Jane: The Woman Who Loved Tarzan

Written by Robin Maxwell

Narrated by Suzan Crowley

The only female student in Cambridge University’s medical program, Jane Porter is far more comfortable in a lab coat dissecting corpses than she is in a corset and gown sipping afternoon tea. A budding paleoanthropologist, Jane dreams of traveling the globe in search of fossils that will prove the evolutionary theories of her scientific hero, Charles Darwin.

When dashing American explorer Ral Conrath invites Jane and her father to join an expedition deep into West Africa, she can hardly believe her luck. Africa is every bit as exotic and fascinating as she has always imagined, but Jane quickly learns that the lush jungle is full of secrets—and so is Ral Conrath. When danger strikes, Jane finds her hero, the key to humanity’s past, and an all-consuming love in one extraordinary man: Tarzan of the Apes.

Jane is the first version of the Tarzan story written by a woman and authorized by the Edgar Rice Burroughs estate. Its publication marks the centennial of the original Tarzan of the Apes.

“This stunning sequel to Tarzan is outstanding in its scope and pageantry.… Suzan Crowley is magnificent with her portrayals of the narrator and the protagonist. Her voice develops the Tarzan personality as she teaches him to speak English, and we hear him progress from tentative childish pronunciations to mastering entire sentences and concepts.… For anyone who grew up with the original Tarzan and for all the new legions of fantasy and sci-fi lovers.” —AudioFile

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Sep 18, 2012
• ISBN: 9781455884988

Robin Maxwell

Robin Maxwell began writing novels about the historical figures she had been obsessing about since graduating from Tufts University with a degree in Occupational Therapy. Her bestselling first novel The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn,  won two YA awards and has been translated into fourteen languages. The Wild Irish —an epic tale of Ireland's rebel queen, Grace O'Malley—closed out her Elizabethan Quartet and is now in development for a television series. Signora Da Vinci and Jane: The Woman Who Loved Tarzan are tales of the remarkable women behind two of the world's most beloved wildmen, Maestro Leonardo and Lord Greystoke. Robin lives with her husband of forty years, yogi Max Thomas, at High Desert Eden, a wildlife sanctuary in the Mojave Desert.

Reviews for Jane

[brokenteepee · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Do not start this book right before bed. I did and found myself still reading at 2:30AM. The story of Tarzan's Jane told by Robin Maxwell was in its beginning chapters very enthralling. I love anthropology so the inclusion of the early studies of fossils and the debates on Darwin's theories were fascinating to me. Ms. Maxwell has that magic with words that draws you into time and place and time flies as you read Jane's tale of meeting Tarzan and her telling the story to a young Edgar Rice Burroughs - a delightful conceit to get the story rolling.Jane Porter is a very self possessed woman, brought up by a liberal father in straight laced Victorian Times. He has encouraged her study of science despite her mother's objections. Upon meeting a slick explorer who knows exactly how to sell himself and how to appeal to the desires of Jane's father a trip is planned to find Darwin's missing link; but Ral Conrath has his own agenda and is not what he purports to be. Jane has her reservations but her father tells her to leave it to the men - a surprising response from such a forward thinking type.As all who know the story realize, Jane finds herself in the jungle, rescued by an ape-man. But this Tarzan is not like any other. In fact he is a bit too much of a 90's man - 1990s. He is a bit in touch with his feelings for a soul raised by an ape like tribe in the jungle but the story rolls along. I found the second half to be not quite as compelling as the first - it seemed to drag a bit as Jane sorted through Tarzan's backstory and Tarzan taught Jane the ways of the Jungle. I got a bit bored but it picked right back up when Jane and Tarzan teamed up to defeat the evil Mr. Conrath. The ending was an unexpected jolt and makes me wonder if there are going to be further adventures for Jane and Tarzan. There are questions left unanswered and I would love to know how Jane came to be telling her story as she was. This was, overall, an exciting and truly different book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. Jane is certainly a character to be applauded and she deserved a book of her own. Ms. Maxwell had the vision and the talent to bring her to vivid life.

[kassilem · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the first version of Tarzan written by a female and authorized by the Edgar Rice Burroughs estate. It wasn’t quite what I was expected. There was a lot of literary license used to make a semi-original story and so there are a lot of changes from the original Tarzan story. Tarzan is raised by the Managi, a missing link species in human evolution rather than by gorillas. He’s also taken up when he’s four years old not one. Names were mixed around, new human tribes living nearby, hidden pyramids and cities in the jungles of Gabon, etc. I didn’t mind most of the changes in the end, and some of them did make some sense, but some of them caught me off guard and I never did fully embrace them. It’s an interesting story and I did appreciate the perspective being from Jane. I think I would recommend it to any Tarzan fan with a warning not to go into it with too many preconceptions about what is going to happen.

[carpe_librum · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Jane is the seventh book I've read by Robin Maxwell, who enjoys writing fictional accounts of the strong and sometimes forgotten or overlooked women of history.I'm sure most readers will have a basic understanding of the Tarzan story: English child grows up in the wilds of Africa to become Tarzan of the Apes, as told to us by Edgar Rice Burroughs in 1912. Ashamedly, I haven't read this classic, probably put off by the comics and cartoon spin offs I came across as a kid. I felt safe in the hands of Robin Maxwell though, and so it was that I embarked on the story of Jane - The Woman Who Loved Tarzan. Jane Porter is a budding paleoanthropologist and the only female enrolled in the Cambridge University medical program. Her father is a scientist and explorer and together with a guide, they put together an expedition and head to Africa in pursuit of fossilised remains of the missing link species.I was pleasantly surprised by the unexpected depth to the story, although it has to be said that the first third of the book - concerned with planning the expedition to Africa - was slow going compared to the excitement of the story when Jane reaches Africa. My favourite parts were when Jane and Tarzan were learning to communicate with each other. Jane is intelligent, capable and a woman ahead of her time, and far more than just Tarzan's love interest. Maxwell's writing shows a deep respect for the original work and in fact Jane has been endorsed by the Edgar Rice Burroughs Estate.The ending of Jane cleverly makes reference and fits in with the original Tarzan of the Apes, inspiring most readers to pick up the classic and find out more.

[themulhern · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book is a first person narrative told by Jane Porter to Edgar Rice Burroughs, the author of the Tarzan books. The conceit is, of course, that Burroughs took the real story and adapted it for his reading public, perhaps already familiar with his "Princess of Mars". This allows the book to keep the main characters and yet to change the story quite a bit. The author doesn't have a gift for period language, and there was the odd malapropism, but I'ld say that it is rather clever in its retelling. Many fans of the original tales are likely to enjoy this one, as it is not wholly untrue to their spirit.

[seschend · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Fun retelling of Tarzan from Jane's POV but laughably distracting in points; I didn't really need a half-page where Jane describes Tarzan's butt, to be brutally honest.

[petrichor8 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

very excellent book, highly recommend. provides an interesting twist on the tarzan story, told from Jane's point of view. wouldn't mind seeing this as a movie

[brendaklaassen · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read this book because a friend on GoodReads.com suggested it. I found the book very entertaining and full of adventure. I remember reading a few Tarzan adventures when I was in late high school. I found it very fulfilling to read the adventure told from Jane's point of view. I was a little saddened to read about what happened to Tarzan's clan, but it also was believable. The animal mating was tastefully done. The author has a smooth writing style. I will seek out this author again in the future.

[vincentdarlage · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was very disappointed this wasn't entirely what it was advertised as being. Instead of the Tarzan story from Jane's POV, this was a wholly different story. A bit more realistic, perhaps, but it was different in virtually every possible way from ERB's story. However, once I accepted that, it was a quite enjoyable story.

[deltaqueen50 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

For an reader of adventure stories, some of the most stirring words are perhaps, “Me, Tarzan. You, Jane”. The story of the ape-man who was an English lord, and his mate, Jane, a young woman on safari is one that I have always been a huge fan of. From comic books to movies, the Tarzan legend has always been a favorite. Now, Robin Maxwell has written, Jane: The Woman Who Loved Tarzan, telling the myth from the female point of view. I found this a great story, a thrilling adventure that is rooted firmly by the author’s research into both the setting and the history of the area.The release of this book was timed for the centennial year of Edgar Rice Burroughs classic tale, and has the approval of the author’s estate. Her use of the original author as a character in her story, made for a cohesive and intriguing plot line. The ending of this book is also a homage to the original “pulp fiction” aspect of Tarzan. I have a feeling that Edgar would approve.The only petty criticism I can offer is that the book had a slow start, perhaps a little too much time was spent in giving us Jane’s background and showing her to be a modern woman in a era that is on the brink of huge change. Once the book had launched the Parkers on the expedition, the storyline picked up and the action was pretty much non-stop.For me Jane: The Woman Who Loved Tarzan was a perfect blend of an electrifying adventure with a spellbinding love story, a winning combination.

[samanthakr · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When I first heard about this book, I was really excited. It seemed unique and original. I read several reviews, all of which had different opinions, usually to one extreme or the other. After reading this, I can see where both sides may come from, but I really, really enjoyed this book.For full disclosure, understand that I have never read the original Tarzan. The only Tarzan I know well is Disney's version. I know several reviewers have hated this book because they didn't feel it was accurate to the original story line. I can't say if it is or not, so I read this as a general, un-knowledgeable reader who was just looking for a good story.With that aside, I really loved this book. Jane Porter is a woman who wants more for herself than what society and her mother say she needs, aka a good husband and a quiet, demure attitude. Jane doesn't want this. Her heart longs for adventure, education, and discoveries. She longs for a life where she is seen as an equal to a man, and she refuses to marry anyone who would not see her as an equal. When a dashing exploring, Ral Conrath, invites her and her father on a mission to find the 'missing link', she is overjoyed. Little does she know what this African jungle has in store for her.Jane is an excellent protagonist. Being a scientist, she has great observation skills, so the jungles and forests are described beautifully. It isn't everyday that a writer can make really gross things (in my opinion) like cadavers and blood thirsty battles (neither of which are dominant, but both have their parts) sound fascinating and natural.My favorite part of this book was the development of the characters and their relationship. Jane, being Jane, didn't just fall in love with the first 'savage' man she saw. She takes time to get to know him, and even then, her level head never goes to far away. Their love is not a 'love at first kind' type. Though their situation is far from normal, the way they fall in love over time is shown in a beautiful and universal way. They don't let the situation take control of how they feel. You get to see Tarzan as more than his 'ape-man' label. You get to see the true humanity in him, the traits that the most civilized man has long forgotten, but is found through this 'simple' man. You see that it wasn't just his cave-man-ness nor her being the first white female of his age that he has ever seen that made their love possible. It was how their personalities, their hearts, really complimented each other in a way that only the best couples have.Told with a strong voice and an intense plot, Jane is a wonderful book for people who want a good story and want to find out what Jane thought about all this.

[cfk_3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book stands as the back story to Burrough's Tarzan series and it is told from Jane's view point. Jane and her Dad are suckered into joining and funding an expedition into West Africa by American Ral Conrath.When Conrath leaves Jane behind to satisfy a leopard, Tarzan rescues her and transports her to his 'nest'. He heals her and protects her as he trains her to the ways of the jungle, even as she begins to slough off the proper lady-like behavior of English Society.

[msjessie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Released in the centennial year for the publication of Tarzan of the Apes original publication and endorsed by Edgar Rice Burroughs' estate, Jane is an involving, detailed, engrossing, and yet, original retelling of a well-loved and widely known story. Robin Maxwell is my first exposure to actually reading the mythos of the Tarzan world (watching the 1999 Disney animated movie clearly does not count), and her updated version, while clearly paying homage to the source material, is indelibly her own. Jane is a novel rife with adventure, credible characters, excitement, betrayals, and revelations. An engaging read from the get-go, the spotlight on protagonist and narrator Jane makes for a fast but highly enjoyable read for those all too-short 320 pages. I had planned to read Burroughs' original version, but now I wonder if that one will hold up as well in my opinion as what Maxwell has recreated here. As the title character and first-person narrator for the eponymous novel, Jane will either make or break this novel for readers. I, for one, unabashedly loved her. Her voice is strong and clear; I identified with and rooted for this intelligent and unique woman as she grapples with society's unforgiving attitudes, as she grows and learns about herself, Africa, and what she wants from her life. I loved Jane's strident attitudes, her analytical approach to any and all situations, her unflinching convictions and stalwart self-esteem. She's an unconventional woman for her time but not so much as to be entirely anachronistic for the era and setting the novel takes place during. She may eventually want a man, but unlike her society peers, she definitely doesn't need one. While her views and opinions can approach the unrealistic, the sincere motivations at the heart of Jane's actions ring true and keep her character from sticking out as improbable. An aspiring paleoanthropologist, the beginning flashbacks illustrate clearly how committed and devoted Jane is to her field and establish a more than credible reason for her journey to Africa and the events that transpire there. The growing dynamic between Tarzan and his more "civilized" mate evolves maturely and with aplomb under less than ideal circumstances. Tarzan himself is a bit romanticized (both by Burroughs and by Maxwell here) - and the romance between him and Jane does provide a lot of internal debate for the title character - but he is realistic and engaging in his distant role. His relationship with Jane is complicated and hard-won, but it is a real partnership of equals, unlike what she could have expected back in her "civilized" home country. Theirs is a true give and take - each teaches the other essential skills for living in their respective worlds. Their interactions are a bit simpler and overcome more easily than I had expected (the language barrier most noticeably) but it doesn't jar too much. Under Maxwell's able hand as storyteller, the bits and pieces of Tarzan's tragic history and life are teased out into the more action packed events evenly and keep the sentimentality on par with the action and excitement of life as The Wild Ape Man.The vibrant setting of Africa is one of the very best aspects of the novel. The place-as-character is superb here. It's really topnotch - from the port town of Libreville to the boat trip down the Mbele Ogowe River to the Great Bower, every scene and setting pops from the page with a burst of color. As one character so aptly said to Jane early on: "You do not live in Africa, my dear. Africa lives in you." Under Robin Maxwell's pen and talent, I certainly felt like I was seeing the jungles, forests, villages myself. This is a creative author with an obvious ability to set and describe a scene; her talent for place as character is one of the more prominent things I will take away from reading Jane. I haven't read many other historical novels set on this particular continent, but upon, reluctantly, concluding this one, I can't imagine I will wait long to search out another. Maxwell touches upon so many issues of that plagued continent - colonization by European powers, the deforestation of jungles for trade routes, King Leopold of Belgium's genocide of 10 million natives - that some areas do feel slightly shortchanged, but all serve to create an even bigger, more authentic view of Africa and its problems. This is a book that started out good, one that easily progressed past my initial lukewarm feelings due a bit of an infodump and into "great" territory, and one that ends with a bang (and a hint at a possibility for more down the line?!). A clear departure both from its source material and the sanitized Disney version, Jane is no wilting violet but a strong protagonist with great depth and characterization, more than able to carry the weight of the novel on her own. A great read and reinvention of one of the most beloved stories, Jane is a credit to both Edgar Rice Burroughs' original tale and to Robin Maxwell's immense individual talent. With characters crafted so well, with vibrant settings and a plot that moves at a brisk and involving pace, this is a novel retelling that will stand out and stand the test of time equally well. Highly recommended and highly enjoyable -- those on the lookout for a new era/setting in historical fiction need look no further than Jane.

[bookscookslooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Do not start this book right before bed. I did and found myself still reading at 2:30AM. The story of Tarzan's Jane told by Robin Maxwell was in its beginning chapters very enthralling. I love anthropology so the inclusion of the early studies of fossils and the debates on Darwin's theories were fascinating to me. Ms. Maxwell has that magic with words that draws you into time and place and time flies as you read Jane's tale of meeting Tarzan and her telling the story to a young Edgar Rice Burroughs - a delightful conceit to get the story rolling.Jane Porter is a very self possessed woman, brought up by a liberal father in straight laced Victorian Times. He has encouraged her study of science despite her mother's objections. Upon meeting a slick explorer who knows exactly how to sell himself and how to appeal to the desires of Jane's father a trip is planned to find Darwin's missing link; but Ral Conrath has his own agenda and is not what he purports to be. Jane has her reservations but her father tells her to leave it to the men - a surprising response from such a forward thinking type.As all who know the story realize, Jane finds herself in the jungle, rescued by an ape-man. But this Tarzan is not like any other. In fact he is a bit too much of a 90's man - 1990s. He is a bit in touch with his feelings for a soul raised by an ape like tribe in the jungle but the story rolls along. I found the second half to be not quite as compelling as the first - it seemed to drag a bit as Jane sorted through Tarzan's backstory and Tarzan taught Jane the ways of the Jungle. I got a bit bored but it picked right back up when Jane and Tarzan teamed up to defeat the evil Mr. Conrath. The ending was an unexpected jolt and makes me wonder if there are going to be further adventures for Jane and Tarzan. There are questions left unanswered and I would love to know how Jane came to be telling her story as she was. This was, overall, an exciting and truly different book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. Jane is certainly a character to be applauded and she deserved a book of her own. Ms. Maxwell had the vision and the talent to bring her to vivid life.

[cathyskye · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

First Line: Good Lord, she was magnificent! Edgar thought.It's April, 1912 in Chicago, Illinois, and Ed Burroughs can't believe the strength of mind and purpose that Jane Porter possesses. In fact, he finds that almost more remarkable than the subject of her talk. Everyone else has spent the past hour shouting her down, refusing to believe anything she has to say about a race of beings that represent the missing link between apes and humans, but Miss Porter refuses to back down from what she knows to be the truth.Afterwards, Burroughs follows this fascinating woman, and she agrees to talk with him, asserting that his pulp fiction readers might be more amenable to the truth than all the imminent scientists and doctors who refuse to believe the proof she puts right before their eyes.Jane Porter's story begins in 1905. As the only female student in Cambridge University's medical program, she's much more comfortable in a lab coat than an evening gown. She longs to travel around the world searching for fossils that will prove the evolutionary theories of-- not only Charles Darwin-- but of her beloved father. When Ral Conrath, an American explorer, persuades Jane and her father to join him on an expedition into West Africa, father and daughter can't believe their luck.Jane finds Africa and the jungle every bit as exotic and spellbinding as she'd imagined, but when disaster strikes the expedition, she finds the answers to her questions all wrapped up in one extraordinary man: Tarzan of the Apes.I wanted to read this book because I've loved the story of Tarzan and Jane ever since the local television station showed old Tarzan movies starring Johnny Weissmuller and Maureen O'Sullivan on the weekends. Like Jane in Maxwell's novel, the usual feminine pursuits held no allure for this tomboy, and I was attracted to the idea of people living up in trees (since I spent so many hours climbing them) and having wild animals as friends. The local library also had all of Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan novels, so I spent some of my arboreal free time reading of the ape man's adventures.Maxwell's novel is the first version of the Tarzan story to be written by a woman and authorized by the Edgar Rice Burroughs estate. Its publication marks the 100th anniversary of the original Tarzan of the Apes. Maxwell knows her stuff, and the book contains everything old and new fans of the Tarzan story will want to read. Problem is, the older fans who know the tale by heart may find large portions of the story very slow going, as I did. I almost put the book down never to pick it up again because of the glacial pace.It wasn't because the character of Jane isn't alluring; she is. But ask any fan who's been disappointed in the new remakes of Tarzan films, and you'll hear one familiar refrain: the story doesn't work until Tarzan and Jane are together. They are a team. The details of Jane without Tarzan may be interesting, but there's no real spark until Tarzan appears-- and the very same holds true of Tarzan. They are the perfect soulmates: willing to learn everything the other has to teach, and both containing the wildness the other craves.Once Maxwell gets the two of them together, the book does pick up speed, but my interest didn't fully engage until the last fifth of the book when the author adds new grist to the mill. Once those new elements to the plot are included, I began reading with a smile on my face. This book may be slow going for those readers-- like me-- who are very familiar with the story, but what I'm hoping is that Maxwell's work will draw in many new fans because it's an irresistible story that's weathered an entire century very well indeed.

[bookczuk · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is one book when it's perfectly fine to judge a book by its cover. The pages between take the reader on a trip back into time, with a portrayal of Jane that is fresh, captivating, and spirited. I realized about half way through that I've never read the original Tarzan book(s) and only know the story from comics, hearsay, and the movies. I'm curious now how close to the original this book flies, especially with the ending (which seemed like something out of an old Hollywood adventure.) Robin MAxwell's Jane is intelligent and willful, determined to pursue her interests in anthropology, biology, and archaeology, even if such interests deny her a husband, and leave her tottering on the edge of spinsterhood at age 20. Yet despite all the objections of society (and her mother's despair), she leaves with her father to head into Africa in search of the bones of missing link between apes and humans. What she finds instead is treachery, adventure, some pretty cool learning curves to climb, and a glimpse of various societies that give her much to ponder. Oh, and she also find this perfect specimen of manhood that seems to fancy her, too. Not bad for the jungle. Actually, the meeting occurs after Jane has been mauled by a panther, and is saved by Tarzan. As he nurses her back to health, the two begin to build a common language and understanding. Together they try and make sense of some mysteries in their world, and together, they must face not one, but two evils. I was pretty captivated up until the very end, when the novel moved into some realms of big screen adventure film stuff. That's why I'm interested to know if that bit was in the original book, or movies (I can't remember. Indiana Jones has clouded my mind.) This particular novel was authorized by the Edgar Rice Burroughs Estate, so I guess the ending fits into something somewhere in the Tarzan lore. It wasn't bad, just not to my taste: a little too over the top/fantastic/tomb raider-ish. It by no means diluted my sheer enjoyment of the first 3/4 or more of the novel, and definitely lived up to the cover.Sent to me by Tor books. Thanks!

[jaylia3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As soon as I saw Jane Goodall’s enthusiastic recommendation for this retelling of Tarzan from Jane’s point of view I knew I had to read it. In this version set in the early 1900’s Jane is a lively, adventuresome young women determined to challenge the conventions of the day by becoming a scientist. Her heroes are women like Mary Kingsley, the Victorian era African explorer, and Jane and her father head to Africa seeking fossil evidence of Darwin’s missing link between ape and man. Unfortunately their African expedition is led by a man who turns out to be a ruthless treasure hunter, and when things go horribly wrong and Jane is attacked by a leopard she wakes up high in a jungle canopy nest under the care of Tarzan. At first Jane is completely dependent on Tarzan, but when her wounds heal she learns to run along tree branches, swing from vines, hunt for food and wrestle. After figuring out how to communicate, Tarzan teaches Jane the ways of the jungle and she tells him about the wider world. For an adventure story this is not breathlessly paced, but it’s rich with setting details and character backstories. Both Jane and Tarzan have discoveries to make and family to avenge. In a funny, ingenious twist the novel is written as if Jane is recounting her story to Tarzan author Edgar Rice Burroughs, and he appears as a character at the beginning and end of the book. Loved it.