Jane Steele - Book Review

The summer I turned fifteen my family packed all our camping gear onto our horses and into our backpacks and hiked in three miles from the truck to camp at Dry Fork Twins in the High Uintah Mountains. It was our yearly tradition but that year I carried a heavy copy of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte in my backpack. Over the week, we hiked all over the mountain, fished in the lakes and streams and played countless hours of card games. And every afternoon when it rained, I sought shelter in my tent and fell in love with Jane Eyre. (Incidentally, I also packed in my entire Caboodle case full of make up because a horoscope said I would meet the love of my life that week. I didn't even see a single Boy Scout on that camping trip.)

The last time I read Jane Eyre was a few years ago and I fell in love yet again with the Gothic romance between the simple governess and the grisly Mr. Rochester.  Additionally, I am also a huge fan of Lyndsay Faye's novels. Her character Timothy Wilde in The Gods of Gotham series is my second favorite lawman following close after Raylan Givens. So, when I heard that Lyndsay Faye had written an imaginative adaptation of Jane Eyre with a more gutsy heroine and a morbid theme, I was so excited to get my hands on a copy.

Jane Steele is also a fan of the novel Jane Eyre. She's an orphan living with an unkind aunt and a leering teen aged cousin. When he attempts to sexually assault her, she kills him. While her life parallels the life of Jane Eyre in many ways, Jane Steele becomes a different kind of woman who leaves those that torment her or her loved ones dead.

Though perhaps a heavy-handed farcical take on the beloved classic, I loved Jane Steele. It was fun. It was dark and morbid. Jane Steele was a heroine that I could cheer for. Her early years were a closer parallel though she simply takes matters into her own hands when she comes across horrible people. I found this so much fun. Once she meets Mr. Thornton and the story turns towards love, it loses some of that earlier fun. However, I was still completely engaged in Jane Steele's story.

Including the history of the Sikh Wars was fascinating. It did take away from Jane's story but I enjoyed reading more about it. I liked Faye's writing with the classic style. I was thoroughly entertained and amused by this charming novel. Jane Steele is just so much fun.

Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye is published by Putnam and released on March 22, 2016. 

**I received a complimentary copy of Jane Steele. All opinions are my own. No compensation was received.**