Jane

October 4, 2010
Jane Moore's parents die in a tragic accident, and she is left with only two unfeeling, absentee siblings to call family. Poor and alone, Jane quits college, interviews to become a full-time nanny, and—because of her unassuming personality and total lack of celebrity awareness—quickly lands a job caring for the daughter of an aging, world-famous rock star who's about to make his comeback. Lindner, a poet, makes her YA debut with this update of the gothic classic Jane Eyre. Well-written and faithful to the original, Lindner's story imbues Jane with the requisite innocence, stubbornness, and darkness of Brontë's protagonist. Perhaps not surprisingly, this modern, Sarah Lawrence–educated version of Jane feels rather morose by today's standards, buttoned up in her manners and social attitudes, though she also shows a good dose of sexual liberation. Additionally, this new Jane can be frustrating in her moralizing, and it is far easier to find the age difference between 19-year-old Jane and her employer, Nico Rathburn—Lindner's answer to Mr. Rochester—off-putting in contemporary context. A fresh and addictive adaptation, regardless. Ages 15–up.

January 1, 2011

Gr 10 Up-In this modern take on Charlotte Bronte's classic romance, Jane Moore has just withdrawn from Sarah Lawrence as her parents have passed on without leaving any money. She accepts a job as a nanny, working for Nico Rathburn, a famous rock star, at his home, Thornfield Park. She plans on earning enough money to finish her schooling. Despite being incredibly practical and emotionally reserved, Jane falls for the bad-boy celebrity, and he for her. After she accepts his marriage proposal, the little oddities at Thornfield Park are pieced together to form a big problem for their new love. Jane flees from her fiance and must decide for herself whether she can accept the problem or live without Mr. Rathburn's love. The relationship builds almost out of nowhere but emerges as a passionate romance. Lindner's love story delivers an entrancing star-crossed relationship, and it is not necessary to be familiar with the original to enjoy it. A few plot elements seem a little unnecessary to readers not familiar with Jane Eyre, but exist to satisfy those who expect them. In any event, this is a great "gateway read" to interest teens in the original novel and other classics by the Bronte sisters or Jane Austen.-Emily Chornomaz, West Orange Public Library, NJ

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2010
Grades 8-12 After her parents die, 19-year-old Jane Moore is forced to leave college to work until she has saved enough money to finish her degree. Taking a position as a nanny, she begins to care for Maddy, the daughter of Nico Rathburn, an aging rock star attempting a comeback. Her quiet personality is at odds with her new life, with its luxurious estate, glamorous groupies, and late-night screams and terrifying wanderings from the mysterious inhabitants of a spooky third floor. Even without its parallels to Jane Eyre, Lindners debut offers a fascinating, fantastical story line of secrets and star-crossed love. Along with a clear sense of Charlotte Bront's classic, Lindner demonstrates an organic understanding of rock culture, and with sensitivity and nuanced detail, she portrays its over-the-top lifestyle, even as she presents its inhabitants as likable and sympathetic. Set against a vivid, well-drawn, contemporary world, this is a compelling adaptation of an ageless romance that remains one of the great classics of high-school literature.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2011
Recasting Jane Eyre as a romance between a college-drop-out nanny and an aging bad-boy rocker, the story demonstrates why updating classics is a risky proposal. While Lindner pays scrupulous attention to Brvnte's plotting, the new Jane is much less spirited and the new Mr. Rochester is even more self-absorbed than the originals. Nevertheless, it's a quick and decently crafted read.

(Copyright 2011 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)