combination of two things I adore: My Lady Jane, which I found so darn funny; and Jane Eyre, which is one of my favorite classics and is considered one of the most romantic books ever written. My expectations for this book were sky high, and they were met. Jane Eyre meets Ghostbusters? YES PLEASE. I love that the authors took a well known story, kept it recognizable, but totally spun it on its head.
My favorite aspect of this book, besides the humor element I’ve already mentioned, is the inclusion of a new character. Charlotte Brontë became a character in the story that made her famous, and I loved that so much. Her character is an absolute treasure, and I would pay good money for some more side stories about her adventures. I know Jane is supposed to be the main character, but in my opinion Charlotte was by and far the star of the show. She was a strong, smart, independent young woman in a time when such characteristics were discouraged, but she found a way to remain above social reproach in every situation she faced. Story and the written word were of utmost importance to here, which I obviously really related to. I loved seeing her develop her most famous story from the life of her friend. It was an adorable idea. I also loved how Charlotte inserted herself into situations whether she was invited or not, and how she always proved herself to be invaluable. She’s no damsel.
The inclusion of a supernatural element has been a fun addition to both books in this series. In My Lady Jane, this inclusion was the alteration of the historical conflict between the Anglican Church and the Roman Catholic holdouts into a conflict between those with a magical animal form and those without. In My Plain Jane, this was the addition of ghosts and a society of ghost hunters into the story. I thought this addition made perfect sense with the text it was inspired by, as certain happenings at Thornfield Hall are kind of attributed to the supernatural until the big reveal further into the story. In this riff on the famous novel, the authors created the Society for the Relocation of Wayward Spirits. Those who have died momentarily before coming back to life come back with the ability to see ghosts, and some of those become agents for the Society. Jane sees dead people, and has an irresistible beauty to the deceased. The Society wants her desperately, but Jane wants nothing to do with them. Hijinks and hilarity ensue as the Society tries to recruit her and she tries her best to avoid them.
I loved the romantic element in this book. And no, I’m not talking about Jane and Mr. Rochester. I won’t say more than that, but I thought the growth of the romance was organic and sweet and believable. Also, did I mention the references? I love the references to pop culture so much. The Princess Bride! Ghostbusters! But mostly, the Princess Bride! That’s one of my favorite movies of all time, and I love the book as well. So any time there are Princess Bride references, I’m super happy. And there were many here. So happy!!!
I enjoyed every minute of reading this book, and I can’t wait for the next installment. Well, I guess I have to wait, since it doesn’t come out until 2020. But one of my favorite things about books in this series is that they all stand alone, and have nothing to do with each other except their authors and the inclusion of “Jane” in the title. That makes the wait more bearable.
I can’t recommend this book or My Lady Jane enough. If you’re looking for something lighthearted and funny, with an addictive plot and fantastic characterizations, look no further. These will be your new go-to books when you need a laugh or a pick me up. Trust me.
I loved this book so much.
Seriously. So. MUCH.
There aren’t enough comedic novels out there that don’t edge irritatingly into silly. This book, and the preceding book, are two of the funniest things I’ve ever read. They don’t take themselves too seriously, but the humor doesn’t overwhelm the plot. Both have made me laugh out loud with their pop culture references and plethora of awkward moments. I hope the authors write one of these on every famous Jane from history and literary, and that they move on to another first name from there. Maybe Elizabeth or Lucy or Alice or something. I wish that, some day, there would be dozens of these books, just lining book shelves and waiting to brighten someone’s day.
This particular book was a combination of two things I adore: My Lady Jane, which I found so darn funny; and Jane Eyre, which is one of my favorite classics and is considered one of the most romantic books ever written. My expectations for this book were sky high, and they were met. Jane Eyre meets Ghostbusters? YES PLEASE. I love that the authors took a well known story, kept it recognizable, but totally spun it on its head.
My favorite aspect of this book, besides the humor element I’ve already mentioned, is the inclusion of a new character. Charlotte Brontë became a character in the story that made her famous, and I loved that so much. Her character is an absolute treasure, and I would pay good money for some more side stories about her adventures. I know Jane is supposed to be the main character, but in my opinion Charlotte was by and far the star of the show. She was a strong, smart, independent young woman in a time when such characteristics were discouraged, but she found a way to remain above social reproach in every situation she faced. Story and the written word were of utmost importance to here, which I obviously really related to. I loved seeing her develop her most famous story from the life of her friend. It was an adorable idea. I also loved how Charlotte inserted herself into situations whether she was invited or not, and how she always proved herself to be invaluable. She’s no damsel.
The inclusion of a supernatural element has been a fun addition to both books in this series. In My Lady Jane, this inclusion was the alteration of the historical conflict between the Anglican Church and the Roman Catholic holdouts into a conflict between those with a magical animal form and those without. In My Plain Jane, this was the addition of ghosts and a society of ghost hunters into the story. I thought this addition made perfect sense with the text it was inspired by, as certain happenings at Thornfield Hall are kind of attributed to the supernatural until the big reveal further into the story. In this riff on the famous novel, the authors created the Society for the Relocation of Wayward Spirits. Those who have died momentarily before coming back to life come back with the ability to see ghosts, and some of those become agents for the Society. Jane sees dead people, and has an irresistible beauty to the deceased. The Society wants her desperately, but Jane wants nothing to do with them. Hijinks and hilarity ensue as the Society tries to recruit her and she tries her best to avoid them.
I loved the romantic element in this book. And no, I’m not talking about Jane and Mr. Rochester. I won’t say more than that, but I thought the growth of the romance was organic and sweet and believable. Also, did I mention the references? I love the references to pop culture so much. The Princess Bride! Ghostbusters! But mostly, the Princess Bride! That’s one of my favorite movies of all time, and I love the book as well. So any time there are Princess Bride references, I’m super happy. And there were many here. So happy!!!
I enjoyed every minute of reading this book, and I can’t wait for the next installment. Well, I guess I have to wait, since it doesn’t come out until 2020. But one of my favorite things about books in this series is that they all stand alone, and have nothing to do with each other except their authors and the inclusion of “Jane” in the title. That makes the wait more bearable.
I can’t recommend this book or My Lady Jane enough. If you’re looking for something lighthearted and funny, with an addictive plot and fantastic characterizations, look no further. These will be your new go-to books when you need a laugh or a pick me up. Trust me.
July 3, 2019
1.) My Lady Jane ★★★★
2.) My Plain Jane ★★★★.5
--------------------------------------------------
MY JANE EYRE LOVING HEART IS SINGING
2.) My Plain Jane ★★★★.5
--------------------------------------------------
MY JANE EYRE LOVING HEART IS SINGING
June 17, 2019
“This brings us to the real start of our story: northern England, 1834, and the aforementioned penniless, orphaned girl. And a writer. And a boy with a vendetta.
Let’s start with the girl.
Her name was Jane.”
I'm currently doing an MPhil in English Literature and Jane Eyre is one of the books I'm examining. What this means is I know every freaking inch of the novel. I know what scholars have said, I know the dirty racist and imperialist undertones, I know critical interpretations of barely there minor characters like Rosaline or Grace Poole.
Reader, it could've gone very well or very badly. Unfortunately my experience inclines towards the latter.
It's too silly. My Plain Jane follows the same vein as its predecessor, so it's filled with absurd humor and wink-wink modern pop culture references. Whereas it mostly worked for My Lady Jane, I'm too involved with the original text to accept such liberties.
I did like that Female friendship also takes a front seat, in contrast to the original novel. You can bang on about Jane's childhood BFF Helen all you want, but you can't deny Bronte's debut is vicious against other women. Helen dies, by the way, and her death is used to further Jane's character development. But in My Plain Jane, the relationships are much more equal. Both Jane and Charlotte have their own storyline, complementing instead of overshining the other. Romance plays a relatively big part, though it’s rather typical and not as memorable as the platonic bonds.
One thing I absolutely have to bring up (and I suspect this will annoy a total of absolutely no one except me) is how often they bring up Mr. Darcy from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.
“Helen knew exactly what to say. 'Never in any Jane Austen novel did the love interest pretend to be a fortune teller,' Helen said. 'Why would someone do that? Jane, you must confront him.
Jane was having a difficult time ignoring her friend. Surely they couldn't expect any real person to compete with Mr. Darcy.”
Charlotte Bronte loathed Austen. That’s cold hard fact. And it's very unlikely they would've had the opportunity to read Austen's works in the first place. Yes, Jane Eyre was a bookworm in the original novel. But Austen was published in the 1830s. Jane Eyre was published in 1847. Books were really expensive in the Victorian era. I can’t remember the exact sum but the average working-class man would have to save up at least several months of his wages to buy one novel. It was one of the ways the elites controlled the class system. Usually the public got their books from the library. I doubt the Reeds bought new books. Given that Bronte and Eyre are orphans, I doubt anyone bought them to the library to learn about Mr. Darcy. The real Bronte didn’t read Austen until her first novel was published.
I know this is a book about ghosts and spook-hunting and I have no grounds to complain about the historical accuracy of ancient author drama, but it goes back to my first point: I know too much about Victorian literature to suspend my disbelief.
Casual fans will adore this light-hearted retelling. Readers who adored My Lady Jane will rejoice. Sadly it wasn't for me.
ARC provided by Edelweiss
My review of My Lady Jane
July 9, 2018
This was so much fun! I didn’t like it quite as much as I expected to, but it was still such an enjoyable read and I am v happy to have read it! Also the HP reference slayed me
Want to read
August 8, 2016Yesssssssssssss. *hisses enthusiastically*
A favorite classic, a favorite heroine, and a favorite YA author in Cynthia Hand. I'm going to aggressively hug this book when I get my hands on it.
A favorite classic, a favorite heroine, and a favorite YA author in Cynthia Hand. I'm going to aggressively hug this book when I get my hands on it.
Want to read
February 16, 2018 HEY YOU
YEAH YOU
whoever is reading this review is automatically required to buy me this book. If you don't do this then you will have 63 years of bad luck.
For shipping details, feel free to contact me 😊😊😊
YEAH YOU
whoever is reading this review is automatically required to buy me this book. If you don't do this then you will have 63 years of bad luck.
For shipping details, feel free to contact me 😊😊😊
April 23, 2020
2.75 stars!!!
ARC generously provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Harpercollins!
Arc #3
I read My Lady Jane back in January and I absolutely loved it. I gave that book a 4.75 rating. I fell in love with the story and characters, but this book really gave me a hard time. I considered giving this book 2 stars but something (or should I say someone) stopped me.
First of, I'm going to pinpoint the things I liked about this book.
• The freaking cover! It’s catchy and adorable people. The girl in the cover is so pretty.
• This book still contains humor that I consider as an essential to make a book awesome.
• I love that the authors made it a point that this book contains a paranormal vibe on it. The fact that there are ghosts in this book just made everything a little better.
• Lastly, the two characters that I shipped so hard. They were so cute and awkward and just perfect with each other. Okay, they were the main reason why I still found this book exciting and fun. I always mention in my reviews that I’m a sucker for romantic pairings. And this book had one! Ughhh! They are so cute!
Now I'm going to point out the things I don't like about this book.
• The plot seems ordinary, I didn't feel any excitement when I read this book. I still felt bored even if the book contains some humor.
• It lacks the element of surprise. I figured out who the villain was when the character was introduced in the book.
• I didn't feel connected to the characters. I didn't hate them but I also didn't love them. They were just ordinary characters from me.
• It was too plain for me, it failed to hook and intrigue me, which was really disappointing because I was obsessed with the first book.
• Lastly, I didn't like Jane. She seriously annoyed the hell out of me! I found her actions to be kind of selfish, stupidic and irrational. I wasn't a fan of how she handled the problematic situations they encountered. She's my least favorite character in this book. To be honest, she is so not my favorite Jane.
All in all, what I felt after reading this book is disappointment. It failed to contain its magic that got me so obsessed and gripped with the first book, though it wasn't so bad that I still managed to finish the book.
ARC generously provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Harpercollins!
Arc #3
I read My Lady Jane back in January and I absolutely loved it. I gave that book a 4.75 rating. I fell in love with the story and characters, but this book really gave me a hard time. I considered giving this book 2 stars but something (or should I say someone) stopped me.
First of, I'm going to pinpoint the things I liked about this book.
• The freaking cover! It’s catchy and adorable people. The girl in the cover is so pretty.
• This book still contains humor that I consider as an essential to make a book awesome.
• I love that the authors made it a point that this book contains a paranormal vibe on it. The fact that there are ghosts in this book just made everything a little better.
• Lastly, the two characters that I shipped so hard. They were so cute and awkward and just perfect with each other. Okay, they were the main reason why I still found this book exciting and fun. I always mention in my reviews that I’m a sucker for romantic pairings. And this book had one! Ughhh! They are so cute!
Now I'm going to point out the things I don't like about this book.
• The plot seems ordinary, I didn't feel any excitement when I read this book. I still felt bored even if the book contains some humor.
• It lacks the element of surprise. I figured out who the villain was when the character was introduced in the book.
• I didn't feel connected to the characters. I didn't hate them but I also didn't love them. They were just ordinary characters from me.
• It was too plain for me, it failed to hook and intrigue me, which was really disappointing because I was obsessed with the first book.
• Lastly, I didn't like Jane. She seriously annoyed the hell out of me! I found her actions to be kind of selfish, stupidic and irrational. I wasn't a fan of how she handled the problematic situations they encountered. She's my least favorite character in this book. To be honest, she is so not my favorite Jane.
All in all, what I felt after reading this book is disappointment. It failed to contain its magic that got me so obsessed and gripped with the first book, though it wasn't so bad that I still managed to finish the book.
April 11, 2022
I liked it 😉 Ghosts and stuff.
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Want to read
August 18, 2018i should probably not expose myself like this but.... I had an ARC and forgot all about it, and still haven't read the book.
and then I ask myself why my edelweiss requests are never accepted lmaoooooo
and then I ask myself why my edelweiss requests are never accepted lmaoooooo
October 20, 2018
4.5 ⭐️
Aahh yes! This book was yet again soo much fun to read! I cant wait for My Calamity Jane 😍
Aahh yes! This book was yet again soo much fun to read! I cant wait for My Calamity Jane 😍
March 8, 2019
DNF 54% | 08/03/19 | 1.5 stars
So here we are. I am dnfing one of my most anticipated books.
I wanted to keep going and force myself but I realized it's not really worth it anymore. I am more than halfway through and nothing has happened yet. I can describe the plot so far in one sentence: Alexander Blackwood, part of the WSR society, keeps trying to recruit Jane Eyre because she sees ghosts, but she doesn't want to work for them. That's it.
I'm still extremely excited about My Calamity Jane, I feel like it's going to be similar to My Lady Jane since it's about history and not literature. We'll see.
******
For everyone who’s ever fallen for the wrong person, even though we agree that Mr. Darcy looks good on paper... and in a wet shirt.
So here we are. I am dnfing one of my most anticipated books.
I wanted to keep going and force myself but I realized it's not really worth it anymore. I am more than halfway through and nothing has happened yet. I can describe the plot so far in one sentence: Alexander Blackwood, part of the WSR society, keeps trying to recruit Jane Eyre because she sees ghosts, but she doesn't want to work for them. That's it.
I'm still extremely excited about My Calamity Jane, I feel like it's going to be similar to My Lady Jane since it's about history and not literature. We'll see.
******
For everyone who’s ever fallen for the wrong person, even though we agree that Mr. Darcy looks good on paper... and in a wet shirt.
January 22, 2019
4 stars!
“Never in any Jane Austen novel did the love interest pretend to be a fortune-teller," Helen said, "Why would someone do that?”
^^Just kidding. But in this book she can see ghosts.
I really enjoyed this book, it's a fanciful retelling of Jane Eyre that is so aware of itself and also pokes fun at itself. In My Plain Jane, there are people who can see ghosts and Jane Eyre is one of them. Growing up starving at Lowood school, Jane jumps at the chance to be a governess in a new position. But there is a society of ghost hunters who wish to recruit her and well, it's all shenanigans from there.
I love the tone and humor in this book. I found myself laughing out loud way too many times. I do think if you know nothing about Jane Eyre, at least watch one of the many movie adaptations to catch up because then you can follow along with where the authors changed things.
I highly recommend if you need a good laugh. I hope these authors write more together.
Follow me on ♥ Facebook ♥ Blog ♥ Instagram ♥ Twitter ♥
“Never in any Jane Austen novel did the love interest pretend to be a fortune-teller," Helen said, "Why would someone do that?”
^^Just kidding. But in this book she can see ghosts.
I really enjoyed this book, it's a fanciful retelling of Jane Eyre that is so aware of itself and also pokes fun at itself. In My Plain Jane, there are people who can see ghosts and Jane Eyre is one of them. Growing up starving at Lowood school, Jane jumps at the chance to be a governess in a new position. But there is a society of ghost hunters who wish to recruit her and well, it's all shenanigans from there.
I love the tone and humor in this book. I found myself laughing out loud way too many times. I do think if you know nothing about Jane Eyre, at least watch one of the many movie adaptations to catch up because then you can follow along with where the authors changed things.
I highly recommend if you need a good laugh. I hope these authors write more together.
Follow me on ♥ Facebook ♥ Blog ♥ Instagram ♥ Twitter ♥
December 29, 2018
2.5
“This brings us to the real start of our story: northern England, 1834, and the aforementioned penniless, orphaned girl. And a writer. And a boy with a vendetta.
Let’s start with the girl.
Her name was Jane.”
...
Reader, I wanted to love this book. It was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, and I absolutely loved My Lady Jane, and Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books, so I had no doubt I'd love this.
Sadly, I was mistaken.
One of my favorite things about the Lady Janies' previous book was how fun it was. I laughed like a crazy person, and was delighted by the characters and the adorable romance. I know its unfair to compare My Plain Jane to its predecessor, but I couldn't ignore how bland this book was in comparison.
Like I said before, Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books, and it's a classic tale for a reason. I'm open to reinterpretations of famous stories like this, but the purpose of retellings are to add something to the existing story. This book didn't do that. If anything, My Plain Jane wasn't a proper representation of what Jane Eyre really is.
For starters: Jane is not boy crazy. I don't mean to be a hardass, but that's not who she is. Jane doesn't want a man to take her away from her troubles; she desires freedom, choice, and acceptance, something she was denied all her life because she was "poor and plain" (and a girl). The fact that our Jane in this book mooned after boys made me roll my eyes.
A surprising addition to Jane's story that I actually enjoyed was the character of Charlotte Bronte. Her and Alexander Blackwood, an eccentric ghost hunter, were the bright spots of this book. In fact, the ghost hunting portions of this story were really entertaining. It went really well with the gothic setting, and added some much needed charm to the story.
I also liked what the Lady Janies did with Bertha's character. Bertha Mason, Rochester's "crazy" wife he locked away in his attic, is certainly a questionable product of the Victorian era's misunderstanding of mental illness (especially toward women). So I was happy to see her character given more agency in this story. It was refreshing.
But you know what wasn't refreshing? Mr. Rochester's character. Dear Lord, who thought it was a good idea to make him...so not Rochester? This is my angry 18 year old self coming forth, but I don't care. I did not appreciate his role as a creepy antagonist in this story. I CAN'T. I LOVE JANE AND ROCHESTER SO MUCH.
I was surprised about how much I liked Charlotte and Alexander together. They were super cute, and I really connected with their arcs. It was a shame, however, that I didn't care about Jane, or Rochester, or anything connecting with the original classic.
This book was just...dull. Enjoyable at times, but dull. Nothing of importance happened until about halfway through the story, and even though I read this book really quickly, the pacing felt off. I didn't appreciate how Jane treated Charlotte a good majority of the time, either. Jane acted selfishly in this book, which was completely out of character for her. The plot points were predictable, and even though I appreciated the ending, I'm just...so disappointed by this book.
*sighs*
I think I'm just going to reread My Lady Jane and call it a day.
“This brings us to the real start of our story: northern England, 1834, and the aforementioned penniless, orphaned girl. And a writer. And a boy with a vendetta.
Let’s start with the girl.
Her name was Jane.”
...
Reader, I wanted to love this book. It was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, and I absolutely loved My Lady Jane, and Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books, so I had no doubt I'd love this.
Sadly, I was mistaken.
One of my favorite things about the Lady Janies' previous book was how fun it was. I laughed like a crazy person, and was delighted by the characters and the adorable romance. I know its unfair to compare My Plain Jane to its predecessor, but I couldn't ignore how bland this book was in comparison.
Like I said before, Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books, and it's a classic tale for a reason. I'm open to reinterpretations of famous stories like this, but the purpose of retellings are to add something to the existing story. This book didn't do that. If anything, My Plain Jane wasn't a proper representation of what Jane Eyre really is.
For starters: Jane is not boy crazy. I don't mean to be a hardass, but that's not who she is. Jane doesn't want a man to take her away from her troubles; she desires freedom, choice, and acceptance, something she was denied all her life because she was "poor and plain" (and a girl). The fact that our Jane in this book mooned after boys made me roll my eyes.
A surprising addition to Jane's story that I actually enjoyed was the character of Charlotte Bronte. Her and Alexander Blackwood, an eccentric ghost hunter, were the bright spots of this book. In fact, the ghost hunting portions of this story were really entertaining. It went really well with the gothic setting, and added some much needed charm to the story.
I also liked what the Lady Janies did with Bertha's character. Bertha Mason, Rochester's "crazy" wife he locked away in his attic, is certainly a questionable product of the Victorian era's misunderstanding of mental illness (especially toward women). So I was happy to see her character given more agency in this story. It was refreshing.
But you know what wasn't refreshing? Mr. Rochester's character. Dear Lord, who thought it was a good idea to make him...so not Rochester? This is my angry 18 year old self coming forth, but I don't care. I did not appreciate his role as a creepy antagonist in this story. I CAN'T. I LOVE JANE AND ROCHESTER SO MUCH.
I was surprised about how much I liked Charlotte and Alexander together. They were super cute, and I really connected with their arcs. It was a shame, however, that I didn't care about Jane, or Rochester, or anything connecting with the original classic.
This book was just...dull. Enjoyable at times, but dull. Nothing of importance happened until about halfway through the story, and even though I read this book really quickly, the pacing felt off. I didn't appreciate how Jane treated Charlotte a good majority of the time, either. Jane acted selfishly in this book, which was completely out of character for her. The plot points were predictable, and even though I appreciated the ending, I'm just...so disappointed by this book.
*sighs*
I think I'm just going to reread My Lady Jane and call it a day.
September 16, 2018
I received an ARC of this book for free as part of BookSparks’ YA Summer Reading Challenge.
I give this book 3.5 stars which rounds up to 4.
I was so excited to read this book, but it ended up being not quite what I was expecting. I love Jane Eyre (it’s one of my favorite classics) and I expected a fun retelling. I kind of got that, but at the same time kind of didn’t.
Also I just want to throw it out there that I have never read My Lady Jane, so I can’t say how it compares to that book.
I enjoyed the Jane Eyre aspects of the book a lot. I loved seeing the new takes on classic Jane Eyre scenes and characters. Those were a lot of fun.
I also loved the commentary and the little pop culture references, especially the Mary Poppins nanny one in the beginning.
However, I wasn’t a huge fan of the ghost hunting storyline. It was a bit much and overtook most of the story. It could have been cut down.
The beginning was also a bit slow. It took a while for the story to really get going.
As for the characters, I liked having both Jane and Charlotte’s perspectives. But I really didn’t care much for Alexander. I was never that excited to read his parts.
Overall, I wanted less ghostbusters and more epic gothic romance.
I give this book 3.5 stars which rounds up to 4.
I was so excited to read this book, but it ended up being not quite what I was expecting. I love Jane Eyre (it’s one of my favorite classics) and I expected a fun retelling. I kind of got that, but at the same time kind of didn’t.
Also I just want to throw it out there that I have never read My Lady Jane, so I can’t say how it compares to that book.
I enjoyed the Jane Eyre aspects of the book a lot. I loved seeing the new takes on classic Jane Eyre scenes and characters. Those were a lot of fun.
I also loved the commentary and the little pop culture references, especially the Mary Poppins nanny one in the beginning.
However, I wasn’t a huge fan of the ghost hunting storyline. It was a bit much and overtook most of the story. It could have been cut down.
The beginning was also a bit slow. It took a while for the story to really get going.
As for the characters, I liked having both Jane and Charlotte’s perspectives. But I really didn’t care much for Alexander. I was never that excited to read his parts.
Overall, I wanted less ghostbusters and more epic gothic romance.
October 15, 2020
”Words were good. But sometimes they were simply inadequate”.
[3,5]
¡No saben lo que se pierden si no están leyendo estos libros de My Lady Janies! ¡Son tan graciosos y espectaculares! De verdad, hay poquísimos libros que yo recuerde que me hayan hecho reír en voz alta, pero My Lady Jane y My Plain Jane lo han logrado.
En este caso nos encontramos con un retelling de Jane Eyre. Ahora, ¿tienes que haber leído el clásico para disfrutar este? Lo dudo. Yo no he leído Jane Eyre y, aun así, esta me pareció una historia increíble, ingeniosa y única.
Todo empieza muy normal, Jane Eyre llega a Thornfield Hall para convertirse en institutriz y, eventualmente, se enamora de un hombre muchísimo mayor que ella y con algunos problemas de carácter: Mr. Rochester. ¿Pero qué pasa cuando la historia de esa chica se cruza con fantasmas, conspiraciones y nada más y nada menos que Charlotte Brontë en carne y hueso? Pues que cosas muy raras empiezan a suceder, ¡incluyendo posesiones!
Creo que los libros de esta serie no son para tomárselos en serio, sino para ir con la corriente, reírse un montón, disfrutar de las locuras que les pasan a los personajes y, sobre todo, descubrir un estilo de narración sin pretensiones y con una frescura absoluta. En serio, me encantó ver cómo una sociedad de cazadores de fantasmas de Londres termina involucrada con las vidas de Jane Eyre, las Brontë e incluso el mismísimo rey de Inglaterra.
Lo único malo es que siento que, en algunos puntos, la trama se aceleraba muchísimo y me perdía un poco con respecto a los sospechosos, a quienes estaban tramando algo extraño y a los personajes principales. Pero más allá de eso, es un libro genial y con dosis perfectas de elementos paranormales y romance de época.
[3,5]
¡No saben lo que se pierden si no están leyendo estos libros de My Lady Janies! ¡Son tan graciosos y espectaculares! De verdad, hay poquísimos libros que yo recuerde que me hayan hecho reír en voz alta, pero My Lady Jane y My Plain Jane lo han logrado.
En este caso nos encontramos con un retelling de Jane Eyre. Ahora, ¿tienes que haber leído el clásico para disfrutar este? Lo dudo. Yo no he leído Jane Eyre y, aun así, esta me pareció una historia increíble, ingeniosa y única.
Todo empieza muy normal, Jane Eyre llega a Thornfield Hall para convertirse en institutriz y, eventualmente, se enamora de un hombre muchísimo mayor que ella y con algunos problemas de carácter: Mr. Rochester. ¿Pero qué pasa cuando la historia de esa chica se cruza con fantasmas, conspiraciones y nada más y nada menos que Charlotte Brontë en carne y hueso? Pues que cosas muy raras empiezan a suceder, ¡incluyendo posesiones!
Creo que los libros de esta serie no son para tomárselos en serio, sino para ir con la corriente, reírse un montón, disfrutar de las locuras que les pasan a los personajes y, sobre todo, descubrir un estilo de narración sin pretensiones y con una frescura absoluta. En serio, me encantó ver cómo una sociedad de cazadores de fantasmas de Londres termina involucrada con las vidas de Jane Eyre, las Brontë e incluso el mismísimo rey de Inglaterra.
Lo único malo es que siento que, en algunos puntos, la trama se aceleraba muchísimo y me perdía un poco con respecto a los sospechosos, a quienes estaban tramando algo extraño y a los personajes principales. Pero más allá de eso, es un libro genial y con dosis perfectas de elementos paranormales y romance de época.
July 22, 2018
I think I liked this one more than My Lady Jane which I didn't think was possible. But it is. This book was perfection. I wouldn't change a single thing about it, and I want to read it again already, despite finishing it two minutes ago. Do I have a problem? Yes. That problem is that this book ended.
July 31, 2018
ayyyy book #1 done for the booktubeathon ✔️
this was really FUN and ridiculous and slightly silly. i preferred my lady jane over this one but nonetheless a great read.
this was really FUN and ridiculous and slightly silly. i preferred my lady jane over this one but nonetheless a great read.
July 17, 2018
I loved the mystery/paranormal aspects of the story and of course the Jane Eyre references!
January 14, 2019
Really enjoyed reading Charlotte's POV.
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