Jane Eyre: A Retelling

Jane Eyre: A Retelling

By Author / Illustrator

Tanya Landman, Helen Crawford-White

Genre

Adventure

Age range(s)

11+

Publisher

Barrington Stoke Ltd

ISBN

9781781129128

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

15-01-2020

Synopsis

Orphaned as a child, tormented by her guardian and cast out to a harsh boarding school, Jane Eyre has been raised in the shadow of cruelty and isolation. But when she takes a job as governess in Thornfield Hall, where secrets lurk in the attic and strange laughter echoes through the night, Jane meets the elusive Mr Rochester - and her life is irrevocably transformed.Poignantly and powerfully retold in this stunning edition, Jane Eyre is the tale of a spirited heroine's search for love, independence and belonging.

Reviews

Joanna

Wonderful condensed version of an absolute classic. An absolutely fantastic re-write of a classic novel for those who are somewhat put off by the mammoth task of reading the full version but can still enjoy this beautiful classic. Tanya Landman has really created an accurate, yet condensed version of this classic without the challenging vocabulary that can occasionally put off readers from Bronte's version. Jane Eyre is the story of a young orphaned girl who is brought up by her despicable aunt who treats Jane with contempt. After trapping Jane in the 'red room', Jane has a fit caused by fear and her aunt decides to send Jane away to a boarding school. Things go from bad to worse for Jane as she is trapped in a cold, disciplined school that is full of disease. Over time, Jane grows and becomes a teacher in the school, but realises she needs to see more of the world. Jane becomes a governess for a rich little girl whose father - Mr Rochester - is often away from home. Mr Rochester begins to fall in love with Jane and they agree to marry, but not before 'the woman in the attic' threatens to break them apart. Jane runs away in fear for fear of her reputation and goes to live as a teacher for a pastor, far from Mr Rochester. Jane eventually feels pulled back to Mr Rochester, and discovers the tragedy that unfolded after she left him. Bronte's classic is undoubtedly long, detailed and beautifully crafted; it is a firm favourite of mine. Despite being condensed, Landman's re-write has not lost any of the beauty or depth of this story. I am in awe of the way she has re-written such a novel, making in accessible to ALL readers and yet keeping the heart and soul of Bronte's novel. I was very excited to receive a copy of this from Barrington Stoke (publishers) and I have already had requests from students asking to borrow it. One of the fantastic things about this version is that many of my students can enjoy a classic whilst also following with ease the plot and embodiment of the narrative, hopefully encouraging them to go on and read the full novel in the future. I hope we see more re-writes of classic novels as this is an absolute must for making classic literature accessible for all readers. 120 pages / Ages 12+ / Reviewed by Joanna Hewish, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 11+

 

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