Review: Mr Rochester by Sarah Shoemaker
I'd been looking forward to this book for a while, so I jumped at the chance to review it (thanks to Bookbridgr for the review copy!) As a massive fan of Jane Eyre, and an even bigger fan of its lead male character, I was intrigued to read Mr Rochester's side of the story, and to view some of the more iconic scenes from his perspective.
On his eighth birthday, Edward is banished from his beloved Thornfield Hall to learn his place in life. His journey eventually takes him to Jamaica where, as a young man, he becomes entangled with an enticing heiress and makes a choice that will haunt him. It is only when he finally returns home and encounters one stubborn, plain, young governess, that Edward can see any chance of redemption – and love.
FYI - to me Mr Rochester will always resemble Toby Stephens. The BBC mini series adaptation is what first introduced me to the story and remains one of my all time favourite TV series.
It soon becomes clear that Mr Rochester is so much more than just a male perspective on Edward and Jane's relationship. Like Jane herself, Edward has lived much of a life before they meet. This book is split into three parts, and covers Edward's childhood and his time in Jamaica, as well of course as Thornfield Hall. The first section details Edward's upbringing. Whilst of course not nearly as tragic as Jane's early years, as a second son Edward is treated like an afterthought. With a deceased mother, a cruel older brother and an indifferent father he yearn for nothing more than companionship and affection, both of which he finds in unexpected places. His father has his whole life mapped out for him as he is sent from place to place for education and training for his life as a plantation owner in Jamaica - exile from his beloved Thornfield. The section set in Jamaica I feel I might perhaps have got more out of had I read Jean Rhys' Wide Sargasso Sea. For me this is the first interpretation I've read of what happened to Rochester abroad and so I have nothing to compare it to. However, the sights, sounds and smells of Jamaica are all conveyed really well - you can feel the oppressive heat as Edward and Bertha's relationship takes shape.
Once Edward returns to England we hit familiar territory. This was the part of the book I was looking forward to most, but as other reviewers have said this is actually where it falls down a bit. Constrained by the original narrative and the events that occurred within it there is little space for artistic licence and what we get what is essentially a retelling of events with very little emotion behind it. The main problem for me was that I just didn't fall for Edward like I did in the original novel. There is no mystery about him, no sign of the dark brooding nature that we know and love. In telling his story, making him emotional and vulnerable, a victim almost, he loses that edge that makes him so attractive. That said, we do get an insight into his reasoning - he really did believe he was doing what was best for Bertha and Adele, shouldering the burden out of a sense of duty and responsibility.
The parallels Shoemaker has created between Edward's life and Jane's are striking. Though they are clearly from very different classes and backgrounds they have both experienced abandonment and loss, have both felt unwanted and neglected, and it is perhaps these shared experiences that make them kindred spirits. This is a long book, but one that is worth taking your time over. It's very descriptive and the narrative voice transports you completely into the mind and world of Edward Rochester.
FYI - to me Mr Rochester will always resemble Toby Stephens. The BBC mini series adaptation is what first introduced me to the story and remains one of my all time favourite TV series.
It soon becomes clear that Mr Rochester is so much more than just a male perspective on Edward and Jane's relationship. Like Jane herself, Edward has lived much of a life before they meet. This book is split into three parts, and covers Edward's childhood and his time in Jamaica, as well of course as Thornfield Hall. The first section details Edward's upbringing. Whilst of course not nearly as tragic as Jane's early years, as a second son Edward is treated like an afterthought. With a deceased mother, a cruel older brother and an indifferent father he yearn for nothing more than companionship and affection, both of which he finds in unexpected places. His father has his whole life mapped out for him as he is sent from place to place for education and training for his life as a plantation owner in Jamaica - exile from his beloved Thornfield. The section set in Jamaica I feel I might perhaps have got more out of had I read Jean Rhys' Wide Sargasso Sea. For me this is the first interpretation I've read of what happened to Rochester abroad and so I have nothing to compare it to. However, the sights, sounds and smells of Jamaica are all conveyed really well - you can feel the oppressive heat as Edward and Bertha's relationship takes shape.
Once Edward returns to England we hit familiar territory. This was the part of the book I was looking forward to most, but as other reviewers have said this is actually where it falls down a bit. Constrained by the original narrative and the events that occurred within it there is little space for artistic licence and what we get what is essentially a retelling of events with very little emotion behind it. The main problem for me was that I just didn't fall for Edward like I did in the original novel. There is no mystery about him, no sign of the dark brooding nature that we know and love. In telling his story, making him emotional and vulnerable, a victim almost, he loses that edge that makes him so attractive. That said, we do get an insight into his reasoning - he really did believe he was doing what was best for Bertha and Adele, shouldering the burden out of a sense of duty and responsibility.
The parallels Shoemaker has created between Edward's life and Jane's are striking. Though they are clearly from very different classes and backgrounds they have both experienced abandonment and loss, have both felt unwanted and neglected, and it is perhaps these shared experiences that make them kindred spirits. This is a long book, but one that is worth taking your time over. It's very descriptive and the narrative voice transports you completely into the mind and world of Edward Rochester.
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