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Jane Is Everywhere
This is the story of every Jane Doe who disappeared. This is what happens when anyone can be everywhere at once.
When something terrible happens to Jane's ex-boyfriend Ben, and she must face his father, Rudy, her life--already a shambles--disintegrates.
In this quasi-allegorical novel about the search for refuge in one's own country, everywhere begins in the mid-1990s as Jane initiates the journey that will take her from New York to Seattle and beyond. As she struggles to stay afloat, butting heads with her best friend and an ever-growing list of roommates, Jane blunders into a cast of unforgettable characters that give and take and leave her with more questions than answers as she wonders how she can regain the home she has lost for good.
During the twenty years depicted, Jane's "reverse migration" becomes a search for stability and roots that leaves her questioning her ability to choose well. Part adventure, part satire, part sociological drama, Jane Is Everywhere explores how a person enmeshed in grief during a time of lattes, laptops, and unanswered phone calls migrates towards an idealized world. Ultimately, the novel looks at the nature of growing up into a "web," both the World Wide Web and the more ephemeral web that is spun by the mind.
When something terrible happens to Jane's ex-boyfriend Ben, and she must face his father, Rudy, her life--already a shambles--disintegrates.
In this quasi-allegorical novel about the search for refuge in one's own country, everywhere begins in the mid-1990s as Jane initiates the journey that will take her from New York to Seattle and beyond. As she struggles to stay afloat, butting heads with her best friend and an ever-growing list of roommates, Jane blunders into a cast of unforgettable characters that give and take and leave her with more questions than answers as she wonders how she can regain the home she has lost for good.
During the twenty years depicted, Jane's "reverse migration" becomes a search for stability and roots that leaves her questioning her ability to choose well. Part adventure, part satire, part sociological drama, Jane Is Everywhere explores how a person enmeshed in grief during a time of lattes, laptops, and unanswered phone calls migrates towards an idealized world. Ultimately, the novel looks at the nature of growing up into a "web," both the World Wide Web and the more ephemeral web that is spun by the mind.
416 pages, Paperback
Published February 17, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 24, 2018
beautifully written, and beautifully realized.
January 7, 2019
I really enjoyed Jane is Everywhere. I will admit that when I started I wasn’t sure I was going to like it. It took me a while, maybe the first 30 or 40 pages of the book to really start to “get into it.” And the prose style is a little dense, so it makes for a slower read.
Also, it’s been a while since I read a woman’s point-of-view, so that may have contributed to my slow start.
But the further I got into the book, the more real it began to feel to me, so that by the time I was 50-60 pages in, I felt fully invested in the what happens to Jane. I rose and fell with her triumphs and disappointments. I related to many of the experiences in the story, regardless of the female perspective. I also felt like I was learning a lot, not just about women, but people in general.
There are subtly fantastic, or metaphorical elements to the story that show up here and there. Not in a jarring way but in a way that sort of crept up on me. And the story definitely takes some hilarious turns, but also some heartbreaking ones.
There is also a point where the story switches from a first person narrative to a third person narrator, which was a bit surprising. I am still not sure what the meaning behind that switch was. But I am sure it was intentional, and there was a reason for it. It just eluded me.
The book clearly attempts to be more that just a simple slice-of-life, or a character arc. There is more going on here than meets the eye, and it may take repeated reading, or a finer mind than mine to discern what’s really happening. But I did understand that Jane was on some sort of spiritual, or metaphysical quest, a search for a sure path, or a way to find meaning in one’s own life. Beyond just finding your place in the material world. Perhaps the author is also on such a quest.
All in all, I am glad I read this. The book had a real and lasting impact on me, and it has not faded from memory in the months since I finished reading it.
It may not be for everyone, but it was definitely worth my time. I hope you’ll take a chance on Jane Is Everywhere.
Also, it’s been a while since I read a woman’s point-of-view, so that may have contributed to my slow start.
But the further I got into the book, the more real it began to feel to me, so that by the time I was 50-60 pages in, I felt fully invested in the what happens to Jane. I rose and fell with her triumphs and disappointments. I related to many of the experiences in the story, regardless of the female perspective. I also felt like I was learning a lot, not just about women, but people in general.
There are subtly fantastic, or metaphorical elements to the story that show up here and there. Not in a jarring way but in a way that sort of crept up on me. And the story definitely takes some hilarious turns, but also some heartbreaking ones.
There is also a point where the story switches from a first person narrative to a third person narrator, which was a bit surprising. I am still not sure what the meaning behind that switch was. But I am sure it was intentional, and there was a reason for it. It just eluded me.
The book clearly attempts to be more that just a simple slice-of-life, or a character arc. There is more going on here than meets the eye, and it may take repeated reading, or a finer mind than mine to discern what’s really happening. But I did understand that Jane was on some sort of spiritual, or metaphysical quest, a search for a sure path, or a way to find meaning in one’s own life. Beyond just finding your place in the material world. Perhaps the author is also on such a quest.
All in all, I am glad I read this. The book had a real and lasting impact on me, and it has not faded from memory in the months since I finished reading it.
It may not be for everyone, but it was definitely worth my time. I hope you’ll take a chance on Jane Is Everywhere.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews