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Unbound #1
A Breath of Eyre
In this stunning, imaginative novel, Eve Marie Mont transports her modern-day heroine into the life of Jane Eyre to create a mesmerizing story of love, longing, and finding your place in the world. . .
Emma Townsend has always believed in stories--the ones she reads voraciously, and the ones she creates. Perhaps it's because she feels like an outsider at her exclusive prep school, or because her stepmother doesn't come close to filling the void left by her mother's death. And her only romantic prospect--apart from a crush on her English teacher--is Gray Newman, a long-time friend who just adds to Emma's confusion. But escape soon arrives in an old leather-bound copy of Jane Eyre. . .
Reading of Jane's isolation sparks a deep sense of kinship. Then fate takes things a leap further when a lightning storm catapults Emma right into Jane's body and her nineteenth-century world. As governess at Thornfield, Emma has a sense of belonging she's never known--and an attraction to the brooding Mr. Rochester. Now, moving between her two realities and uncovering secrets in both, Emma must decide whether her destiny lies in the pages of Jane's story, or in the unwritten chapters of her own. . .
Emma Townsend has always believed in stories--the ones she reads voraciously, and the ones she creates. Perhaps it's because she feels like an outsider at her exclusive prep school, or because her stepmother doesn't come close to filling the void left by her mother's death. And her only romantic prospect--apart from a crush on her English teacher--is Gray Newman, a long-time friend who just adds to Emma's confusion. But escape soon arrives in an old leather-bound copy of Jane Eyre. . .
Reading of Jane's isolation sparks a deep sense of kinship. Then fate takes things a leap further when a lightning storm catapults Emma right into Jane's body and her nineteenth-century world. As governess at Thornfield, Emma has a sense of belonging she's never known--and an attraction to the brooding Mr. Rochester. Now, moving between her two realities and uncovering secrets in both, Emma must decide whether her destiny lies in the pages of Jane's story, or in the unwritten chapters of her own. . .
342 pages, Paperback
First published March 27, 2012
28 people are currently reading
3885 people want to read
About the author
Eve Marie Mont
4 books168 followersI'm a high school English teacher and author whose young adult debut, A BREATH OF EYRE, was released by Kensington Books in April, 2012 as the first in the Unbound trilogy. The sequel, A TOUCH OF SCARLET, will be released in March, 2013.
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May 20, 2012
In the midst of my thesis writing, I got some very good advice from a professor. There I was, buried in a pile of out-of-date news coverage and mostly false political speeches, going absolutely insane trying to build a thesis out of these disparate threads and swearing that they were ill matched and I’d have to rip it all out and start over. He just sort of laughed and said that I could certainly do that, but also I was wrong. All texts, all sources, tell you something. Your task, however, is to let them tell you what they were meant to, not project what you want out of them onto the text. That is how tenuous theses and reports for Fox News are born.
I was in real danger of projecting onto this book, and being disappointed in it for not conforming to what I wanted it to be. I had a number of problems with the book. There are large sections of it that are simply cut and pasted from Jane Eyre, with only very minor changes: necessitated, apparently, by the heroine living out the Jane Eyre novel in her dreams in a very literal fashion. However, what changes there are seem to simplify the book in a way that detracts from its fascinating ambiguities and shadows and also seem to suggest a pat solution to problems that simply isn’t there. The writing is really painfully bad at times (which is something it is difficult not to dwell on if you’re going to insist on copying huge chunks of pages from Charlotte Bronte- we know how it really sounds) and we are told about Jane’s every feeling in a way that seems to make an inner life that I see as marvelously complex and intricate into something prosaic. I thought that some of her JE-real world substitutions were pretty forced, her treatment of the supernatural entirely missed the point (), and the world shifting thing where she keeps
But I had to remember that this book wasn’t written for me. Eva Marie Mont is an English teacher, who makes a point of thanking her students in her acknowledgements for all their help. This isn’t for a book to change my life. It’s meant to be a book to change theirs, or at the very least, give them the materials and the ideas to build a foundation for future change. It’s a justification for why she makes them write essays and take tests, and a promise that it was all worth it. It reads like the struggles of a woman whose job it is to convince teenagers who can’t disconnect from their cell phones that the fictional life of a somewhat mousy girl in nineteenth century England will give them something more worthwhile than they expect, something that might be worth looking up from facebook to learn. This can create some problems. I think that in her efforts to get her point across and to make things relevant for her students, she told them a whole lot more than she needed to. There are times that this can read like the Cliffs Notes version of what students should write in an English paper (there are even English papers in this, like she’s working out her frustrations about reading the one millionth essay about whether Jane should have left Rochester or not).
Yet, still, looking at it from this perspective, there still some good reasons to think that Mont did a pretty decent job with this. Although she makes the odd choice to entirely skip over young Jane/young Emma’s story and let us just assume that we understand what “lonely orphan child” means, she does an okay job after that point. She turns Jane Eyre from a story about carriages and horses into a story about mothers and fathers, boys and girls, high school and Real Life. I was a bit worried that she was going to simply try to sell the story as something about hot Mr. Rochester and his sexiness who is just as sexy as a teen idol but better spoken and more daaangerous..! She did concentrate her time in the JE universe on the portions of the book where she arrives at Rochester, meets him, has her talks, gets jealous of Blanche, gets engaged, and then almost married.
But in the end, she knows that Rochester (boys, phones, facebook) is the symptom, not the disease. Just like Margot Livesey’s recent retelling, she makes the core of the story about Jane’s parents and her past and how she got to be who she is, not how she managed to ensnare the sexy rich guy. She does a particularly fascinating thing with Bertha that I have mixed feelings about, but which I lean towards approving because ultimately it is about encouraging kids to ask questions, to connect with their parents, and to overcome problems before it is too late. It encourages them that even things played in such a major chord that they think they will be drowned out can be taken down. Although the writing can be pretty hackneyed, I also think that these issues are at times captured in effective and emotional ways that could hit a teen who needs it in just the right place. Its message for young women is also powerful and worth reinforcing: understand each other, don’t take each other down, make your mother your friend, not your enemy. In the end, probably the most satisfying thing is that the modern Jane will come out of this with the ability to connect to women rather than resent them.
I also liked that it wasn’t just an argument for The Importance of the English Canon, but it was also a warning that is also holds dangers. Mont makes some attempt to deal with the idea that there is as problem in overidentifying with literature as there is with rejecting it entirely. She makes it clear that while literature can help you to turn the ninety degrees you need to see something from a new, helpful perspective, it can also provide you with all the reasons that you need to stay just where you are and keep feeling what you’re feeling: only now with a seemingly invincible cloak of Story to provide you with armor against those who tell you that you’re wrong. Mont shows that you have to work through the story all the way to the end, and then some. You can’t put the book down, make a judgement and leave it there. You have to live with it and use it and let it change your mind and help you grow… and then move on to the next story that helps make that happen. Living inside books can help you, but only if it is more than putting on a costume to escape from yourself.
I also think that this is an important and useful measure where teenagers spend most of their formative years being blasted with messages from all over that try to get them to commit to one identity or another. It seems to support exploration and imagination, while also drawing a bright line at the point where you disconnect from your own life to live in the fantasies that others have built for you. I wish someone had taken the time to tell me that as a teenager. There’s a great line in Girl with a Pearl Earring, where the model for the painting is warned that she had best be careful about her work with Vermeer. His gaze, she is told, will transfix her into a pose and an image and she will be lost there. This is a story about how to wander without getting lost, how to get lost, take a breath and find your way again, and how to use a map without letting it convince you that you should drive into the pond because the GPS says take a right and goddamnit there must not be a lake there because the GPS says there isn’t.
Unfortunately, a lot of these points are rather clumsily made. Also, in the end I think she ultimately she totally undermined her message and seemed to say that this book was something it wasn’t. She concludes her points about family and parents and friends in a somewhat hamfisted but clear way, making all the above points I am in favor of. Then, does this whole thing at the end where she gets all … But Was It Really A Dream?? MAYBE MAGIC EXISTS!... about it. Which makes it seem like maybe the point is that Emma is a superhero and Special after all, and Fate and True Love will always save the day. Was it to try to throw some ambiguity in there after all at the last minute? Was it that she thought she needed a few swoons and a little bit of sugar to get the medicine down? Is it the Twilight disease? I’m a bit concerned that the weird coda will let kids walk away with the idea that this is about boyfriends after all. I really don’t think that this is her intent, given that Mont seems to be working on a series of reinterpretations of High School Made Me Read This classics that feature strong women. But it can read that way.
I think that this is a solid enough novel for younger teens to read to interpret Jane and to see her possible relevance for their lives. It might be good as a companion volume to read after discussing the novel itself, as something to argue with. I think, however, that older readers might find too much to frustrate them and too little that they need in it to really connect to it.
I was in real danger of projecting onto this book, and being disappointed in it for not conforming to what I wanted it to be. I had a number of problems with the book. There are large sections of it that are simply cut and pasted from Jane Eyre, with only very minor changes: necessitated, apparently, by the heroine living out the Jane Eyre novel in her dreams in a very literal fashion. However, what changes there are seem to simplify the book in a way that detracts from its fascinating ambiguities and shadows and also seem to suggest a pat solution to problems that simply isn’t there. The writing is really painfully bad at times (which is something it is difficult not to dwell on if you’re going to insist on copying huge chunks of pages from Charlotte Bronte- we know how it really sounds) and we are told about Jane’s every feeling in a way that seems to make an inner life that I see as marvelously complex and intricate into something prosaic. I thought that some of her JE-real world substitutions were pretty forced, her treatment of the supernatural entirely missed the point (), and the world shifting thing where she keeps
But I had to remember that this book wasn’t written for me. Eva Marie Mont is an English teacher, who makes a point of thanking her students in her acknowledgements for all their help. This isn’t for a book to change my life. It’s meant to be a book to change theirs, or at the very least, give them the materials and the ideas to build a foundation for future change. It’s a justification for why she makes them write essays and take tests, and a promise that it was all worth it. It reads like the struggles of a woman whose job it is to convince teenagers who can’t disconnect from their cell phones that the fictional life of a somewhat mousy girl in nineteenth century England will give them something more worthwhile than they expect, something that might be worth looking up from facebook to learn. This can create some problems. I think that in her efforts to get her point across and to make things relevant for her students, she told them a whole lot more than she needed to. There are times that this can read like the Cliffs Notes version of what students should write in an English paper (there are even English papers in this, like she’s working out her frustrations about reading the one millionth essay about whether Jane should have left Rochester or not).
Yet, still, looking at it from this perspective, there still some good reasons to think that Mont did a pretty decent job with this. Although she makes the odd choice to entirely skip over young Jane/young Emma’s story and let us just assume that we understand what “lonely orphan child” means, she does an okay job after that point. She turns Jane Eyre from a story about carriages and horses into a story about mothers and fathers, boys and girls, high school and Real Life. I was a bit worried that she was going to simply try to sell the story as something about hot Mr. Rochester and his sexiness who is just as sexy as a teen idol but better spoken and more daaangerous..! She did concentrate her time in the JE universe on the portions of the book where she arrives at Rochester, meets him, has her talks, gets jealous of Blanche, gets engaged, and then almost married.
But in the end, she knows that Rochester (boys, phones, facebook) is the symptom, not the disease. Just like Margot Livesey’s recent retelling, she makes the core of the story about Jane’s parents and her past and how she got to be who she is, not how she managed to ensnare the sexy rich guy. She does a particularly fascinating thing with Bertha that I have mixed feelings about, but which I lean towards approving because ultimately it is about encouraging kids to ask questions, to connect with their parents, and to overcome problems before it is too late. It encourages them that even things played in such a major chord that they think they will be drowned out can be taken down. Although the writing can be pretty hackneyed, I also think that these issues are at times captured in effective and emotional ways that could hit a teen who needs it in just the right place. Its message for young women is also powerful and worth reinforcing: understand each other, don’t take each other down, make your mother your friend, not your enemy. In the end, probably the most satisfying thing is that the modern Jane will come out of this with the ability to connect to women rather than resent them.
I also liked that it wasn’t just an argument for The Importance of the English Canon, but it was also a warning that is also holds dangers. Mont makes some attempt to deal with the idea that there is as problem in overidentifying with literature as there is with rejecting it entirely. She makes it clear that while literature can help you to turn the ninety degrees you need to see something from a new, helpful perspective, it can also provide you with all the reasons that you need to stay just where you are and keep feeling what you’re feeling: only now with a seemingly invincible cloak of Story to provide you with armor against those who tell you that you’re wrong. Mont shows that you have to work through the story all the way to the end, and then some. You can’t put the book down, make a judgement and leave it there. You have to live with it and use it and let it change your mind and help you grow… and then move on to the next story that helps make that happen. Living inside books can help you, but only if it is more than putting on a costume to escape from yourself.
I also think that this is an important and useful measure where teenagers spend most of their formative years being blasted with messages from all over that try to get them to commit to one identity or another. It seems to support exploration and imagination, while also drawing a bright line at the point where you disconnect from your own life to live in the fantasies that others have built for you. I wish someone had taken the time to tell me that as a teenager. There’s a great line in Girl with a Pearl Earring, where the model for the painting is warned that she had best be careful about her work with Vermeer. His gaze, she is told, will transfix her into a pose and an image and she will be lost there. This is a story about how to wander without getting lost, how to get lost, take a breath and find your way again, and how to use a map without letting it convince you that you should drive into the pond because the GPS says take a right and goddamnit there must not be a lake there because the GPS says there isn’t.
Unfortunately, a lot of these points are rather clumsily made. Also, in the end I think she ultimately she totally undermined her message and seemed to say that this book was something it wasn’t. She concludes her points about family and parents and friends in a somewhat hamfisted but clear way, making all the above points I am in favor of. Then, does this whole thing at the end where she gets all … But Was It Really A Dream?? MAYBE MAGIC EXISTS!... about it. Which makes it seem like maybe the point is that Emma is a superhero and Special after all, and Fate and True Love will always save the day. Was it to try to throw some ambiguity in there after all at the last minute? Was it that she thought she needed a few swoons and a little bit of sugar to get the medicine down? Is it the Twilight disease? I’m a bit concerned that the weird coda will let kids walk away with the idea that this is about boyfriends after all. I really don’t think that this is her intent, given that Mont seems to be working on a series of reinterpretations of High School Made Me Read This classics that feature strong women. But it can read that way.
I think that this is a solid enough novel for younger teens to read to interpret Jane and to see her possible relevance for their lives. It might be good as a companion volume to read after discussing the novel itself, as something to argue with. I think, however, that older readers might find too much to frustrate them and too little that they need in it to really connect to it.
July 4, 2012
As a lover of Jane Eyre, I strongly disliked this book. Besides the fact that several sections of Jane Eyre are basically copy and pasted, the author also takes on the interpretation that for Jane to truly be a feminist role model she should have tried to save Bertha, not Rochester. She also tried to sell this idea as totally "radical". I've heard of this idea before, so not really so radical.
The time warp that sent Emma into the story of Jane Eyre was completely unnecessary. It added nothing. Only served to make Jane Eyre, a book I adore, boring. And a chance for Emma to say how horrible and awful Rochester is for buying her presents. (Go feminism! :/ ) She even has the gall to say after their trip to buy a wedding veil that Rochester doesn't treat her as an equal! A major point of Jane and Rochester's relationship was that he was the first person to treat her like an equal!
Sorry. Tangent. Like I said, the warps into the book world were pointless. The plot of the book reflects the story structure of Jane Eyre, so this book could have been a loose retelling, which would have been better.
If the author really wanted to embrace feminism I would have rather she not gone the horribly cliched route with the bitchy high school mean girls, who just make the scholarship kids lives horrible... To me, that characterization is more damaging (and far more annoying) for women.
The time warp that sent Emma into the story of Jane Eyre was completely unnecessary. It added nothing. Only served to make Jane Eyre, a book I adore, boring. And a chance for Emma to say how horrible and awful Rochester is for buying her presents. (Go feminism! :/ ) She even has the gall to say after their trip to buy a wedding veil that Rochester doesn't treat her as an equal! A major point of Jane and Rochester's relationship was that he was the first person to treat her like an equal!
Sorry. Tangent. Like I said, the warps into the book world were pointless. The plot of the book reflects the story structure of Jane Eyre, so this book could have been a loose retelling, which would have been better.
If the author really wanted to embrace feminism I would have rather she not gone the horribly cliched route with the bitchy high school mean girls, who just make the scholarship kids lives horrible... To me, that characterization is more damaging (and far more annoying) for women.
May 7, 2012
What seemed from the cover to be a light, sweet read turned into quite a weighty story dealing with some serious older-teen themes.
At sweet sixteen Emma Townsend has a lot to cope with. Her mother died five years ago, her father has remarried a well-meaning but interfering woman, the class queen bee has it in for her, and her old friend is too busy drinking and chatting up girls to pay her any attention. She has a crush on her Mr Rochester-like English teacher and her new boarding school room-mate obviously has issues.
Emma's contemporary story - which gets more and more complicated - evolves into a literature classic when she mysteriously wakes up inside Bronte's Jane Eyre as Jane herself. Her issues find insightful parallels in Jane's story, though her 'reading' of Jane's tale doesn't always correspond with my own, and sadly I felt it tarnished my appreciation for the original.
As good as the intention is to help teen readers deal with complex problems, I felt this book turned out to be one of those that actually mires them more deeply in problems, perhaps leaving them worse off than they were before. There's plenty of serious teen drinking (though some characters acknowledge that the excessive drinking and the actions that followed were not good), confessions of teen relationships that involved a lot more than kissing (it is implied that as they were going out for 6 months, how could their relationship not involve more...), accidental teen death following rather raunchy skinny-dipping gone wrong, teen suicide, parental depression and suicide, lots of passionate kissing and almost loss of virginity, a teacher's separation from his wife and seemingly unprofessional interest in a student etc etc.
The 'solutions' offered by the end do tie everything up nicely: attempted suicide is thwarted at the last minute, teacher is put in his place and it is wondered how she ever liked him in the first place, father and daughter make up, girl comes to terms with her mother's illness and suicide, virginity is at least temporarily preserved for the main character, victimised girls retain their places at school, misunderstanding with boyfriend is resolved, the Rochester fantasy is farewelled and girl learns to live in the present... I'm just not sure things would all work out so well in real life after they'd been so messy.
Overall I don't think this story would be very helpful for teens, it would be much better for them to read the original Jane Eyre and the other Bronte stories.
At sweet sixteen Emma Townsend has a lot to cope with. Her mother died five years ago, her father has remarried a well-meaning but interfering woman, the class queen bee has it in for her, and her old friend is too busy drinking and chatting up girls to pay her any attention. She has a crush on her Mr Rochester-like English teacher and her new boarding school room-mate obviously has issues.
Emma's contemporary story - which gets more and more complicated - evolves into a literature classic when she mysteriously wakes up inside Bronte's Jane Eyre as Jane herself. Her issues find insightful parallels in Jane's story, though her 'reading' of Jane's tale doesn't always correspond with my own, and sadly I felt it tarnished my appreciation for the original.
As good as the intention is to help teen readers deal with complex problems, I felt this book turned out to be one of those that actually mires them more deeply in problems, perhaps leaving them worse off than they were before. There's plenty of serious teen drinking (though some characters acknowledge that the excessive drinking and the actions that followed were not good), confessions of teen relationships that involved a lot more than kissing (it is implied that as they were going out for 6 months, how could their relationship not involve more...), accidental teen death following rather raunchy skinny-dipping gone wrong, teen suicide, parental depression and suicide, lots of passionate kissing and almost loss of virginity, a teacher's separation from his wife and seemingly unprofessional interest in a student etc etc.
The 'solutions' offered by the end do tie everything up nicely: attempted suicide is thwarted at the last minute, teacher is put in his place and it is wondered how she ever liked him in the first place, father and daughter make up, girl comes to terms with her mother's illness and suicide, virginity is at least temporarily preserved for the main character, victimised girls retain their places at school, misunderstanding with boyfriend is resolved, the Rochester fantasy is farewelled and girl learns to live in the present... I'm just not sure things would all work out so well in real life after they'd been so messy.
Overall I don't think this story would be very helpful for teens, it would be much better for them to read the original Jane Eyre and the other Bronte stories.
September 8, 2011
Loving this!
April 3, 2016
First off let me say straight out I hated this book. I thought it was the most pointless piece of drivel I was have read in a while…
This book is a) stupid and b) a little confusing.
It is supposed to be kind of a Jane Eyre retelling, but eh… You’ll see. YOU.WILL.SEE.
Emma is a sad lonely girl who is plain, boring, dull, a Mary Sue with en evil step mom who doesn’t think much of herself. Her mom died about eight years prior and this will wind up being SUPER important.
Emma really likes her child hood friend Gray who goes to a Hippie semi private school and has a bad boy reputation. Emma goes to a prestigious all girls’ school called Lockwood. She is there on a scholarship and EVERY girl there hates her cause they are ALL rich a snobby stereotypes.
As we start the book Emma almost drowns in the ocean at her sixteenth birthday party the week before school starts. When school starts she is excited because her new room mate is another scholarship girl named Michelle, the ONLY girl of color we are told
We find out Emma has a giant crush on her English teacher Mr. Gallagher. Like writes poems about him and stuff. And that the beautiful perfect blonde Elise Fairchild is basically her arch enemy.
So Emma and Michelle become friends and Michelle convinces her to attend a bon fire at the semi private school that Gray attends since Michelle is crushing on this boy named Owen. The girls go, it is Halloween, and on the way back Emma is struck by lightning. Which throws her right into the character of Jane in Jane Eyre. We spend pages about 74-115 basically reading copy and paste Jane Eyre with a few tidbits of Emma’s personality.
Emma cannot remember being Emma and is sucked into Jane’s story, living her day to day life as Jane. I loved Jane Eyre, ok? But this book made the Jane parts BORING. It was literally copy and paste. If I wanted to re read Jane Eyre I would have just fucking re read it. It has a very Wizard of Oz (the movie) feeling. Her headmistress at Lockwood is Mrs. Fairfax, Gray’s sister Anna is Adele and Mr. Gallagher is Mr. Rochester.
Then we find out Emma has been in a COMA for six weeks! When she wakes up we then have to deal with some boring Michelle/Owen/Gray drama and all the rehabilitation that comes with being in a coma for over two months.
Emma is really mean to Gray the couple of times they hang out after this, even though it is obvious to the reader that he really likes her.
When she returns to school there is awkwardness between her and her English teacher who she LURVS even more after the Jane experience. The teacher winks at her twice, which totally grossed me out.
Emma decided she would rather be in Jane’s world because she misses the love she and Edward found together, and this is where it gets too stupid… The author throws in voodoo at this point. Michelle’s aunt explains that she needs to go back and settle unfinished business and teachers her how to summon the loa to do so.
So then Emma, Michelle and Owen go together to the Junior Prom where all three of them guzzle down a bottle of champagne before hand. This is ridiculous since Emma drinking three wine coolers got her drunk at Halloween and caused her to act like an ass. Granted Emma buckled to peer pressure from bitchy Michelle, but c’mon.
So Emma, pissed and kind of drunk, winds up at the stables at her school and low and behold it is on fire! So she runs in to save her favorite horse, falls and knocks herself out and winds up right back at Thornfield where she wanted to be any way. However she is not happy. This is where the book starts to really piss me off.
She decides she does not actually love Edward and feels like he treats her like a pet and not like his equal. 1) This book was written in a time where this was about as “equal” as a relationship in a fucking GOTHIC ROMANCE was going to get. I have read this book a dozen times, back off your high feminist horse. Emma read the book, she knew that was how Edward treats Jane, don’t make him into a villain when he isn’t one.
She states that since our engagement he expected even more obedience from me than when I’d been his employee which is ruining the romance found in Jane Eyre. I think the author of Breath and Eyre and her character Emma didn’t quite understand that Jane was as feminist as she could have been for the time period and that wanting a husband doesn’t mean you are any less a feminist. The relationships, at that time, between a man and his governess and a man and his wife were WAY different.
Then came the really weird stuff. Breaking away from the story line Emma goes in search for Grace Pool and meets Bertha who looks just like Emma’s dead mom. Grace Pool spins this tale about how Edward only married Bertha for the money and he treated her like crap and left her alone all the time so depression swamped her and finally when Bertha miscarried she went crazy and instead of sending her to a hospital he kept her locked in the tower like an animal. So… uh….right…
1) Yes Bertha is a sympathetic character, but not quite this sympathetic, the author has warped the story line at this point
2) Any hospital in this time period would have been awful, Edward’s treatment of his crazy wife is way better than any she would have found at an asylum in the 1800’s.
3) Yes Edward acts douchey in Jane Eyre by not telling Jane about Bertha and trying to marry her any way….However, it is the climax and major plot twist for the book…
4) Bertha was probably a paranoid schizo or had bipolar disorder….There isn’t anything that cures that aside from medication that was not available during this time period.
So since Bertha looks like Emma’s dead mom the two of them run away together. However Bertha tells Emma neither of them can escape their fate so per the storyline Bertha goes back to Thornfield and sets the place on fire. Emma goes after her and sees her jump off the roof and die, she wanders into the burning stables and BAM is back in the real world waking up again in the hospital.
So after this her father tells her that her mom had bipolar disorder and that she didn’t die of a bad heart. During a fit of depression her mom drowned herself in the ocean, and big bad: she was KNOCKED UP. Well then they have some father daughter bonding go up to the attic to dig through all her dead mom’s crap and when Emma reads the suicide note she figures out her mom had miscarried, so she didn’t kill herself and her unborn child.
Issue here: if her mom had bipolar disorder why wasn’t she medicated? The answer: because they prescribed her LITHIUM which made her feel yucky and they agreed AS A COUPLE for her to stop taking it… Umm… I have depression and I have friends with bipolar there are about a DOZEN medications that have been around for the last ten years she could have been on aside from Lithium… Did the author not do ANY research?
Emma and Gray begin to date…..Blah, boring but whatever.
Emma goes back to school and finds out Michelle is being blamed for the barn burning and even though Michelle acts like a cunt through most of this book Emma goes to the hearing and defends her friend, this makes them both social pariahs, more than what they were but they get to keep their scholarships. Emma now hates Mr. Gallagher because he is soooooo Edward Rochester.
Now because Emma told the committee she thought rich golden child Elise burned down the stables Elise spills a HUGE
Naturally when Emma finds out she is upset and acts like a bitch, Gray uses the phrase, “I’d hoped you could redeem me.” Which I gotta say NO 17/18 year old would ever say. They fight and don’t talk for a few weeks.
Finally Emma gets her head out of her ass and decides to find Gray and forgive him, she wants to be with him. She finds him about to commit suicide (cause his life is SO over) and almost drowns
Yeah I will NOT be reading the other two books since apparently all Emma does is get knocked out and wind up in fairy tale land….Her dad’s health insurance bills are probably going to bankrupt them.
The writing wasn’t awful it, was the plot and characters that suffered. They were all unsympathetic and the author fairly butchered one of my favorite novels with all the nonsense.
The best part was the fun Which Literary Heroine Are You quiz I found at the back… I am a Hester Prynne and Catherine Linton…Go figure lol.
Bright Blessings!
Like this check me out at :http://hauntedgravebooks.blogspot.com/
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2015
Originally posted at Small Review
3.5 stars
Why you can't just look at the rating
My ratings are my personal, subjective reaction to the book I read. It's a measure of how much I enjoyed it, or not. My ratings are NOT objective critiques on the worthiness of a book.
So that's why it would be a really bad idea to look at my 3.5 rating here and think A Breath of Eyre is only a slightly above average book. It's not. It's a good, solid book and I do recommend it.
It's just not really MY kind of book.
What I was expecting
I gravitate toward time travel (book travel?) stories like this because I like to laugh and I automatically assume this plotline will come with a hefty dose of sarcasm, funny observations, and "fish out of water" hilarity.
Barring that, I was expecting to get caught up in the Gothic romance of Jane Eyre. Which, to be honest, is probably me setting myself up for a fall because I've, um, neveractuallyreadJaneEyre. So I really don't think I was in a position to have accurate expectations.
But either way I figured I'd spend a chapter or two in the modern world before Emma was whisked into the pages of Jane Eyre where I would then spend the rest of the story.
And of course all my expectations were completely wrong.
What I got
First off, the vast majority of the book takes place in modern times. Jane Eyre is more of a metaphor that helps Emma deal with the events in her real life. It is NOT the focal point of the story (though if you haven't read the original, prepare yourself for massive spoilers).
And that humor I was expecting? Definitely NOT there. The meat of the story is Emma's real life relationship with her father, her two friends, and her maybe crush. All of these relationships are fraught with Serious Issues like the specter of dead mothers, suicide, depression, mental illness, death, classism, insecurity, and racism.
Heavy, right? For a contemporary issues reader, this book will be a treasured gem. But for me, I was lost. I'm not an issues reader, and these issues are all WAY too heavy for me. I may have even teared up a little at one point.
So why didn't I just DNF?
Honestly, I was tempted. For me, reading issues books is like wearing an itchy wool sweater. Everything feels forced and uncomfortable.
But narrator Emma was like a pair of super comfy fuzzy socks and that is why I kept reading. There was something about her that felt right and made me want to be her friend. She's shy and unsure and sort of floundering around, but she has a strength to her that made me proud. I could relate to Emma's fears and her desire to conquer them.
The pacing was also sort of slow, but there was interpersonal stuff going on all the time and I was curious to see how it would all unfold. I was antsy in the beginning because it takes a long time before Emma gets sucked into the book, but that's mostly because I was expecting a different sort of book at that time.
The narrative then bounces back and forth with Emma traveling from our world to Jane's, back to ours, then back to Jane's, and then back to ours again. The biggest surprise to me was that I actually enjoyed the parts in our world more than those in Jane's. I was completely caught up in Emma's interpersonal growth and her friends' various dramas.
Do you have to read Jane Eyre first?
I don't know. I didn't. I'm sure I missed a bunch of nods to the original (which was a bummer because that's one of my favorite parts of retellings), and I know I got a ton of spoilers.
Overall though, I think it's not necessary to have read the original. I never felt lost or left out for having not read Jane Eyre. Emma's journey stands well on its own, and if her growth takes a cue from Jane, it does not diminish Emma's triumphs.
Bottom line
This isn't my kind of book at all, so the fact that I read it cover to cover, loved the narrator, and actually found enjoyment is saying something. Contemporary issues readers should like it a whole lot more and will probably really appreciate the way Jane Eyre was used to guide Emma.
Eve Marie Mont's sensitive handling of intense issues, beautiful writing, creativity, and ability to craft well-developed characters make her a welcome addition to the ranks of YA authors. There will be two more books in this series as Emma gets sucked into The Scarlet Letter and The Phantom of the Opera. I'm not really sure how that will work given Emma's mode of travel in A Breath of Eyre, but I have faith that Eve Marie Mont will pull it off.
Originally posted at Small Review
3.5 stars
Why you can't just look at the rating
My ratings are my personal, subjective reaction to the book I read. It's a measure of how much I enjoyed it, or not. My ratings are NOT objective critiques on the worthiness of a book.
So that's why it would be a really bad idea to look at my 3.5 rating here and think A Breath of Eyre is only a slightly above average book. It's not. It's a good, solid book and I do recommend it.
It's just not really MY kind of book.
What I was expecting
I gravitate toward time travel (book travel?) stories like this because I like to laugh and I automatically assume this plotline will come with a hefty dose of sarcasm, funny observations, and "fish out of water" hilarity.
Barring that, I was expecting to get caught up in the Gothic romance of Jane Eyre. Which, to be honest, is probably me setting myself up for a fall because I've, um, neveractuallyreadJaneEyre. So I really don't think I was in a position to have accurate expectations.
But either way I figured I'd spend a chapter or two in the modern world before Emma was whisked into the pages of Jane Eyre where I would then spend the rest of the story.
And of course all my expectations were completely wrong.
What I got
First off, the vast majority of the book takes place in modern times. Jane Eyre is more of a metaphor that helps Emma deal with the events in her real life. It is NOT the focal point of the story (though if you haven't read the original, prepare yourself for massive spoilers).
And that humor I was expecting? Definitely NOT there. The meat of the story is Emma's real life relationship with her father, her two friends, and her maybe crush. All of these relationships are fraught with Serious Issues like the specter of dead mothers, suicide, depression, mental illness, death, classism, insecurity, and racism.
Heavy, right? For a contemporary issues reader, this book will be a treasured gem. But for me, I was lost. I'm not an issues reader, and these issues are all WAY too heavy for me. I may have even teared up a little at one point.
So why didn't I just DNF?
Honestly, I was tempted. For me, reading issues books is like wearing an itchy wool sweater. Everything feels forced and uncomfortable.
But narrator Emma was like a pair of super comfy fuzzy socks and that is why I kept reading. There was something about her that felt right and made me want to be her friend. She's shy and unsure and sort of floundering around, but she has a strength to her that made me proud. I could relate to Emma's fears and her desire to conquer them.
The pacing was also sort of slow, but there was interpersonal stuff going on all the time and I was curious to see how it would all unfold. I was antsy in the beginning because it takes a long time before Emma gets sucked into the book, but that's mostly because I was expecting a different sort of book at that time.
The narrative then bounces back and forth with Emma traveling from our world to Jane's, back to ours, then back to Jane's, and then back to ours again. The biggest surprise to me was that I actually enjoyed the parts in our world more than those in Jane's. I was completely caught up in Emma's interpersonal growth and her friends' various dramas.
Do you have to read Jane Eyre first?
I don't know. I didn't. I'm sure I missed a bunch of nods to the original (which was a bummer because that's one of my favorite parts of retellings), and I know I got a ton of spoilers.
Overall though, I think it's not necessary to have read the original. I never felt lost or left out for having not read Jane Eyre. Emma's journey stands well on its own, and if her growth takes a cue from Jane, it does not diminish Emma's triumphs.
Bottom line
This isn't my kind of book at all, so the fact that I read it cover to cover, loved the narrator, and actually found enjoyment is saying something. Contemporary issues readers should like it a whole lot more and will probably really appreciate the way Jane Eyre was used to guide Emma.
Eve Marie Mont's sensitive handling of intense issues, beautiful writing, creativity, and ability to craft well-developed characters make her a welcome addition to the ranks of YA authors. There will be two more books in this series as Emma gets sucked into The Scarlet Letter and The Phantom of the Opera. I'm not really sure how that will work given Emma's mode of travel in A Breath of Eyre, but I have faith that Eve Marie Mont will pull it off.
Originally posted at Small Review
April 25, 2012
One of my favorite things in life (my guilty pleasure, if you will) is classic literature. Austen, Woolf, Shelly, the Brontes; they all left such significant marks in the world of literature that they are difficult to ignore. They are also, the easiest to get caught up in. Whether it is the language you love, or the manners in which society behaved, classic novels give us, the “non-stop generation,” something to reflect on.
One of my least favorite things in life? Classic literature. Why? Because no matter how long you wait, there will never be a sequel to your favorite book.
This is my primary reason for indulging in so many modern day adaptations of the greats. My favorite book is “Pride and Prejudice.” But no matter how many times I read it (once a year for those of you wondering) I will never read it the same as I did the first time. Something will be significantly different in my life that causes me to see things differently in the story. I may skip notions that are obvious to some people, for a more obscure observation of my own. The simple truth is, classic literature can change as easily as the wind. And modern day adaptations offer up fresh outlooks of old points of view.
Jane Eyre is particularly susceptible for re-writes. Because of it’s Gothic roots and gut wrenching love story (that goes horribly awry) it is easy to twist into something new and fresh, without loosing the heart of it’s founding matron.
“A Breath of Eyre” by Eve Marie Mont is exactly that…a fresh look at something old.
“Emma Townsend has always believed in stories—the ones she reads voraciously, and the ones she creates in her head. Perhaps it’s because she feels like an outsider at her exclusive prep school, or because her stepmother doesn’t come close to filling the void left by her mother’s death. And her only romantic prospect—apart from a crush on her English teacher—is Gray Newman, a long-time friend who just adds to Emma’s confusion. But escape soon arrives in an old leather-bound copy of Jane Eyre…
Reading of Jane’s isolation sparks a deep sense of kinship. Then fate takes things a leap further when a lightning storm catapults Emma right into Jane’s body and her nineteenth-century world. As governess at Thornfield, Emma has a sense of belonging she’s never known—and an attraction to the brooding Mr. Rochester. Now, moving between her two realities and uncovering secrets in both, Emma must decide whether her destiny lies in the pages of Jane’s story, or in the unwritten chapters of her own…”
Now for those of you that have read Jane Eyre, you will not be surprised to find out that this is a heavy read. Unlike most YA re-tellings that can be found on the market today (for example Pride & Popularity by Jenni James) Mont chose to stick with Bronte’s original format of “dark and brooding” rather than give it a happily chic and giddy facelift.
Bronte’s characters were tortured. They were wrought with pain and suffering whether from mental illness of degradation. Mont’s characters were much the same, though written in a much more modern tongue and clearer understanding of mental illness and where it comes from. That’s not to say that Mont’s characters were bogged down either. They had their light-hearted moments, as do all YA novels, but the influence in behaviors (that transversed between Emma’s realities) was heavily influenced by the story of Jane.
The story itself, (Jane Eyre references aside) was fascinating all on it’s own, and (if forced) could have very easily stood alone as a quality read. In the forefront of this novel Emma, and her romantic prospect Gray, are introduced to us as two very different people, from two very different worlds. Gray is a handsome (yet rowdy) boy of money who has the world on his shoulders. Emma; a scholarship student who’s introverted nature demands that she disappear rather than be noticed. But, as luck (or fate) would have it these two become so emotionally fused that they actually start to take on traits of the other, almost as if switching places. To watch this transformation along with the austereness that the Jane Eyre angle provides was simply astounding.
So would someone who isn’t a Bronte fan enjoy this book? I’m going to gamble and say yes, but like I said above it’s very important to understand the “roots” of the ORIGINAL story so that you don’t become overwhelmed by the dark shadows of racism, suicide, depression and death that reside in THIS version.
Overall, a wonderful modern take (that did indeed point out a few “new” trains of thought) on a classic that will tide me over until the next one comes along.
Buy it if you like Jane Eyre, avoid it if you prefer “happy literature.”
Happy Reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: Brave souls allow EVERYONE to have a voice. Be brave!
One of my least favorite things in life? Classic literature. Why? Because no matter how long you wait, there will never be a sequel to your favorite book.
This is my primary reason for indulging in so many modern day adaptations of the greats. My favorite book is “Pride and Prejudice.” But no matter how many times I read it (once a year for those of you wondering) I will never read it the same as I did the first time. Something will be significantly different in my life that causes me to see things differently in the story. I may skip notions that are obvious to some people, for a more obscure observation of my own. The simple truth is, classic literature can change as easily as the wind. And modern day adaptations offer up fresh outlooks of old points of view.
Jane Eyre is particularly susceptible for re-writes. Because of it’s Gothic roots and gut wrenching love story (that goes horribly awry) it is easy to twist into something new and fresh, without loosing the heart of it’s founding matron.
“A Breath of Eyre” by Eve Marie Mont is exactly that…a fresh look at something old.
“Emma Townsend has always believed in stories—the ones she reads voraciously, and the ones she creates in her head. Perhaps it’s because she feels like an outsider at her exclusive prep school, or because her stepmother doesn’t come close to filling the void left by her mother’s death. And her only romantic prospect—apart from a crush on her English teacher—is Gray Newman, a long-time friend who just adds to Emma’s confusion. But escape soon arrives in an old leather-bound copy of Jane Eyre…
Reading of Jane’s isolation sparks a deep sense of kinship. Then fate takes things a leap further when a lightning storm catapults Emma right into Jane’s body and her nineteenth-century world. As governess at Thornfield, Emma has a sense of belonging she’s never known—and an attraction to the brooding Mr. Rochester. Now, moving between her two realities and uncovering secrets in both, Emma must decide whether her destiny lies in the pages of Jane’s story, or in the unwritten chapters of her own…”
Now for those of you that have read Jane Eyre, you will not be surprised to find out that this is a heavy read. Unlike most YA re-tellings that can be found on the market today (for example Pride & Popularity by Jenni James) Mont chose to stick with Bronte’s original format of “dark and brooding” rather than give it a happily chic and giddy facelift.
Bronte’s characters were tortured. They were wrought with pain and suffering whether from mental illness of degradation. Mont’s characters were much the same, though written in a much more modern tongue and clearer understanding of mental illness and where it comes from. That’s not to say that Mont’s characters were bogged down either. They had their light-hearted moments, as do all YA novels, but the influence in behaviors (that transversed between Emma’s realities) was heavily influenced by the story of Jane.
The story itself, (Jane Eyre references aside) was fascinating all on it’s own, and (if forced) could have very easily stood alone as a quality read. In the forefront of this novel Emma, and her romantic prospect Gray, are introduced to us as two very different people, from two very different worlds. Gray is a handsome (yet rowdy) boy of money who has the world on his shoulders. Emma; a scholarship student who’s introverted nature demands that she disappear rather than be noticed. But, as luck (or fate) would have it these two become so emotionally fused that they actually start to take on traits of the other, almost as if switching places. To watch this transformation along with the austereness that the Jane Eyre angle provides was simply astounding.
So would someone who isn’t a Bronte fan enjoy this book? I’m going to gamble and say yes, but like I said above it’s very important to understand the “roots” of the ORIGINAL story so that you don’t become overwhelmed by the dark shadows of racism, suicide, depression and death that reside in THIS version.
Overall, a wonderful modern take (that did indeed point out a few “new” trains of thought) on a classic that will tide me over until the next one comes along.
Buy it if you like Jane Eyre, avoid it if you prefer “happy literature.”
Happy Reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: Brave souls allow EVERYONE to have a voice. Be brave!
May 5, 2012
There are a lot of reviewers who start out by saying "I've never read Jane Eyre," and if that's the case, then I can see why they might love it. I didn't love Breath of Eyre (didn't hate it either) but Jane Eyre has been my favorite book since I was 13 years old, so the bar was set extremely high.
I found the dozens of literature and pop culture references kind of funny and strange for sixteen year olds to know, but maybe that was the author's point, for which I can give kudos. She probably hoped that it would peak the reader's interests into classics and characters, and she may be right.
I think I just didn't love it because I'm not sixteen, though I don't think I'd have cared for it as a sixteen year old either. Course, I was a bit of a strange sixteen year old, so...
I love the character of Bertha and so I was glad that Mont expounded on her, yet sad that I didn't like where she went. I also didn't like the abrupt interpretation of Rochester. If Emma had really understood the book more, she wouldn't have jumped to the twentieth century interpretation of him. For a scary and wonderful read, try Wide Sargasso Sea, not Breath of Eyre.
I was confused by some ways in which Emma acted:
1. Not clearing Michelle's name sooner. Seems very weak to me for someone who is supposed to be our heroine. She wanders back to class even though she knows Michelle is being investigated, and even daydreams about "cute boys" when she could have rushed off to right the wrong.
2. Again, dilly-dallying when Gray tells her his secret (which I don't even know why she was upset about. She knew he didn't let that girl drown, so why is she so mad? Because she doesn't like being someone who makes him feel better? I don't get it). She knows he nearly killed himself after Elise, and yet she ignores him in his deep depression...huh? REALLY didn't make sense to me.
I may look up this author again eventually, and I don't think she's a bad writer at all. I just think it was a version of Jane I didn't care for.
I found the dozens of literature and pop culture references kind of funny and strange for sixteen year olds to know, but maybe that was the author's point, for which I can give kudos. She probably hoped that it would peak the reader's interests into classics and characters, and she may be right.
I think I just didn't love it because I'm not sixteen, though I don't think I'd have cared for it as a sixteen year old either. Course, I was a bit of a strange sixteen year old, so...
I love the character of Bertha and so I was glad that Mont expounded on her, yet sad that I didn't like where she went. I also didn't like the abrupt interpretation of Rochester. If Emma had really understood the book more, she wouldn't have jumped to the twentieth century interpretation of him. For a scary and wonderful read, try Wide Sargasso Sea, not Breath of Eyre.
I was confused by some ways in which Emma acted:
1. Not clearing Michelle's name sooner. Seems very weak to me for someone who is supposed to be our heroine. She wanders back to class even though she knows Michelle is being investigated, and even daydreams about "cute boys" when she could have rushed off to right the wrong.
2. Again, dilly-dallying when Gray tells her his secret (which I don't even know why she was upset about. She knew he didn't let that girl drown, so why is she so mad? Because she doesn't like being someone who makes him feel better? I don't get it). She knows he nearly killed himself after Elise, and yet she ignores him in his deep depression...huh? REALLY didn't make sense to me.
I may look up this author again eventually, and I don't think she's a bad writer at all. I just think it was a version of Jane I didn't care for.
October 14, 2012
Serious rhetorical question – who HASN’T spent time daydreaming about Mr. Rochester after reading Jane Eyre? Y’all, when I first saw the cover and read the synopsis of A Breath Of Eyre by debut author Eve Marie Mont, I immediately put in on my read at any cost list. After reading A Breath Of Eyre, I can say it TOTALLY belonging on that list.
Read the rest of my review here
Read the rest of my review here
January 7, 2013
Find the enhanced version of this and other reviews at: http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot....
I have a love-hate relationship with retellings. I find them a fascinating sub-genre, but concede they have as much potential to impress as they do to vex. Sometimes I am fortunate enough to cross paths with immensely satisfying reads such as Jax Garren's How Beauty Met the Beast, Elizabeth Bunce's A Cruse Dark as Gold or Sara Donati's Into the Wilderness. On the other end of the spectrum I have had titles that left me bitterly disappointed such as A.G. Gaughen's Scarlet, Alex Flinn's A Kiss in Time, or Steve Hockensmith's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls. Knowing where a book will fall is absolutely impossible which is why I tried to keep an open mind as I began Eve Marie Mont's A Breath of Eyre.
For the record I love Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. In point of fact I reread the classic in conjunction with this novel in hopes of better appreciating Mont's work. Unfortunately I feel the decision actually detracted from the novel as it brought to light exactly how much of the original was sacrificed in its creation.
For instance, one of the primary themes in Bronte's work is that of forgiveness. Jane excuses the mistreatment she suffered as a member of the Reed household as well as Rochester's indiscretions and past wrongs. This idea is eliminated in the cross over portions of the retelling as the Reed family does not even make an appearance and Emma deviates significantly from Jane's path by ultimately refusing to overlook Rochester's actions in order to promote Mont's perception of feminism.
I say Mont's perception because I feel she imposed her modern sensibilities on Bronte's cast, something I feel entirely unjust for what is in part historic fiction, and in Jane's case, wholly unnecessary. For her time, Jane is the very definition of a feminist. By and large, Victorian women were not raised to value education nor were they expected to make decisions regarding their own futures. Bronte's Jane does both. She is a strong woman who defied the stereotypic roles to which society regulated her nineteenth century counterparts. In contrast, Mont uses Jane as a foil for Emma, allocating her to the role of doormat in order to promote Emma's 'superior' version of feminine independence.
To say I was disappointed to see one of my favorite classics treated this way is something of an understatement. Mont's re-imagining of Bertha, her superficial recreation of Bronte's work as a period romance, the subtle alterations she made to Rochester's make-up... I don't mind retellings that deviate from the originals, but I feel the best ones are those that can emulate or at least compliment the work on which they are based. I didn't see that in A Breath of Eyre. Yes, Mont borrows Bronte's characters and certain events from their story, but I can't help feeling her work trivializes the merits and spirit of the classic.
Despite my ill-regard for this imprudence and the presentation of forgiveness as one of her own creations, I did appreciate Mont's attempt to address some weightier subject matter, particularly as it applied to her target audience. Mental disorders, teenage romance, drug use, sex, alcohol, suicide... Mont covers all these subjects and more. I've never come across young adult fiction that covers these topics in such realistic tones and I couldn't admire the manner in which handled them more.
At the end of the day, A Breath of Eyre isn't something I would recommend as a retelling, but I think it fits the bill for those looking for intriguing young adult lit. For my part, I haven't given up on the Unbound series, the trilogy promises to incorporate elements from two more beloved classics, but I think my experience with the first installment will serve as something of a guide in the formation of my expectations from here on out.
I have a love-hate relationship with retellings. I find them a fascinating sub-genre, but concede they have as much potential to impress as they do to vex. Sometimes I am fortunate enough to cross paths with immensely satisfying reads such as Jax Garren's How Beauty Met the Beast, Elizabeth Bunce's A Cruse Dark as Gold or Sara Donati's Into the Wilderness. On the other end of the spectrum I have had titles that left me bitterly disappointed such as A.G. Gaughen's Scarlet, Alex Flinn's A Kiss in Time, or Steve Hockensmith's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls. Knowing where a book will fall is absolutely impossible which is why I tried to keep an open mind as I began Eve Marie Mont's A Breath of Eyre.
For the record I love Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. In point of fact I reread the classic in conjunction with this novel in hopes of better appreciating Mont's work. Unfortunately I feel the decision actually detracted from the novel as it brought to light exactly how much of the original was sacrificed in its creation.
For instance, one of the primary themes in Bronte's work is that of forgiveness. Jane excuses the mistreatment she suffered as a member of the Reed household as well as Rochester's indiscretions and past wrongs. This idea is eliminated in the cross over portions of the retelling as the Reed family does not even make an appearance and Emma deviates significantly from Jane's path by ultimately refusing to overlook Rochester's actions in order to promote Mont's perception of feminism.
I say Mont's perception because I feel she imposed her modern sensibilities on Bronte's cast, something I feel entirely unjust for what is in part historic fiction, and in Jane's case, wholly unnecessary. For her time, Jane is the very definition of a feminist. By and large, Victorian women were not raised to value education nor were they expected to make decisions regarding their own futures. Bronte's Jane does both. She is a strong woman who defied the stereotypic roles to which society regulated her nineteenth century counterparts. In contrast, Mont uses Jane as a foil for Emma, allocating her to the role of doormat in order to promote Emma's 'superior' version of feminine independence.
To say I was disappointed to see one of my favorite classics treated this way is something of an understatement. Mont's re-imagining of Bertha, her superficial recreation of Bronte's work as a period romance, the subtle alterations she made to Rochester's make-up... I don't mind retellings that deviate from the originals, but I feel the best ones are those that can emulate or at least compliment the work on which they are based. I didn't see that in A Breath of Eyre. Yes, Mont borrows Bronte's characters and certain events from their story, but I can't help feeling her work trivializes the merits and spirit of the classic.
Despite my ill-regard for this imprudence and the presentation of forgiveness as one of her own creations, I did appreciate Mont's attempt to address some weightier subject matter, particularly as it applied to her target audience. Mental disorders, teenage romance, drug use, sex, alcohol, suicide... Mont covers all these subjects and more. I've never come across young adult fiction that covers these topics in such realistic tones and I couldn't admire the manner in which handled them more.
At the end of the day, A Breath of Eyre isn't something I would recommend as a retelling, but I think it fits the bill for those looking for intriguing young adult lit. For my part, I haven't given up on the Unbound series, the trilogy promises to incorporate elements from two more beloved classics, but I think my experience with the first installment will serve as something of a guide in the formation of my expectations from here on out.
January 8, 2012
First, a disclaimer ... Eve Marie Mont is a fellow Class of 2k12 and Apocalypsie debut author, and although I've never met her in person, I have enormous love and respect for her. That said, I was a bit concerned about reading A BREATH OF EYRE because obviously this is a book about Jane Eyre and although I love historical fiction, I am not a fan of classic literature. Really. To the point that one of my favorite quotes comes from Mark Twain - "Every time I read Pride and Prejudice, I want to dig Jane Austen up and beat her over the skull with her own shin bone."
So when I received an ARC of A BREATH OF EYRE in the mail on Friday, I was very happily surprised about two things ... 1) you don't have to have read Jane Eyre to fall in love with A BREATH OF EYRE and 2) the majority of A BREATH OF EYRE takes place in present day ... I'd call it a contemporary novel with a paranormal twist. I was hooked on page 1 by M/C Emma's dry sense of humor and she wastes no time finding herself in a dangerous situation. Her travels into the past are so beautifully written, it's whet my appetite to give the classics another try. What blew me away the most was how brilliantly Eve Marie Mont wove the two stories together, how the themes from Jane Eyre are so significant today and how often I was awestruck by Mont's ingenious metaphors (and swoony kissing scenes!) Charlotte Bronte would be thrilled to know her story inspired A BREATH OF EYRE, and because of its intriguing concept, fast-paced plot, well-rounded characters and realistic dialogue, engaging voice and brilliant execution, I shower it with well-deserved Goodreads stars!
And for fun, at the end of the book there's a quiz to find out which classic heroine you are ... I'm Catherine (which means I should go read Wuthering Heights ;)
And one more thing ... pictured on the back of the ARC are the covers of Eve Marie Mont's next two novels, and they look Amazing!!!
So when I received an ARC of A BREATH OF EYRE in the mail on Friday, I was very happily surprised about two things ... 1) you don't have to have read Jane Eyre to fall in love with A BREATH OF EYRE and 2) the majority of A BREATH OF EYRE takes place in present day ... I'd call it a contemporary novel with a paranormal twist. I was hooked on page 1 by M/C Emma's dry sense of humor and she wastes no time finding herself in a dangerous situation. Her travels into the past are so beautifully written, it's whet my appetite to give the classics another try. What blew me away the most was how brilliantly Eve Marie Mont wove the two stories together, how the themes from Jane Eyre are so significant today and how often I was awestruck by Mont's ingenious metaphors (and swoony kissing scenes!) Charlotte Bronte would be thrilled to know her story inspired A BREATH OF EYRE, and because of its intriguing concept, fast-paced plot, well-rounded characters and realistic dialogue, engaging voice and brilliant execution, I shower it with well-deserved Goodreads stars!
And for fun, at the end of the book there's a quiz to find out which classic heroine you are ... I'm Catherine (which means I should go read Wuthering Heights ;)
And one more thing ... pictured on the back of the ARC are the covers of Eve Marie Mont's next two novels, and they look Amazing!!!
March 19, 2013
Opinião do Blogue Chaise Longue: http://girlinchaiselongue.blogspot.pt...
Uma maria-rapaz apaixonada por animais e aspirante a actriz, Eve não tinha muito talento para cantar, daí talvez, que tenha esquecido os musicais em playback a favor de escrever histórias, tendo tudo começado no quarto ano quando escreveu o seu primeiro capítulo, A Única Maria Rapaz da Minha Turma, e culminado com a leitura de Jane Eyre no secundário, acções determinantes para a sua carreira de escritora. Hoje professora de Inglês e de Escrita Criativa, a autora pode ser encontrada a ver basebol com o marido ou a sonhar com a sua próxima história.
A Breath of Eyre é o segundo livro de Eve e o primeiro de uma trilogia que se propõe a revisitar alguns clássicos, sendo este inspirado na obra mais conhecida de Charlotte Brönte, Jane Eyre. Publicado em 2012, é ainda um livro pouco conhecido mas com um conceito que apaixonará os amantes da literatura clássica, os leitores de YA e aqueles que acham que certos finais deviam mudar, continuar ou serem só nossos.
Qual o amante de livros que nunca se quis perder nas páginas de um? Qual o leitor que não já preferiu as histórias lidas do que as suas? Quem nunca quis viver dentro das páginas e ser a sua personagem preferida?
Emma tem dezasseis anos e para além de uma adolescente introvertida, está rodeada de segredos, de silêncios sombrios e medos que ela não sabe que deve vencer. Fechada em si e para o mundo, ela tem medo, sente insegurança mas o seu espaço está prestes a ser invadido pela cor, pela experiência, pelas gargalhadas e zangas, por tudo com o qual ela não sabe lidar… Apaixonada por livros, Emma recebe um livro muito importante nos anos, um livro pelo qual se irá apaixonar, um livro que vai mudar a sua forma de olhar o mundo, um livro que a sugará para dentro das suas páginas dando-lhe a alternativa de viver na sua história preferida. Entre a ilusão e a realidade, esta jovem terá de decidir se irá fugir ou enfrentar a vida, se irá pelo caminho fácil ou se irá mudar até as palavras já escritas.
Não sendo uma ideia inovadora, a verdade é que eu ainda não tinha lido nenhum livro inspirado num clássico e talvez por isso, a ideia de Eve me tenha captado a atenção e levado a ler este livro que se propõe, não a recontar, mas a olhar de outra perspectiva, um dos clássicos mais adorados e românticos da ocidentalidade. Com uma escrita extremamente simples, sem grandes floreados e alguma inexperiência, a autora não nos introduz à leveza da juventude mas aos problemas que ao afectar-nos nesta idade de mudanças podem levar a decisões trágicas, mudanças irreparáveis e arrependimentos, problemas que se ajustam na negritude trágica e fonte de esperança que o livro de Charlotte é. Ao olhar Jane Eyre por uma perspectiva inusual, ao levantar questões pouco pensadas e dando-lhe todo um novo significado, a autora consegue que vejamos a obra de outra maneira e que acabemos por entender e perceber a força e a fragilidade do auge da vida que é a adolescência.
Longe de ser um livro perfeito, este livro tem ainda muitas arestas por limar mas na tragédia e dureza desta narrativa acabámos por perdoar umas quantas falhas mas essas não chegam para esquecer outras que dificultam a leitura. Se a parte actual, umas vezes dramática e depressiva, outras tipicamente adolescente, com dúvidas, primeiros amores, zangas e alguma maturidade trazida pelo sofrimento das circunstâncias, consegue funcionar de uma forma que até nos leva a gostar do que estamos a ler, a parte dentro do clássico demonstra claramente as falhas que ainda existem na forma da autora escrever e se expressar. Desde cópias literais de parte de Jane Eyre que acabam por tornar a coisa bastante aborrecida pois para as ler liámos o original e porque estamos a espera de algo inovador que não chega, nota-se que a autora ainda não sabe como ligar os dois caminhos, como fazer Emma se tornar Jane de uma forma que capte a atenção em vez de ser aborrecida, de manter Emma como ela é em vez de ela passar a ser Jane ou como ligar os elementos de ambas as histórias de uma forma consistente e tudo isto são falhas imperdoáveis e que destruem a essência da ideia. O resultado é os exageros como a protagonista ir parar ao hospital quatro vezes e a prova da insuficiente capacidade da autora de dar um brilho ao enredo que este definitivamente precisa.
Quanto às personagens, acho que nunca vi tanto sofrimento, tanta desgraça num conjunto de adolescentes. Cada um deles tem os seus medos, segredos e cada um deles tem uma personalidade que apesar de ser diferente acaba por ser auto destrutiva até acontecer um milagre, o que resulta numa visão depressiva da adolescência e que não ajuda na leitura. Desde o grande segredo do protagonista que pelos vistos fez algo de muito mau mas afinal é só uma vítima e nem sequer é culpado, desde as repetidas idas da protagonista ao hospital porque a autora não faz a mínima ideia de como ia transportá-la para a parte alternativa ou como dar mais drama a vida já dramática dela, à melhor amiga orgulhosa e irritante, tudo resultou numa novela demasiado dramática e sofrida que só pode causar mal-estar no leitor. Apesar de tudo, há uma esperança ainda que pequena em relação à Gray e Emma que juntos conseguem ser adoráveis sem a parte melosa e que ainda podem salvar o resto da trilogia.
O resultado é que aquilo de que se gostou fica a perder contra as muitas falhas do livro e nem os acontecimentos inesperados antes do fim conseguem salvar o enredo porque ele já está demasiado enredado nele próprio. Uma ideia que podia ter sido algo de espantoso e que quase morreu na praia.
Uma maria-rapaz apaixonada por animais e aspirante a actriz, Eve não tinha muito talento para cantar, daí talvez, que tenha esquecido os musicais em playback a favor de escrever histórias, tendo tudo começado no quarto ano quando escreveu o seu primeiro capítulo, A Única Maria Rapaz da Minha Turma, e culminado com a leitura de Jane Eyre no secundário, acções determinantes para a sua carreira de escritora. Hoje professora de Inglês e de Escrita Criativa, a autora pode ser encontrada a ver basebol com o marido ou a sonhar com a sua próxima história.
A Breath of Eyre é o segundo livro de Eve e o primeiro de uma trilogia que se propõe a revisitar alguns clássicos, sendo este inspirado na obra mais conhecida de Charlotte Brönte, Jane Eyre. Publicado em 2012, é ainda um livro pouco conhecido mas com um conceito que apaixonará os amantes da literatura clássica, os leitores de YA e aqueles que acham que certos finais deviam mudar, continuar ou serem só nossos.
Qual o amante de livros que nunca se quis perder nas páginas de um? Qual o leitor que não já preferiu as histórias lidas do que as suas? Quem nunca quis viver dentro das páginas e ser a sua personagem preferida?
Emma tem dezasseis anos e para além de uma adolescente introvertida, está rodeada de segredos, de silêncios sombrios e medos que ela não sabe que deve vencer. Fechada em si e para o mundo, ela tem medo, sente insegurança mas o seu espaço está prestes a ser invadido pela cor, pela experiência, pelas gargalhadas e zangas, por tudo com o qual ela não sabe lidar… Apaixonada por livros, Emma recebe um livro muito importante nos anos, um livro pelo qual se irá apaixonar, um livro que vai mudar a sua forma de olhar o mundo, um livro que a sugará para dentro das suas páginas dando-lhe a alternativa de viver na sua história preferida. Entre a ilusão e a realidade, esta jovem terá de decidir se irá fugir ou enfrentar a vida, se irá pelo caminho fácil ou se irá mudar até as palavras já escritas.
Não sendo uma ideia inovadora, a verdade é que eu ainda não tinha lido nenhum livro inspirado num clássico e talvez por isso, a ideia de Eve me tenha captado a atenção e levado a ler este livro que se propõe, não a recontar, mas a olhar de outra perspectiva, um dos clássicos mais adorados e românticos da ocidentalidade. Com uma escrita extremamente simples, sem grandes floreados e alguma inexperiência, a autora não nos introduz à leveza da juventude mas aos problemas que ao afectar-nos nesta idade de mudanças podem levar a decisões trágicas, mudanças irreparáveis e arrependimentos, problemas que se ajustam na negritude trágica e fonte de esperança que o livro de Charlotte é. Ao olhar Jane Eyre por uma perspectiva inusual, ao levantar questões pouco pensadas e dando-lhe todo um novo significado, a autora consegue que vejamos a obra de outra maneira e que acabemos por entender e perceber a força e a fragilidade do auge da vida que é a adolescência.
Longe de ser um livro perfeito, este livro tem ainda muitas arestas por limar mas na tragédia e dureza desta narrativa acabámos por perdoar umas quantas falhas mas essas não chegam para esquecer outras que dificultam a leitura. Se a parte actual, umas vezes dramática e depressiva, outras tipicamente adolescente, com dúvidas, primeiros amores, zangas e alguma maturidade trazida pelo sofrimento das circunstâncias, consegue funcionar de uma forma que até nos leva a gostar do que estamos a ler, a parte dentro do clássico demonstra claramente as falhas que ainda existem na forma da autora escrever e se expressar. Desde cópias literais de parte de Jane Eyre que acabam por tornar a coisa bastante aborrecida pois para as ler liámos o original e porque estamos a espera de algo inovador que não chega, nota-se que a autora ainda não sabe como ligar os dois caminhos, como fazer Emma se tornar Jane de uma forma que capte a atenção em vez de ser aborrecida, de manter Emma como ela é em vez de ela passar a ser Jane ou como ligar os elementos de ambas as histórias de uma forma consistente e tudo isto são falhas imperdoáveis e que destruem a essência da ideia. O resultado é os exageros como a protagonista ir parar ao hospital quatro vezes e a prova da insuficiente capacidade da autora de dar um brilho ao enredo que este definitivamente precisa.
Quanto às personagens, acho que nunca vi tanto sofrimento, tanta desgraça num conjunto de adolescentes. Cada um deles tem os seus medos, segredos e cada um deles tem uma personalidade que apesar de ser diferente acaba por ser auto destrutiva até acontecer um milagre, o que resulta numa visão depressiva da adolescência e que não ajuda na leitura. Desde o grande segredo do protagonista que pelos vistos fez algo de muito mau mas afinal é só uma vítima e nem sequer é culpado, desde as repetidas idas da protagonista ao hospital porque a autora não faz a mínima ideia de como ia transportá-la para a parte alternativa ou como dar mais drama a vida já dramática dela, à melhor amiga orgulhosa e irritante, tudo resultou numa novela demasiado dramática e sofrida que só pode causar mal-estar no leitor. Apesar de tudo, há uma esperança ainda que pequena em relação à Gray e Emma que juntos conseguem ser adoráveis sem a parte melosa e que ainda podem salvar o resto da trilogia.
O resultado é que aquilo de que se gostou fica a perder contra as muitas falhas do livro e nem os acontecimentos inesperados antes do fim conseguem salvar o enredo porque ele já está demasiado enredado nele próprio. Uma ideia que podia ter sido algo de espantoso e que quase morreu na praia.
January 5, 2022
Possible RTC
October 3, 2015
I loved this novel! It was the exact right mix of fantasy(daydreaming?) and reality. I love contemporary fiction. I love fantasy. Mix em up and I'm in heaven. Throw in one of my favorite literary novels and I have actually died and gone to heaven!! This one even dealt respectfully with the issue of Bipolar Disorder. Teens do have it hard. They've got all those hormones going on, then all those issues, that now seem so small to us as adults, but to the teens reading YA, seem HUGE! They were to me. Like what to wear and who liked who and what I got on my Algebra test. But throw in being a scholarship student just trying to be invisible so you don't incur the wrath of the popular girls, a stepmother who you can't stand, and a weird change in your relationship with the boy you've known since you were a toddler and now you're crushing on and you've got even bigger problems. Oh, and then there's that whole living Jane Eyre's life thing. Kinda tough. Just a note- This is absolutely not a retelling of Jane Eyre or Emma living the life of Jane Eyre. It goes back and forth between the present and Jane Eyre.
The thing I loved about this book was that there was a plausible explanation for Emma being in Jane Eyre. I won't say why, but something happened to her that would account for her possibly dreaming the whole thing even though it felt real. And even though Emma knew the story of Jane Eyre, she only vaguely remembered bits and pieces of the story while she was in it so that she had to make her own decisions and didn't try to copy the decisions that Jane had. She grew to really love her time at Thornfield and she really doesn't know anything about the strange goings on in the house or the secret Rochester is keeping from her, from everyone. And Emma comes back from Thornfield and has to deal with real life. And it's tough. Things aren't easy and Emma isn't exactly one for facing up to hard things. And then she escapes again to Jane Eyre when she should be facing something hard.
I loved the way a minor, but forceful character in Jane Eyre was brought to life and concentrated on. I also loved that the people at Thornfield were all familiar to Emma, from her English teacher to the librarian. And that the truths in Jane Eyre made Emma question the truths in her own life and show some true character growth. While I didn't love Emma in the beginning, I admired her in the end for the things she did to help the people she loved.
Some of the sides characters were really lovable. Emma's troubled friend Gray was very genuine. I knew from the moment he started trading wisecracks with her that I would love him if I were her. They'd known each other forever, their mothers being best friends. Their circumstances were different, his family wealthy, hers not and her mother dead. But they were still thrown together because his mother kept in touch. There were hints about him being a player before but in this book he was sincere and caring and I really loved him. There was also Michelle, Emma's roommate, tough on the outside, but just the same scared girl on the inside, thrown to the wolves of the super rich and their unfortunate target because she was on scholarship and spoke her mind. And the hippie like Owen who is so down to earth despite his father's incredible wealth.
This novel blows all the other fall into another character book books out of the water. The contrast between the present and the book kept it from being a copy or rewrite of Jane Eyre and made it something really enjoyable to read. It was fast paced and the romance, though it kept you guessing (no love triangle!) was perfect. And this is a series! The next book is A Touch of Scarlet with the book pairing being The Scarlet Letter. And there is a scene from that book in the end of the book (I read the ARC). There is also a great quiz in the back to take to see what literary character you are. It was fun and actually enlightening for me to take.
I highly recommend this book for lovers of YA contemporary, historicals, fantasy, romance, or just a really great book! I am really looking forward to A Touch of Scarlet.
*Just a note, I don't think you have to read Jane Eyre, but I think it helps. Some references are vague and you may not understand. The emphasis wasn't a retelling of Jane Eyre or living in the book of Jane Eyre.
Heather
I received an ARC of this novel from the author for review. This in no way influenced my opinions of the novel. Thank you Eve Marie Mont for the ARC.
The thing I loved about this book was that there was a plausible explanation for Emma being in Jane Eyre. I won't say why, but something happened to her that would account for her possibly dreaming the whole thing even though it felt real. And even though Emma knew the story of Jane Eyre, she only vaguely remembered bits and pieces of the story while she was in it so that she had to make her own decisions and didn't try to copy the decisions that Jane had. She grew to really love her time at Thornfield and she really doesn't know anything about the strange goings on in the house or the secret Rochester is keeping from her, from everyone. And Emma comes back from Thornfield and has to deal with real life. And it's tough. Things aren't easy and Emma isn't exactly one for facing up to hard things. And then she escapes again to Jane Eyre when she should be facing something hard.
I loved the way a minor, but forceful character in Jane Eyre was brought to life and concentrated on. I also loved that the people at Thornfield were all familiar to Emma, from her English teacher to the librarian. And that the truths in Jane Eyre made Emma question the truths in her own life and show some true character growth. While I didn't love Emma in the beginning, I admired her in the end for the things she did to help the people she loved.
Some of the sides characters were really lovable. Emma's troubled friend Gray was very genuine. I knew from the moment he started trading wisecracks with her that I would love him if I were her. They'd known each other forever, their mothers being best friends. Their circumstances were different, his family wealthy, hers not and her mother dead. But they were still thrown together because his mother kept in touch. There were hints about him being a player before but in this book he was sincere and caring and I really loved him. There was also Michelle, Emma's roommate, tough on the outside, but just the same scared girl on the inside, thrown to the wolves of the super rich and their unfortunate target because she was on scholarship and spoke her mind. And the hippie like Owen who is so down to earth despite his father's incredible wealth.
This novel blows all the other fall into another character book books out of the water. The contrast between the present and the book kept it from being a copy or rewrite of Jane Eyre and made it something really enjoyable to read. It was fast paced and the romance, though it kept you guessing (no love triangle!) was perfect. And this is a series! The next book is A Touch of Scarlet with the book pairing being The Scarlet Letter. And there is a scene from that book in the end of the book (I read the ARC). There is also a great quiz in the back to take to see what literary character you are. It was fun and actually enlightening for me to take.
I highly recommend this book for lovers of YA contemporary, historicals, fantasy, romance, or just a really great book! I am really looking forward to A Touch of Scarlet.
*Just a note, I don't think you have to read Jane Eyre, but I think it helps. Some references are vague and you may not understand. The emphasis wasn't a retelling of Jane Eyre or living in the book of Jane Eyre.
Heather
I received an ARC of this novel from the author for review. This in no way influenced my opinions of the novel. Thank you Eve Marie Mont for the ARC.
May 10, 2012
Originally featured on www.yareads.com, reviewed by Kiona
Emma Townsend loves reading and the latest book to capture her attention is Jane Eyre. Emma feels a strong connection to Jane — so strong that one fateful night, when she’s struck by lightening, she’s transported right into Jane’s body. Navigating between two realities, Emma has to decide between her quiet life as Jane (where she has the decidedly sexy Mr. Rochester) or her own life, where things aren’t so quiet or picture-perfect; where girls are mean and vindictive; where her mom is dead and her dad doesn’t trust her; where boys like Gray Newman overlook girls like Emma.
Like any book-lover, Emma loves books so much that she literally wishes she could fall into their fictional worlds. I like how relatable this aspect of Emma’s personality this is. Then she gets to do what all of us wish we could, at some point, do — she gets to live the life of a book character. And you think that’d be awesome, right? But it actually raises a lot of interesting questions and thoughts. While I always thought about how fun it would be to be a book character for a day, I never considered why it might not be fun. And Emma isn’t Jane for just a day, but for three months. I think Mont did a great job balancing these two realities. We spend enough time in both that we really understand Emma’s frustrations with both realities and we empathize with her struggles. But making a definitive choice makes her stronger; she learns so much about herself and she’s a great character to root for.
Mont’s prose is beautiful. She seamlessly transitions between both realities, authentically capturing the tone of Jane Eyre while also creating a real world with likable, believable characters. Some aspects of boarding school life are cliche, but it’s hard not to be. But the romantic tension is anything but cliche. The relationship between Emma and her English teacher, aka her real-life Mr. Rochester, is as believable as any high school crush and the outcome of this crush is not easily predictable. The same is true for Emma’s relationship with Gray, the boy she’s known her entire life yet who still manages to have a plethora of secrets. Mont takes her time with these relationships, allowing us and Emma to fully get to know these characters. Absolutely nothing is rushed and no one does anything without a reason. These characters are very, very human and thus incredibly easy to care about.
A Breath of Eyre explores some powerful themes, the most engaging of which, for me, is the difference between right and wrong. Throughout the book, Emma really learns to trust herself and follows her own moral compass, despite the fact that even the authority figures in her life won’t do the same. Emma comes into her own in A Breath of Eyre, discovers her own identity, and joining her for this journey is a true pleasure. I look forward to reading about Emma’s next adventure.
Emma Townsend loves reading and the latest book to capture her attention is Jane Eyre. Emma feels a strong connection to Jane — so strong that one fateful night, when she’s struck by lightening, she’s transported right into Jane’s body. Navigating between two realities, Emma has to decide between her quiet life as Jane (where she has the decidedly sexy Mr. Rochester) or her own life, where things aren’t so quiet or picture-perfect; where girls are mean and vindictive; where her mom is dead and her dad doesn’t trust her; where boys like Gray Newman overlook girls like Emma.
Like any book-lover, Emma loves books so much that she literally wishes she could fall into their fictional worlds. I like how relatable this aspect of Emma’s personality this is. Then she gets to do what all of us wish we could, at some point, do — she gets to live the life of a book character. And you think that’d be awesome, right? But it actually raises a lot of interesting questions and thoughts. While I always thought about how fun it would be to be a book character for a day, I never considered why it might not be fun. And Emma isn’t Jane for just a day, but for three months. I think Mont did a great job balancing these two realities. We spend enough time in both that we really understand Emma’s frustrations with both realities and we empathize with her struggles. But making a definitive choice makes her stronger; she learns so much about herself and she’s a great character to root for.
Mont’s prose is beautiful. She seamlessly transitions between both realities, authentically capturing the tone of Jane Eyre while also creating a real world with likable, believable characters. Some aspects of boarding school life are cliche, but it’s hard not to be. But the romantic tension is anything but cliche. The relationship between Emma and her English teacher, aka her real-life Mr. Rochester, is as believable as any high school crush and the outcome of this crush is not easily predictable. The same is true for Emma’s relationship with Gray, the boy she’s known her entire life yet who still manages to have a plethora of secrets. Mont takes her time with these relationships, allowing us and Emma to fully get to know these characters. Absolutely nothing is rushed and no one does anything without a reason. These characters are very, very human and thus incredibly easy to care about.
A Breath of Eyre explores some powerful themes, the most engaging of which, for me, is the difference between right and wrong. Throughout the book, Emma really learns to trust herself and follows her own moral compass, despite the fact that even the authority figures in her life won’t do the same. Emma comes into her own in A Breath of Eyre, discovers her own identity, and joining her for this journey is a true pleasure. I look forward to reading about Emma’s next adventure.
April 22, 2017
First off, many thanks to Kensington for providing me with a review copy of this book. It's one I've wanted to read since I heard about it, so I was thrilled at the chance to get my hands on it early.
I'm a HUGE fan of Jane Eyre. It's one of my all-time favorite books. I was excited to read a new take on it. Guess what? It went far beyond everything I'd hoped for.
I was expecting a retelling, I guess. I thought that it would be kind of like every other retelling-same story with a few new elements.
But it wasn't.
It gave me the chance to view Jane Eyre in a whole new light.
It let me see what might have happened had Jane had a stronger voice, if she had been able to keep her resolution to stay away from Mr. Rochester after the incident with Bertha. It let me see Bertha in a whole new light, and I think that was what I appreciated/loved the most.
Every time I've read Jane Eyre, I've kind of glossed over Bertha as the insane first wife of Mr. Rochester. I never once stopped to consider WHY she was the way she was, who might have driven her to complete madness, and what her dreams might have been. After reading A Breath of Eyre, I'd like to go back and reexamine my feelings on Bertha. I'd like to give her a chance.
I loved that the overall moral of the story wasn't win at all costs or shame the mean girls into being nice (though I loved that one time when Elise got hers. Man, I didn't like that girl.). The point was really to find your own voice, to be able to be heard above the clatter. When Emma finally found her voice, I rejoiced.
Mont's writing is fantastic. I didn't feel like she ever got bogged down in the minutia, nor did she resort to cliches. She just wrote solid, beautiful words.
Yes, it was a YA romance. Yes, it had elements of YA that can drive people nuts. NO, it did not drive me nuts at any point. No, I did not find it mundane. I found it powerful, moving, and inspirational. There's a message of forgiveness, both through Emma's experiences as Jane and her interactions with Gray. I love that she could take what she learned as Jane and apply it to her life.
Here's an example of one of my favorite lines:
"The sign of a true woman isn't the ability to recite French poetry or play the pianoforte or cook Chateaubriand. The sign of a true woman is learning to listen to her own voice even when society does its best to drown it out." (p. 300)
Isn't that WONDERFUL?!
This is one of my new favorites, and I will absolutely be getting copies of the next two books. I'm giving this a 'Pick Me' for being fabulous!
I'm a HUGE fan of Jane Eyre. It's one of my all-time favorite books. I was excited to read a new take on it. Guess what? It went far beyond everything I'd hoped for.
I was expecting a retelling, I guess. I thought that it would be kind of like every other retelling-same story with a few new elements.
But it wasn't.
It gave me the chance to view Jane Eyre in a whole new light.
It let me see what might have happened had Jane had a stronger voice, if she had been able to keep her resolution to stay away from Mr. Rochester after the incident with Bertha. It let me see Bertha in a whole new light, and I think that was what I appreciated/loved the most.
Every time I've read Jane Eyre, I've kind of glossed over Bertha as the insane first wife of Mr. Rochester. I never once stopped to consider WHY she was the way she was, who might have driven her to complete madness, and what her dreams might have been. After reading A Breath of Eyre, I'd like to go back and reexamine my feelings on Bertha. I'd like to give her a chance.
I loved that the overall moral of the story wasn't win at all costs or shame the mean girls into being nice (though I loved that one time when Elise got hers. Man, I didn't like that girl.). The point was really to find your own voice, to be able to be heard above the clatter. When Emma finally found her voice, I rejoiced.
Mont's writing is fantastic. I didn't feel like she ever got bogged down in the minutia, nor did she resort to cliches. She just wrote solid, beautiful words.
Yes, it was a YA romance. Yes, it had elements of YA that can drive people nuts. NO, it did not drive me nuts at any point. No, I did not find it mundane. I found it powerful, moving, and inspirational. There's a message of forgiveness, both through Emma's experiences as Jane and her interactions with Gray. I love that she could take what she learned as Jane and apply it to her life.
Here's an example of one of my favorite lines:
"The sign of a true woman isn't the ability to recite French poetry or play the pianoforte or cook Chateaubriand. The sign of a true woman is learning to listen to her own voice even when society does its best to drown it out." (p. 300)
Isn't that WONDERFUL?!
This is one of my new favorites, and I will absolutely be getting copies of the next two books. I'm giving this a 'Pick Me' for being fabulous!
December 31, 2016
I'm so glad I decided to read this book. The title is such a great play on words and the book was pretty good.
Mont created a book that uses Jane Eyre as a vehicle to tell a new story. Mont combined the two but not as a retelling but used JE, instead, as a learning experience for her main character, Emma.
I found Emma to be likable. She definitely had struggles. They were realistic and probably occur for a good portion of the young people today. Also, Gray, the Hero was good. I liked him. He was believable too, but his struggles might be a little over the top in comparison to Emma's.
What I enjoyed most was the moral that Mont played on. I found that I agreed with the author on her points and liked the direction she sent her characters. The ending where Emma wrote a thesis on Bertha was especially enjoyable. Not because I'm a feminist but because how it tied in with Bertha herself, that Mont created. I don't want to spoil that part for other readers but those who read the book should get my meaning.
I liked the advice given to Emma and how she chooses to use it. One statement was interesting to me.
"The significant a true woman isn't the ability to recite French poetry or play the pianoforte or cook chateaubriand. The sign of a true woman is learning to listen to her own voice even when society does its best to drown it out."
There is more I wanted to share but of course I can find the page. I really need to start marking things.
What I didn't like in the book was the talk of casual sex and the use if drugs. Although the book centers around Emma, Gray and Michelle's problems, I didn't think they were too much, nor do I think the book pressures teens. I liked how Emma resolved the problems by helping others and herself. I liked how things were wrapped up in the end. It was a pretty bow but there is another book so things continue...
Overall, I really liked how Mont combined the two books. This wasn't just a retelling of Jane Eyre that was average or never should have been written, but instead, a great woven tale about how Emma and the other characters grow throughout the book. It was a fun read and I would recommend it.
Content: mild swearing, drugs and talk of sex, talk of suicide
Mont created a book that uses Jane Eyre as a vehicle to tell a new story. Mont combined the two but not as a retelling but used JE, instead, as a learning experience for her main character, Emma.
I found Emma to be likable. She definitely had struggles. They were realistic and probably occur for a good portion of the young people today. Also, Gray, the Hero was good. I liked him. He was believable too, but his struggles might be a little over the top in comparison to Emma's.
What I enjoyed most was the moral that Mont played on. I found that I agreed with the author on her points and liked the direction she sent her characters. The ending where Emma wrote a thesis on Bertha was especially enjoyable. Not because I'm a feminist but because how it tied in with Bertha herself, that Mont created. I don't want to spoil that part for other readers but those who read the book should get my meaning.
I liked the advice given to Emma and how she chooses to use it. One statement was interesting to me.
"The significant a true woman isn't the ability to recite French poetry or play the pianoforte or cook chateaubriand. The sign of a true woman is learning to listen to her own voice even when society does its best to drown it out."
There is more I wanted to share but of course I can find the page. I really need to start marking things.
What I didn't like in the book was the talk of casual sex and the use if drugs. Although the book centers around Emma, Gray and Michelle's problems, I didn't think they were too much, nor do I think the book pressures teens. I liked how Emma resolved the problems by helping others and herself. I liked how things were wrapped up in the end. It was a pretty bow but there is another book so things continue...
Overall, I really liked how Mont combined the two books. This wasn't just a retelling of Jane Eyre that was average or never should have been written, but instead, a great woven tale about how Emma and the other characters grow throughout the book. It was a fun read and I would recommend it.
Content: mild swearing, drugs and talk of sex, talk of suicide
April 2, 2012
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I had never read the story of Jane Eyre and had no idea of what it was all about.
Emma is a young writer. She loves writing poetry and making up her own stories. The book starts off at Emma’s sixteenth birthday party. She does not really even want to be there and worst of all, her parent’s had invited Gray. Gray and Emma grew up together. Their mother’s were best friends. They sort of have a love-hate relationship.
As Emma struggles through her year, she is jostled back and forth between being Jane and Emma. She finds out a lot of secrets and a lot about herself along the way.
Emma was a great heroine. She was strong and at times could be feisty, but my favorite is definitely Gray. He is your typical masked adolescent that does a good job at looking fine on the outside, but tormented on the inside. Those last few chapters with him were excruciatingly painful. It was hard to see a character so full of life at the beginning hit a downward spiral so quickly.
I enjoyed Ms. Mont’s writing style. She had a great way of explaining without going over the top with details.
The ending was superb, I got the butterflies just reading the last chapter. I expect the next book in the series, A Touch of Scarlet, to be just as wonderful.
Emma is a young writer. She loves writing poetry and making up her own stories. The book starts off at Emma’s sixteenth birthday party. She does not really even want to be there and worst of all, her parent’s had invited Gray. Gray and Emma grew up together. Their mother’s were best friends. They sort of have a love-hate relationship.
As Emma struggles through her year, she is jostled back and forth between being Jane and Emma. She finds out a lot of secrets and a lot about herself along the way.
Emma was a great heroine. She was strong and at times could be feisty, but my favorite is definitely Gray. He is your typical masked adolescent that does a good job at looking fine on the outside, but tormented on the inside. Those last few chapters with him were excruciatingly painful. It was hard to see a character so full of life at the beginning hit a downward spiral so quickly.
I enjoyed Ms. Mont’s writing style. She had a great way of explaining without going over the top with details.
The ending was superb, I got the butterflies just reading the last chapter. I expect the next book in the series, A Touch of Scarlet, to be just as wonderful.
April 4, 2012
The beautiful cover of this book will draw you in, and once inside you will get “lost” in the compelling story. It is easy to empathize with Emma, a young girl who has lost her mother and is now attending a very prestigious New England private school as a scholarship student. Shy and introverted, Emma turns to books and writing for solace, and is especially drawn to the haunting tale of Jane Eyre. Through a remarkable chain of events, Emma finds herself living within the pages of the book, going back and forth between the two worlds.
Both contemporary and yet romantic, the plot is sure to please the YA audience, and is equally appealing to adult readers (like me). Ms Mont’s style is refreshing, intelligent, humorous, poignant, and full of unusual images and turns of phrase. Her insights into the thoughts, behaviors, and language of her teenage characters are right on the money. I loved this book and am elated that it is the first of an unbound trilogy. I can’t wait to read the other two books
Both contemporary and yet romantic, the plot is sure to please the YA audience, and is equally appealing to adult readers (like me). Ms Mont’s style is refreshing, intelligent, humorous, poignant, and full of unusual images and turns of phrase. Her insights into the thoughts, behaviors, and language of her teenage characters are right on the money. I loved this book and am elated that it is the first of an unbound trilogy. I can’t wait to read the other two books
March 27, 2012
Whoa! I didn’t think I was going to love this book as much as I did. At the beginning of the book I thought it was an OK read. It felt to me like every other teen book with a boarding school and a shy girl. That was until BOOM, Emma gets sucked into Jane Eyre’s world, literally. Let me clarify that I haven’t read a classic novel in my life. Harry Potter is as classic as it gets for me. But Jane’s world was so beautifully written that I felt in love with it.
By this point I was a little concern because I thought Emma’s moments at Thornfield were going to overshadow the rest of the book. Once again I was surprised. Emma’s life in the real world started to get more and more interesting with every page I turned. Like Emma I was torn between two worlds. I won’t say anything else because I don’t want to ruin the book. I think any book that inspires me to read more is a keeper. A Breathe of Eyre will leave you breathless and wanting more of Emma and her world.
By this point I was a little concern because I thought Emma’s moments at Thornfield were going to overshadow the rest of the book. Once again I was surprised. Emma’s life in the real world started to get more and more interesting with every page I turned. Like Emma I was torn between two worlds. I won’t say anything else because I don’t want to ruin the book. I think any book that inspires me to read more is a keeper. A Breathe of Eyre will leave you breathless and wanting more of Emma and her world.
February 20, 2017
A Breath o Eyre was an interesting take on a book that so many of us love. I like it, because unlike so many pastiches out there, it is more than just a re-telling of Charlotte Bronte's gothic novel. It has its own literary twists and turns that keep the reader interested. Mont has succeeded in incorporating a modern supernatural vibe into the story that connects her narrative to the original tale; while Bronte's story is present, it does not dominate the narrative in an overwhelming way. Instead, it gives the reader a new way to view the story. While this might irritate,anger or upset some Jane Eyre purists, I found it insightful and even intriguing. While I will always love Rochester, I think Mont's story allowed a new look (character) into the story, while keeping original relationships intact.
March 30, 2012
Did Not Finish.
I REALLY thought I would like this series. However, I found it to be too slow, too unfeeling once she FINALLY jumped into the story, and it moved through time far too quickly. One day Emma is shot back in time and into the story of 'Jane Eyre', and the next page it is three months later. She is also far too blase about the whole being in a world she is not supposed to be in, and she is just drifting through it all. I had to stop reading because I was more disappointed with every page.
If this all changes later on in the book, please let me know why I should keep reading, because I really thought this was going to be different than it was.
I REALLY thought I would like this series. However, I found it to be too slow, too unfeeling once she FINALLY jumped into the story, and it moved through time far too quickly. One day Emma is shot back in time and into the story of 'Jane Eyre', and the next page it is three months later. She is also far too blase about the whole being in a world she is not supposed to be in, and she is just drifting through it all. I had to stop reading because I was more disappointed with every page.
If this all changes later on in the book, please let me know why I should keep reading, because I really thought this was going to be different than it was.
July 23, 2012
This is a super cute book that weaves the life of a present day high school girl with the story of Jane Eyre. I worried that it wouldn't be believable, especially since the heroine, Emma, is basically transported into the classic novel, but the author does a great job of making the situation seem possible. The characters were well developed and I enjoyed reading about Emma and her family and friends very much. P.S. Currently the Kindle version is only $2.99!
January 16, 2012
Eve Marie Mont's prose is so beautifully written that I became immediately involved with this story, the characters, and the relationships. The main character is so relatable, it's easy to make a connection with her. If you like to read books to take a break from the real world, you will love this book.
May 22, 2013
I absolutely loved how the author wove the story of Jany Eyre into the story of a confused teenage girl. I can't wait to get started on her next book. I already have it on my Kindle read to go. There was a lot of action and suspense and definitely some supernatural things going on. It is worth the read. Don't miss it.
Want to read
September 28, 2011Arghhh this sounds soooo good! How on Earth am I going to wait until April to read this?!?!?!?
February 3, 2015
I really enjoyed this one. If you love Jane Eyre, you'll love this and GRAY! He's so hot and doomed.
July 5, 2017
This was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad book. I feel like you have to be very careful when you use a work of classic literature around which to base your own novel. And when you use this classic work, you should enhance it somehow; improve the reader's understanding of it by using it in your plot, critique it using the lives of your characters, but do not use a poorly watered down version of it in a desperate attempt to enhance the plot of your book. The only parts to this book that had any merit were the parts that were almost word for word from Jane Eyre. And as the Jane Eyre parts go on, they lose any value at all by becoming so separate from the plot of the original work. The writing in this book is so horrible. It reads like poorly written fan fiction.
Emma Townsend is the heroine. She is completely and utterly useless. And, for the sole reason that she is the main character and for no other reason, every male figure in this book except for her father is attracted to her. Every guy wants to be with Emma, even her English teacher who is, obviously, much older than her. I'm not sure if they want her because of her really mediocre writing, her tendency to drama, or because she basically behaves like a brat. There is no depth to her whatsoever. She hates her stepmother because, supposedly, her stepmother is a horrible person, but throughout the book, I thought her stepmom was sweet and really cared about Emma. I found it weird that she never bothered to ask her dad about the circumstances surrounding her mother's death. And I absolutely hated the dumb essay she wrote at the end of the book about Bertha Mason. Bertha Mason was crazy. She had a family history of insanity. She was foisted on Rochester by his father and brother for her family's money. She wasn't some girl who was seduced into marrying Rochester and then casually thrown aside when she didn't please him. She is not the embodiment of a Victorian woman's crushed hopes and dreams. And Emma sounded really full of herself when she tried, unsuccessfully, to make this point. I feel like her character can be summed up in this contradictory thought process:
I glared at [Mr. Gallagher] for a moment, my crush on him officially extinguished forever. How dare he condescend to me just because he was older and had seen more of the world?(Uh, how about because he's older and has seen more of the world?)How dare he imply that I couldn't understand the complexities of love because I was too young? Maybe I hadn't experienced true love yet, but I was only sixteen. I understood as much as anyone could at my age.(That's right, wax self-righteous about your teacher's assessment of your inexperience because he says you're too young, then follow up that argument with, "Well, I'm still young." And let's all pause a moment to consider why you might have lost that essay contest...)
Everything in the book feels forced and/or rushed. There's no chemistry between Emma and her main love interest. Her thoughts about her friends and crushes are pretty consistently contradictory. There is just no redeeming quality about this book. Just don't read it. Seriously, don't.
If you're looking for a good book with elements of Jane Eyre, read The Eyre Affair. It's quirky and lots of good fun. The original work maintains its integrity while being used as a clever plot device. And people have dodo birds as pets. But don't read A Breath of Eyre. It's not worth your time.
Emma Townsend is the heroine. She is completely and utterly useless. And, for the sole reason that she is the main character and for no other reason, every male figure in this book except for her father is attracted to her. Every guy wants to be with Emma, even her English teacher who is, obviously, much older than her. I'm not sure if they want her because of her really mediocre writing, her tendency to drama, or because she basically behaves like a brat. There is no depth to her whatsoever. She hates her stepmother because, supposedly, her stepmother is a horrible person, but throughout the book, I thought her stepmom was sweet and really cared about Emma. I found it weird that she never bothered to ask her dad about the circumstances surrounding her mother's death. And I absolutely hated the dumb essay she wrote at the end of the book about Bertha Mason. Bertha Mason was crazy. She had a family history of insanity. She was foisted on Rochester by his father and brother for her family's money. She wasn't some girl who was seduced into marrying Rochester and then casually thrown aside when she didn't please him. She is not the embodiment of a Victorian woman's crushed hopes and dreams. And Emma sounded really full of herself when she tried, unsuccessfully, to make this point. I feel like her character can be summed up in this contradictory thought process:
I glared at [Mr. Gallagher] for a moment, my crush on him officially extinguished forever. How dare he condescend to me just because he was older and had seen more of the world?(Uh, how about because he's older and has seen more of the world?)How dare he imply that I couldn't understand the complexities of love because I was too young? Maybe I hadn't experienced true love yet, but I was only sixteen. I understood as much as anyone could at my age.(That's right, wax self-righteous about your teacher's assessment of your inexperience because he says you're too young, then follow up that argument with, "Well, I'm still young." And let's all pause a moment to consider why you might have lost that essay contest...)
Everything in the book feels forced and/or rushed. There's no chemistry between Emma and her main love interest. Her thoughts about her friends and crushes are pretty consistently contradictory. There is just no redeeming quality about this book. Just don't read it. Seriously, don't.
If you're looking for a good book with elements of Jane Eyre, read The Eyre Affair. It's quirky and lots of good fun. The original work maintains its integrity while being used as a clever plot device. And people have dodo birds as pets. But don't read A Breath of Eyre. It's not worth your time.
April 28, 2020
When I stumbled across the synopsis of this book, I was quite excited.
I thought the concept of a teen romance mixed with time travel PLUS becoming the character in a popular old classic was sublime. How delicious.
Flash forward to more than halfway through and it's not tasting so delicious anymore.
My reason for disliking this seems to be for an entirely different reason than most, when I take a look at the reviews below.
I quit reading it because it brought in some real dark crap on the occult. Where Emma innocently "time travelled" (if you can call being in a coma and having a dream in which you go to a fictional moment in time "time travel") the first time, the second time it was brought on by reciting a creepy prayer to whats-his-name so she can go back. EW. Officially creeped out. I find it sad how much dark magic and occultic stuff is thrown into young adult fiction these days. It's hard to find a magical-type story without it. Which is sad, especially in this case, because it definitely wasn't warranted, and I may have enjoyed this had it not gone down that path.
The end!
I thought the concept of a teen romance mixed with time travel PLUS becoming the character in a popular old classic was sublime. How delicious.
Flash forward to more than halfway through and it's not tasting so delicious anymore.
My reason for disliking this seems to be for an entirely different reason than most, when I take a look at the reviews below.
I quit reading it because it brought in some real dark crap on the occult. Where Emma innocently "time travelled" (if you can call being in a coma and having a dream in which you go to a fictional moment in time "time travel") the first time, the second time it was brought on by reciting a creepy prayer to whats-his-name so she can go back. EW. Officially creeped out. I find it sad how much dark magic and occultic stuff is thrown into young adult fiction these days. It's hard to find a magical-type story without it. Which is sad, especially in this case, because it definitely wasn't warranted, and I may have enjoyed this had it not gone down that path.
The end!
February 26, 2020
This is a very cool book that is about Emma, a girl who recently started attending a boarding school, here is where she meets Michelle, they're going to become best friends. Emma, profits from summers to read books, recently she started Jane Eyre, now she's a little obsessed with this novel. One day lightning fell upon her, she is magically transported to the Jane Eyre book, in which she gets the chance to be Jane. She meets Mr Rochester and, Mrs Fairfax, in the 19th century. This is amazing, I know there is a book 2 and I can't wait to read it.
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