jaclynday's review against another edition
3.0
This retelling of Jane Eyre is entertaining and imaginative. It may have been stronger if shortened significantly–there are some secondary characters and subplots that receive too much time and attention. Speaking of other characters, the portrayal of the mother that Jane works for while she’s an au pair really bugged. (She’s so feminist and such an intellectual, therefore completely domineering and unlovable! No.) The book also had trouble making credible connections between characters that justified their actions. Jane’s bonding with her au pair charge seemed natural on the page. Her infatuation with Ed, the girl’s father, seemed rushed. One meaningful stare, they’re in love, that kind of thing. The book is definitely best when Jane interacts with her family/extended family–it’s witty and fun.
kamahi's review against another edition
4.0
The fact that this book was able to wick me in despite the depression fueled funk uve been in should tell you that its good. I was a little hesitant at first because I'm not the biggest fan of Jane Eyre, but this retelling is pretty loose, so it's fine. In fact, there are places where I wish it didn't try and stick as close as it did to its retelling framework. Overall,there's a lot to love here, including a pretty big plot point I didn't see coming.
lecrockett's review against another edition
4.0
Jane Re has been told her entire life that she's, essentially, not enough. She's not Korean enough, American enough, intelligent enough, pretty enough. Desperate to escape her uncle oppressive household, she takes on a nannying position in Brooklyn for two English professors and their Chinese daughter. As the year rolls by, Jane begins to find a solid rooting with the family, but Ed, her boss's husband, is beginning to cross the line. When her grandfather dies, Jane seizes the opportunity to fly to Seoul and attempt a new life there, immersing herself in modern-day Korean culture. Once again, circumstances change for her, and it's time for her to decide how to continue her biracial, bicultural life and accept her wholly, complete self.
I seem to be on a roll with finding great contemporary retellings of favorite classics. As I've said before, I'm very wary of retellings because many times they just rely too heavily on the original to be able to stand on their own. Since Jane Eyre is my favorite book, I am extra critical of all the retellings I've seen out there. But Re Jane successfully stands on its own -- and then some.
The parallels between the two books are excellent, and the deviations from the classic are original, compelling, and authentic to this Jane's story. I think my favorite aspect of the book was getting to experience Jane's biracial, bicultural dilemma so intimately. The cultural awareness and sensitivity was spot on, and I hope to see more phenomenally written books like this in the market.
In a non-spoilery nutshell, Jane experiences vastly different Otherness depending on her surroundings. In Flushing, Queens, she's singled out as the "fake Korean" because her father was American. Her physical features are slightly different from the other Koreans in her neighborhood, and she's treated as if she's tainted or corrupt. When she works in Brooklyn, her boss Beth accidentally assumes Jane is Chinese, yet Jane and Devon (the girl she nannies) can easily see the racial differences between each other. (Devon also experiences Otherness with the other Chinese students at school, but that's a piece of great dissection you can discover on your own!) However, when Jane jets off to Seoul, she may be teased for her archaic Korean speech, but her Otherness is praised. She carries many sought-after Western beauty features: height, nose, eyes, cheekbones. She's been told her whole life that favoring one side of her identity is better than embracing both. Now, here she is in her mother's homeland, being told that it's better to be something other than fully Korean. What's great about this is that Jane's uncomfortable. It's not a matter of deciding which part of her identity she should embrace over the other -- it's about understanding, loving, and combining both.
That wasn't so much a nutshell, but it is one aspect of the book that was deeply explored. For anyone who is following the We Need Diverse Books campaign, or #ownvoices, you need to read this book.
It's not possible to talk about any Jane Eyre retelling without some mention of the Mr Rochester figure. Ed was cool, I liked Ed, I could see Jane with Ed, and not once did I ever feel uncomfortable with the thought that Ed was roughly 10-15 years older/her employer/married. Many times retellings fall flat with the romance aspect because there's too much emphasis on the age gap. In the 1840s, the age difference was not an issue. It's the fact he was her employer, in the beginning at least. So why do so many retellings focus on the age?
Well, thank goodness Park did not do that. She instead focused on certain aspects of age differences in relationships. Someone who is 10+ years older, who married, had a child, bought a first home, bought a first car, will definitely have more life experiences, and that's bound to create communication issues. The drama in the relationship between Jane and Ed focused on that: how they spoke to one another, and how they interacted with other couples in their respective age groups. If you've read Re Jane, I love to hear your thoughts on this!
I seem to be on a roll with finding great contemporary retellings of favorite classics. As I've said before, I'm very wary of retellings because many times they just rely too heavily on the original to be able to stand on their own. Since Jane Eyre is my favorite book, I am extra critical of all the retellings I've seen out there. But Re Jane successfully stands on its own -- and then some.
The parallels between the two books are excellent, and the deviations from the classic are original, compelling, and authentic to this Jane's story. I think my favorite aspect of the book was getting to experience Jane's biracial, bicultural dilemma so intimately. The cultural awareness and sensitivity was spot on, and I hope to see more phenomenally written books like this in the market.
I was caught in no-man's land -- the gulf between English and Korean felt wider than the East River and the Han combined.
In a non-spoilery nutshell, Jane experiences vastly different Otherness depending on her surroundings. In Flushing, Queens, she's singled out as the "fake Korean" because her father was American. Her physical features are slightly different from the other Koreans in her neighborhood, and she's treated as if she's tainted or corrupt. When she works in Brooklyn, her boss Beth accidentally assumes Jane is Chinese, yet Jane and Devon (the girl she nannies) can easily see the racial differences between each other. (Devon also experiences Otherness with the other Chinese students at school, but that's a piece of great dissection you can discover on your own!) However, when Jane jets off to Seoul, she may be teased for her archaic Korean speech, but her Otherness is praised. She carries many sought-after Western beauty features: height, nose, eyes, cheekbones. She's been told her whole life that favoring one side of her identity is better than embracing both. Now, here she is in her mother's homeland, being told that it's better to be something other than fully Korean. What's great about this is that Jane's uncomfortable. It's not a matter of deciding which part of her identity she should embrace over the other -- it's about understanding, loving, and combining both.
That wasn't so much a nutshell, but it is one aspect of the book that was deeply explored. For anyone who is following the We Need Diverse Books campaign, or #ownvoices, you need to read this book.
This is not to say that it was condescending; instead he spoke with the weight of personal experience. More often than not, I was able to free-ride on the shorthand of his authority. [...] But at times I wondered whether I relied too heavily on Ed's account of things, rather than seeing for myself.
It's not possible to talk about any Jane Eyre retelling without some mention of the Mr Rochester figure. Ed was cool, I liked Ed, I could see Jane with Ed, and not once did I ever feel uncomfortable with the thought that Ed was roughly 10-15 years older/her employer/married. Many times retellings fall flat with the romance aspect because there's too much emphasis on the age gap. In the 1840s, the age difference was not an issue. It's the fact he was her employer, in the beginning at least. So why do so many retellings focus on the age?
Well, thank goodness Park did not do that. She instead focused on certain aspects of age differences in relationships. Someone who is 10+ years older, who married, had a child, bought a first home, bought a first car, will definitely have more life experiences, and that's bound to create communication issues. The drama in the relationship between Jane and Ed focused on that: how they spoke to one another, and how they interacted with other couples in their respective age groups. If you've read Re Jane, I love to hear your thoughts on this!
karak's review against another edition
4.0
Jumped around a little, not really smooth transitions, but really a good story.
mtuttle's review against another edition
1.0
Don't read this expecting anything like Jane Eyre. Some may like it but it is definitely not my taste.
ammosley51's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.25
mhall's review against another edition
4.0
Absolute fun to read - Jane Re is a half-Korean orphan who grew up living with her uncle and his family in Queens, working at the family corner grocery store. After graduating college, she gets a job working for an uptight women's studies professor and her husband as an au pair for their adopted Chinese daughter.
I don't quite get the Jane Eyre retelling aspect of this, but I loved Jane and her journey - I especially loved the part of the book set in Korea.
I don't quite get the Jane Eyre retelling aspect of this, but I loved Jane and her journey - I especially loved the part of the book set in Korea.
laurasaurus's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.25
bethnellvaccaro's review against another edition
4.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this loose rebelling of Jane Eyre. I am someone that prefers a modern day retelling of a classic to just allude to the original, not mimic it. Re Jane can stand alone. My favorite parts of the book involved jane's uncle and her time in Korea.