What do you think?
Rate this book
Jane_E, Friendless Orphan
Born not in a past of corsets, bonnets and arranged marriages but in a future of human cloning, bioterror and fleeting relationships, could Jane Eyre survive?
- GenresScience FictionDystopia
383 pages, Paperback
First published May 8, 2006
1 person is currently reading
136 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 19, 2012
An interesting futuristic retelling of Jane Eyre. It took a while to get into the intricate world McCole-Cupp created, but it did work well. At times the book was a bit too close to the original, making it a bit predictable. The proposal was awesome, but the Jane/Thorne parts after that could have been better. I got the feeling Thorne loved Jane more than vice versa. Also the reason for leaving wasn't as strong in this version. I liked the translation of Jordan's (St John's) crisis of faith, although I was surprised it would still be an issue that far into the future. Loved the play on Rosamond's name!
January 10, 2012
Let me first say that Jane Eyre is my favorite book and I've read it more times than I can remember. To say I'm familiar with the story would be an understatement. I'll come out and say it: I was skeptical of Jane_E when I heard about it. However, my interest became more and more piqued as Erin McCole-Cupp shared excerpts, designed contests and offered promotions leading up to the release date. After reading a few chapters I was totally sold and preordered the book, eager to hold a personally autographed copy in my greedy little hands.
In short, I devoured this book. Futuristic stuff isn't necessarily my thing. Modernizing classics isn't necessarily my thing. This book just worked though! I was sucked in right from the very start. Above all else, McCole-Cupp paid attention to detail! It was obvious to me she's read Jane Eyre quite a few times. I loved all the little references to Jane Eyre and the way she made some of the more dated aspects of the story (it was written in the mid-1800s!) realistic in a future setting. Additionally, though I knew how the story would end up, the journey in Jane_E was different enough from Jane Eyre that I was kept in relative suspense. However, when things came together, I remembered little clues that had been sprinkled throughout the story (which I may not have noticed while reading them) and the whole thing was totally believable. I think that's one of the marks of a good writer—no plot holes!
Anyway, I could probably babble on about this forever, but suffice it to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it and I intend to read it again and recommend it to anyone who will listen! GO READ IT!
In short, I devoured this book. Futuristic stuff isn't necessarily my thing. Modernizing classics isn't necessarily my thing. This book just worked though! I was sucked in right from the very start. Above all else, McCole-Cupp paid attention to detail! It was obvious to me she's read Jane Eyre quite a few times. I loved all the little references to Jane Eyre and the way she made some of the more dated aspects of the story (it was written in the mid-1800s!) realistic in a future setting. Additionally, though I knew how the story would end up, the journey in Jane_E was different enough from Jane Eyre that I was kept in relative suspense. However, when things came together, I remembered little clues that had been sprinkled throughout the story (which I may not have noticed while reading them) and the whole thing was totally believable. I think that's one of the marks of a good writer—no plot holes!
Anyway, I could probably babble on about this forever, but suffice it to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it and I intend to read it again and recommend it to anyone who will listen! GO READ IT!
November 6, 2014
Wow, this has become my favorite modern take on Jane Eyre. There were enough nods to the original, while also giving to the characters and the story unique spins to make the book intriguing and absorbing in it's own right. I especially thought the development of the romance was well done and enjoyed these particular characterizations of Jane and Thorne.
August 15, 2014
I thought it was a blast to write, and I hope you have fun reading it (and by "fun" I mean "enjoy having your heart ripped out"). In fact, eight years after it hit oxygen, I still go back and read the second to last chapter to make sure Jane and Thorne still have their happy ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2020
I hated giving this book less than 5 stars, so I didn't BUT...
It was an absolute pleasure to read. I hadn't read Jane Eyre for over 25 years, so the details weren't clear, but all the prevailing themes of my favorite book (yes, it's one of my favorites and it's been that long since I read it because...so many reasons) were there and the feelings it stirs, the anticipation, sorrow, love, angst...it's all there. I am often hesitant with adaptations, independent publications, and with sci-fi, and this book was great despite those hesitations.
My only complaints? First, the illustration. I am sorry but the cover does the description of Jane no justice. I was expecting a woman who was burly and manly, not demure and small. Strong, yes, but not what was on the cover and it bugged me the whole time I read it. My daughters kept walking by and commenting on how mean and manly the woman on the cover looked.
And secondly, a common complaint I have with small publishing/independent publishing-get a good editor! Please! I may be one of the few who complain of this, at least this must be since I see it so often it seems unimportant apparently, but there were so many typos. Easy typos that a good editor would catch. Small things that were obvious accidents, not due to a lack of knowledge or skill in the author (who really, did brilliantly-kudos), but just needed someone to go over things carefully.
This one will definitely live on my bookshelf forever. And it may finally be time to reread my favorite again, though I need to recover from all the emotions Jane_E stirred up before diving in.
It was an absolute pleasure to read. I hadn't read Jane Eyre for over 25 years, so the details weren't clear, but all the prevailing themes of my favorite book (yes, it's one of my favorites and it's been that long since I read it because...so many reasons) were there and the feelings it stirs, the anticipation, sorrow, love, angst...it's all there. I am often hesitant with adaptations, independent publications, and with sci-fi, and this book was great despite those hesitations.
My only complaints? First, the illustration. I am sorry but the cover does the description of Jane no justice. I was expecting a woman who was burly and manly, not demure and small. Strong, yes, but not what was on the cover and it bugged me the whole time I read it. My daughters kept walking by and commenting on how mean and manly the woman on the cover looked.
And secondly, a common complaint I have with small publishing/independent publishing-get a good editor! Please! I may be one of the few who complain of this, at least this must be since I see it so often it seems unimportant apparently, but there were so many typos. Easy typos that a good editor would catch. Small things that were obvious accidents, not due to a lack of knowledge or skill in the author (who really, did brilliantly-kudos), but just needed someone to go over things carefully.
This one will definitely live on my bookshelf forever. And it may finally be time to reread my favorite again, though I need to recover from all the emotions Jane_E stirred up before diving in.
August 1, 2013
Jane Eyre in the 24½th Century!
Jane Eyre retold in a future of fleeting relationships, cloning, and bioterror.Jane_E is Erin’s debut novel.
Erin revisits Charlotte Bronte’s classic Jane Eyre: An Autobiography. She resets the 19th Century, semi-Gothic romance in the 30th Century. Resurrecting this dark classic produces a challenging and complex tale. In the course of retelling the romantic story of forlorn love, Erin reprises Bronte’s concerns about morality, spirituality, fulfillment, and religion. The work incorporates these faith-based elements in a generally low-key and unobtrusive way.
Jane_E essentially is the story of Jane’s spiritual awakening in the midst of her personal trials and tribulations. Jane’s misery is a result of being a clone created for an experiment by a billionaire. She is kidnapped and sold into slavery. Alone with no family, tribe, or an alternative group to claim her, she struggles to find love and meaning in a cold, cruel world. While Jane carries on her life, we focus on her spiritual and moral journey.
Ranking:
Erin is a good writer. She clearly knows how to manage characters and the English language. She adroitly avoids too many stream of consciousness paragraphs on one page. Nonetheless, some passages become difficult when Jane’s thoughts appear as incomplete fragments without italicization, quote marks or other distinction. This would not be a problem, but as I read the book over an extended period, I kept getting lost.
And as always my ranking takes the target audience into account. If the Gentle Reader loved Jane Eyre in school, I think it’s not a stretch to think she would enjoy Jane_E.
Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century?
Jane is not Duck Dodgers. The story could be told in a contemporary setting. Considering the state of current cloning technology, it’s entirely possible an unscrupulous project to build an army of clones may already be underway.
Format and Writing:
Formatting made the text difficult to read. For example, the chapters are numbered and begin on either left or right pages. This has the effect of making the book feel like one long continuous manuscript. With half-inch margins, there’s hardly any space for notes.
The book also offers study questions for book club readers, Christian reading groups, or English-lit classes.
Faith-Based:
Erin’s concerns are with the products of conception – the babies and the clones – not with the money, power or opportunities gained by the one who controls the baby’s circumstances as a living human being after conception. Erin’s approach is mostly passive, and I doubt most readers would be offended.
Jane is a young woman forced into a series of exploitative situations. Her soul finds fertile ground in suffering and she grows spiritually as she struggles to find an uplifting response. She resolves her frustration and anger by developing Christian values.
Recommendation:
If you are a fan of Charlotte, Emily or Anne Bronte, Jane Austen, Nathaniel Hawthorne, or Gothic romance, I recommend the book. Fans of this type of romance should enjoy Jane_E all the more if you share Erin’s concerns about the potential abuse of bio-technology.
About the author:
Erin McCole-Cupp is a Catholic writer and member of the Catholic Writers Guild. She blogs at Will Write for Tomato Pie. http://erinmccolecupp.com Follow her on Twitter @ErinMCOP.
Reviewed by:
This is a review of a first-edition softcover published in 2006 as a trade paperback. I purchased the book at the Catholic Writers Conference in 2012.
D. A. Knight
Author of
Cretaceous Clay and the Black Dwarf and
Cretaceous Clay and the Ninth Ring
Jane Eyre retold in a future of fleeting relationships, cloning, and bioterror.Jane_E is Erin’s debut novel.
Erin revisits Charlotte Bronte’s classic Jane Eyre: An Autobiography. She resets the 19th Century, semi-Gothic romance in the 30th Century. Resurrecting this dark classic produces a challenging and complex tale. In the course of retelling the romantic story of forlorn love, Erin reprises Bronte’s concerns about morality, spirituality, fulfillment, and religion. The work incorporates these faith-based elements in a generally low-key and unobtrusive way.
Jane_E essentially is the story of Jane’s spiritual awakening in the midst of her personal trials and tribulations. Jane’s misery is a result of being a clone created for an experiment by a billionaire. She is kidnapped and sold into slavery. Alone with no family, tribe, or an alternative group to claim her, she struggles to find love and meaning in a cold, cruel world. While Jane carries on her life, we focus on her spiritual and moral journey.
Ranking:
Erin is a good writer. She clearly knows how to manage characters and the English language. She adroitly avoids too many stream of consciousness paragraphs on one page. Nonetheless, some passages become difficult when Jane’s thoughts appear as incomplete fragments without italicization, quote marks or other distinction. This would not be a problem, but as I read the book over an extended period, I kept getting lost.
And as always my ranking takes the target audience into account. If the Gentle Reader loved Jane Eyre in school, I think it’s not a stretch to think she would enjoy Jane_E.
Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century?
Jane is not Duck Dodgers. The story could be told in a contemporary setting. Considering the state of current cloning technology, it’s entirely possible an unscrupulous project to build an army of clones may already be underway.
Format and Writing:
Formatting made the text difficult to read. For example, the chapters are numbered and begin on either left or right pages. This has the effect of making the book feel like one long continuous manuscript. With half-inch margins, there’s hardly any space for notes.
The book also offers study questions for book club readers, Christian reading groups, or English-lit classes.
Faith-Based:
Erin’s concerns are with the products of conception – the babies and the clones – not with the money, power or opportunities gained by the one who controls the baby’s circumstances as a living human being after conception. Erin’s approach is mostly passive, and I doubt most readers would be offended.
Jane is a young woman forced into a series of exploitative situations. Her soul finds fertile ground in suffering and she grows spiritually as she struggles to find an uplifting response. She resolves her frustration and anger by developing Christian values.
Recommendation:
If you are a fan of Charlotte, Emily or Anne Bronte, Jane Austen, Nathaniel Hawthorne, or Gothic romance, I recommend the book. Fans of this type of romance should enjoy Jane_E all the more if you share Erin’s concerns about the potential abuse of bio-technology.
About the author:
Erin McCole-Cupp is a Catholic writer and member of the Catholic Writers Guild. She blogs at Will Write for Tomato Pie. http://erinmccolecupp.com Follow her on Twitter @ErinMCOP.
Reviewed by:
This is a review of a first-edition softcover published in 2006 as a trade paperback. I purchased the book at the Catholic Writers Conference in 2012.
D. A. Knight
Author of
Cretaceous Clay and the Black Dwarf and
Cretaceous Clay and the Ninth Ring
October 17, 2013
A futuristic take on a familiar classic, Jane_E explores life as seen from the perspective of an all-grown-up "unclaimed embryo" trying to find her place in the world.
Read
October 14, 2013Great book! I really liked the sci-fi treatment of Jane Eyre. I would read it again!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews