Jane Goes North

by Joe R. Lansdale

From Edgar Award winner Joe R. Lansdale comes a laugh out loud road novel full of outrageous wit, driven by the power of storytelling as only Lansdale can offer.

Jobless, broke, and stuck in East Texas without wheels, Jane is desperate to attend her younger sister’s wedding in Boston out of spite. She answers a ride share ad placed by a body building, cookie baking woman named Henrietta (Henry), with a literal wandering eye and a penchant for violence. Henry needs someone to drive her northeast where she claims there’s a doctor who can fix her sight. In an unlikely alliance, Jane and Henry take to the road where they’ll encounter numerous characters, including an octogenarian crime boss, a rascal riding thief, and a washed up country singer named Cheryl.

This incredible journey is a story of heart and quirky friendship at its finest.

Genres: Fiction, Audiobook, Crime, Humor, Novels, Literary Fiction, Road Trip

232 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2020

About the author

Champion Mojo Storyteller Joe R. Lansdale is the author of over forty novels and numerous short stories. His work has appeared in national anthologies, magazines, and collections, as well as numerous foreign publications. He has written for comics, television, film, newspapers, and Internet sites. His work has been collected in more than two dozen short-story collections, and he has edited or co-edited over a dozen anthologies. He has received the Edgar Award, eight Bram Stoker Awards, the Horror Writers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, the British Fantasy Award, the Grinzani Cavour Prize for Literature, the Herodotus Historical Fiction Award, the Inkpot Award for Contributions to Science Fiction and Fantasy, and many others. His novella Bubba Ho-Tep was adapted to film by Don Coscarelli, starring Bruce Campbell and Ossie Davis. His story "Incident On and Off a Mountain Road" was adapted to film for Showtime's "Masters of Horror," and he adapted his short story "Christmas with the Dead" to film hisownself. The film adaptation of his novel Cold in July was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, and the Sundance Channel has adapted his Hap & Leonard novels for television.

He is currently co-producing several films, among them The Bottoms, based on his Edgar Award-winning novel, with Bill Paxton and Brad Wyman, and The Drive-In, with Greg Nicotero. He is Writer In Residence at Stephen F. Austin State University, and is the founder of the martial arts system Shen Chuan: Martial Science and its affiliate, Shen Chuan Family System. He is a member of both the United States and International Martial Arts Halls of Fame. He lives in Nacogdoches, Texas with his wife, dog, and two cats.

Reviews

[Robin Hobb · Rating 5 out of 5]

The usual caveat: I received an advance reading copy of this book from Subterranean Press. I've met Joe R. Lansdale several times, read many of his books, and haven't encountered less than satisfaction in any of his tales. I do not think any of the above affects my review of this book.

Jane Goes North is a road trip book. It's a story of a woman bent on revenging herself on her sisters for their slights by showing up at her sister's wedding. She was invited, but knows they never expected her to attend. Down on her luck and with an iffy car, Jane seeks a ride north and finds one, with Henry, a traveling companion you will never forget.

Jane is awful. Henry is just as bad in a different direction. These are not the ladies you'd want at your wedding, but as road trip companions and guides to survival, they are unbeatable. And before the end of the book, you will absolutely love both of them, and be cheering them on.

That's one thing a very good book can do; help you find the friends you'd never discover on your own.

Not for the faint of heart or those who are easily offended. Joe Lansdale writes humanity as it's unvarnished, unpredictable, unbeatable best.

[Shelby *trains flying monkeys* · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Usually I'm the one giving a book that has five star reviews all over the place a bad review. I don't know what's going on with this books reviews but I loved the heck out of it.
Y'all wrong read this one.


You have Jane, who just lost her job at the dry cleaners because of leaving some ketchup packets in some pockets. (Stupid picky people) She gets an invitation to her snooty sister's wedding up north. She decides she will attend just to piss them off. I totally like her at this point.
The thing is...her car is a junker. So she finds Henrietta aka Henry who wants to go up North to get her glass eye fixed. Henry sorta lost her driver's license but she can still drive....
"Police said I shouldn't be drinking while driving, but I had only a couple of beers. And a shot or two. I forget exactly. But I wasn't drunk. I've always had trouble with curbs and such."

Totally understandable.

They take off.
Then what happens is kinda a cross between a Thelma and Louise and Stephanie Plum/Lula adventure.
That just happens to involve a female country singer, slave trafficking and a big man on a motorized scooter.


This book was completely delicious and was exactly what I needed.

Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.

[Kemper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free advance copy of this for review from NetGalley.

And I thought Thelma & Louise had a bad road trip…

Despite recently losing her job and being low on cash, Jane is determined to attend her estranged sister’s wedding so she goes looking for someone headed north that she can catch a ride with. Unfortunately the only candidate she finds is a surly one-eyed woman named Henry who doesn’t seem like the kind of person you want as a traveling companion on a long trip.

With no other options, Jane and Henry set off but have one misadventure after another involving a weird assortment of oddballs like an unusual thief, a washed up country & western singer on her last tour, and redneck slavers. Will Jane be able to make it in time for the wedding? And what kind of gift she should buy?

Joe Lansdale has written several types of novels over the years ranging from horror to westerns to crime novels. This feels like something different, and I mean that in the best possible way. There are similarities to his other writings like the Hap & Leonard series in the style and characters, but things take a turn in the second half of the book. What starts off as a goofy romp with some rednecks turns into a pretty moving character story by the end.

That mainly comes from what we learn about Jane along the way. At the start Jane seems like just an aimless women in her mid-thirties with a string of failed relationships and dead end jobs behind her, and she has absolutely no idea what to do next. One thing compounding her problems is that Jane has got a stubborn streak that compels her to resist listening to anyone, especially when they’re right.

Jane also lacks basic planning skills and is extremely limited in her thinking. For example, since she had a bad bus ride in school years ago she refuses to take a bus to the wedding because she assumes every bus trip would be just as bad. It's also not very endearing that the main reason for Jane wants to go to her sister’s wedding is because she realized that nobody really wanted her there so this is all for spite at a time when she has far bigger problems like trying to make sure she keeps a roof over head.

In short, Jane seemed like the kind of moron who consistently always does the wrong thing but never understands why her life is so crappy. However, despite seeming like exactly the kind of person I've been actively avoiding for most of my life, I came to like Jane quite a bit. Through all her trials and tribulations we learn that Jane is essentially a good-hearted and honest person who can be tough as hell when need be.

Lansdale pulled off a two-part trick here in the way that Jane realizes some important things about herself, and then he also subtly shifted my perspective of her until I realized that I had been thinking of Jane as just a stereotypical red state rube because of her circumstances rather than as a complex person whose opportunities were so limited to begin with that a few bad choices left her with increasingly shitty options. It's a similar situation with Henry who comes across as unpleasant and stubborn in her own way, but she also has a story to tell.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I think it’s Lansdale’s best book since The Bottoms.

[Karl]

This special signed hardcover edition is number 214 from a print run of 2000 and is signed by Joe R. Lansdale.

cover by Ken Laager.

[Melki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jane got a note in the mail that said her younger sister, Ronnie, was getting married . . . she and her sister didn't get along all that well. She was surprised she had been invited, and decided it was meant to be a polite invitation, and no one really expected her to come.

That made her want to go.

That's just the kind of gal Jane is: ornery, determined, and a bit of a trouble maker. She's also currently between jobs, and down on her luck, so . . . why not? But, how to get there . . . After some pretty hilarious missteps, Jane reluctantly hitches her wagon to a one-eyed mama named Henry, and it's northward ho they go!

The first half of the novel cruises along beautifully, with dialogue that snaps, crackles, and occasionally pops. The gals have a grand old time, getting to know and trust one another while interacting with perverts and weirdos. It's a fun, fun time until . . . something BAD HAPPENS. The ladies manage to wiggle out of the trouble unharmed, but the book never really regains its jolly momentum. It spirals downhill before limping to a "surprise" at the finish line.

And, about that god-awful cover . . .



Thanks to this chirpy, Harlequin romance-lookin' thing, we know that the two women will eventually meet a new companion, and somehow inherit a convertible. AND, then there's Jane herself, pointing the way north, looking like a svelte teenager instead of a woman in her thirties who's concerned about her ever-widening bottom. Oy vey!

I certainly appreciate Lansdale attempting "one for the ladies," but this lady will stick with Hap 'n Leonard in the future.

[Char · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short tale about a woman on a road trip to her sister's wedding, full of the humor Lansdale is known for, and narrated by his daughter, Kasey Lansdale. I was thoroughly entertained!

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Jane gets an invitation to her younger sister's wedding in the mail, she has to find a way from east Texas to Boston. Fortunately, her half blind neighbor Henry has a car. Can the two ladies cross thousands of miles with their lives and sanity intact?

I got an ARC of this some time in the hazy past but it was so poorly formatted that I gave up on it. Joe Lansdale is one of my favorite authors so I eventually bought the ebook.

Jane Goes North is a humorous road trip novel. Jane and Henry got up against an overweight guy in a motorized cart, white slavers, and shitty hotels while making the trek from Texas to Boston. Can a novel be a coming of age novel if the heroine is in her mid-thirties? Fuck it, yeah, it can. Everyone has to grow up sometime.

As always, Joe Lansdale's hilarious writing style takes a simple thing like a disastrous road trip and makes it hilarious. I could have highlighted half the damn book.

Jane Goes North is a hilarious road novel. Four out of five stars.

[Luca Masera · Rating 3 out of 5]

Romanzo picaresco, a mio avviso assolutamente trascurabile nell’immensa produzione letteraria di J. R. Lansdale.



La storia è quella di Jane che, appunto, va al nord al matrimonio della sorella che non sopporta. Ma la sua macchina è un rottame che cade a pezzi, impossibile da utilizzare per un viaggio così lungo, e allora trova come compagna di viaggio una donna scontrosa e fuori di testa. Da lì in poi una serie di incontri bizzarri, sempre al limite del surreale, tra schiavisti, rapitori, ladri di mutandine e cantanti country di scarso successo.



Il viaggio delle due novelle Thelma & Louise ha da subito dell’incredibile e l’idea è quella che Lansdale voglia semplicemente divertirsi mettendo in scena una volta di più il suo black humour ma, questa volta, stancando un po’ per via di una serie infinita di personaggi "alla Lansdale" tutti uguali tra loro.

[Fabio Carlo-Stella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Erano anni che non ridevo così convulsamente durante la lettura di un libro. Quando nel primo capitolo Jane e Henry fanno conoscenza, infatti, si crea tra di loro un conflitto sempre più tragico e sempre più comico, durante il quale lo stile dissacrante di Lansdale raggiunge un livello altissimo.

Jane è un personaggio molto bello, una giovane donna che affronta la vita in modo spontaneo e fatalistico, il cui cinico sguardo sul mondo è quello di chi ha già conosciuto un sufficiente numero di delusioni. È anche molto sveglia e reattiva, e queste doti le saranno molto utili durante il periglioso viaggio per raggiungere la sua meta.

L'entusiasmo iniziale tende un po' a scolorirsi quando lo stile Lansdale prende un po' troppo il sopravvento, e allora ci si accorge che tutti i personaggi parlano nello stesso modo, oppure che si passa inesorabilmente dalla miseria tragicomica allo squallore tragicomico e viceversa, e poi non si contano più i tipi di merda che contribuiscono alla scenografia (di mucca, di mosca, di cane, di topo...).

Tuttavia, anche se un po' farsesca, rimane una bella avventura, divertente e con colpi di scena efficaci.

[Jeanette · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is exactly like a sit com. on TV. The same types of dialogue. You can almost hear the pacing of the laugh track.

It's about a 30 year old woman, Jane- and her quest to go North for a sister's wedding. Think the movie Planes, Trains, and Automobiles and make the characters two women instead of two men and you got the entire thing down to a one sentence prime core description.

Jane is rather hapless, helpless and also has a lot of one crude word types of language skills. And almost no earning or intact transportation abilities. I felt with all her angry type name calls of show up there and pay them back and/or "fight some more to let them know what snobs they are" skill sets for the family at home which was the destination near Boston for this wedding? And coming from the far South (TX) with this particular Henry?

I'm pretty sure this has just about finished me for Lansdale. I liked a couple but this is too rude, crude and not at all particularly funny to me. Way over the top and rather pathetic. Shallow too- which is the worst aspect of all. Jane never developed any depth for/in her types of choices.

Forced humor. More like slapstick and most of it ringing more clueless sad than any stream of funny.

[Matteo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surreale, grottesco, fuori di testa, un po' malato.
L'ordine degli addendi può essere invertito, il risultato non cambia.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley to read and review.

JANE GOES NORTH by author Joe R. Lansdale is a novel about Jane, a young woman who has had a life that doesn’t include much in the way of accomplishments or success, and after an error at work resulting in the loss of her job, she has to evaluate what has led to her current existence in a trailer park without funds or options; at the same time she receives an invitation to her younger sister’s wedding that comes as somewhat of a surprise since of her sisters that she doesn’t get along with this one is the one she’s had the worst relationship with.

Since she’s pretty sure the invitation is a mistake or formality, she commits to making the trip to the wedding and long distance trip there even though she’s broke and without transportation.

Jane seems to be striking out on finding someone to travel with until she meets up with a character named Henry, who after an initial meeting that ends with Jane leaving in a hurry after it all goes south, finally decides to make the trip with the unusual woman named Henry in spite of her reservations.

Can Jane make it all the way to the wedding with her erratic travel partner, and if so will it have been worth it seeing as her sisters aren’t likely to give her a warm welcome if she does make it?

Jane is an interesting character who seems to be spinning her wheels going nowhere at the start of the story, and with the experiences suffered on the trip with her traveling partner she seems to find out who she really is, and what is important in life.

Joe R. Lansdale is one of my favorite authors, and I’ve not read a book by him that I didn’t like with this one being no exception, read it and enjoy Jane’s crazy road trip with her traveling companion, you won’t regret it!

4 stars.

[Cody · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually was approved for an ARC of this book before its release, but it unfortunately got lost in my backlog of review books. My apologies to Netgalley and the publisher!

Joe Lansdale can’t tell a tale without it being entertaining as hell (yay rhymes!), and Jane Goes North is no different. Jane is a young woman who’s down on her luck, recently lost her job, and determined to go north to her sister’s wedding. Along the way she’ll run into several colorful characters and find herself in some crazy situations.

I find Lansdale does travel novels well—the skill he brought to books like Edge of Dark Water and The Thicket is present here, albeit I feel this book was a bit too short so that magic was perhaps stunted a bit, hence my taking off a star. Still, this is a memorable and FUN story with a surprising ending that leaves the reader on a positive note.

[🐴 🍖]

cozy enough, certainly, & features an honest-to-goodness touching ending... it's just kinda half-assed: too many incidents that don't advance the plot; too many chars walk on & immediately deliver their entire backstory as a soliloquy; too many reuses of the mosquito line. if it's sunday and you've got a brisket going, this is nice enough to sprawl on the couch w/, but by no means undertake extraordinary measures to procure

[Alfonso D'agostino · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sarà che è cominciato X Factor ma sono un paio di giorni che mi si affacciano alla mente solo metafore musicali. Mi è successo perfino con l’ultimo Lansdale (Jane va al nord), terminato in questi sfortunati giorni di zona rossa milanese.

Festeggio sempre le nuove uscite di Lansdale: è un amore che si perde nel tempo e nelle prime pubblicazioni in Italia nelle diverse case editrici. Attendo un nuovo romanzo come una volta si attendeva il disco nuovo del tuo cantante di riferimento (oggi immagino si attenda il nuovo singolo in streaming, boh, sono un amante del cantautorato italiano meno avvezzo a queste logiche).

E come capitava allora, magari al primo ascolto, c’è sempre il pezzo che non ti convince, quello che quando ti porti il CD in macchina salti senza troppe remore. Ecco, in una immaginaria compilation di tutto-Lansdale-tutto, sono piuttosto convinto che salterei Jane va a nord.

Mi sono mancati i momenti in cui scoppiavo a ridere (sempre-sempre presenti nei romanzi di Hap & Leonard), mi è mancata una trama noirissima ma sensata nel suo dipanarsi, mi è mancata quella capacità di andare oltre il personaggio e lo stereotipo di genere (sempre presente ma coscientemente reso parodia) trasformando protagonisti cartacei in uomini e donne capaci di una profondità reale.

Poi, oh, magari non ci ho capito niente io e da qualcuno sarà opportunamente celebrato, ma nel mio piccolo mi ritrovo a cliccare senza troppo dispiacere il tasto “skip”.

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

An odd novel with multi-layered chats in the vein of Hap and Leonard but much less happens in this than in the H&L series. I I didn't come to care about these two as I do H&L but still a great one for fans of Lansdale's writing style very surprising ending
Thank you netgalley and the for for this arc

[The Frahorus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ritornare a leggere un libro di Joe R. Lansdale è sempre una garanzia perché sei sicuro che non ti deluderà.

La protagonista, la trentenne Jane Gardner, non se la passa bene dopo essere stata licenziata e vive in una roulette in Texas. Deve dirigersi al nord per essere presente al matrimonio di sua sorella. Purtroppo c'è un problema: la sua auto non sopravvivrebbe a tutti quei km (sta cadendo a pezzi) e deve cercare un modo per arrivarci visto che non può permettersi il prezzo del biglietto dell'aereo. Così, tramite un annuncio, conosce la burbera Henry, la quale deve dirigersi a Boston per effettuare un'operazione sul suo occhio. Da quando si forma questa insolita coppia, che ricorda Thelma & Louise, inizia un'avventura on the road ricca di disavventure, dove tra l'altro vengono pure rapite da una banda di trafficanti di esseri umani. E ben presto il duo diventerà un trio quando conosceranno la cantante rock Cheryle.

Il black Humour è assicurato come in tutte le storie di Lansdale.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jane is 30-years old, twice divorced and unemployed with nothing much going her way. She doesn't even have a dog! Knowing that the invitation to her younger sister's wedding was more courtesy than actual invitation she decides, out of spite, that she might as well make the trip up North to the wedding. When her car breaks down 5-miles into the trip it looks like it's all over... Nope. Not even close.

Entering into a ride share arrangement with an abrasive, freakishly strong, one-eyed woman Jane embarks on a road trip from Hell involving nitwits, misfits, malcontents, kidnappers, thieves and even a pirate (kinda, sorta). Witty, funny, full of absurd situations. Jane Goes North is not your average crime fiction novel.

This is a lesser effort by Joe R. Lansdale. Now, a minor Lansdale is still better than about 75% of the stuff out there, but it's not quite up to His Ownself's full-tilt boogie mojo storytelling. There's something missing... A certain cohesiveness to the madness. It's almost like several short stories have been doctored to fit together.

If you're a big fan of Joe R Lansdale then you're buying this book regardless and we both know it. If you're new to the author just know that Jane Goes North is not one of his strongest stories. It's not bad, it's just not up to expectations.

3.5 stars

Contains adult language, adult situations and some violence.

***Thanks to NetGalley, Subterranean Press, and Joe His Ownself for providing me with a free digital copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

[Mike Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great adventure for a couple ladies heading north. Alot of fun to read

[Ralph Blackburn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jane Goes North by Joe R. Lansdale- I've read several of Lansdale's Country-Noir Hap N' Leonard stories, and those about the demon hunting Elvis along with Ned The Seal- all entertaining to some extent, but this story is not pulpy or horrifying enough to hold my attention. Jane, a dim slow learner, who's life is rapidly passing her by, has been invited to her younger sister's wedding and is determined to go. She hitches a ride with Henry(short for Henrietta), who lifts weights and throws cookies. So it's a road trip for the clueless. Some hard-core fans of Lansdale's stories might enjoy this outlandish outing but I got quickly bored- enough said.

[Susan Atherly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Joe Lansdale is a good writer. That is not the issue I have with this book.

And if you didn't grow up around the working poor and rural Southerners, you will probably find tis story charming. Go ahead and enjoy it.

I grew up around the working class poor and people on disability and public assistance. The characters seemed to hit a lot of false notes. Some things that were supposed to be humorous seemed insulting to me. But that is just me.

[Giordano Bruno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Questo libro è davvero molto divertente, impossibile trattenere le risate in certi punti. Un viaggio on the road al femminile scoppiettante e assurdo come forse solo Lansdale saprebbe fare. Consigliatissimo per passare qualche ora con una storia decisamente leggera, ma anche capace di far riflettere (specialmente nel finale). Personaggi memorabili, situazioni pazzesche (non manca anche un po' di suspence) e uno stile che ti fa sembrare di essere lì con le protagoniste. Perfetto!

[Jerri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first Joe Lansdale book. I was expecting horror but did not find it. Instead, this is a humorous and heart warming story. I really enjoyed the characters of Jane and Henry. The were quirky and endearing. I think this would make an amazing movie. The narrator (who happens to be is daughter) was not very good. I look forward to more of Lansdale's novels but I'll try reading them next time.

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comparisons with the movie "Thelma and Louise" miss the mark by a country mile when Jane and Henri meet the wackiest eclectic cast of characters this side of "Lonesome Dove" en route. The're ill fated road trip from East Texas to Boston is a classic adventure written with humor, heart and soul. I loved this book.

[Shane Kegler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book takes you on a journey filled with colorful yet complex characters full of depth. Lots of Lansdale twists and turns right up to the final page. Every time I thought I knew where the book was going something unexpected would happen. Lots of witty dialogue and very relevant to our times. Found myself not wanting Jane to reach her destination as it meant the book was nearing its end.

[Valentina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nel suo genere Lansdale è geniale.
Cinismo, situazioni assurde e al limite del grottesco tipiche della sua penna. La risata è assicurata.
Impossibile non provare simpatia per queste "Thelma e Louise" sopra le righe, che alla fine del viaggio suggelleranno anche la loro amicizia.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book from a favorite micro-genre : Kickass hilarious Texas women on a road trip who don’t take shit from asshole men.
Definitely listen to the audiobook of this one, read by the amazing Kacey Lansdale.

[Lyle Boylen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story by one of my favourite authors. If you like a road trip you should love this.

[Ralph Carlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lansdale has never written book that I haven’t thoroughly enjoyed, no matter what genre. This is another great one.

[Lin Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun read. One of my favorite authors