Emma Townsend has always believed in stories—the ones she reads voraciously, and the ones she creates in her head. Perhaps it’s because she feels like an outsider at her exclusive prep school, or because her stepmother doesn’t come close to filling the void left by her mother’s death. And her only romantic prospect—apart from a crush on her English teacher—is Gray Newman, a long-time friend who just adds to Emma’s confusion. But escape soon arrives in an old leather-bound copy of Jane Eyre.
Reading of Jane’s isolation sparks a deep sense of kinship. Then fate takes things a leap further when a lightning storm catapults Emma right into Jane’s body and her nineteenth-century world. As governess at Thornfield, Emma has a sense of belonging she’s never known—and an attraction to the brooding Mr. Rochester. Now, moving between her two realities and uncovering secrets in both, Emma must decide whether her destiny lies in the pages of Jane’s story, or in the unwritten chapters of her own . . .
Review:
Jane Eyre is my absolute favorite classic novel, and I was inspired to read it after loving another modern retelling of Charlotte Bronte's fantastic story called Jane. So when I received A Breath of Eyre in the mail, I couldn't wait to dive right in. And I wasn't disappointed. Everybody has a novel they wish they could literally escape into--a novel they wish their life was like, a character they wish was their boyfriend, and so on. But when it happens to Emma Townsend, she's completely caught off guard. Her life at home wasn't too great, so being Jane was a nice break.
Character development was pretty much amazing, especially when you consider that Emma had two different roles throughout the novel; Jane and herself. The death of her mother had left Emma feeling empty and alone. Her personal growth during the book is an important aspect of it, as she discovers new things about her family, her friends, and the kind of person she wants to be. Gray Newman was also developed thoroughly, and I have to admit I fell a little in love with him right along with Emma.
Eve Marie Mont balanced the two "realities" of the novel surprisingly well: Jane's world and Emma's world. And I think that, if I had never read Jane Eyre, I would have been inspired to read it. Which is, of course, a goal you must hope to achieve when writing a novel like this one. I can't wait to see what adventures Emma takes on in the upcoming sequels.
A Breath of Eyre is scheduled for release on March 27th from Kensington.
Grade: A+
SIMPLY NERDY BOOK REVIEWS
No comments:
Post a Comment