A fantastic debut, and an incredible fantasy retelling of one of my favorite stories.

What really brought this to life were the characters, and I absolutely adored the life that Blackwood breathed into Magnus and Andromeda. Their relationship, the tension, and the banter continued to make me giddy in the same ways as the original Jane and Mr. Rochester. Yet they still felt unique and completely their own characters. Especially Magnus, who was less of a brooding jerk and more of a tortured yet sheltered/pampered boy who was alone in the world due to his father…so he didn’t really know how to be in the world. Not an excuse, but an explanation, and we get to watch Magnus grapple with a person who doesn’t put up with it, and he becomes a better person for it.

To those saying it’s hardly Jane Eyre…did we even read the same story?

First, I have to ask: do you expect all retellings to be carbon copies? And if so, why? I love the story, and I love how Blackwood reimagined it without breaking the spirit of the thing. Just because some elements have shifted does NOT mean it’s not a Jane Eyre story.

Let’s review:

* Plain woman takes a job out of desperation
* Said job is one that others could scarcely withstand due to the insufferable master of the house. Not to mention the troublesome “ward,” in this instance the Evil Eye
* Woman at first cannot stand Mr. Rochester, but loves her job and cares about the outcome
* Woman has also come from an abusive upbringing that has led her to believe she’s ultimately unimportant. Though she desires more for herself (including to be loved), and she won’t be caged, she also does not feel she deserves the love shown to her.
* Her fears are confirmed when she learns that this man has been promised to another (in this case only bethrothed, rather than married) — Essentially, Kelela is like Blanche Ingram and the wife combined…
* So, she more or less runs away and agrees to go back to her old life, or a version of it. Something she believes she “deserves,” or is fitting of her station. But it’s what she’s been conditioned to accept. Also, both women from both stories learn a horrifying truth and run away, because it’s hard to cope with what they’ve seen. The curse in this case can also represent the wife in some ways.
* Mr. Rochester insists that he is not truly bound to the other person. It’s questionable, but turns out to be true. In the case of the curse, Mr. Rochester is also a victim. (This parallels how we’re supposed to think of him in the source material, with his mentally ill wife, though victim seems wrong.)
* Finally, the woman fears for the desperate situation of Mr. Rochester, and returns to save him.
* Also, there’s a house fire.

In conclusion, just because there isn’t an “almost wedding” and a wife in the attic does not mean it’s not a good Jane Eyre retelling. But I’m also of the mind that retelling a SHOULD vary from the source material, otherwise what’s the point?

Anyway, I thought this was amazing and captivating, and I loved the Ethiopian elements of the story. I would have loved to see even more details woven throughout. Looking forward to reading more of Blackwood’s books going forward!