Book Review: John Eyre
Wow! Let me just start by saying this book totally blew me away! I love Mimi’s writing and I’ve always loved Jane Eyre, so when I saw she was releasing a gender flipped retelling of it, I was extremely intrigued.
One of BookBub’s “25 of the Best Books Arriving in 2021”
From USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews comes a supernatural Victorian gothic retelling of Charlotte Brontë’s timeless classic.
Yorkshire, 1843. When disgraced former schoolmaster John Eyre arrives at Thornfield Hall to take up a position as tutor to two peculiar young boys, he enters a world unlike any he’s ever known. Darkness abounds, punctuated by odd bumps in the night, strange creatures on the moor, and a sinister silver mist that never seems to dissipate. And at the center of it all, John’s new employer-a widow as alluring as she is mysterious.
Sixteen months earlier, heiress Bertha Mason embarked on the journey of a lifetime. Marriage wasn’t on her itinerary, but on meeting the enigmatic Edward Rochester, she’s powerless to resist his preternatural charm. In letters and journal entries, she records the story of their rapidly-disintegrating life together, and of her gradual realization that Mr. Rochester isn’t quite the man he appears to be. In fact, he may not be a man at all.
From a cliff-top fortress on the Black Sea coast to an isolated estate in rural England, John and Bertha contend with secrets, danger, and the eternal struggle between light and darkness. Can they help each other vanquish the demons of the past? Or are some evils simply too powerful to conquer?
The result of Mimi’s daring fictional experiment is a fascinating and entertaining read that I couldn’t stop listening to (I “read” it on Audible). Even though, I know the story of Jane Eyre very well, I found myself anxiously wondering what would happen next. I’m normally not into “spooky” type stories, but this one had just enough to keep me on the edge of my seat without it feeling scary. Really, it made me see just how much about the original story is actually rather dark and strange… I still like the original story, so please no one start throwing stones at me 😂, but this book really has made me question how good of a hero Mr. Rochester actually is. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to look at him the same 🤔.
I do know one thing, Mimi is a writing GENIUS! Like, come on—she took a beloved classic like Jane Eyre and turned it on its head, making it a mind blowing story all her own. Mimi said in her author’s note that if we found this wild, quarantine-induced fictional ride absolutely bonkers, then not to worry because her “regular scheduled programming” would return soon. I love her “regular” books too, but I really hope she writes more of these unexpected, topsy-turvy gems in the future!
If you want a fun, unique read with a healthy dose of gothic-style mystery, then you can’t go wrong with John Eyre! 5/5 Stars!
