Review: Jane Eyre (2011)

When the credits rolled at the end of a sold-out showing of Jane Eyre this past weekend, my friend and I turned to each other and said "huh." I think we were both torn between loving the movie and feeling vaguely let down by it. First and foremost, Mia Wasikowska is fantastic as Jane. I've seen 2 other adaptions (the 2006 version with Ruth Wilson and the 1943 version with Joan Fontaine), and Wasikowska's portrayal is by far my favorite. She perfectly embodies the strong will and spirit that hides beneath the plain (OK, plain for an actress in a big budget movie) exterior. The exchange between Jane and Rochester when he calls her into the drawing room on his return to Thornfield ("do you think me handsome?" "no, sir.") crackles with energy and you can see his regard for her growing as she speaks with him.

I also found Michael Fassbender's Rochester to be wonderfully complex. Yes, he is enigmatic and often harsh (I've never liked in the book and movie how he openly dislikes Adele), but there is a tenderness here that makes him more human than other versions of the character. When Bertha flies at him he restrains her almost compassionately, and it is a testament to Fassbender's acting that he conveys how Rochester despises Bertha and his awful mistake in marrying her but cannot act cruelly towards her. In the scene where Rochester tries to convince Jane to stay with him after their failed wedding you can sense his anguish and the almost herculean strength she needs to overcome his offer.

The cinematography work by Adriano Goldman is stunning. Thornfield Hall comes alive, both in the dreariness of winter and the lightness of spring and summer, and I really got a feel of what it might be like to live a monotonous life in an isolated mansion with only an older woman and child for company. This version definitely amps up the gothic elements and the creepiness of the house and is well-served by strong supporting characters (Jamie Bell as St. John Rivers and the fabulous Judi Dench as Mrs. Fairfax are the two obvious standouts, but Sally Hawkins is also wonderfully icy as Mrs. Reed).

So why didn't I absolutely love it? Obviously, trying to condense a 500-page book into 115 minutes on screen means that certain parts of the story will be edited out, but I was puzzled by the scenes that were omitted. The most glaring one was leaving out that Jane and the Rivers siblings are cousins. Instead, Jane gives away 3/4 of her inheritance due to their kindness in taking her in (at least that's what I assumed, as it never was really explained). Also, while there is a tender scene with Jane returning to the remains of Thornfield and the now-blinded Rochester, there is no epilogue to show that they married and he eventually regained sight in one eye. I think if I hadn't read and enjoyed the book so much, I would have absolutely adored this movie. As such I enjoyed it immensely but felt it couldn't measure up to the powerful and affecting emotion of Bronte's original story.

Jane Eyre Featurette

Sorry if it feels a bit like Jane Eyre week at Roving Reads, but I am ridiculously excited for the new movie, starring Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender, which releases in my area this weekend. I found this featurette on the making of the movie on Focus Features' website, complete with interviews with Mia and Michael and a few new images from the film.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

I finally finished Jane Eyre this weekend, and absolutely loved it! It is a wonderfully romantic novel that also deals with weighty issues like faith, sin, and death. The story is so well-known that there's no need for a review, but I thought I'd touch on some of my favorite themes or moments in the book (note: this post contains some mild spoilers, so if you haven't read the book or don't want to know the story stop now!)

- Jane is in some ways a thoroughly modern heroine, able to take care of herself and remain upright through enormous hardships. She gives freely of forgiveness and love though she has been shown few of those mercies herself, and she knows her own mind and isn't swayed by stronger personalities. When Rochester tries to persuade Jane to live with him as his mistress, she is sorely tempted but knows the pleasure of giving in would not outweigh the consequences:

"...while he spoke, my very conscience and reason turned traitors against me, and charged me with crime in resisting him. They spoke almost as loud as Feeling; and that clamored wildly. “Oh, comply!” it said. “Think of his misery; think of his danger—look at his state when left alone; remember his headlong nature; consider the recklessness following on despair—soothe him; save him; love him; tell him you love him, and will be his. Who in the world cares for you? or who will be injured by what you do?”

Still indomitable was the reply—“I care for myself. The more solitary the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself. I will keep the law given by God; sanctioned by man. I will hold to the principles received by me when I was sane, and not mad—as I am now. Laws and principles are not for the times when there is no temptation: they are for such moments as this, when body and soul rise in mutiny against their rigor; stringent are they; inviolate they shall be. If at my individual convenience I might break them, what would be their worth?"

- I enjoyed the multi-layed presentation of Christians and faith. There are examples of people who are esteemed as Christians but really have none of the qualities, like Mr. Brocklehurst. St. John has the fire and the passion to do great things for God, but he expects perfection out of himself and others and isn't able to temper his  expectations with compassion. Jane clings to the law of God as she resists Mr. Rochester in the above passage and realizes she has made him the center of her universe: "I could not, in those days, see God for his creature of whom I had made an idol."

- Neither Jane or Rochester are conventionally attractive, but in the other's eyes they are beautiful. She tenderly cares for him when he loses his sight, and he in turns adores her. Don't we all long to be judged more for our inner selves than for outward appearances? As Mary says on hearing that Rochester and Jane were married, “she'll happen do better for him nor any o’ t’ grand ladies.” And again, “If she ben't one o’ th’ handsomest, she's noan faâl and varry good-natured; and i’ his een she's fair beautiful, onybody may see that.”

Rochester (Toby Stephens) and Jane (Ruth Wilson)

 Over the weekend I watched the 2006 Masterpiece adaption with Toby Stephens as Rochester and Ruth Wilson as Jane. For the most part I really enjoyed it, though I wondered at several of the plot changes that seemed unnecessary (instead of dressing as the gypsy fortune-teller, Rochester pays a real one to entertain/question the ladies, St. John finds Jane on the moor instead of her collapsing outside Moor House, Jane has no knowledge of Rochester's injuries before she arrives at Ferndean). I can't wait for the new adaption, starring Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender, which from the looks of the trailer below seems to play up the gothic aspects of the story.



source: personal copy. This book was one of my selections for Subtle Melodrama's 2011 Victorian Literature Reading Challenge.

It's Monday-What Are You Reading?

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is a fun weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. This is where we share what we've read the previous week and what we're planning to read this week. It's a great way to see what others are reading (and add more books to the TBR pile!)

It's been a while since I've participated in this meme (unfortunately I haven't had much time to read lately) but I'm glad to be back this week!

Finished Last Week:

 Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. Though the novel started off slowly for me I quickly became caught up in the story of Jane and her mysterious employer Edward Fairfax Rochester. I'm eagerly waiting for the movie coming out next week! This was one of my selections for the Victorian Literature Challenge at Subtle Melodrama-review/wrap-up post to come.

Currently Reading:

Delta Wedding by Eudora Welty. Welty's writing is so descriptive and evocative of the Mississippi Delta during the 1920s: "Grass softly touched her legs and her garter rosettes, growing sweet and springy for this was the country. On the narrow little walk along the front of the house, hung over with closing lemon lilies, there was a quieting and vanishing of sound. It was not yet dark. The sky was the color of violets, and the snow-white moon in the sky had not yet begun to shine (p.6)."

Up Next:

 
Scaramouche (thanks for the suggestion Ruth!) or Paris to the Moon by Adam Gopnik to start getting excited about my trip to France!

Top Ten Tuesday- Favorite Love Stories

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's topic: Top Ten Favorite Love Stories (mine are listed in no particular order). 

Happy belated Valentine's Day! Sorry for the blogging hiatus... work/life/etc. has been crazy the past few weeks!

1. Persuasion by Jane Austen- I love, love, love this story of second chances between Capt. Frederick Wentworth and Anne Eliot. I know many people have a differing opinion but I am a huge fan of the 2008 BBC version starring Rupert Penry-Jones as Wentworth.

2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen- How can you not mention the grande dame of romantic literature? I periodically re-read this and am always amazed at Austen's perceptive view of people and how Darcy and Elizabeth grow and change over the course of the story.

3. East of the Sun by Julia Gregson- A wonderful novel about three young women who leave England for India in the waning years of colonial rule and their ensuing romantic complications. Each grows over the course of the story and finds the relationship that is right for them.

4. A Distant Melody by Sarah Sundin- Probably my favorite book of 2010. Walt and Allie, the main characters, are wonderful and I was totally swept up in their sweet love story based on a deep friendship.

5. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell- I grew up with a Southern mom who adored this movie and when I finally read the book I loved it just as much as the film version. It has it all--passion, danger, scheming, war, romance, etc.


6. The Deception of the Emerald Ring by Lauren Willig- Letty and Geoff have always been my favorite of the Pink Carnation couples. A forced marriage brought on by a misunderstanding turns to love, and it's fun to read how they overcome their initial perceptions of each other.

7. North and South by Elizabeth Gasskell- I'm working off of only the movie version (the book is on my very long TBR list) but I love this story of how Margaret and John overcome their prejudices against each other. And can you beat Richard Armitage as John Thornton? So dreamy!

8. Lady Julia Grey and Nicholas Brisbane in the Lady Julia mysteries by Deanna Raybourn- I've loved reading how their relationship develops over the course of the series and seeing how two very different people spark off each other.

9. Amelia Sedley Osborne and William Dobbin in Vanity Fair by William Thackeray- Thackeray is definitely viewing these characters through a sarcastic eye, but it's still great to see how steadfast Dobbin is in his love for Amelia, even as she holds onto an idealized version of her dead husband and is blind to his help. It's a nice moment when she realizes her husband was no angel and rushes to meet Dobbin at the pier.

10. Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling- Sure, I was glad to see Harry and Ginny end up together, but the relationship between brainy Hermione and the lovable and often clueless Ron has always been my favorite. When they finally share a kiss during the Battle of Hogwarts I felt like I'd been waiting the whole series! I can't wait for the movie version this summer... 

What are your favorite love stories?

Review: The Orchid Affair by Lauren Willig

Laura Grey, a veteran governess, joins the Selwick Spy School expecting to find elaborate disguises and thrilling exploits in service to the spy known as the Pink Carnation. She hardly expects her first assignment to be serving as governess for the children of Andre Jaouen, right-hand man to Bonaparte's minister of police. Jaouen and his arch rival, Gaston Delaroche, are investigating a suspected Royalist plot to unseat Bonaparte, and Laura's mission is to report any suspicious findings.At first the job is as lively as Latin textbooks and knitting, but Laura begins to notice strange behavior from Jaouen-secret meetings and odd comings and goings. As Laura edges herself closer to her employer, she makes a shocking discovery and is surprised to learn that she has far more in common with Jaouen than she originally thought...(summary from goodreads)

I don't know how she does it, but Lauren Willig's Pink Carnation series continues to get better and better. I loved that at ages 36 and 32 respectively, Andre and Laura are both older than the other Pink heroes and heroines and therefore more mature and slightly world-weary. 16 years of providing for herself by working as a governess has left Laura cynical and stubborn, while Andre is a man of many secrets weighed down by his job as assistant to the Prefect of Police. Neither of them are perfect, and I loved watching their romance develop as Laura begins to soften and her competence and smarts win the admiration of Jaouen.

I enjoyed the cast of secondary characters as well, like the flamboyant and jovial Monsieur Daubier and the crotchety nurserymaid Jeannette. Willig also deftly weaves in a few scenes with the hero and heroine of the next Pink Carnation book, Augustus Whittlesby and Emma Delagardie. It was fun to get a sneak peek of how their romance will begin (rather contentiously it seems).

Author Lauren Willig

As with Willig's other books, The Silver Orchid is obviously well-researched and grounded in real-life historical events. The edgy environment of suspicion in Bonaparte's Paris was perfectly captured and I felt like I was in the salons and gardens with the main characters. The only part of the book that didn't hold my attention as well was the contemporary storyline with Eloise and Colin. I normally enjoy their chapters but I couldn't help wanting the story to move along so I could get back to Laura and Andre! Overall, however, Willig has mastered how to blend the modern and historical storylines so that they each complement each other. If you've never read any of her books I highly recommend you start.

On a side note, there's an interesting interview with the author here about the journey to the final cover for The Orchid Affair, from the publisher's decision to go for a more contemporary look to one that more resembles the rest of the series' fine art covers (which I love-- I don't think I would have picked up the first book in the series if it had a "traditional romance" cover).

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars. Another witty and fun romance with flawed yet appealing characters who I truly liked and an intelligent and well-written story. I can't wait for the next book (which unfortunately won't be released until January 2012)!

source: personal copy

It's Monday-- What Are You Reading?

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is a fun weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. This is where we share what we've read the previous week and what we're planning to read this week. It's a great way to see what others are reading (and add more books to the TBR pile!)

Finished This Week:

The Orchid Affair by Lauren Willig (review coming soon). It was fabulous and now I'm wishing I didn't have to wait so long for her next book! Is it January 2012 yet? 

Currently Reading:

Reading Jackie by William Kuhn and Certain Women by Madeleine L'Engle, the first selection for the 2011 Faith and Fiction roundtable. Also getting back into Jane Eyre after a little hiatus!

What are you reading this week?