The Quest to read everything Jane Eyre

…before they go as mad as the secret wife in the attic? I aim to find out! :)

This is where it all began.

Okay, I don’t mean I aim to read Jane Eyre prequels, sequels, spin-offs and inspired bys/based ons until I actually go insane, more like, how many can I manage to read before I get thoroughly fed up with the whole thing.

Here’s the cunning plan … (updated 5 June 2013)

Have, already read, with links to reviews

  1. A Breath of Eyre by Eve Marie Mont (YA, inspired by, partial re-telling) - Preferred the non-JE bits
  2. Adèle by Emma Tennant (prequel-sequel) * – Hated!
  3. Adele Grace and Celine by Claire Moïse (sequel) – Okay
  4. An American Heir by Chrissy Breen Keffer (re-telling, modern, Kindle) – Currently reading! 
  5. Charlotte – The Final Journey of Jane Eyre by D. M. Thomas (inspired by/partial sequel, modern) – WTF?! Eww.
  6. Chocolate Roses by Joan Sowards (inspired by, modern, Mormon) – Not bad
  7. Claire’s Not-So-Gothic Romance by Bonnie Blythe (re-telling, modern) – Too Jesus-heavy
  8. Devil Within by Catherine George (inspired by, 1980s) – Okay but very dated
  9. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde (spin-off) – LOVED!
  10. The Flight of Gemma Hardy by Margot Livesey (re-telling, 50/60s) – Loved the back story, romance unconvincing
  11. The Forbidden Innocent by Sharon Kendrick (re-telling, modern, Mills & Boon)  – Squicky
  12. French Dancer’s Bastard by Emma Tennant (prequel-sequel) * – Hated!
  13. Ironskin by Tina Connolly (re-telling, steampunk/fantasy) – My cuppa tea
  14. It All Began with Jane Eyre by Sheila Greenwald (YA, inspired by) -  Mental
  15. Jane by April Lindner (re-telling, modern) – Enjoyed
  16. Jane Airhead by Kay Woodward (inspired by, modern) – Enjoyed; made me giggle
  17. Jane and Her Master by Stephen Rawlings (re-telling, erotic/BDSM) – Absolutely disgusted!
  18. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (the original and best) – Loved, duh? :P
  19. Jane Eyre – the Graphic Novel (original, re-told as a graphic novel) – Very good
  20. Jane Eyre’s Daughter by Elizabeth Newark (sequel) – Enjoyed, sort of
  21. Jane Eyre’s Husband – The Life of Edward Rochester (prequel, re-telling, sequel about Rochester) by Tara Bradley – LOVED IT SO MUCH!!!
  22. Jane Rochester by Kimberly A Bennett (1st Edition) (sequel) – There are worse
  23. Jane Slayre by Charlotte Brontë and Sherri Browning Erwin (re-telling, horror/comedy) – Really enjoyed, brilliant concept
  24. Miss Elliott and the Eldritch by Laura Neubert (novella: re-telling, horror) – Enjoyed
  25. Mrs. Rochester by Hilary Bailey (sequel) – HATED! Characters completely wrong
  26. Reader, I Married Him by Janet Mullany (novella: re-telling/sequel, erotic) – Amused and bemused
  27. Rochester by JL Niemann (re-telling) – Really enjoyed … sort of!
  28. Rochester: Consummation by J.L. Niemann (2011) – Uh, more for Jean Rhys fans …
  29. Sloane Hall by Libby Sternberg (re-telling, 1920s Hollywood) – Enjoyed
  30. Thornfield Hall by Emma Tennant (prequel-sequel) * – Hated!
  31. The Turn of the Screw by Henry James (may contain echoes of) – Not enough Jane Eyre
  32. Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys (prequel) – Enjoyed but hated

* Same book, different titles.

Currently reading

  1. The Memoirs of Edward Rochester by Ken Jones (re-telling by Rochester, Kindle)
  2. Brizecombe Hall by Catherine E Chapman (novelette: re-telling)

On the shelf, waiting to be read

  1. Adele: A Tale by Julia Kavanagh (presumed re-telling?)
  2. Carisbrooke Abbey a.k.a. One Night at the Abbey by Amanda Grange (re-telling)
  3. Cometh Up As a Flower by Rhoda Broughton (inspired by)
  4. Copper Beeches, the by Arthur Conan Doyle (re-relling)
  5. Daisy Burns by Julia Kavanagh (inspired by?)
  6. Disciplining Jane by “Jane Eyre” (a.k.a. An English Education by P N Dedeaux) (re-telling, erotic/BDSM)
  7. Doing Mr. Rochester by Mandy Fontain (sequel?, erotic)
  8. The First Mrs. Rochester and Her Husband by M.C. Smith (prequel)
  9. Grace Lee by Julia Kavanagh (inspired by?)
  10. Henry Brocken: His Travels and Adventures in the Rich, Strange, Scarce-Imaginable Regions of Romance by Walter de la Mare (inspired by?)
  11. I Am Jane Eyre by Teana Rowland (re-telling, erotic)
  12. Ivy Tree, the by Mary Stewart (inspired by, mystery?)
  13. Jane by Marielena Zuniga (some kind of reality/novel mashup, Kindle)
  14. Jane_E: Friendless Orphan by Erin McCole-Cupp (re-telling, sci-fi)
  15. Jane Eyre, Beware by Anthony Auriemma & Carolyn Chambers Clark (inspired by, Kindle)
  16. Jane Eyre’s Rival: The Real Mrs Rochester by Clair Holland (re-telling, Kindle)
  17. Jane Eyrotica by Charlotte Brontë and Karena Rose (re-telling, erotic)
  18. Jane Rochester: Third Edition by Kimberly A Bennett (sequel, Kindle)
  19. Jenna Starborn by Sharon Shinn (re-telling, sci-fi)
  20. Jillian Dare by Melanie M. Jeshke (re-telling, modern)
  21. Lady Audley’s Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon (inspired by)
  22. Nine Coaches Waiting by Mary Stewart (inspired by)
  23. Olive by Dinah Mulock Craik (inspired by)
  24. Palladian by Elizabeth Taylor (inspired by)
  25. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier (inspired by)
  26. South Riding by Winifred Holtby (inspired by)
  27. Thornycroft Hall by Emma Jane Worboise (late 19th Century rip-off?)
  28. Unicorn, the by Iris Murdoch (inspired by)
  29. Vera by Elizabeth von Armin (inspired by, similar to Rebecca)

Will be getting at some point
I’m eternally grateful for review copies, awesome authors/publishers! :)

  1. Anne Eyre by Summer Day (re-telling)
  2. Cat and Mouse by Christianna Brand (inspired by)
  3. Dark Companion by Marta Acosta (re-telling)
  4. Jane Eyre Laid Bare by Eve Sinclair (re-telling, erotic)
  5. Jane Eyre: Clandestine Classics by Charlotte Brontë and Sierra Cartwright (full JE with added erotica bits)
  6. The Jane Eyre Chronicles: Death of a Schoolgirl by Joanna Campbell Slan (mystery, sequel)

Not yet published
I’m eternally grateful for review copies, awesome authors/publishers! :)

  1. The Hierophant by Michael Shilling (?) 
  2. Jane, the Fox, and Me by Fanny Britt & Isabelle Arsenault (2013)
  3. The Jane Eyre Chronicles: Death of a Dowager by Joanna Campbell Slan (April 2013) 
  4. The Journal of Jane Reed Eyre by Kimberly A Bennett (2013)
  5. The Truth About Jane Eyre by Beth Pattillo (?)

Would love, if I can a) find (if you can help, please let me know!) and b) afford

  • A Hidden Passion by Lucia Logan (plagiarised re-telling, homoerotic)
  • Mrs. Rochester by Warwick Blanchett (sequel)

Only if/when they are translated into English

  • Edward F. Rochester by Christine Paris Bruyer (French, re-telling)
  • La Bambinaia Francese by Bianca Pitzorno (Italian, re-telling)

Need further investigation to see if they’re applicable or not

  • Secret of Kyriels, the by Edith Nesbit (1899)
  • Wanted: Someone Innocent by Margery Allingham (1945)

I aim to read all the ones I can come over and review them and then make a post with short comments and summaries about each title so that there’s at least one comprehensive guide to these books out there on the interwebs. At least I tell myself this would be a good thing to do, something to strive toward, rather than just compulsively collect Jane Eyre-related books and read them because I’m ever so slightly obsessed by the story. Might as well put the obsession to good use, or, put a method to my madness.

I have to draw the line somewhere, so I’ve consciously decided not to include:

  • fanfic or short stories only posted in forums or on fanfic/writing communities (too much material, too little time – I wasn’t planning on continuing this quest into my next incarnation!)
  • short stories published in anthologies with other material (don’t want to buy a big book when I only want to read a small part of it – simply haven’t got the money … or shelf space. If it’s an anthology of ONLY JE-related items, fair enough)
  • poetry (ugh)
  • foreign languages (would help if I could understand what I’m reading, right? I’m fluent in English and Swedish, and Norwegian and Danish are similar enough to Swedish to work. I might be willing to try German, because I want to learn the language, but I’m only at a level to grasp very easy children’s books …)

If it’s a novella or short story published somewhere (or about to be) that the author can submit to me as a PDF, Word document or eBook format (.mobi, .prc, .azw), I’ll be willing to have a read and review it. Just provide me with some publication details, so I can point people in the right direction if they want to read it too. :)

If you spot any more, or can provide the novels I’m missing for a reasonable price or just lend them to me (you’ll get them back, I promise!), please let me know – DM me on Twitter (@TheSqueee), email me at blog (at) traxy (dot) co (dot) uk or see the bottom of the page for further stalking opportunities! :)

Big thanks to Thisbeciel at The Enthusiast’s Guide to Jane Eyre Adaptations for a very extensive list of derivatives!

You might also like:

  1. Footage from Jane Eyre event at Haddon Hall
  2. Charlotte: The Final Journey of Jane Eyre by DM Thomas (2000)
  3. Brontë Pictures and listening to Jane Eyre
  4. Mrs. Rochester: The Sequel to Jane Eyre by Hilary Bailey (1997)

Written by

Geeky Swedish introvert living deep in the heart of England - Nottingham, to be precise. Enjoys things like books, films, wandmaking, photography and cats. When not blogging, also enjoys roleplaying and cooking. Would do gardening if not terrified of spiders or allergic to pollen. Certified fangirl since childhood and fully convinced menkind look their very best in cravats.

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