Jane Steele

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---

Few among us are aware of how much blood the human body contains—surging in thick waves should it chance to be spilt.

I had spilled it, meanwhile, and therefore drastic measures were required.

[redacted] was felled by a strangely skilful blow—as if I had studied the act, when in fact I had simply decided that he should stop being alive. He gurgled a disbelieving shriek, eyes ablaze with wrath and fear, looking perversely more alive than ever, each muscle taut with severest alarm. He even got halfway to his feet, reaching for me, rich gore soaking the fateful ledger.

Then his lips bubbled crimson, his blazing eyes hardened, and he slumped forward over the desk. His fingers, so show more graceful in life, twitched like the poisonous insect he was; his back ceased to shudder.

I cocked my head and gauged his condition: dead.

WHAT'S JANE STEELE ABOUT?
I got really long-winded in my first draft on this point and bored myself—if I can't keep my interest, there's no way I'm going to keep yours. So, because I'm a giver, I'm going appropriate the description from the Publisher's site:

A sensitive orphan, Jane Steele suffers first at the hands of her spiteful aunt and predatory cousin, then at a grim school where she fights for her very life until escaping to London, leaving the corpses of her tormentors behind her. After years of hiding from the law while penning macabre “last confessions” of the recently hanged, Jane thrills at discovering an advertisement. Her aunt has died and her childhood home has a new master: Mr. Charles Thornfield, who seeks a governess.

Burning to know whether she is in fact the rightful heir, Jane takes the position incognito and learns that Highgate House is full of marvelously strange new residents—the fascinating but caustic Mr. Thornfield, an army doctor returned from the Sikh Wars, and the gracious Sikh butler Mr. Sardar Singh, whose history with Mr. Thornfield appears far deeper and darker than they pretend. As Jane catches ominous glimpses of the pair’s violent history and falls in love with the gruffly tragic Mr. Thornfield, she faces a terrible dilemma: Can she possess him—body, soul, and secrets—without revealing her own murderous past?

THE JANE EYRE OF IT ALL
There are a couple of ways to talk about Charlotte Brontë's work relating to this book. First, the novel is Jane Steele's favorite novel. She makes frequent mention of it, plot points, and even when she buys a new copy. Jane is very aware of how events in her life parallel Eyre's, and while the two women share responses to some things—ultimately, they're very different people.

But my primary focus is from the perspective of the reader. The book was marketed as "what if Jane Eyre was a serial killer?" and "Jane Eyre + Dexter." And that's not wrong, but I think it's more than that. Another way to put it is that this isn't in the same vein as Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. The account of Steele's life—broadly viewed—does follow the same outline as Eyre's (the question can, and should, be asked how much of this is real and how much is a projection by the narrator). Also, I'm not crazy about the serial killer tag. She's a vigilante who has killed enough to get the label "serial." But it's not ever presented as something she's driven to do from within (although that might be a coverup by the first-person narrator).

But basically, it's the same rough outline, with a lot of significant differences. The Flight of Gemma Hardy and Re Jane are closer re-tellings of Jane Eyre.

SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT JANE STEELE?
In the end, not only is it a strange little love story and a little bit of a thriller, but there's some reflection on humans as storytelling creatures. Not just in the stories we set down—Jane Eyre and Jane Steele for example—but the stories we tell ourselves and each other. There's an essay to be written there by a more insightful blogger than I.

Faye did a good job of making most/many of the characters have Twenty-First Century sensibilities while walking around Nineteenth-Century London. Some authors can't pull it off, but Faye did. The pacing is quick. The writing is crisp and clever, and there's a humor to this that you might not expect (but is really the only way this is palatable)—after distancing the work from Dexter earlier, the humor of the novel really does match the Showtime version at its best. I wouldn't change a thing about any of the characters, and really do regret that the nature of this story pretty much eliminates a sequel, because I'd like to revisit them (but a sequel would really be a bad idea).

I came for the Jane Eyre aspect, got hooked by the characters, and stayed for Faye's prose and story. This ended up as far better than I expected and pretty different than what I thought I was getting into. I was glad to see it (don't get me wrong, the Eyre stuff is great, but it's just the icing on this tasty cake) and heartily recommend this to you. show less

This is startlingly good.

I was hesitant to read it, because Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books of all time, and I didn't like the thought of Jane Eyre as a gory serial killer. However, the descriptions of this book don't do it justice: it is not as simple as "Jane Eyre as a serial killer." First of all, it is not meant to be a retelling of Jane Eyre. In fact, the titular narrator reads Jane Eyre with the same devotion that all Bronte fans do, often quoting and ruminating on the book, and is keenly aware of the differences between herself and Jane Eyre. Secondly, I would not call Jane Steele a serial killer - when I think of serial killers, I think of people who kill for the pleasure of it, but that is not the case here. The "serial show more killer" description led me to expect gratuitous bloodbaths, but that is not at all what happens.

Instead, this is a delightful Gothic novel, which follows the same contours as Jane Eyre, but in such a way that knowing Jane Eyre's story adds to the suspense instead of detracting from it. Since it is a Gothic novel, parts of it are ridiculously fantastic in ways that might make you want to roll your eyes, but are totally in keeping with Gothic conventions, and, as the author acknowledges in the afterward, in history as well. But it is also ridiculously fun, and a delightful homage to Jane Eyre.

I was blown away by the writing. Faye's writing pays homage to Bronte's without mimicking it, and there are several times when she outright winks at the reader. You can tell Faye had fun writing the book, and that makes it fun to read. On top of that, she manages to pull on the emotional heartstrings almost as much as Jane Eyre, which is no mean feat. show less

Reader, I murdered him. With a tagline like that, how could I resist? I absolutely loved this book! JANE STEELE is a dark retelling of the Brontë classic, JANE EYRE. Granted, the original was already pretty dark, but JANE STEELE takes it to a whole new level.

Like me, Jane Steele is a huge fan of Jane Eyre, and in many ways her life mirrors that of her favorite character. Only, Miss Steele is a wee bit of a sociopath (hence the tagline), but in the best way possible! When she sees an injustice, she handles it in her own vigilante way.

The story follows Jane from her childhood days at Highgate House, to a dismal boarding school, to the rough streets of Victorian London, and eventually to her return to Highgate House, where Jane has come show more back to collect her due. Did I mention the body count along the way?

JANE STEELE is a beautifully written book, clever and captivating, with a nice blend of mystery, historical fiction, Gothic romance, suspense, and adventure. Highly recommended.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. show less

I do tend to admire authors who have great self-awareness!

"Finally, it would be disingenuous of me to suggest that this book isn’t rather ridiculous, and be it known that its ridiculousness is based in both truth and in fiction."

Jane Steele is 'rather ridiculous', and I loved that Lyndsay Faye included this statement in her acknowledgments. But this ridiculousness was of the utterly fun and engaging variety. Unlike many other readers - from perusing GR reviews this morning - I found the latter part of the story reading at a quicker pace, and far more interesting. It took me quite a good bit of the story to really feel invested (100-ish+ pages), but once Steele (view spoiler), things went along really well for me.

I seem to be show more eyeballs-deep in retellings these past few months - The Gap of Time: The Winter's Tale Retold, Shylock Is My Name, Eligible, and now 'accidental avenger', Jane Steele - which the author describes as a 'satirical riff'. It is part retelling, part tribute, and Faye's love for Jane Eyre is wonderfully evident . (Also, Vinegar Girl is coming from Anne Tyler super-soon, and I am so stoked for that one.) I often think I am not a fan of retellings, but I have had great success with the books I just mentioned (save for Jacobson's, which... ugh!). And Eligible and Jane Steele both serve as excellent escapist options, for times you night want a bit more fun in your reading, though still smartly, sharply written.

It's ben eons since I last read Jane Eyre, and I wasn't sure if my lack of a detailed recollection would impact my experience with Jane Steele -- it didn't. I think Faye structured this book in such a way that it stands alone very well. As with my recommendation the other day re: Sittenfeld and Austen (Eligible): if you are far too serious about your Jane Eyre and Charlotte Brontë, probably don't bother with Faye's book. If, however, you can appreciate fun and have an open mind, I hope this book works really well for you!! It would be a great summer or vacation read, since we are moving into that time of year in the Northern Hemisphere. :) show less

I wasn't a huge fan of Jane Eyre when I read it earlier this year. Even so, when I saw the cover and read the description of this book I was intrigued. It's hard not to be when the first thing you see is "Reader, I murdered him."

Jane Steele was everything I hoped it'd be. Entertaining and wonderfully written with a great cast of characters to boot. Full of mystery, wit, culture, and a side of murder.
Don't worry, Jane isn't a heartless serial killer. She just finds herself in some less than ideal situations that prompt her to resort to violent measures. Only a handful of times though..no big deal.

Whether you're a fan of Jane Eyre or not you should definitely give this book a shot. It's worth it!

*ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for show more an honest review. show less

Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye imagines the Jane Eyreish protagonist as a sociopathic murderer who still needs love and connection... and is also obsessed with "Jane Eyre". Deliciously meta historical fiction and a very engaging narrative. Some of the interiority can be frustrating, especially when our Jane makes odd decisions -- but if you ever read "Jane Eyre" and wondered why she didn't just haul off and stab some people in the eye, this is the book for you. I loved it!

So brilliant! Jane Steele is a devoted re-reader of Jane Eyre. As her name suggests, however, she is no airy copy of her favorite heroine, though her life falls along similar lines -- and therein lies the genius of this book. SEMI-SPOLILERS AHEAD! For example, Jane Steele also works as a governess for a mysterious bachelor with a young girl ward. But this bachelor is loquacious, where Rochester is reticent; besotted with his ward, where Rochester is contemptuous; has a mysterious basement whereas Rochester's attic hides his secret. END SPOILERS The book is filled with these brilliant juxtapositions that aren't necessarily funny in their own right but, when pushed up against Bronte's novel, become hilarious, lightly parodying Bronte's show more gothic while lovingly staying true to its story of female trial, independence and strength. It reminded me of Austen's Northanger Abbey in that it mocks the gothic while showing that its conventions serve as metaphors for real evil in the world.

I've written on and taught Jane Eyre more times than I can count so for me the book was as delightful as the richest of chocolate cakes. I'm not sure a reader who hasn't read Jane Eyre would feel quite the same, so if you're interested in this book and haven't read JE, I'd recommend reading that first (and anyway, just read Jane Eyre! It's fantastic!). Then, dear Reader, sit back and enjoy because this is quite the ride. show less