The Other Wife

by Juliet Bell

Don’t miss this sweeping historical epic, perfect for fans of Gill Paul and Dinah Jeffries.

Outback Australia, 1981 After a terrible childhood, Jane comes to Thornfield as nanny to the adorable Adele, watched over by the handsome and enigmatic Edward. Plain and inexperienced, Jane would never dream of being more than his hired help. But swept up in the dramatic beauty of the Outback, she finds herself drawn to Edward. And, to her surprise, he seems to return her feelings. But Jane is not the first woman Edward has pledged to make mistress of Thornfield. As a child, Betty was taken from her English home and sent for adoption in Australia. At first, no-one wanted her, deeming her hair too curly, and her skin too dark. Until the scheming Mr Mason sees a chance to use Betty to cement a relationship with the rich and powerful Rochester dynasty… When Jane discovers Betty’s fate, will she still want to be the next Mrs Rochester?

Readers LOVE Juliet Bell:
‘I want to buy a copy for every book lover I know!’
‘A fantastically absorbing read’
‘It is gripping and dark and an absolute triumph!!’
‘Brilliantly done. Can’t wait for the next book!’
‘I would thoroughly recommend this book and have no hesitation in awarding it the richly deserved 5 stars.’


‘Edgy and compelling update of a classic’

Genres: Fiction

336 pages, Paperback

First published November 9, 2018

Reviews

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

From what I am seeing this is a reimagining of Jane Eyre. How closely it follows along with the original I couldn't tell you as I've never read it. The setting of the book was luscious, very exotic as it takes place mostly in Outback Australia, 1981 . The wordplay of the book was absolutely brilliant and I'd compare the writing to Dinah Jeffries. The book was very realistic and fast paced with many twists and turns I was not expecting. It did seem like an ordinary book until it took a dark turn and descended into madness but it kept my attention as it was fascinating. I will be checking out what else this author has out now.
Pub Date 09 Nov 2018
I was given a complimentary copy of this book from HQ Digital through NetGalley. Thank you. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Other Wife by Juliet Bell is an absolutely marvelous retelling of the classic Jane Eyre but set in contemporary Australia. You do not have to have read the original to enjoy this tale. However for hardened Jane Eyre Fans (myself included) you will be in for a real treat. I know the original Jane Eyre inside out and back to front. As The Other Wife progressed, I thought I knew what was coming but it was fresh and up to date.
With the same characters, The Other Wife has a feeling of familiarity which enchants the reader. The tale is told from two alternating points of view of Jane and Betty. The reader feels empathy for them both. They are two neglected young girls, with memories of loving mothers, who are searching for their lost loves.
The theme of mothers runs throughout the novel as girls are torn from loving arms in contrast to one daughter who is rejected and repelled by her mother. Memories are warm but realities are cold.
Another major theme is that of female companionship. Females band together against domineering and abusive males.
There is prejudice and hatred towards those who are seen as different. In this case racial prejudice is directed towards the Aborigines, the indigenous people of Australia.
There is a very twisted view of religion presented as God is seen as judgmental and full of hatred towards certain groups. This is not the God I know, whose character is love. People who preach this sort of religion are not representing the God of the Bible but have used His name to preach hatred.
I really enjoyed The Other Wife – it was familiar but different, highly recommended and very enjoyable. Whether you are a Jane Eyre fan or not, this is a fabulous read that will have you glued from the start.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

[Windi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Im not really sure what to say! If you are a Jane Eyre fan and a Bronte sisters fan ... and i am ... you will recognize the character names, but not the characters themselves. You may even sense you know where the story is going, but hold on because it gets a little twisty. I cant say i really liked it.....but i will say, i couldnt put it down!
And i feel a real need to go read the classic Jane Eyre again very soon.
It was a quick read and almost felt like a young adult version in regards to writing style.....but definitely not for the young ones (at least in my opinion!).

[Helen - Great Reads & Tea Leaves · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5* https://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogsp...


I am a Bronte fan, so this combined modern adaptation/retelling looked inviting. To place a Jane Eyre type character in outback Australia 1980s sounded a clever undertaking. So whilst it is not necessary to have read Bronte’s original, it does make for a more engaging comparison to be made. Despite what would be obvious necessary changes, it would be intriguing to see how this fateful tale would unfold in new contemporary rural circumstances.

Told through the viewpoints of both Jane and Betty (aka Bertha), Bell provides the reader with significant background details of both women. Both stories contain great sadness with childhoods filled with abandonment and therefore, some understanding of the present day woman current in the narrative, becomes clear. My first problem here is that, I never felt I fully understood, or was provided, with the reasons for Betty’s anxiety/madness. Innuendo was insufficient for me to appreciate this crucial factor and combine that with her obvious lucid moments, I often found myself confused.

‘Edward thought she was mad. Grace thought she was mad.’

Then there is Rochester. Never ever could he be viewed as likable from the original, but here he was absolutely despicable. Not much more to say but a really unlikeable character from beginning to end. I liked that ‘Thornfield’ was in remote outback Australia - but was that because it fit nicely as a modern adaptation? I don’t have a problem with adaptations veering from the original and although many of the incidences could be likened, there were just as many that were different. Especially the ending.

What I did struggle with was the overall theme of terrible male characters and the use of sex as power in a wide range of scenarios and rather fanatically. I hated the silly quips such as, ‘Maybe the father will fall in love with me and ask me to marry him, like in The Sound of Music’ - good grief! Finally, to be honest, I did not enjoy the writing style - rather disjointed at times which may be the result of me learning that the author, Juliet Bell, is in fact the collaborative pen name of authors Janet Gover and Alison May.

‘We are of this land. We know how to wait. We should go on strike like the Gurindji.’ ‘How long do we wait? It took ’em ten years at Wave Hill.’

I held such hope for this tale as I truly believed that they had all the components necessary to write a really good adaptation. Sadly, it totally missed the mark for me as key points just did not add up.



This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release

[Nicola Friar · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting reimagining of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë set in Australia. The English countryside is swapped for the Australian outback where the wealthy Rochester family control a vast amount of land. There are two stories running parallel to one another: those of Jane and Betty. Simmering in the background are issues of women's rights, sexuality, identity, and belonging. The ending is an intriguing twist on the original, however, I didn't find much to admire about this version of Jane and she has none of the strength of Brontë's creation. Much of the suspense is lost as the reader is fully aware of Mr Rochester's first wife and so instead the focus shifts to when the big reveal will happen, not what it is. The pacing is also a little off, with most of the action being squeezed into the final part of the novel. It's a solid read with more depth in places than one would imagine (particularly looking at the cover which presents it as 'women's fiction'). The Other Wife is darker and more disturbing than I expected.

[Kimberly (kimmerthebooknerd) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I may be one of the few who have not read Jane Eyre. Prior to reading this novel, I read a few reviews and others were comparing it to the original Jane Eyre. I was able to dive in with a clear head and I didn’t compare this story with any other. I can honestly say that I truly enjoyed The Other Wife. I loved Jane, Betty and despised Edward!
My historical fiction taste usually goes back prior to the 60’s and 80’s so in my mind this story was in another timeframe.
I will definitely be looking forward to reading more from Juliet Bell. Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read for an honest review.

[Amanda (TheBookwormAdventures) · Rating 1 out of 5]

*ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books of all time and, I’m disappointed to say, I do not feel as though this reimagining did it justice at all. It had none of Jane Eyre’s complex and interesting characters - I found these versions unlikeable and tedious. The plot had promise, but for me, the execution was not done well.

[Katherine Hayward Pérez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come. Thanks to Juliet Ball and publisher for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to be honest and say that prior to being invited to take part in the blog tour for ‘The Other Wife’, I hadn’t actually come across Juliet Bell before. Well believe you me, I have certainly heard of her now and I now find myself asking ‘why have I waited until now to read one of her books?’ I absolutely loved ‘The Other Wife’ but more about that in a bit.
The two main characters are called Betty and Jane. They are from totally different backgrounds but both have led lives tinged with sadness and cruelty. Betty is originally from near York in England. Her mother suffers from mental health problems and she is sent to ‘The Retreat’, which is a mental health facility in the city. Betty is much loved by both parents but her father finds it impossible to work full time and bring up Betty, so she enters the care system and he fully intends to get her back. Things go wrong and she ends up in Australia but it is feared that nobody will take her on because she is of mixed race. She is ‘adopted’ by a family, who use and abuse her in more ways than one. Her ‘adoptive’ father engineers an arranged marriage for her and she marries Edward Rochester. I don’t really want to type too much about what happens next to Betty as I don’t want to give too much away. Jane also comes from a somewhat sad sounding background. Jane and her mother live in a commune, which is broken up by police and Jane’s mother is subsequently arrested. Jane is sent to live with family but she is in danger and her aunt and cousin are both abusive towards her. Her Aunt has enough of her and sends her to a boarding school and is seldom in contact with her. Despite problems at the school, Jane blossoms and forms a very close friendship with another girl, who is deemed to be an outsider. Tragedy strikes and Jane is left on her own. Jane trains as a teacher and after a while she meets the enigmatic Edward Rochester when she goes to be the nanny of his child. Both women have distinctly similar back stories. Both lost the parents they knew and loved, both women are sent to live with family members who use and abuse them, both women are survivors of severe neglect, both women seem lonely and in need of a friend.
It’s no word of a lie to say that I was hooked on this book from the moment I picked the book up and began to read. I read the synopsis and I was initially a bit bothered in case the story didn’t grab my interest. I needn’t have worried because once I started reading, that was it. I had to know what happened to the girls and the more I read, the more addicted to the story I became and the more I simply had to read. At one point the pages were turning that quickly that it was almost as if they were turning themselves and before I realised what was happened I came to the end of the book. I was so gripped by the characters, the storylines and the author’s fantastic writing style that I hadn’t noticed just how quickly I was getting through the book until I looked up for the first time to see that I had cleared 40% of the story. The author certainly grabs your attention from the very beginning and much like a fisherman reeling in a catch, the author reels in the reader and before you know it you are gripped by the story and can’t put the book down. That was certainly the case for me.
Some pretty distressing subjects are within the pages of this book but the author writes about them with great sensitivity and compassion and certainly doesn’t glorify nor condone such happenings.
Oh my word, ‘The Other Wife’ was one hell of an emotive read, which really tugged at my heartstrings and then some. I used to work in Childrens Social Services and I regularly used to come across stories similar to those of the girls in this book. Due to my work background I felt myself becoming increasingly angry towards those who mistreated or abused Jane and Betty. If I could have jumped inside the pages of this book to give those abusers a good hiding and at the same time to give Jane and Betty a reassuring hug then I would have done. I was keeping everything crossed that things would work out well for the girls as they deserved to be happy, safe and secure.
In short, although it was at times a distressing and uncomfortable read, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘The Other Wife’. I will definitely be recommending this book to other readers. I can’t wait to read what comes next from Juliet Bell but in the meantime I will certainly be digging her other books out and making them one of my top reading priorities. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is an extremely well deserved 5* out of 5*.

[Claire Huston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Earlier this year I read and reviewed Juliet Bell’s first novel, The Heights, an excellent retelling of Wuthering Heights. I enjoyed seeing how the story worked when moved to the twentieth century, so was pleased to hear Juliet Bell’s next novel would be a reimagining of Jane Eyre, one of my all-time favourites. I was particularly intrigued when the blurb made it clear this was a radical shift from the original, moving the story over a hundred years closer to the present and thousands of miles away from its English setting.

Unsurprisingly, with the large shift in time and place come some significant changes to the original narrative. I think the author has got this right: trying to shoehorn Charlotte Bronte’s plot and characters into such a different setting would have been a little clunky; much better to let the characters develop and act in ways which make sense in their new contexts. I imagine these changes will either delight fans of Jane Eyre or upset them depending on how wedded they are to the details of the nineteenth-century classic. That said, I don’t think there’s any need to have read Jane Eyre first, or enjoyed it, before reading The Other Wife.

The author makes the most of the opportunities offered by their choice of time period and country to pick up on interesting (and still highly relevant) events including the child migrant programme and the struggle for aboriginal and gay rights. This version also redresses one of the aspects of Brontë’s story which often comes in for criticism: Mrs Rochester’s lack of voice. Here the narrative is split between Betty and Jane’s viewpoints, giving us insight into Mrs Rochester’s background and so creating a sympathetic character rather than leaving her pigeonholed as the mad woman in the attic.

Die-hard fans of Mr Rochester may be slightly disappointed as this version of him is thoroughly unlikeable, although this makes the changes to the original ending incredibly satisfying. I’ll leave it there to avoid spoilers, but safe to say you won’t be disappointed.

Overall: another imaginative retelling of a Brontë classic. I look forward to seeing what Juliet Bell takes on next!

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Other Wife by Juliet Bell is a clever retelling of Jane Eyre including Edward Rochester as the bad guy. The elements are all there except the bulk of it takes place on a ranch in the wilds of the outback in Australia. It begins with both Jane and Betty (Elizabeth) as children, treated as orphans when maybe they were not. It was painful to read as they both grew up in home where they were undervalued and treated cruelly. I was hurtful to see them used by the people in their lives. It was especially difficult to see Edward, bitter and cold, close himself off from what might have been true happiness.

This was a clever adaptation show some points of view beyond those of just Jane, as in the original. There are always so many possibilities for peoples' motivations that he emotions and behaviors here opened the reader up to new interpretations of a book they thought they new. Betty (Elizabeth) was the product of an interracial marriage in England. When her mother had a nervous breakdown and had to be hospitalized, her father was left with no options so he checked her into an orphanage, apparently believing that he could retrieve her at any point. From there, she was sent to Australia with a load of orphans. She was sent to a loving mother, who sadly perished leaving her alone with an older brother and heartless father. Jane was taken by child welfare from a commune where she lived with her mother and given, by child welfare to an unpleasant aunt who had two unpleasant children. From there she was sent to boarding school where she spent fourteen year. Both were clearly drawn characters, born of the cruelty of their lives but somehow coming out at the other end.

This was a thoughtful and thought-provoking book. I highly recommend it although would recommend reading the original first. If that is not possible, this is a stand-alone piece of woman's fiction.

I was given a free ARC of The Other Wife in exchange for a fair and honest review. #netgalley #theotherwife

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Juliet Bell's The Other Wife reimagines the classic Jane Eyre in the Australian outback. The story of Betty, Rochester's first wife, and Jane Eyre are told in alternating sections.

This is a pretty racy version, which felt simultaneously like smutty Bronte fanfiction and a thoughtful commentary on female sexuality. In this version, Jane and Helen are a bit more than friends. I think the original novel could have been read that way, if you wanted, although my original reading was about two friends clinging to each other in a cruel system.  In The Other Wife, Jane's sexuality is squashed by the nuns, before her heart is squashed when Helen dies. (It's not a spoiler if the story's over a century old!)

Meanwhile, there's A Lot going on with Betty, female sexuality and mental stability.  A woman with an interest in sex can't possibly the quiet, modest, upperclass wife Rochester wants! Of course he'd want to upgrade to the quiet (squashed) Jane, and we all loved Mr Rochester as teenagers, so of course she'd fall for him, too.

The isolation of the moors in the original translated well to the isolation of the outback. I don't think the mad woman in the attic works quite as well today, although Rochester and Richard tried to explain the loss of face that would come from divorce.

I loved this book, right until the last scene. The way it wrapped up felt fake.  I thought that Betty and Jane would eventually become friends, and it was clear that they both cared about Adele, but the instant alliance and escape didn't ring true for me. Also, the escape seemed weirdly impractical - do they have any cash? Or a map? And what about Jane's unfinished teaching qualification? And Betty's evil step-fam? I would have loved a postscript kind of ending explaining all that.

[Allyson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in return for my review based upon my honest opinion.

I did not realize when I requested this book that it was a modernish day re-telling of Jane Eyre. I was pleasantly surprised and I really enjoyed it. Seeing Jane and Eliza from a different perspective in a different time was refreshing, there with no zombies or sea-monsters like some of the other re-tellings of other classics. I like the way the characters of Jane and Eliza were portrayed, it was an interesting take on the characters that had Edward as a bad guy and the women struggling to find themselves in the world., The books takes place in rural Australia in the 1980s, the scenery was stunning and vast.

This is the first book I have read by this author but it will not be the last, I am currently waiting for my copy of The Heights, because Wuthering Heights was one of my favourite books and I cannot wait to see how she re-tells it

[Rhoda Baxter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a reimagining of Jane Eyre set in 1980s Australia.
The focus is on the two women - Betty (who was sent to Australia on board a ship, quite possibly against her father's wishes) and Jane (who was sent to live with an abusive aunt after her mother was arrested). Both had heartbreakingly bad childhoods which feed into who they become when they grow up.
Rochester is a weak man who has had power and responsibility thrust upon him. He can't handle it and blames others when he fails.
His daughter Adele is lightly drawn, a child trapped in a world of adult schemes.
Thornfield is set in the Australian outback, which is even more isolated than rural Yorkshire.

This is very much a re-imagining rather than an adaptation. There are several differences from the original, even though most of the elements are kept the same. The ending is significantly different. I like the new ending very much more than the original.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

[Jennifer Lynch · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am probably one of the few people who does not like Jane Eyre so I was unsure what to expect from The Other Wife.
The story is set in Australia with Jane's storyline very similar to the original. It felt like each event was being ticked off one by one. We also meet Betty, who at an early age, was seperated from her family in England, transported to Australia and adopted by a new family.. For me, neither character was fleshed out and It was impossible to empathise with either woman. I did enjoy the ending which differs from Jane Eyre as I feel it was a far more fitting end for Rochester.

[Tina Milledge · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was drawn to this by the fact that it should appeal to fans of Dinah Jeffries. The cover is also very appealing but I felt it didn’t reflect what I read. Unfortunately I was disappointed and at 26% of the way through I gave up. It’s not that I’m a huge fan of Jane Austen’s version, rather that I didn’t connect with the characters and felt this story lacked depth, I never felt intrigued so it didn’t maintain my interest. I am however grateful as always to Netgalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my review.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jane Eyre has always been one of my favorite novels and I understand why there's been a spate of fan fiction lately where the tale has been set in different locales (the Hamptons and now Australia.). If you haven't read that book or if it's faded in your mind, you'll enjoy this more than I did. It's not Bell's fault- she writes well and she's changed things up, especially the end, but I can't quite get the original out of my head. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC.

[Lea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Juliet Bell and Netgalley for a copy of this title.
I wasn't aware that this was a modern-ish Bronte adaptation although I did wonder why the character was Jane Ayre. I never read the original so I was reading this tale with fresh eyes.
I DID enjoy the book but felt that it was so similar with a lot of Australian books that I have read over the years.
I felt this was easy to read and would put it in the "holiday read" catagory

[Isabelle D · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love retellings of stories I know well enough to catch all the references. Knowing the two authors who wrote this under one name, I expected it to be good... and it still managed to surprise me. I really liked their idea of following Betty as well as Jane. It means a big change that might ruin everything for some readers but that, I think, works really well in this version. Honestly, I'm not surprised that some hated it... but I thought it was brilliant.

[Sandy Barker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the characterisations of both Jane and Betty and thought that their respective stories were beautifully told. Jane's story in particular resonated with me and broke my heart. I enjoyed the re-imagining of their stories converging in outback Australia. I was aching for an epilogue - no spoilers, but I just wanted to know what happened next.

[Carol Perreault · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first wife is Betty. She has unruly hair and dark skin and is unwanted until Mr Mason uses her to firm up a relationship with Mr Rochester. Jane comes in as a tutor and nanny to Adele, the daughter of Mr Rochester. Jane is plain and innocent, and Mr Rochester likes that. Complex and interesting story.

[Cindee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve never read Jane Eyre so I wasn’t sure what to expect. It was a good story with likable characters. The ending was so abrupt though. I had to read it a few times to make sure I didn’t skip it something.

[Cathy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unlikeable characters, confusing point of view changes from sentence to sentence towards the end, and the author tries to be topical by throwing in a lesbian storyline. A disappointing update to a literary masterpiece, Jane Eyre.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Netgalley ♥️ I loved the cover. The opening is the legend of a snake. It's 1966 and Jane is in Sydney Australia. Jane is to stay with her Aunt. I liked the characters but couldn't get interested in the story

[Louise Hay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A modern re-telling of Jane Eyre.

[MetLineReader · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having been 'forced' to read Jane Eyre as a teenager, i wasn't too keen on the book. But I reread it in my twenties and saw it in a different light. So I was intrigued by this book which offered a modern retelling in a very different setting.

I couldn't engage with the characters. The author slavishly followed the steps of the original as a tick-list, rather than interpreting the events and updating them in an original fashion.

Sadly, this book misses the mark and just didn't work for me. Perhaps I am not one for a modern retelling but this didn't resonate at all.