Rating: 
Summary: Recommended for absolute devotees of Jane Eyre only
Review: Jane Rochester, by Kimberly Bennett is what I would call a "good enough" novel -- good enough to pass the time and keep me interested, but certainly not well-written or thought-provoking. I came upon it on Amazon and picked it up, despite the poor reviews, because Jane Eyre is my favorite novel, the love story between Jane and Mr. Rochester being one of the most enduring in classic literature, and I thought the "what ifs" presented in it could be somewhat interesting. I basically got what I paid for and I'm satisfied.
The disappointing thing is that Ms. Bennett is on the road to something right with this book, but never reaches her destination. Though I felt that the majority of the characters in her book thought and acted true to who Charlotte Bronte created them to be originally, her writing style and use of dialogue were lacking. The punctuation and spelling errors were atrocious. My copy says "Revised Edition" -- I hate to think how terrible the "original" edition was. As others have stated, there are scenes in which anyone who has read Jane Eyre would say that St. John Rivers would never have acted in such a rash manner (nor would Diana Rivers, to a lesser degree), Rochester would never have been so wimpy, and Jane never so childish.
I would have loved to hear what the intellectual sparring between Rochester and Jane was like after they were married since that was what drew them together in the first place, but all they seem to talk about in Bennett's work is their relationship and Jane's cousins - ho hum! At Thornfield they talked late into the night about all sorts of things - what an unromantic notion to think that they gave that up once they were married. I think the author was just not up to any sort of intense or emotionally stirring dialogue.
All that said, this book did fill some void of curiosity that I had in reading Bronte's line, "I have now been married ten years. I know what it is to live entirely for and with what I love best on earth" (why do novels always seem to end with the "I do" and never go much further?) I enjoyed it simply because I love Jane Eyre, and not really for any other reason. If you're a true fan of the original novel, give this a spin, but don't expect it to thrill you with it's dialogue or draw you in with its imagery. It will most likely bring you back to the original novel for those treasures.
If you don't absolutely adore Bronte's Jane Eyre, then this is just a poorly conceived and written romance novel and you can find much better out there.
Rating:
Summary: Did it REALLY happen that way? I have my doubts.
Review: Kimberly Bennett begins her "sequel" at the point where "Jane Eyre" leaves off, with a description of Jane and Edward's wedding day and early married life, as they adjust to each other sexually and otherwise. As if to mimic the original, the sequel also includes a crazy lady with murderous intent, although this one is not locked up and is a bit more of a threat to Edward since he is blind. It also expands upon the Rochesters' relationship to her newfound cousins, the Rivers', as Diana and Mary become brides, and St. John prepares for the mission field in India. The little orphan Adele makes a cameo appearance every so often, as she is mostly at school.Although I enjoyed the "sequel" for the most part, it really didn't convince me that "that's the way it happened." 1. Being a self-proclaimed "passionate" woman, I don't believe that Jane would have the problems adjusting to a sexual relationship that is described in this book. Nor do I believe that Edward would let it go on for so long! (2) I have some real problems with St. John Rivers' passion for Jane, and her own inner glee when he offers to drop all his missionary plans and run off with her to America. That he might feel such passion doesn't surprise me, but that he would act on it just doesn't seem in character. And that Jane would take pleasure in the suffering of another...well, if she did, she'd never write about it. (3) And that leads to my third point: Jane would never write in such detail about her sexual relationship. THAT is quite definitely a characteristic of TODAY'S romance novels. Perhaps it was necessary to capture the attention of today's readers. But I just don't believe that Charlotte Bronte would have done it that way. In spite of the above, I would have given this book a four-star rating if it weren't for all the annoying typos and grammar errors in it--more than I've seen in ANY book! Doesn't the editor know the difference between "its" and "it's" or "there" and "their" or the error in saying "Edward and I" when it should be "Edward and me". Believe me, the sheer NUMBER of errors is staggering and makes one suspect that this publishing company is less than professional. Also, books this size are difficult to hold with one hand and require that one be sitting up to read it. PLEASE! If you're a dyed-in-the-wool Jane Eyre fan, you shouldn't miss this one, but I wouldn't call it a romance exactly since it covers mostly what happens AFTER the "happy ever after" ending of the original novel. So if you're looking for romance, read (or reread) the original!
Rating: 
Summary: A flawed concept though a quick and entertaining read
Review: This book certainly entertained me for a couple of hours despite its far fetched plot (yet another mad woman?) and not well developed characters. The author thought a lot about how Jane and Rochester might interact as a married couple, given all that had happened to them, but if you are looking for the technique, vocabulary and "voice" of Charlotte Bronte, don't look here. This book is really a glorified romance novel and as such can be enjoyed as mind candy of the most frivilous sort. None of the supporting characters in this book would have behaved in the manner that the author conceives, if she remained true to the time of the story, but it is interesting to see her extrapolate from the original plot and set out on a modern tack. I am sure she had fun writing this novel, although I don't believe she is as deep a scholar of English lierature as is A.S. Byatt who in Posession totally created the "voices" and different language of the two poets. And all the editing mistakes - if I were the author I'd be embarrased with such an edition.
Rating:
Summary: A flawed concept though a quick and entertaining read
Review: This book certainly entertained me for a couple of hours despite its far fetched plot (yet another mad woman?) and not well developed characters. The author thought a lot about how Jane and Rochester might interact as a married couple, given all that had happened to them, but if you are looking for the technique, vocabulary and "voice" of Charlotte Bronte, don't look here. This book is really a glorified romance novel and as such can be enjoyed as mind candy of the most frivilous sort. None of the supporting characters in this book would have behaved in the manner that the author conceives, if she remained true to the time of the story, but it is interesting to see her extrapolate from the original plot and set out on a modern tack. I am sure she had fun writing this novel, although I don't believe she is as deep a scholar of English lierature as is A.S. Byatt who in Posession totally created the "voices" and different language of the two poets. And all the editing mistakes - if I were the author I'd be embarrased with such an edition.
Rating:
Summary: Worth a read
Review: Though there'll never be another Charlotte Bronte, Kimberly Bennett writes a good standard of English. Bronte could make the language sing. Yet this author's descriptions of nature, for example, are also evocative and elegantly worded. And I enjoyed the storyline. Bennett holds her reader's attention - the hallmark of a good author!
Unfortunately, Chapter Two is a blemish. In the 1850s, most women lost their virginity on their wedding night. Consistent with the prevailing prudishness of the era, the matter was regarded with subtle delicacy. First hand accounts of the act were invariably couched in the language of indirection, analogy and allusion. Cheesy phrases like "on the verge of exploding", "my beloved's core masculinity" and "he moved inside me slowly and deliberately" all reek of 1980s Mills & Boon. Enjoyed the other 19 chapters though!
|
