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Ironskin

(Ironskin #1)

Tina Connolly (Goodreads Author)

3.33 · Rating details · 3,455 ratings · 660 reviews

Jane Eliot wears an iron mask.

It’s the only way to contain the fey curse that scars her cheek. The Great War is five years gone, but its scattered victims remain—the ironskin.

When a carefully worded listing appears for a governess to assist with a "delicate situation"—a child born during the Great War—Jane is certain the child is fey-cursed, and that she can help.

Teachi ...more

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Hardcover, 304 pages

Published October 2nd 2012 by Tor Books

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· 3,455 ratings · 660 reviews

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Jun 23, 2012 Keertana rated it it was ok

Shelves: arc-galley-and-first-reads, why-the-hype

Rating: 2.5 Stars

I’ll be the first to admit that I had expectations for this book - high expectations. Yet, the reason they weren’t met doesn’t lie with the fault of this book entirely. I feel as if many other readers will truly love Ironskin, and they should. It has a lot to love, but somehow, it wasn’t the right book for me. For one, Ironskin is a based quite loosely off of the story of Jane Eyre, a classic by Charlotte Bronte that happens to be one of my favorite novels ever. Thus, ...more

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Apr 03, 2012 Ann Aguirre rated it it was amazing

This was arc I got from editor whose taste aligns with mine.

I'm a little speechless right now. This is Jane Eyre, re-imagined steampunk style. It's just amazing. Confident, clever prose. A ferocious heroine. A broken, tragic hero, who needs her.

The worldbuilding is just fascinating. The writing is fabulous. I devoured this book and now I'm hungry for the sequel. When it comes out, get it. ...more

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Jan 25, 2012 Wendy Darling rated it liked it

Shelves: adult, pn-faeries, read-2012, retellings-and-inspirations, costume-fiction, 2012-publication, steampunk, october, tor

Jane Eyre in an iron mask?! *faints* SO looking forward to this one.

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Jul 19, 2012 Jill rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy-pnr-sci-fi-romance, 2012-debuts

3.5 stars

Jane Eliot has lost her teaching position and applied for the position of governess in the country at Silver Birch Hall. She wears an iron mask, covering the injury on one side of her face where she was hit by fey shrapnel during the war. The ironskin serves to keep the curse that comes with the injury, contained within her body and stops it from leaking out and affecting others.

Edward Rochart's daughter, Dorie was born during the war and although she bears no scar or injury she is fey ...more

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Oct 04, 2012 Gavin rated it liked it

Shelves: paranormal

This was apparently a loose fantasy retelling of Jane Eyre. I cannot make any comment on that as I've not read the original! What I can say is that the story did have a vaguely Victorian era feel to it. The fantasy elements of the story came from the presence of the Fey and their magic.

Five years ago, during the Great Battle with the Fey, Jane Eliot was wounded by a Fey weapon while trying to save her younger brother. She now has to wear an iron mask that covers the scarred half of her face in This was apparently a loose fantasy retelling of Jane Eyre. I cannot make any comment on that as I've not read the original! What I can say is that the story did have a vaguely Victorian era feel to it. The fantasy elements of the story came from the presence of the Fey and their magic.

Five years ago, during the Great Battle with the Fey, Jane Eliot was wounded by a Fey weapon while trying to save her younger brother. She now has to wear an iron mask that covers the scarred half of her face in order to mask the effects of the curse that would seep from the wound an infect all those in her vicinity with a feeling of rage. Jane is tired of city life and jumps at the chance of taking a job in the country. The job she takes is that of a governess to Dorie, the enigmatic artist Edward Rochart's strange daughter. Dorie is no ordinary girl and Jane is determined to help her through her issues.

The world building was quite good. The mix of Fey magic and the Victorian era setting was quite fascinating. The story was even quite intriguing. I was interested to see what Jane could do to help the strange Dorie and eager to learn the secrets of her mysterious father and the distant, but ever looming Fey.

I was quite engaged by the early happenings, but unfortunately the story failed to keep my attention as it progressed. The biggest issue I had was the dialogue. It was totally forgettable and uninspiring. I also thought the romance between Jane and Edward was pretty limp. I never bought them as a couple or understood why they even cared for each other. To be honest Edward was just a dull character.

I'll remember this as a story that failed to live up to its initial early promise. It was an OK diversion, but I'm not sure I'll bother to read the rest of the series as this one got progressively worse as it went.

Rating: 3 stars.

Audio Note: I cannot fault the narration. Rosalyn Landor is always an excellent choice for historical romances. Sadly, even she could not inject any excitement into the dull dialogue. ...more

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Oct 14, 2011 Regina Tam rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2012, romance, re-telling, paranormal, steampunk

err im not sure what was going on. this was such an odd book. i know it was based off the original Jane Eyre and there was a lot of parallels with that novel but this retelling just fell short of good. For one the romance was extremely forced. They fell in love despite having the most minimal interactions with each other? what? i feel like Tina Connolly forced them together for the sake of the plot and i found myself rolling my eyes at every "romantic" scene they had together. I found Jane's int ...more

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Jul 23, 2012 Anne rated it liked it

Shelves: read-in-2012, retelling, fantasy, steampunk, fairytale

On the book jacket it describes Ironskin as being a retelling of both Jane Eyre and Beauty and the Beast. Personally, I thought it seemed a little more Eyreish than B & B.
Doesn't matter.
It's also touted as steampunk.
Ok, so I'm a little confused as to what elements a book needs to be classified as steampunk. As far as I can tell, if one person shows up wearing goggles, and another turns on a gas lamp...ta-da! It's steampunk!
Soooo. By that definition, yes. This was a steampunk retelling of Jane Ey ...more

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Jun 30, 2011 Misty marked it as to-read

Shelves: literary, wishlist, 2012-debuts__apocalypsies, debut

"a steampunk retelling of Jane Eyre with fairies."
What? I.Am.IN.
;P ...more

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Oct 08, 2011 Jessie (Ageless Pages Reviews) rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, reviews-2012, print-arc, owned-copy, 2012-reads, alternate-realities, received-for-review, ssh-ssh-family-secrets, arc-book-tour, reviewed

Read This Review & More Like It On My Blog!

It's easily apparent from the very start of this deceptively good novel that Ironskin is a story loosely based on Charlotte Brontë's beloved classic Jane Eyre. Fortunately for me, I have never read the original, and that's one of the reasons I think I was free to enjoy this supernaturalized version as much as I did. I had no predispositions or favorites or even opinions going in - Connolly was free to do whatever she wanted with any of the characters, o ...more

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Dec 22, 2014 Monica rated it liked it

3.5 Stars.

The world building for this novel was intriguing, but I didn't get fully engaged in the novel until about halfway through. Once I got into the story I really enjoyed it, and I will definitely be reading Copperhead, the second book in the series. I would recommend this novel to anyone that enjoys historical novels (especially those set at the beginning of the 20th century), and also readers who like some supernatural elements blended with their historical fiction (kind of an oxymoron, b ...more

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Sep 30, 2012 Shortlatte rated it liked it

I’ve said it before, and I’ll reiterate: I do not take authors messing with my Jane Eyre lightly. If you are going to attempt to paint a new gloss over something that has already been perfected to my eyes, you’re going to have to bring something completely new to the table. In this regard, I applaud Connolly’s efforts to entwine a fey glamour over the well known Bronte tale, but I can’t say that she pulled off all she hoped to achieve.

Ironskin suffers from a dissonance between Connolly’s desire I’ve said it before, and I’ll reiterate: I do not take authors messing with my Jane Eyre lightly. If you are going to attempt to paint a new gloss over something that has already been perfected to my eyes, you’re going to have to bring something completely new to the table. In this regard, I applaud Connolly’s efforts to entwine a fey glamour over the well known Bronte tale, but I can’t say that she pulled off all she hoped to achieve.

Ironskin suffers from a dissonance between Connolly’s desire to adapt Jane Eyre and her desire to write an original fantasy work. The result feels like Connolly’s take on how she would have written Jane Eyre had she gotten first crack at it rather than a reimagining or tribute. Nevertheless, Connolly introduces some interesting ideas and I can’t help but feel that she ultimately did herself a disservice by trying to shoehorn her story into such a well-known mould; she would have done better to eschew comparisons and simply tell her own tale.

Jane Eliot is fundamentally different than Jane Eyre. Perhaps, considering our own reactions were we placed in Jane Eyre’s shoes, many of us feel that Jane Eyre should have felt rage at her situation, yet the very fact that she didn’t defines her character. It’s what sets her apart from and above her peers, what gives her the beauty that shines through an ordinary exterior. Where Jane Eliot allows the rage to take root, Jane Eyre lived above it. Where Jane Eliot yearns for normality badly enough to take drastic, disturbing measures to achieve it, Jane Eyre accepted herself with pride and grace if not always with pleasure. This was one of my biggest points of contention with the book, for in the original it is Rochester who needs reminding that Jane is as she is and won’t be changed. In Ironskin, it is Jane herself who succumbs to shallow desires and embraces superficiality. Making the decision a supposedly crucial plot point does nothing to lessen my disappointment in Jane’s decision and underscores the fact that this is not the same Jane I’ve come to love.

Rochert had potential as a reincarnation of Rochester yet, like so many who have tried before, Connolly fails to grasp Rochester’s essential nature. His depiction quite confused me, really. We are told of his internal suffering, but it doesn’t truly play out on the page. Before we learn of his deep, dark secret, I had actually gained the impression that he was in fact a warm man, loving of his daughter and wife both, not doggedly attempting to hold back the defeating force of his past as Rochester was. We are given so little page time with Rochert that he is never fleshed out (never mind the utter lack of chemistry between him and Jane). I rather liked the dimension Connolly added with his somewhat addled composure concerning the fey, but this too is inadequately addressed.

The greatest interpretations of character for me were Dorie and Poule, as Jane must work at her relationship with both much moreso than in the original. Though I never warmed to Dorie (in truth, she freaks me out more than a little), her storyline was one of the few that suggested the story would have been better off told as an original work. Poule also intrigued me, particularly as she and Jane formed something of a team here, so unlike Jane’s wary regard of Poole in the original. I wish we could have learned a bit more about Poule’s heritage, as it was one of several threads of fantasy worldbuilding that offered a promising story yet was not fully explained.

Overall, I couldn’t tell if Connolly truly wanted to retell our beloved story. Aside from the character names and a rough outline of the plot, so few critical elements of the original story remain. The pacing barely reflects that of the original, throwing Jane into her new employ on the first page, rearranging key scenes and completely eliminating the character of St. John. Whether this is meant to be a permanent feature of the series or whether Connolly introduces St. John in the next book remains to be seen. Jane’s background is completely altered, which likely goes far in explaining her drastic personality change. Whereas the unforgiving environments of her aunt’s home and Lowood shaped Jane Eyre into a strong woman determined to resist the scorn thrust upon her lowly station, Jane Eliot’s abrupt reversal of fortune at a later age made her resentful and proud.

Ultimately, Connolly seemed to want to write a fantasy, and Jane and Rochert’s relationship suffered for it. While her take on the bedroom scene is a novel change, it failed to make up for the numerous other iconic interactions that defined both characters in the original, yet that were missing from this novel. Though I was initially intrigued by the mask plotline, this too wound but being merely a grotesque externalization of conflict that distorted the subtle genius of the original.

I was also confused by Connolly’s repeated references to other classic works. Surely Bronte was influenced by those who came before her, yet she allowed those guiding voices to shape her story without stealing heavy-handed elements. Connolly not only mentions tales such as Beauty and the Beast and Tam Lin, but she goes so far as to incorporate threads of these tales into the story, which merely adds to the disjointed feel. It’s a shame, since, divorced from recollections of her predecessor, I rather liked Jane. The fey world Connolly has created seems rather fascinating, but we are given the barest glimpses of it. I’m also not quite sure that this work is best described as steampunk, but that characterization will suffice. Overall, Ironskin had promise, but ambivalence regarding the extent to which this was meant to be a retelling ultimately resulted in a failed execution of interesting ideas.

http://abookandashortlatte.wordpress.... ...more

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Sep 04, 2012 Angie rated it it was ok

Shelves: retellings, steampunk

Originally reviewed here.

The moment I heard about a steampunk retelling of Jane Eyre, I geared up for its release. I am always up for a retelling of this book. And I've had spectacular success in the past. This one is not YA, or even New Adult, and I could tell it relied more heavily on the rich fantasy aspects of the world and story, all of which I was eager to fall into. I love the cover, particularly the iron mask, and everything about it just had the ring of excellence to it. This is not to Originally reviewed here.

The moment I heard about a steampunk retelling of Jane Eyre, I geared up for its release. I am always up for a retelling of this book. And I've had spectacular success in the past. This one is not YA, or even New Adult, and I could tell it relied more heavily on the rich fantasy aspects of the world and story, all of which I was eager to fall into. I love the cover, particularly the iron mask, and everything about it just had the ring of excellence to it. This is not to say that I wasn't apprehensive, because there's always a bit of that when you go into a retelling of any kind, isn't there? But do any of you ever start to tire of your own wariness when it comes to upcoming releases? I go back and forth between feeling justifyingly jaded (particularly when it comes to oversaturated genres or tropes) and feeling like shaking off all my suspicion and caution and just jumping in like I used to as a kid. Because the exhaustion of both maintaining expectations and forcing yourself not to have them . . . it's exhausting. So all of that to say that when an ARC floated my way via NetGalley, I didn't even blink before downloading it to my nook and settling in that evening.

Jane Eliot survived the Great War. They don't call it a victory as the Fey just up and disappeared rather than outright lost. But the humans who survived are altered beyond recognition. Some of them inwardly and some of them (like Jane) very much outwardly. Those struck by Fey fire during the war bear a curse. The curse not only affects the victim but spills out from the site of the wound onto all those they come into contact with. Each curse is different. For Jane, it is rage. From the jagged scars on her face that never heal, rages pours through her and onto those she encounters. That is until she stumbles across the Foundry. There ironworkers create what they call ironskin. These pieces of iron attach to their bodies over the wounds, sealing them in, preventing the curses from affecting passersby. And so Jane wears a mask, and all the rage is bottled inside. Nevertheless, when she applies for a job taking care of the reclusive Mr. Rochart's daughter Dorie, she does cherish some small hope that in this wild, remote location she might find a place where she could belong. Of course, Mr. Rochart, his daughter, and the entire household are so strange that Jane begins to feel the normal one. Despite her mask and veil. Despite the rage boiling under her skin. For something very wrong lurks behind the doors of her new home and Jane may find her mask is not the only one keeping curses at bay.

This is a fantastic setup. I found myself instantly caught up in the whole notion of the ironskin, of seeping curses from fey wounds, of Jane filled with an unnatural post-war rage. I even enjoyed Connolly's revisionist version of Mr. Rochart's uber-creepy secret. The whole world, its history, the way it was peopled, and the horrors they bore set my imagination racing. I couldn't wait to watch it play out. But then it . . . didn't. Unfortunately, I felt as though the writing itself never matched up to the premise, which was grandly dark. The words just plodded along, never rising above serviceable, never engaging in an organic way with the world's potential to really give the story wings. Add to that the fact that the characterization just stagnated after the beginning. Jane herself is primed to be a force in her own story, yet she remains flat throughout. Mr. Rochart comes off as a mere placeholder, and I felt as though I was waiting the entire novel for the "real" Mr. Rochart to reveal himself, or at least make an entrance on stage. No such luck. And without any actual chemistry between those two key players, it's quite ~~impossible~~ difficult to make this particular tale work on any level. Without that connection, the hints at the horrific left me simply cold, without that delicious chill that comes when it is happening to people you care about and have some emotional investment in. In lesser problems, several twists felt fairly predictable to me, and I was uncomfortable with some of the implications when it came to the various races and/or creatures in this world and the way they were viewed. The end result was, as you can imagine, me struggling to finish the book and mourning the myriad of missed opportunities and empty characterizations where so much richness was possible. ...more

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Apr 22, 2011 Danielle The Book Huntress (Back to the Books) rated it liked it

Recommends it for: Faerie fiction readers, Jane Eyre aficionados

Shelves: 1920s, widower, beauty-is-in-the-eye, yearly-reading-challenge-2013, daddy-hero, kids-in-the-mix, deep-dark-secret, alternate-history, early-to-mid-twentieth-century, faerie

Ironskin is a clever re-telling of Jane Eyre with a delicious heaping tablespoon of faerie thrown in. Since Jane Eyre is tied for my favorite book of all time, I definitely loved that about this book. I appreciated catching the references to the original novel and reading the author's original story with her own ideas based on this beloved classic. In other words, this is not a word for word redux of Jane Eyre. Instead it's a "what if?" sort of take on the novel by Charlotte Brontë.

I am captivat Ironskin is a clever re-telling of Jane Eyre with a delicious heaping tablespoon of faerie thrown in. Since Jane Eyre is tied for my favorite book of all time, I definitely loved that about this book. I appreciated catching the references to the original novel and reading the author's original story with her own ideas based on this beloved classic. In other words, this is not a word for word redux of Jane Eyre. Instead it's a "what if?" sort of take on the novel by Charlotte Brontë.

I am captivated with the post-World War I period and the twenties, and it was a big plus that this book is set somewhere in that late 1910s-early 1920s period. Also, the infusion of faerie into the modern period that would seem incongruous but wasn't. The Gothic atmosphere is prominent, and the menacing allure of faerie magic. Don't look for friendly fey in this book. They are mean and vicious, and terribly insidious. The fey storyline turns out to be quite interesting and unsettling. Connolly taps into the essence of Post-War morals, the shunning of deep things and an enhanced superficiality. Shallow above substance. While the Great War is quite different in this book, the scars it left on society are similarly wounding to the survivors, and the society grabs onto the bright phony allure when so little of the Pre-War way of life is left behind.

Most of the characters are walking wounded, with some who seem blatantly unsympathetic. It takes a while to see where Connolly was going, which impacted my rating, honestly. Even until the end, I felt ambivalent, and the story was rather ambiguous. And yet, there was something impactful about this book. I think Connolly connected to the aesthetic in me. The appeal was in the dreamy and artful descriptions of the house and characters and the manner in which she revealed characters, with descriptions and body language telling much of who the characters were even before they open their mouths. Additionally, the characters' emotions were seething off the page. For this reader, that always speaks loudly when reading a novel. Jane, a tortured heroine who is drifting and surviving, because she has no other choice. When she finds a home with Mr. Rochart and his daughter Dorie, she fears it's an elusive dream, because of persistent feelings of inadequacy and a lack of self-worth. In this way she differs from Jane Eyre. Jane Eyre is ever-aware of her shortcomings, but her sense of self is so strong. She is a tiny ball of determination and powerful will. She refuses to settle for less than she deserves, even if that means denying herself the man she loves. This Jane has to grow into that, and while I wasn't happy with some of the choices she made, I was happy that she found the fighter within that was buried under a mountain of hurt. Mr. Rochart is more vague and lacks the vibrancy of Rochester. He's also not as abrasive as Rochester, which is an enduring part of this character's appeal to fans of the novel. But I think he's a better fit for this Jane. He's her Rochester in the end. Dorie had such an impact on me. The lonely, troubled child in need of love and care that Jane is able to connect with. She is one of those younger characters that inspires the mothering urge in me. Also Poule's character. I can't speak on her at length, since it would spoil what was a very novel part of this book.

While Ironskin was a good book, it just didn't satisfy me completely. There was a sense of inertia when I read. As though the story wanted to get someone but it wandered aimlessly in a series of ever-widening circles. I'm not sure if that effectively conveys how I felt as I read, but it's as close as I can articulate at this time. The aspects of this story that appealed to me are significant, which is why I would recommend reading it. I just wanted more momentum in this book. Ultimately, I did appreciate the underlying themes. It speaks on the power of substance and will over all that glitters. Also that our wounds and scars can make us stronger, because they are tangible evidence of the inner truth. That we are survivors, down deep. We must just find that core of strength to prevail over our doubts and fears to grab hold of what we desire and need most in this life.

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.

...more

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May 19, 2013 Arielle rated it liked it

Shelves: faerytales, fantasy-unusual, young-adult

Fantastic in parts and very muddled in others... unsure what to think

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Jan 20, 2012 Chantaal rated it liked it

Shelves: paranormal, romance, steampunk, alternate-history, fae-folk

Originally posted at The Wandering Fangirl.

I have to confess I've never read Jane Eyre. Really. It's on my list of classics to eventually read, though my goal of reading forty classics in 2013 fell by the wayside. (Damn you, comics! But not really, I love you.) As a result, I went into Ironskin completely unaware of what was a retelling and what was original story (well, obviously the fey stuff is original), which led to a pretty interesting reading experience.

The first two thirds of the novel u ...more

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Dec 01, 2012 Whitley Birks rated it liked it

Shelves: almost-good

I started out liking this book. It had a clever setting and an interesting story. I enjoyed reading about this world that once ran on fairy magic and then had to adjust after its sudden loss. I loved reading about Jane and Dorie interacting and was curious to see how Dorie's conflict would be resolved. And then, like so many other books, everything went to hell as soon as the love interest showed up.

I hated every single scene with Edward. He was so poorly written that he didn't even come off as I started out liking this book. It had a clever setting and an interesting story. I enjoyed reading about this world that once ran on fairy magic and then had to adjust after its sudden loss. I loved reading about Jane and Dorie interacting and was curious to see how Dorie's conflict would be resolved. And then, like so many other books, everything went to hell as soon as the love interest showed up.

I hated every single scene with Edward. He was so poorly written that he didn't even come off as a jerk or anything, he was just...weird. Jane's reactions to him were weird. He didn't seem like a person, not a good person or a bad person. He was just a collection of odd-ball comments and nonsense that made Jane infinitely more annoying as she blathered on about his 'archaic' speech. I was not aware that 'archaic' meant 'using the same vernacular as everyone else, but having nothing to do with the subject at hand.'

And then everything just went downhill. Bits of the book were still good, but it turned into some Frankenstein mess of a novel, like it had been cobbled together out of multiple previous drafts, but the pieces didn't quite fit right. There were too many stories going on at once, and no attempt to make them flow. Everything had an overblown reaction attached to it, nothing was allowed to happen naturally, and there were several points where I had to flip through the pages wondering if I'd missed something, because the pacing was just that off.

I finally gave up on the novel about 2/3rds in, when Jane decided to make a big deal about the 'rage curse' that she had, going on about how her iron skin 'kept all the rage inside.' She didn't rage once in this novel. Not once. She didn't suppress her rage or get hindered by it or anything. She was, frankly, a very normal character with rather tepid emotions, and the only concession given to this 'curse' was that she angested about being angry now and then, even though she never got angry.

It's really a shame. If the story had stuck to being about Jane and Dorie and their respective curses, if Edward had stayed a mysterious distant employer and not some walking ball of insta-love, this could have been an excellent novel. (And if there had been a better line editor. The writing in this was downright irritating at times, and just average at its best. I got the feeling that it was trying to hard to sound Regency-era-ish, but the author didn't actually know how to do that, so it ended up a poor imitation with terrible grammar and inconsistent tenses.) ...more

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Apr 02, 2012 Charlene rated it it was amazing

Shelves: jane-eyre, own, ebook, autographed, beloved

What a beautifully layered story! For what seemed like a Jane Eyre retelling with supernatural elements, I was expecting something more straightforward and recognizably similar to the plot structure of Jane Eyre, but this novel was full of the unexpected! It does not directly follow the arc of Jane Eyre, but infuses the spirit and romance of the original novel into a new story. I found the relationship between Jane and her pupil, Dorie, unexpectedly complex, as Jane struggles to get through to h What a beautifully layered story! For what seemed like a Jane Eyre retelling with supernatural elements, I was expecting something more straightforward and recognizably similar to the plot structure of Jane Eyre, but this novel was full of the unexpected! It does not directly follow the arc of Jane Eyre, but infuses the spirit and romance of the original novel into a new story. I found the relationship between Jane and her pupil, Dorie, unexpectedly complex, as Jane struggles to get through to her and in the end through Dorie, Jane comes to realize something very important about herself. The author also sets up a strong history in the narrative, with the Great War, and the influence of the ultimately treacherous fey adding to an intricate fictional/ alternate reality where humans are still struggling to recover from the effects of war and the loss of the fey-technology. The details of this history and Jane Eliot’s involvement is slowly meted out however, so there is a feeling of tension as you try to catch up on what everything means.

What I liked best about this story is how the author weaved in many elements - fantasy romance with touches of steampunk, and nods to Beauty and the Beast as well as elements of Jane Eyre - to create a heavily atmospheric, dark tale of love and beauty and secrets. The nature of the secrets are very unpredictable, just like Edward Rochart, the mysterious widower artist, who sees Jane Eliot not as fey cursed, but as a brave, strong woman. And yet Jane struggles to cope with her past, and her curse, and to find the self-respect she needs to accept love, making this novel a gloriously touching romance between two damaged people. Although I could have used a little more development between Jane and Edward’s relationship, and there are still some unanswered questions as to the nature of the fey (but this is the first book in a series), I loved this intricate, intelligent, Gothic tale and I highly recommend it to fantasy and Jane Eyre fans! ...more

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Jul 21, 2012 Jess the Romanceaholic rated it it was amazing

Shelves: family-issues, faeries-or-other-fey, physically-imperfect-or-scarred, auto-buy, major-illness-or-injury, child-or-children-play-a-big-part, favorite-heroines, major-character-death, classics-retold, fantasy

I'm EXTREMELY wary of retellings of classic tales, and I admit that at first, the obvious similarities to Jane Eyre had me very hesitant.

That said, there was more than enough originality to the story to keep me on my toes, and with several unexpected plot twists as well as just enough of a cliffhanger to have me dying for the next installment (without making me want to scream in frustration), I stayed up all night reading this because I couldn't stand the thought of putting it down.

A very soli ...more

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Mar 22, 2012 Booknut rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-i-love-dearly, favorites, people-with-powers, gorgeous-guys, to-die-for-book-covers, heartbreak-and-loss, can-t-get-enough-of, heartwarming, romance, strong-and-kickass-heroines

"When what you hope for appears on your doorstep, there is every reason to doubt its reality."

A re-telling of the classic tale of Jane Eyre interwoven with cool metals and threads of fae mythology and magic, Ironskin is an unforgettable story exploring the beauty behind the mask.

Whether that mask be one of iron, or the facade one shows to the world.
...more

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May 31, 2012 Steph Su rated it liked it

Shelves: your-feminism-is-questionable, cover-lust

IRONSKIN took an…interesting approach to retelling Jane Eyre with fantastical elements. Inconsistent with everything from its plot to its characterization, IRONSKIN will probably be a temporarily intriguing but ultimately forgettable entry in the category of classic retellings.

Readers who love Jane Eyre will probably find fewer things objectionable in IRONSKIN. I, however, was never a fan of the bland heroine, brooding, self-deprecating hero, and the melodramatic secrets unveiled at the end of t IRONSKIN took an…interesting approach to retelling Jane Eyre with fantastical elements. Inconsistent with everything from its plot to its characterization, IRONSKIN will probably be a temporarily intriguing but ultimately forgettable entry in the category of classic retellings.

Readers who love Jane Eyre will probably find fewer things objectionable in IRONSKIN. I, however, was never a fan of the bland heroine, brooding, self-deprecating hero, and the melodramatic secrets unveiled at the end of the story. IRONSKIN actually does quite a good job of sticking to the original and necessary elements of JE. Mr. Rochart channels all of Edward Rochester’s self-deprecating comments and tortured moodiness. Which, you know, if you like that sort of self-pitying thing is all well and good. The setting of the house and the mysterious woods and moor surrounding it are played up and given dark life of their own. Surface-wise, things look good for IRONSKIN to be a great, loyal retelling.

It’s when the fantastical elements are added in that IRONSKIN loses some of its credibility with me. The tricky thing about retellings is that the progression of the characters’ decisions and actions has to make sense independent of the story it’s retelling. This is why superficial retellings of Pride and Prejudice have always bothered me: one can’t just “conveniently” bring up the existence of an impending high school “ball” in order to bring the separated lovers back together, or have one if the characters arbitrarily do something inconsistent to his or her character, just to set them back onto the path of the original story. IRONSKIN suffers from this in some regard too: little happens in the first half of the book besides for Jane struggling to teach Dorie and having cryptic encounters with the moody Mr. Rochart, which means that the book had to make lots of dramatic events happen in order to bring everything to its proper, dramatic conclusion in time. The pacing was clumsy, which resulted in some of the characters’ decisions feeling contrived for the sake of sticking to the original. It really took me out of the story, the constant awareness that IRONSKIN was adhering to the plot of Jane Eyre at its every twist and turn, and kind of smushed the original JE elements and new steampunk fantasy elements together when necessary.

I realize that I talked about a lot of my critiques of this book in my review, but really, IRONSKIN wasn’t a bad read…except for that I was a bit confused about some messages regarding beauty and “normalcy” that this book seemed to be sending. The trajectory of characters’ outcomes seems to suggest that it’s okay for women to base their worth upon their physical looks. Or something. I don’t know. I couldn’t quite put my finger on the implications. IRONSKIN was an interesting steampunk fantasy take on Jane Eyre, but I think I won’t be picking up the next book, because I felt myself skimming, my eyes wandering, too often for me to feel emotionally connected enough to the characters and their story. ...more

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Sep 28, 2012 Emily S. rated it did not like it

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, retelling

Oh, alas and woe is me that I did not enjoy this more. I TRIED to love it. I WANTED to love it. I did not love it. In the end, I didn't even like it. I didn't care a single bit for any character. I didn't care if they lived or died, were happy or sad, or whatever. NOTHING.
Gah.

I hate it when that happens, even more so when it's a book that I had such high expectations for. It's partly my fault too, for trying to push off my expectations onto a book. I took one look at that fantastic cover and tho ...more

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Oct 15, 2012 Merrie Haskell rated it it was amazing

Shelves: jane-eyre-retellings, something-deep-and-dark

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Another addition to my Jane Eyre retellings shelf. I'm hugely biased because of the source material, and full disclaimer, I also know the author and enjoy her greatly as a person.

That said... great book. Full on Jane Eyre retelling awesomeness, dark and compelling, with a dish of Tam Lin on the side.

Jane has survived a fairy war; the images of fighting the fairy war are extremely powerful and evocative. World-building in high concept scenarios so often lets me down, but this was both subtle an Another addition to my Jane Eyre retellings shelf. I'm hugely biased because of the source material, and full disclaimer, I also know the author and enjoy her greatly as a person.

That said... great book. Full on Jane Eyre retelling awesomeness, dark and compelling, with a dish of Tam Lin on the side.

Jane has survived a fairy war; the images of fighting the fairy war are extremely powerful and evocative. World-building in high concept scenarios so often lets me down, but this was both subtle and strong. The fey are odd and amazing, and fascinatingly engender a kind of technological revolution far ahead of the natural order of things.

But I address these JE retellings on their JEness, not their own merits (ridiculously, but we all have our bears to cross).

This version of the story gives Jane a fully realized family past. She has a living sister, and memories of her mother and brother. This is an orphan Jane but not on the same level as our original heroine. She's a governess/teacher, as is proper for a Jane Eyre retelling, but Gateshead is a battlefield where Jane fought and her brother died; and Lowood is a forge where people afflicted with fairy curses are "rehabilitated" by fitting them with cold iron prosthetics--hence the name, Ironskin.

Edward Rochart is far more Tam Lin than he is Rochester, in my mind; I did not see a whole lot of Rochester's over the top adoration for his Jane, but more of Tam Lin's purposeful and vaguely cynical use of Janet. Am I reading too much into that? Maybe. Rochart was not my favorite version of Rochester, nor my favorite character in this book, but Jane more than made up for it through one simple authorial choice: rage.

Jane's fairy curse is rage. She's been scarred, and the scar gives her rage and radiates rage toward everyone else. When she's actually angry, the rage intensifies the anger. Iron stops it, but it's poisoning her internally.

One of the things that movie adaptations so often fail with regard to Jane Eyre is adequately conveying the roiling inner turmoil of Jane, which includes the, well, rage that lives within her and causes everything from her behavior as a child in the Red Room on up through her declaration as Rochester's equal through her denial of St. John's offer of loveless marriage. It is often mistaken for passion, that rage, and that's not wrong; but it's passion in the traditional sense of the word, it's the suffering Jane endures, born of the mountain of injustices she's been buried under. That raging Jane is the Jane I understood, subtextually, when I first read Jane Eyre when I was 13; and it's the raging Jane who is so often glossed over in reinterpretations, adaptations, analysis, and commentary.

It was really nice to see her here, in Connolly's version. ...more

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Jul 30, 2012 Galla rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, paranormal

I was intrigued by the concept behind this take on Jane Eyre, and I'm open to new spins on old tales. Unfortunately, writers have a tough task ahead of them when they take on projects like these, because comparisons to the original are inevitable. Readers don't expect the same story, but we expect many of the elements that we loved so much in the source--and unfortunately, Ironskin's charms fall short of Jane Eyre's in every respect.

The world in this novel doesn't feel fully realized; we're giv I was intrigued by the concept behind this take on Jane Eyre, and I'm open to new spins on old tales. Unfortunately, writers have a tough task ahead of them when they take on projects like these, because comparisons to the original are inevitable. Readers don't expect the same story, but we expect many of the elements that we loved so much in the source--and unfortunately, Ironskin's charms fall short of Jane Eyre's in every respect.

The world in this novel doesn't feel fully realized; we're given just enough information about the Great War between the humans and fey to understand the plot, but not enough for a feeling of immersion. The relationship between Jane and Edward rings hollow, because not enough care is taken to develop the tension between them in that slow, careful dance Charlotte Brontë choreographed so masterfully. Here, they seem to realize they're in love with each other because the author decided it was time for them to do so. (And truthfully, a number of teams who've adapted Jane Eyre for movies or television have made the same mistake.)

As individuals, the characters hold up no better than their relationship. This Jane isn't unlikable; she does share the bravery, stubbornness, and determination of her predecessor. However, she also comes up short. (view spoiler) And while this Rochart says some of the right things, adopts some of the quirky mannerisms, ultimately, I'm not sure why anyone, let alone Jane, would fall in love with him. The appeal just isn't there.

I'm not sure I can go with more than two stars because I couldn't truly recommend this novel to anybody. Brontë fans will likely be disappointed, and readers who've never read Brontë would be better off with another choice from the paranormal romance or historical romance aisle.

...more

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Apr 09, 2012 Kara-karina rated it really liked it

Egalley thanks to Tor Books
This is another book I would hesitate to even call steampunk-ish. This is more of a Gothic novel in alternative reality.

Really atmospheric and strangely beautiful like most of Gothic novels I've had pleasure to read. The plot is ever so familiar that anyone who've read Jane Eyre or watched the movie would recognise it straight away.

And yet, Blanche for example is a passing character, there is no mad wife, and Jane has a younger sister, so even if you know that this is ...more

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Dec 12, 2011 Nicky rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

I wasn't sure about Ironskin at all when I initially picked it up. I'd seen the comparisons to Beauty and the Beast, and I knew it was based somewhat on Jane Eyre. I don't generally like stories based on classic novels, and Jane Eyre is one of my favourites, but as I got into this, I rather liked it. It doesn't follow the novel too closely, doesn't break its own logic to fit the novel's plotline; it makes and sustains a world of its own. There are parallels, more than similarities, if that disti ...more

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Jul 23, 2012 Katie Montgomery rated it did not like it

Shelves: i-want-those-hours-of-my-life-back

"Ironskin" is an unfortunate example of chemistry gone wrong. Sometimes you combine the correct ingredients but your technique is off, and Bob's-your-uncle, you've got no eyebrows. Like many of the other reviewers, I wanted to like Ironskin. I really did. I was sincerely looking forward to this galley. I stuck with it to the bitter end, hoping against hope that things would improve, that the plot would develop, that the clumsy writing would even out. I was not rewarded for my patience. Perhaps i ...more

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Dec 27, 2012 Felicia rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, vaginal-fantasy, horror

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 19, 2012 Heidi rated it liked it

Three and half stars: A new spin on Jane Eyre with deadly Fey, steampunk and more.

Jane takes a deep breath and eyes the strange house, obviously of Fey architecture. She is here seeking a governess position, and unfortunately for a girl like her she is running out of options. Jane adjusts the iron mask on her cheek and tightens the long veil around her face. She is greeted by Mr. Rochart. He seems unperturbed by her masked appearance, and he immediately offers her the job. She is to help care fo ...more

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Feb 09, 2012 Jo rated it it was amazing

Shelves: hard-copy-owned, favorites, classics-retold

July 4-5, 2015
Brilliant! Still 4.5 stars because the ending was jumbled. I thought perhaps I would find it better this go around, but Jane was running here and there without any reason and then running back to where she started. Still I loved it and cannot wait to jump into the next one.

November 9-10, 2013
4.5 stars
Let me preface by saying I adore Jane Eyre. This book was absolutely a brilliant adaptation. All of the homages to Jane Eyre were numerous as well ones to Pride and Prejudice. Connolly ...more

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Dec 22, 2011 Kagama-the Literaturevixen marked it as to-read

Shelves: steampunk

I have to admit im a little bit leery of these retellings of wellknown books.Sometimes I wish authors could come up with original ideas that are only based on their own ideas.

Everyone remembers the Brontës because of their original characters and stories.Who is going to remember an author who based her whole book on another persons work?

Ill read this though...because it could be good.Perhaps.Maybe

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About Tina Connolly

Tina Connolly

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Tina Connolly's books include the Ironskin trilogy (Tor), the Seriously Wicked series (Tor Teen), and the collection On the Eyeball Floor (Fairwood Press). She has been a finalist for the Hugo, Nebula, Norton, and World Fantasy awards. She co-hosts Escape Pod, runs the flash fiction podcast Toasted Cake, and is at tinaconnolly.com. ...more

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Quotes from Ironskin

“Perhaps I have too much anger of my own to tell. If a
man is steeped in bitter anger every day of his life, how then
would he notice a small additional fi re? Particularly when the
fi re comes in the presence of . . .” — 5 likes

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