Jane Steele

Written by Lyndsay Faye

Narrated by Susie Riddell

'Reader, I murdered him.' JANE STEELE is a brilliant Gothic retelling of JANE EYRE from Edgar-nominated Lyndsay Faye, for fans of LONGBOURN and PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES. 'I loved it' - Elly Griffiths.,/p.

Like the heroine of the novel she adores, Jane Steele suffers cruelly at the hands of her aunt and schoolmaster. And like Jane Eyre, they call her wicked - but in her case, she fears the accusation is true. When she flees, she leaves behind the corpses of her tormentors.

A fugitive navigating London's underbelly, Jane rights wrongs on behalf of the have-nots whilst avoiding the noose. Until an advertisement catches her eye. Her aunt has died and the new master at Highgate House, Mr Thornfield, seeks a governess. Anxious to know if she is Highgate's true heir, Jane takes the position and is soon caught up in the household's strange spell. When she falls in love with the mysterious Charles Thornfield, she faces a terrible dilemma: can she possess him - body, soul and secrets - and what if he discovers her murderous past?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hachette UK Audio
• Release date: Mar 22, 2016
• ISBN: 9781472237897

Lyndsay Faye

Lyndsay Faye is the author of six critically acclaimed novels, including Jane Steele, which was nominated for an Edgar for Best Novel; The Gods of Gotham, also Edgar-nominated; and Dust and Shadow, a Sherlock Holmes pastiche. Born in Northern California, she formerly worked as an actress in the Bay Area and now lives in Queens, NY. Follow Lyndsay on @LyndsayFaye and www.lyndsayfaye.com

Reviews for Jane Steele

[beserene · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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!

[hcnewton · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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 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 ALLThere 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.

[xenoglossy_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This isn't a comprehensive review of the book, but I was really frustrated and disappointed by the way the relationship between Jane and Becky Clarke played out. The book seemed to tease very heavily that Jane's feelings for Clarke might be romantic, particularly with the way that Jane waxes lyrical about "the feel of her arm around my waist and her fingers tracing patterns on my collarbone" and whatnot, but the book never actually goes there, and when Clarke confesses that she does in fact have romantic feelings for Jane, Jane's sole reaction is "oh good, I'm not totally unlovable, maybe Mr. Thornfield will notice me after all!" In another book this could have been explained away as Jane not knowing it was possible for women to have romantic or sexual relationships with one another and by the time she figures it out her heart is already given elsewhere, but we know very well that Jane does know that lesbians exist during the time when she's living with Clarke, so that's not an excuse. Of course the romance between Jane and Mr. Thornfield was always going to be endgame, but I feel like the author needed to either commit to making her protagonist bisexual or cut way the hell down on the "I want to run away with her and share everything with her forever and cuddle with her in bed but, like, platonically." It's possible to write a close friendship that doesn't read like a crush! But if that's what the writer was trying to do, I think she missed the mark.

[japaul22 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This novel draws its inspiration from [Jane Eyre]. The young woman narrator identifies with Jane Eyre, as she grows up in the household of an unsupportive Aunt, goes to a suspect boarding school, and winds up a governess where she falls in love with her employer. However, Faye creates Jane Steele as a murderess and there is a large subplot once she becomes a governess in which the man she falls in love with is tied up with a scandal that happened during his time in India. Part of this novel were completely ridiculous, but overall I enjoyed the ride.

[vesper1931 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The story of Jane Steele (born in the 1830s) as told my herself with reference to her favourite book -Jane Eyre. Yes 'Reader, I murdered him' - the difference in their stories is that she does kill.
The more I read of this book the more I enjoyed it and the characters.
Will look out of more of her books.
A NetGalley book

[ridgewaygirl · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Jane Steele is a young woman in nineteenth century England, who reads a book called Jane Eyre and sees in it some similarities in their circumstances, inspiring her to write down an account of her own life. And there are similarities, from the cold aunt to the harsh boarding school to her later job as a governess. But while they share similar personalities -- both are loving and loyal and brave -- Steele has a decidedly different reaction to mistreatment, which results in her needing to avoid a detective named Sam Quillfeather. She's still shocked by what she finds in her employer's cellar, but her willingness to take action will be necessary to save that same employer from the man from the East India Company. This novel is written in the style of a Victorian novel and despite the protagonist's propensity to needful murders, retains that feel through out. I enjoyed it enormously. Jane is a wonderful character and the way the novel echos and diverges from its inspiration was a lot of fun for this Jane Eyre fan. This is well-written entertainment.

[drfuriosa · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Reader, I was disappointed.

When I heard "Jane Eyre as serial killer," I expected some wickedly delicious hijinks, along the lines of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (though infinitely less stupid as PPZ ended up being). I was hoping that Jane would become a sly and unreliable narrator that messed with us and made us root for her diabolical ways. I hoped for an analogous plot that would start with the (hopefully) gruesome murders of Mrs. Reed, Eliza, Georgiana, and John and concluding with Bertha and Jane jointly taking out Mr. Rochester and then running off to the Caribbean to sip mimosas and high five over the very bad man they killed. Alas.

I was hoping for *American Psycho* meets Charles Dickens at his most devilish, and I instead got Charlotte Bronte meets Ann Radcliffe. Sigh.

Jane Steele is an orphan like Jane Eyre, and the novel starts with her resentment at being dependent on her aunt's grudging charity. Her cousin Edwin is a disgusting pig, and the novel begins with a confession: "Reader, I murdered him." Delicious. Unfortunately, the promise at so sly and cryptic a confession does not pan out. Jane's killings are all in self-defense or are completely understandable if you also justify Bob Ewell "falling on his own knife" in *To Kill a Mockingbird* (which, yes, we all accept that explanation, because Bob Ewell is a very bad man). Despite promises of Jane being wicked, she doesn't actually know how to be truly bad.

Don't even get me started on the Rochester character. He's so good, it's boring. Rochester is a very bad man, and changing him almost completely doesn't really fit the book's premise.

What I *did* like was the whole Anglo-Sikh history and conversation. That part would be useful for introducing the colonial aspects of the English empire and that Jane Eyre the novel only hints at with Bertha. This would be a useful companion to Jane Eyre, especially if you taught Wide Sargasso Sea for that reason.

If romance and history is your thing, you will probably love this novel very much. I tend to prefer satire and dark lit-fic, and this did not fulfill my particular tastes.

[susanbooks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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 it's Rochester's attic that 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 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 it first (and anyway, just read Jane Eyre! It's fantastic!). Then, dear Reader, sit back and enjoy because this is quite the ride.

[bookbrig-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved the audiobook reader! (also, is not quite a gothic in the way I normally categorize them, but flirts with the edges.)

[thomaspluck · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A thrilling and joyful read about a young murderess making her way in a cruel world! A riff on Jane Eyre, with a wonderful cast of scoundrels and villains. Loved it!

[matke-261098 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This pastiche/homage to the great Jane Eyre is a most enjoyable romp. Author Faye manages to employ serial murder, Sikhs, the British Raj, and some of the nasty underside of Victorian England to create a book that is both fun to read and completely absorbing. Jane Steele is a complicated woman whose sense of humor even in dire circumstances will leave the reader smiling. The two male leads are well-drawn as well.Although it doesn’t really seem like a mystery—much more like a sensational novel—there is a mystery at the heart of the book, and the author employs classic misdirection in hiding the identity of the culprit. Very well done.Recommended for Victorian fans, Jane Eyre lovers, feminists, and those who like sly humor in their stories. Well, recommended for almost anyone, really.

[being_b-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I'm quite torn on this one. It's basically "What if Jane Eyre's early life was just a little more awful and Mr. Rochester had substance to go with his angst?"

I am all for the second part, and I loved Jane's murdering. What I didn't love was the ending.
Everything came together far too neatly: The Inspector turns out to be anachronistically feminist, the Director of the EIC is on their side, Jane's inheritance means she is not financially dependent on Charles, and Jane's bastardy means she doesn't need to worry about fighting Charles for ownership of the house.

I also wasn't pleased that the negative consequences of the ending fell on the non-white characters alone. Not to mention that after pages and pages about Jane's languishing in anguish over her unrequited love, the novel's treatment of gay characters isn't great. We learn late in the novel that Jane's estranged childhood friend Clark is in love with her. The fact that Clark is just as in love with Jane as Jane is with Charles is used to help Jane realize that she is fundamentally lovable... and that's about it. It's pretty gross to elicit the specter of centuries of pain endured by women forced into the closet just to help the straight MC feel good about herself.

[readingover50 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

When I heard about this book, I was picturing Jane as an assassin. That is not what she is. Nor does she come across as a serial killer, despite what the book blurb states. Yes, she does kill a few people, but it is mostly in self defense, or to right a horrible wrong. She is so full of regret for her actions that you know she is not a cold blooded killer.

The first half of the book was great. The second half got a little confusing. A lot of new characters were introduced, with a lot of political maneuvering and tragic backstories to keep straight.

I liked this book, but I didn't love it.

[lkernagh · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Having never read Jane Eyre - something I plan to rectify thanks to this story - I can only comment on the story as it stands on its own merits. Having loved Faye's Timothy Wilde trilogy, I was rather intrigued to dip further into Faye's story telling offerings. Jane is a fascinating character. Strong. Gutsy. Determined. As for the setting, yes we are in my favorite of elements: The Gothic Tale. I did enjoy the vengeance piece and seeking to discover the mystery around Jane's possible inheritance of the manor house. So, what not to like. Not much, except for the overall feeling that this is a novel geared towards a younger (YA) reading audience and I found my mind wandering as I listened to certain parts of the story. Some parts were also a bit unbelievable - like the reveal by police constable/inspector(?) Sam Quillfeather and the dramatic Dickensian-like environment of the school run by Augustus P. Sack - which, while adding to the plot delivery, were a little hard to swallow for the this reader. With a "This book is humbly dedicated to Miss Eyre and Mr. Nickleby" dedication, this book will probably best appeal to Bronte and Dickens fans (or not, given that it comes across a bit like a satirical romp). I liked it enough to want to read [Jane Eyre], so kudos to Faye for peeking my interest in that classic novel!

[gwendydd · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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 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.

[brenzi_3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

”We tell stories to strangers to ingratiate ourselves, stories to lovers to better adhere us skin to skin, stories in our heads to banish the demons. When we tell the truth, often we are callous; when we tell lies, often we are kind. Through it all, we tell stories, and we own an uncanny knack for the task.”Jane Steele is a world class liar. She has lived her life disguising herself and making her sins disappear in order to present herself as someone not quite, well, what she really is. She is a devoted fan of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre and uses quotes from the book in writing her own memoir. But she is no Jane Eyre.In the mid 19th century, Jane (Steele) is living with her mother in a small cottage on the property belonging to her aunt, Highgate House. Her mother is barely functioning and as expected, dies leaving Jane in the care of the aunt who really doesn’t like her at all. But Jane has been told by her mother that Highgate House will belong to her when she comes of age as it was originally her father’s. The crux of the narrative is Jane’s desperate attempt to claim what is hers and she goes to great lengths to obtain it.This is a rip roaring tale and Lyndsay Faye is just so good at Gothic novels. She has an uncanny ability to make you feel as if you’re right there in the midst of the action. Excellent character development and an incredible plot line that had me guessing almost until the very end all combined to make this such an enjoyable read that I can only highly recommend it to lovers of Gothic literature. Simply divine.

[quondame · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Jane Steel redeems up to 500 inferior tributes to or derivatives of Jane Eyre. A delightful combination of elements of Jane Eyre and modern tough-but-tender adventuress heroine driven fiction, it feeds those of us who have been reading about ever spunkier girls and young women over the decades. We are brought back to Jane Eyre with a quote at the beginning of each chapter and sometimes the reflections on JE by our heroine current Jane who is subjected to and fights back against just enough brutality before she, like Sarah Carew, finds an oriental sourced refuge. I was relieved that Lyndsay Faye does not feel the need to devote many chapters to the school and London hardships our heroine endures, hitting just enough notes to let us fill in from copious prior perusal of mid-Victorian melodrama/romance. Once we reach the destination both expected and unexpected encounters combine in a very satisfactory manner to give our Jane her new improved life.

[tiffy_reads · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book. I really like Jane's character as well as Charles, Sardar, and Sahjara. A beautifully written, rich in detail historical fiction novel. It has mystery, romance, and a bit of suspense all tangled together for a great storyline.

[muddyboy · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This novel combines disparate things like mass murder, Jane Eyre, the Sikh religion and a love story. We see Jane first as a young girl who through various circumstances kills several people that come into her life. It is a complex story revolving around an estate that she is told she is to inherit. The tale twists and turns and eventually leads to some Englishmen involved in a civil insurrection in India. There are also some missing jewels that cause some of the men to turn on each other. The book gets a little murky in her telling of the Indian/Sikh part of the story. Somehow it all generally works.

[bucketofrhymes · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Jane Steele is basically a loose retelling of Jane Eyre... if Jane happened to become a murderer. It's one heck of a ride.

Now, like I said, it's a loose retelling. Jane has actually read Eyre and considers it an inspiration. So, while there are definite parallels in the plot and writing style, it's by no means the same story, and the plot kept me guessing.

Spoilers for both books:
I do wish there had been a wife in the attic in Steele, and that Jane had wound up killing Mr. Thornfield/the Mr. Rochester character over it. It's always been one of my great disappointments that Mr. Rochester treats his first wife so horribly in Eyre and that Jane is just... totally fine with it and still loves him and marries him. So, I was hoping for a parallel scene in Steele and a bloody demise for Thornfield -- it certainly would have fit with Jane's values and the nature of the previous murders.

Having said that, I suppose I should be happy there was no wife in the attic scene. Still, it would have been cathartic.

[jim53_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Jane Steele is the narrator of the book that bears her name. Her favorite book is Jane Eyre, and her story contains many similarities to the first Jane's: she is orphaned, tortured by hateful relatives, sent to a miserable boarding school, finds work as a governess. But in between, Jane Steele finds the time and the will to commit several murders. She is determined to recapture possession of the estate where her cousins lived; finding it occupied by a gentleman named Thornfield (!) she plans to add him to her list of victims. The story does a wonderful job of echoing Jane Eyre but deviating in several ways. Jane Steele is a fascinating character, willing to commit murders but self-critical and capable of caring for others nonetheless. The resolution of her story contains some creative twists and turns.

[bookconcierge · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Audiobook narrated by Susie RiddellOpening line: Of all my many murders, committed for love and for better reasons, the first was the most important.Thus begins Lindsay Faye’s re-imagining of [Jane Eyre]. Readers of the classic will recognize some plot elements: an orphaned Jane, a mean guardian and her children, a stay in a boarding school, work as a governess, fascination with the lord of the manor, a dark secret (this time in the basement rather than the attic), etc. However, Faye has let her imagination run wild. The story is still set in the same era as Bronte’s classic novel, but this Jane is a serial killer. If that makes you gasp is horror … well give the book a chance. It’s great fun to read, especially if you’ve read the original (though I think those who haven’t read the classic, will still find this enjoyable). The classic [Jane Eyre] has been adapted to film several times; I would definitely watch a film adaptation of THIS work!Susie Riddell does a marvelous job of voicing the audio book. She has good pacing, and I just love her Jane Steele characters.

[laytonwoman3rd · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I absolutely loved this homage to (one might say parody of) Jane Eyre. From the counterpoint names (air and steel) to the "Reader, I murdered him" line, which grabbed me by the curiosity, I was delighted and tore through 400 pages in record time. Calling Jane Steele a "serial killer" is very misleading; she is no psychopath. Nor is she a victim of anything but occasional bouts of self-doubt. She is an orphan whose circumstances often mirror Jane Eyre's misfortunes, but the outcomes are wildly different. She is in every way bolder and more resourceful than her namesake, and way more fun to read about. To begin, Jane falls under the care of her nasty Aunt Patience and is tormented by her nastier cousin Edwin, whose perverted advances lead her to give him a mighty shove, thereby beginning her career as a murdereress. The basic framework of the story follows Jane Eyre in many broad particulars, but the plot is full of marvelous variations, upside down elements (in JE there's something peculiar going on in the attic--in JS, one must not go into the basement;) and other surprises. If you've never read JE, fear not...JS is a cracking good read even if you make none of the connections at all, and Miss Steele herself points out a thing or two to the reader as she goes along, because Jane Eyre is her favorite book.Review written in October 2016

[angiestahl-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved every word of this retelling of Jane Eyre. Jane Steele, a murderess five times over, is fantastically drawn. If you appreciate Flavia, you might find much to admire about Jane Steele, too. Lots of nods to the original, some obvious, some less so, but less a faithful take and more a fresh twist on the classic. Dry humor and British wit sprinkled liberally within.

[jillrhudy · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Absolutely loved it. This is now my favorite Jane Eyre spinoff/retelling other than The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. The confession at the end made me laugh until I cried.

[nhalliwell-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

“A reimagining of Jane Eyre as a gutsy, heroic serial killer, from the author whose work The New York Times described as “riveting” and The Wall Street Journal called “thrilling.” Description on NetGalley site

I was intrigued by Jane Eyre as a serial killer. I love Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre and the thought of her being a serial killer was too hard to pass on. Lyndsay Faye does an excellent job of bridging the gap between Bronte’s prose style and a little less formal style. It was a very approachable text and drew me right in.

If the reader had not read Jane Eyre already, they will still enjoy Jane Steele. Ms. Faye uses quotations from Jane Eyre sprinkled throughout the text. The quotes mirror what is occurring in Jane Steele’s own story. For someone who has read and loved Jane Eyre, the quotes are like magic touchstones tying the two works together.

It is hard to discuss the plot without giving any spoilers. Let me say that Jane is an amazing character. She is no one’s victim and fully cognizant of her misdeeds and her motivations. I found that I liked her quite a bit. The other main character à la Mr. Rochester is complex and is slowly revealed through the course of the story. There were many unique and distinctly not British characters in this book. They were fascinating. I will be looking into a few of the books the author recommends to learn more.

The story moves along at a good pace, slower in some parts and faster in others. It works well. I did not become bored or distracted while reading it. The story had my full attention. Finally one sentence the author wrote in her afterward resonates very strongly with me and I think it is a fitting ending for a review of the book. “I hope the epitaph of the human race when the world ends will be: Here perished a species which lived to tell stories.”

This book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

[jjaylynny · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was sad as hell when I finished Lyndsay Faye's Timothy Wilde trilogy. It's set in my favorite time and place (NYC, late 19th, early 20th c). Also, I wanted to marry a fictional character (Valentine Wilde, you are MINE). Luckily, Ms. Faye healed (somewhat) my sadness with this confection, a naughty take on Jane Eyre. Delicious. And as usual, she piqued my interest about something I know little about (the Sikh culture). Good stuff.

[stewartry · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Agatha Christie points out in one of her titles: "Murder Is Easy". Not the first one, necessarily; there is usually a basic human revulsion for taking another's life. But once that first notch is on one's belt, subsequent murders/executions/assassinations come more readily. Or so she says – I know nothing about the matter personally, of course, dear Reader. I think I object to this book being called a retelling of Jane Eyre. Jane Steele knows the book, and recognizes her similarities to fictional-for-her-Jane, and indeed the idea to become a governess is pleasing to her because of the book. I think it's more an homage, a love letter to the book, as This Jane's life echoes and mimics That Jane's; who's to say that some of the decisions This Jane made weren't influenced by That Jane? (I suspect the epithet "you impudent elf" might have been.) It took a little while for me to click with Jane. I lost heart in the midst of her childhood, perhaps disappointed that this was not at all like the Lyndsay Faye books I've read and loved before. I admit it was purely duty to Netgalley that dragged me back to give it another try. Thank goodness. Once it did click, it clicked, and there was no looking back – I loved every minute. I loved the writing. "The girl who had broken off from the line was twelve, with a moon face which was so beautiful I had no notion whether she should be congratulated or censured for taking matters a trifle too far."I loved learning something new (such as about the aara, which is horrifying and awesome), and relearning something I'd forgotten (like the definition of "ferengi", which – have I mentioned I'm a Trekkie?).I loved the horses. I always take note of how a writer handles horses, whether they're given names, whether they're given personalities, and – most importantly – with what level of knowledge they're depicted. They were beautifully handled here. I loved the entirely unexpected exploration of Colonial – and violently post-Colonial – India. Shades of The Little Princess and perhaps a more accurately drawn Woman in White; fascinating. I loved the children. You read that correctly: I, who usually can't stand children in fiction and particularly precocious children, loved Jane-as-child and her poor unfortunate schoolmates, and most especially Sahjara. I adored Sardar. What a marvelous character. I'm still trying to incorporate his usual response into my daily conversation."Your advice is loathsome, Sardar, and it disendears me to you." "So often the way with advice…"And as for Jane and her Charles… Surprise! I loved them. So often the way with Lyndsay Faye's books…The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.

[bookofsecrets · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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 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.

[wagner5sarah35 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Being a huge fan of Jane Eyre, this was a must-read for me, and I definitely enjoyed this reinterpretation of the classic story. Jane Steele is remarkably different from Jane Eyre, sometimes pointing out the classic Jane's illogical behavior and sometimes being a bit ridiculous herself. Overall, this made for fun, enjoyable reading - but definitely for those familiar with the classic novel.