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| Jane by April Lindner |
Title by Author: Jane by April Lindner
Series (if applicable): none
Publisher: Poppy of Little, Brown and Co.
Publication Date: October 2010
Page Count: 365
Source: purchased at a bookstore
Blurb:
Forced to drop out of an esteemed East Coast college after the sudden death of her parents, Jane Moore takes a nanny job at Thornfield Park, the estate of Nico Rathburn, a world-famous rock star on the brink of a huge comeback. Practical and independent, Jane reluctantly becomes entranced by her magnetic and brooding employer and finds herself in the midst of a forbidden romance.
But there's a mystery at Thornfield, and Jane's much-envied relationship with Nico is soon tested by an agonizing secret from his past. Torn between her feelings for Nico and his fateful secret, Jane must decide: Does being true to herself mean giving up on true love?
An irresistible romance interwoven with a darkly engrossing mystery, this contemporary retelling of the beloved classic Jane Eyre promises to enchant a new generation of readers.
But there's a mystery at Thornfield, and Jane's much-envied relationship with Nico is soon tested by an agonizing secret from his past. Torn between her feelings for Nico and his fateful secret, Jane must decide: Does being true to herself mean giving up on true love?
An irresistible romance interwoven with a darkly engrossing mystery, this contemporary retelling of the beloved classic Jane Eyre promises to enchant a new generation of readers.
My Review:
This delightful retelling of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre is perfect for today’s world. For those who want to know the basics of a classic with a modern day spin, this one is perfect and stays true to the original story line.
Jane Moore has to leave after her first year of college, as her parents died in an accident and she has no money to continue with her education. She finds herself in the office of Distinguished Nannies, Inc, in hopes of finding some bearable position in which she will be paid, as well as has food and shelter. Jane is unlike many of the girls in the office; she would be the classic ‘Plain Jane’ – no iPod, makeup or trendy clothes to hide her among the masses. Though this actually distinguishes her for the part as a nanny for NicoRathburn’s, a rockstar, 5 year old daughter.
Going off to the Connecticut countryside, to a mansion with extensive grounds, Jane finds herself taking care of a fragile young girl, who quickly warms to her new nanny. At times, Jane is reminded of her childhood, and it helps her to sympathize with her charge, Maddie, daughter of a rock star and a beautiful French woman who only wanted Nico for his influence in starting her American singing career. Maddie had been neglected byher mother and that had reminded Jane of her own difficult childhood as the youngest sibling that was passed over one way or another by her own parents.
Nico Rathburn has his own secrets and is unwilling to share as he doesn’t want the truth out. He is the typical ‘tortured’ artist who is lonely, but a celebrity at the same time. He is in the process of releasing a new album and setting up a World Tour with his band. He didn’t count on having feelings for the nanny. Or having his secret known, especially by Jane, with whom he fell in love.
I felt that the characters were fairly well-drawn. They did not seem to do anything that would be out of the ordinary for who they were. It was nice to read a book that featured a child who actually acted like a child and not well advanced beyond her years. Though none of the characters really stood out or evoked much emotion. As mentioned previously, this book followed the story of Jane Eyre faithfully, but in modern context. It is a perfect book for any young adult who wants to know the basic premise of Jane Eyre, without reading the actual book…though that would be a shame, as the original has deeper characters, storyline and a greater ‘gothic’ sense to the story.
Rating: 4 stars
Tag: contemporary, rockstar, romance, classic twist
