While the parallels are overt, this is not a simple retelling, and Faye’s creativity is on full display. Lyndsay Faye explicitly references Jane Eyre, both in epigraphs and in the text-Jane is aware of her literary namesake as a novel within this novel’s universe. But it ultimately all floats on an almost fairy-tale-like sensibility to it. Don’t get me wrong: there are real, moving, and disturbing aspects to this book. I came to this book from the incredibly upset that was For Today I Am A Boy, and this was exactly the palate cleanser I needed. However, as a kind of mystery/thriller/romance, Jane Steele is a lot of fun. As a feminist retelling of Jane Eyre this book leaves much to be desired. Ever wondered, “What would Jane Eyre have been like if Jane Eyre had been a serial killer?” That’s the basic premise of Jane Steele, although if I’m being honest, the serial killer aspect was not as intense as I had thought it would be.
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