YA BOOK REVIEW: Jane by April Lindner

This past (long holiday) weekend, after reading Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly and finishing Every Man Dies Alone by Hans Fallada, I was in the mood for something lighter. Luckily I had Jane by April Lindner in my TBR pile. I’ve been looking forward to this modern-day reworking of Jane Eyre, and finally settled in for the read.

Jane Moore is the nineteen-year-old clearheaded product of a major league dysfunctional family. Intelligent and pragmatic, she managed to keep herself together well enough to escape her unfortunate upbringing and be accepted to Sarah Lawrence. But her parents’ sudden death in a car accident put an end to her hopes of educating herself toward a better life. Or at least, it put those hopes on hold. Without funds, she is forced to drop-out and look for work as a nanny. Because she always kept to herself, has never been interested in celebrity gossip, and comes across as very straight-laced and reliable, she is hired to join the staff at Thornfield Park, to work for Nico Rathburn. The reclusive Mr. Rathburn is a famous rock star, or was. His career has been sidelined by drugs, women, and personal scandal, including two failed marriages that have left him with custody of a five-year-old daughter, Maddy. But he is about to stage a comeback.

Jane is thrilled to take the position, not because she will be working for a rock star, but because she will have a job. She approaches it in her typical practical, introverted, make-the-best-of-things way. In a short time, she forges a bond with Maddy. A relationship also forms between Jane and Nico. It moves quickly from that of employer/employee to friendship to more. But not all is as it seems. Nico’s past is haunting him and Thornfield Park. Jane knows he is hiding something, but what? Will Jane’s love survive the revelation of his secrets?

The book follows the plot of Jane Eyre remarkably closely considering its modernization. Readers will probably figure out what is going on long before Jane does, whether they are familiar with the original or not. Nevertheless, it’s a fast-paced read. Jane is an endearing protagonist and I was happy to kick-back and be entertained by the romance.