*** 3.5/5: Liked it to the edge of love- a stage 1 crush

A must-read for any Jane Eyre fan, Mr. Rochester gives us another perspective of the classic novel.



Recommended readers:

If you like Jane Eyre
If you want a slow and steady historical read
Here's my Rankings:

4/5 for characters
3/5 for plot
3.5/5 overall
REVIEW FROM BOOKS FOR HER:

A classic for the ages, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte is filled with dark mystery and prideful misunderstandings - leaving us all wondering how so much could be misunderstood. Sarah Shoemaker plays off that wonder - and creates her own story - from Mr. Rochester's point of view. It's a slow and steady read, that sets the reader up for that fateful moment when he and Jane cross paths. It's a must-read for any Jane Eyre fan.

Available now: Mr. Rochester by Sarah Shoemaker

I’ve had this book sitting in my kindle for weeks now because I was waiting to read it and review close to the publication date. After all this time of anticipating Mr. Rochester, I am pleased to say that Sarah Shoemaker did an excellent job in presenting Mr. Rochester’s side of the story and in showing readers how he became to be the man portrayed in the story of Jane Eyre.

The story begins with the childhood of Edward Fairfax Rochester and his early days of life at Thornfield. Following his 8th birthday, Rochester is sent away to a small boarding school where he meets his closest childhood friends and from there Rochester is sent to be an apprentice at a manufacturing mill.

His father has plans for Edward’s life that he never reveals to Edward until the last minute. Edward unwittingly believes that going to Jamaica to handle his father’s business interests is the best thing to happen to him, when in reality, Jamaica is the place where he is most shockingly betrayed by the very people who should have had his best interests at heart.

Mr. Rochester is a novel full of wonderful and decent characters, but also full of deceit, betrayal and scandal. Edward reminded me somewhat of Job from the Bible because of all his suffering. After years of heartache, Edward became the man that we meet in the novel Jane Eyre.

I think it would be fun to read Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester simultaneously, or at least pick up at the point in each book where they first meet. Mr. Rochester would be a great pick for book clubs, as there are many themes presented in the book that would make for interesting discussion.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book and had a difficult time putting it down each evening. I know there will be readers who are disappointed that Jane doesn’t appear on the scene until late in the book, but that didn’t bother me in the least because the events that came before Jane were so captivating.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for allowing me an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Release date 05/09/2017

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

DNFing at 30%

Man, I'm not having much luck lately.

I was a mix of nervous excitement when this book popped up on Netgalley. Seeing how Jane Eyre is my favorite book of all times , naturally, I thought this concept was enticing, because, who doesn't like the idea of delving into Mr. Rochester's complex mind from his own point of view!

However, that doesn't go without saying that I had my reservations towards it.

It's funny when something you hold near and dear to your heart, even if you had nothing to do with its existence, you naturally grow protective over it. This is exactly how I feel towards Jane Eyre. Because it's made its way to the top of my favorite books list, I'm wary of any retellings of this story. This is not to say that these retellings have potential; I'm simply stating that it's difficult to go into them without having preconceived ideas as to how the characters will present themselves. With a book of this magnitude and popularity, there must be some key personality similarities.

The first 30% of this book (to the point of where I called it quits) is laborious. The plot attempts to mimic Bronte's, by building a backstory for Edward Rochester. We meet Edward as a young boy, and travel with him through his many experiences with family, acquaintances, work, etc. Unfortunately, I didn't really find myself caring. I wanted to meet the mysterious and extremely complex Mr. Rochester that I grew to revere for his singularity throughout the plot of Jane Eyre.

The main problem I had with this book was that I could tell that this was written more from the perspective of a female, as Edward himself was overtly-feminine. And trust me, he's not. He was anything but in Bronte's version. His feelings, emotions, ways of speech, physiology, and the like, matched that of a rather typical womanly character. I'm not saying men aren't allowed to have these traits, but this was completely different to the Mr. Rochester that I know.

I know, you're saying, "But Sheila, Edward is really sweet and a deep thinker, and on weird levels, he "gets" women. That is what makes him so mysterious because he's not like typical male characters." Mmm...yes, but also, no. Edward is jaded, what some would call ruthless, dismal, and somewhat bipolar. This rendering of him simply missed the mark for me.

This is not to say that this book is bad. The writing was well-developed and detailed. It simply did nothing to lure me in because of the stark difference in character to what I was expecting.

Since I only made it to 30%, this could have improved later on in the book. At this point, we still haven't even met Jane Eyre and observed her from Edward's perspective. But, for now, I couldn't read anymore. Maybe I will try again sometime in the future.

2 stars.

Mr. Rochester :: Sarah Shoemaker – Coffee, Tea, & Books
https://thislittlechinacup.wordpress.com/2017/05/02/mr-rochester-sarah-shoemaker/

The character of Jane Eyre's Mr. Rochester is enigmatic. I find myself thinking about him and wondering how he came to such a situation and why he does what he does.

As a companion piece to the Bronte novel, which is told from Jane's viewpoint, this novel is wonderful. It presents a rich portrait of the hero of Jane Eyre beginning with his childhood and ending after his marriage to Jane.

While I still don't understand some of his actions, which is a weakness in the novel, I like him better and I delighted in this well-written novel.

You might know this by now, but I’m a huge Jane Eyre fan. I will devour everything and anything related to the book. So when I saw that a book from Mr. Rochester’s point of view was coming out, I jumped on the opportunity like one of my dogs on an errant piece of cheese.

Mr. Rochester did not disappoint. The story begins with young Edward Fairfax Rochester as an unloved second son, torn from Thornfield Hall by an indifferent father to begin his education. The book follows Mr. Rochester though his teen years (banished from his father and older brother to a mill to learn to run a business), through his days in Jamaica (where he meets the mysterious and beautiful Bertha Mason), to his dissipation on the continent (where we meet the opera singer, Celine), and finally, to his fateful journey back to Thornfield where he meets a kind young governess after his horse slips on the ice.

Shoemaker has done a great job of adhering to the tone of the original book; the prose mimics Bronte’s style incredibly well. Shoemaker also manages to bring a fresh feeling to the classic book, while at the same time staying true to the original, no mean feat. In this regard, the book reminds me of Phantom by Susan Kay, another novel which expanded on a well-known story, but remained undiminished even next to the original.

While you do not technically have to read Jane Eyre before reading Mr. Rochester, I would certainly recommend that you read Jane Eyre first. Fans of Jane Eyre should definitely read this book, as should anyone with a love of classic and/or British literature.

An advance copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5/5 ⭐️ Overall, I enjoyed the style of the writing and the story itself. It was nice to catch up with old, familiar characters. I think many of us hold Mr. Rochester in high esteem and I will admit to becoming mildly annoyed with him a few times throughout this book... it was important to show his flaws, certainly, but his constant wallowing in self pity began to get on my nerves as he reached adulthood.
I thought the first third of the novel was near perfection, the author aligned Edward's childhood with that of our dear Jane's; though he didn't experience much direct cruelty, his steadfastness in remaining loyal to his father despite his father's love was endearing and made me immediately sympathize with him. I felt he was growing into exactly who I pictured Mr. Rochester to be.
Obviously, due to the times, there was slavery upon his arrival in Jamaica. There were a few interactions there that made me a little uncomfortable; when Edward seems to have a sort of white guilt, he knows the system is wrong, yet he does nothing to make it any better, let along stop it. Of course, that was not the purpose of this novel, but I didn't love the attempts to make him look like he cared without him actually doing anything to show it. I understand why this was the case but it started to make me see him differently.
And from then on, I began to sympathize with him less and less. When things started to go wrong for him, he really wallowed in it. He seemed to harness an almost hatred for women throughout his travels in Europe. Again, I can see why the author did this, I just expected a bit more of him.
Seeing the love story between he and Jane from his perspective was fun, though I did lose patience for all of his misguided game playing. It did help to explain his actions (from Jane Eyre's perspective) though. The last 20% of the book or so brought me back to the Bronte-style and mood once again and I returned to liking it more.
Throughout, even when I was a feeling less than enamoured with Mr. Rochester, I still enjoyed the read and found myself wanting to come back to it after having put it down.

If you're a fan of Jane Eyre, and don't get too annoyed by adaptations, then you'll enjoy this!

What a fun read for Jane Eyre lovers. Sure to stir lots of conversation in the literary community.

I read "Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte while in high school and loved it. I still do. I love that Jane is a governess. I love that she starts out with a tough childhood and over time finds contentment. I love the grumpy Mr. Rochester and how Jane affects him... So, as an occasional reader of (Jane Austen) fan fiction, when I saw "Mr. Rochester" listed on NetGalley, I jumped (a mile high) at the chance to read it in exchange for an honest review! (On the down side, I can’t include any quotes from the book without requesting permission from the publisher, which I am unwilling to do. So this is a quote-free review, even though I’d have loved to include some.)

"Mr. Rochester" (2017, Grand Central Publishing) is the freshman novel of [author: Sarah Shoemaker] (though she has illustrated a few books). It’s an early 1800’s historical fiction set in England - a retelling of "Jane Eyre" from Mr. Rochester’s point of view. Warning: this review will contain some spoilers for either "Jane Eyre" or "Mr. Rochester."

The story begins with a young Mr. Rochester. Ms. Shoemaker has created a backstory for Edward, which very cleverly parallels Jane’s in "Jane Eyre”! A large portion of "Jane Eyre" is about her pre-Thornfield life. In a similar vein, "Mr. Rochester" is divided into three books, as the reader immediately learns from the table of contents. Knowing this ahead of time created a lot of tension for me as the reader. Even as I was thoroughly enjoying Book One, I was looking ahead to Book Two with some trepidation.

Rating: 5 stars

The initial plot: Soon after the book begins, we learn of Edward’s father’s aloofness as well as his older brother’s cold demeanor. I thought this was very cleverly done and plausibly sets the stage (and the plausibility) for the events in Mr. Rochester’s life as outlined in "Jane Eyre.” From the age of eight, young Edward is separated from his family and sent to stay at a tutor’s house, even for holidays. He is content there, and the telling of Edward’s life with the tutor was fascinating.

Historical Background: I hold this book up as an excellent example of how an author can seamlessly incorporate historical background information, encompassing a wide range of detail and topics, including abolition without the reader feeling that he’s been given a history lesson. No information dumps here. I was particularly interested in the level of detail given to the environment and the customs during Mr. Rochester’s time in Jamaica.

Christian/moral elements:

*Mr. Rochester, just as I think I remember from canon, seems to be somewhat confused about God and heaven. Regarding his morality, he is basically a very good man, which is amazing given all of his losses and the way he is treated by his own family. His choices are immoral from time to time, but for the most part, it is clearly shown that this is one of Mr. Rochester’s methods of escape from the many tragic times in his life. Jane Eyre has a very similar background and yet is steadfast in her morality and in dealing with problems. No wonder Mr. Rochester admires her.

*At one point, Mr. Rochester and Celine Varens each indicate that God must have brought them together. As much as I love "Jane Eyre,” this kind of thinking is very faulty, and just isn’t Biblical. Like I said, I seem to remember this kind of confused thinking in "Jane Eyre,” so if I’m remembering accurately, this is very much in line with Mr. Rochester’s thought process in canon.

*This book is nearly clean. Sex IS included in the story, but it’s basically stated that it occurs, along with an occasional non-graphic description. To get an idea, words used include: roused, on top of, consumed, etc. Mr. Rochester is married to Bertha Mason, and it is naturally a part of their history. Every instance of intimacy is within marriage and is completely relevant to this story so that the author may portray Bertha’s character and the state of their marriage. I did not love Bertha’s requests for Rochester to f**k her, but I understand why the author included it. (Surprisingly the f-word was apparently around at the time of the story, but I doubt the phrase “f**k me” was used. However, I couldn’t think of anything better for the context… Bertha also called Rochester a b**tard, and I don’t know if that definition of the word was in use at the time.)

What I liked:

*I really love the cover. I usually try not to comment on the cover of a book because it doesn’t necessarily reflect the quality of the story, but really… This cover is something special!

*This book is that it does such an excellent job of answering the many little questions I’ve had about Mr. Rochester’s words, actions, and background. Well done!

*The author manages to make Mr. Rochester’s background fascinating to read even though the reader already knows that certain turning points must be included, and in what order. Ms. Shoemaker also does a really nice job of foreshadowing future events.

What I didn’t like:

*I would have liked more Jane Eyre. Jane appears at 70% on my Kindle edition. While I believe that "Mr. Rochester" is a superior tale, I adore Jane and was antsy to read of her. I was sure, however, that she wouldn’t be appearing until Book Three, so that helped me to be somewhat patient. (Book Three begins at 56%.)

-------------------------------------------

I’d bet that Ms. Shoemaker has a great writing career ahead of her if she chooses! I recommend this book to all "Jane Eyre" lovers! And I recommend "Jane Eyre" to those who haven’t read it!

Sarah Shoemaker's first novel Mr. Rochester retells the story of Jane Eyre from the point of view of its hero. Readers are offered a richly imagined look into Rochester's life before Jane. Under Shoemaker's hand, the brusque, tempestuous hero is transformed into a innocent child, a victim of his father's cold calculations, a naive lover, and a man determined to do the right thing. Shoemaker gives us a kinder and more lovable Rochester.

The novel is told in the first person, and linear in time, a comfortable and cozy read that felt very 19th c. Rochester's childhood has a Dickensian feel with the early death of a beloved mother, a cruel elder brother, and a cold and incommunicative father.

Unlike Jane, Rochester is provided with a first class education under a fair master. He makes dear friends at school; like Jane, one of Rochester's school chums dies. When his father deems it time, Rochester is given a tutor and sent to university. In Paris he fell into a loose life, meeting the dancer who becomes his mistress and whose daughter Adele he later takes in.

After his less than stellar performance at university, Rochester is apprenticed to a fatherly mill owner. He redeems himself as a hard worker and loyal surrogate son. Finally, it is revealed that Rochester is to inherit his father's West Indies plantation, and it is soon apparent that the beautiful Creole Antoinette is chosen to be his wife. Rochester's happiness is shattered as he realizes his wife is mad. He has been used badly by his father; his paradise becomes a hell.

Rochester truly wants to keep his vow to Antoinette's father to take care of her, and he does his best, first in the West Indies and later in England. But in the end, he has no choice but to lock her away in the Thornfield attic, for the safety of all.

When Jane arrives on the scene we learn the motives behind Rochester's manipulation and testing of her attachment. His endeavor to divorce his mad wife is curtailed as only by proving her adultery can he obtain a divorce.

Readers learn the historical background to Rochester's story, including Jamaican plantation life and it's reliance on slave labor and the Luddite rebellion against the mechanization of labor.

The novel stands on its own for those who have not read the Bronte novel, or like me, have not read it in several years.

According to a Goodreads poll there are 94 books inspired by Charlotte Bronte's novel Jane Eyre. I previous have read Jean Rhys' Wide Sargasso Sea which redeems Bertha from madness, the story of a sensual Creole who suffers under Rochester's Victorian morality and white man's fears. It also has a compelling description of Jamaican slavery and the fomenting slave uprising.

For over two hundred years Bronte's novel has remained a favorite. It was one of the first 'classic' novels I read, through Scholastic Books, and before that the Classics Illustrated Comic Book had been one of my favorites. It appears that the appeal of the story is not going to flag anytime soon.

I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

What a wonderful book! Finally Mr. Rochester's story and it's a fascinating, tragic story, there is also the backstory of Adele, Rochester's father and brother. I enjoyed this book so much that I can't stop thinking about, thank you for the arc.

3 stars

Let me first say, this was not a bad book - not by any means - so don't be deterred to read it because of my average rating. This novel was well written, it had everything that was important to include in a decent read (likable characters, smooth writing, good story, etc.), but yet, it was just so ... boring.

I don't know if I just wasn't in the mood to read it, however, from chapter one I felt exceedingly uninterested and immensely tired. Which baffles me, since the writing and everything else was executed so well!

Overall, I will definitely come back to this - because my rating just doesn't feel right. There was nothing lacking with this novel, except my lack of of interest with it - but that's solely on me.

Thank you NetGalley, for the opportunity to review this!

Credo che se avessi chiamato il blog "Jane Eyre è il mio romanzo preferito!" la cosa non potrebbe essere più nota, come credo di aver palesato più e più volte la mia diffidenza - generalmente ben ripagata... - verso i vari derivati e retelling che ogni tanto fanno capolino, fra cui annovero il romanzo più brutto mai letto, l'abominevole Charlotte di D. M. Thomas >.<.

Generalmente, ma non sempre; e ogni tanto la mia compulsione a prendere in mano suddetti retelling mi ricambia con qualcosa di assolutamente delizioso (Il caso Jane Eyre di Jasper Fforde) o con un inaspettato, ottimo romanzo storico.

Da qui in poi attento, lettore mio, perché lo spoiler è in agguato.

spoiler-alert

Mr. Rochester non è solo un retelling di Jane Eyre visto dalla parte di Rochester: come Jane racconta la sua storia partendo dall'infanzia, così fa Edward, ricostruendo il freddo, distante rapporto con padre e fratello e i lunghi anni di formazione, intrapresi senza sapere perché e monitorati a distanza dal genitore.

E' un Edward Rochester costantemente afflitto dalla solitudine quello che vediamo: raggelato nei rapporti familiari, ansioso di compiacere il padre, costantemente deluso nella richiesta di affetto, lega con i suoi maestri e trova degli amici, per vedere la malattia e la morte portarli costantemente via.

E' anche un Edward Rochester ingenuo e fiducioso quello che si vede, corrotto lentamente dalla solitudine e dal tradimento di chi avrebbe dovuto averlo a cuore, fino ad avvicinarsi, dopo il ritorno dalla Giamaica, all'uomo cinico, manipolatore, disilluso del romanzo originale.

Ma mentre il romanzo funziona in maniera impeccabile fino al ritorno in Inghilterra - eccellente la ricostruzione storica sia della vita afosa e languida nel Caraibi come di quella nella grigia realtà dell'Inghilterra industriale come quella delle spensierate avventure capestri di tre ragazzi mandati da un istitutore molto particolare - è proprio dal ritorno a Thornfield in poi che la caratterizzazione di Rochester inizia a traballare: l'autrice cerca insieme di seguire il personaggi tratteggiato da Charlotte Bronte e insieme dare un ritratto di Edward che ne scusi i comportamenti prevaricatori e manipolativi del romanzo originale.
A mio parere, non funziona, come non funziona la descrizione della passione di Edward per Jane: sembra nascere pressoché dal nulla, e nell'omettere buona parte dei dialoghi originali viene a mancare il tocco di sfida che la giovane istitutrice ha sempre avuto nei confronti del padrone. Viene raccontato, ma non mostrato, perdendo efficacia e credibilità.

Inoltre, devo ancora capire che necessità ci fosse di introdurre Gerald, l'improbabile figlio illegittimo di Bertha e possibile erede di Thornfield Hall: un tocco da feuilleton che niente aggiunge e qualcosa toglie alla credibilità e scorrevolezza di un romanzo che comunque vanta un'ottima scrittura, personaggi solidi e un'eccellente ricostruzione storica.

Peccato, appunto, per questi dettagli.

Received this as an ARC through Netgalley. First of all, I only rated this three stars, but it's more like 3.5/4 for me. My brain is still in the book and I don't feel like I can rate it properly right now. I must say I am surprised I picked this up at all. I have tried reading "Jane Eyre" multiple times and never gotten through it. For me though, it almost felt like this, Rochester's story and the story of "Jane Eyre" through Rochester's eyes had more meat to it. I found his perceptions and his life very much more interesting than I thought I would. I also enjoyed getting his backstory. In parts of "Jane Eyre" I have gotten through, he always feels like this big mystery. I think seeing more of him and understanding his emotions more, lent to "Jane Eyre" enough to make it where I am actually considering going back and trying Jane again. Overall, interesting and I'm glad I read it.

Pulled in by the gorgeous cover and the enticement of being able to finally view the world through the eyes of Edward Fairfax Rochester, I was excited for this read.

Upon opening I discovered this is written in 3 books (parts), each being broken up into his life from childhood through the grand finale of happily ever after with Jane. While I can appreciate the similarities to the order in which the story is presented following along Charlotte Bronte's own Jane Eyre. The first book covers his childhood, in which he is removed from Thornfield and sent away first to a small home in which he receives his education, and then on to work experience in a Mill, while finishing in Cambridge. We see quite clearly the distinction between the value of hierarchy in the family line. His older brother Rowland seemingly to have all the advantages and direct tutorship of his father. I found it equally sad that absence of a loving mother figure, in the same ways I felt the loss of affection that Jane also experiences of childhood. Being of a different social class makes no difference when it comes to lack of loving home life.

The second book tackles the quite distressing but inevitable nail in the coffin experience of Edward's removal to Jamaica.. Meeting and being beguiled into the doomed marriage to Bertha Mason. The opportunities he is given to make a change of course, but naively choosing not to. I appreciated his moral approach, which must have been quite rare considering the acceptable norms of infidelity of the day. It is of no surprise then when he finally regains ownership of his beloved Thornfield, he has is compelled to run away to Europe to escape the misery of his predicament. Naivety yet again, lands him in the clutches of Celine Varens, and an affair that will produce yet more misery ultimately. The future care of Adele. For someone that is attempting to do the right thing he seems to be in a never ending cycle of self-destruction. Its actually quite depressing to read.

The final book then is what most readers will be waiting for, the actual 'opposite' view of the beloved Jane Eyre story. There isn't a lot that adds to the experience, and many readers and fans may be disappointed. Minor characters fall a little flat, with little emotional connection between them and the reader. He often refers to the games that he plays with Jane over Blanche Ingram, and yet questions why Jane can't see what he is really up to. Its not really very bright.

Overall, a good read that as it develops becomes more enticing, I have to say I found huge chunks of the beginning 2/3 very tedious and like a historical biography, more than an actual experience to loose myself in. Longer than average book, not a quick read. If Mr. Rochester is your literary idol, then I'd say its worth a read, because your heart is already in the game!

Thanks to Netgalley & Grand Central Publishing for the complimentary digital copy. This is my honest review.

Well, <i>Mr. Rochester</i> is no <i>Jane Eyre.</i> But then again, Mr. Rochester is no Jane Eyre.

The author certainly had a challenging task in front of her with this one: <i>Jane Eyre</i> being, of course, among the most beloved novels of all time. It is one of my all-time favorites, and I've read it enough times to know it very, very well, as I'm sure will be the case for most readers of <i>Mr. Rochester.</i> Each of those readers is likely bringing their own interpretation of this character with them when they sit down with this book, and that can be a recipe for disappointment if the story you are presented with doesn't match your own take on the character.

That said, I think Shoemaker does a good job here. However, I think I would've preferred a more nuanced examination of a very complicated (and indeed, problematic) leading man. I think a lot of Rochester's darkness is somewhat glossed over here; the fact is, much of his behavior in <i>Jane Eyre</i> is questionable if not downright bizarre; I would've loved more acknowledgment of that.

I do recommend this book for any fans of <i>Jane Eyre.</i> There's a good chance this Rochester will not match up with your own personal interpretation, but it will get you thinking again about Bronte's wonderful story, and how those characters continue to fascinate and resonate with us even now.

As most people who will choose to pick up this book, I am a fan of Jane Eyre and any other book written by the Bronte sisters. They have a way of clutching my emotions and drawing me into their stories as if they were reality. That being said, I have always wondered a bit about Mr Rochester. He and Jane's attraction for one another has been a bit of a mystery to me, so I thought it would be intriguing to read his point of view.

Mirroring Jane's own journey, this novel begins with Edward as a small child. He is largely ignored by his father, teased by his brother, and left to whatever amusements he can find for himself in Thornfield Hall. It is not until his father sends him away to a tutor that Edward forms any true relationships. Watching Edward's childhood pass by in a series of arrangements that his father makes for him without discussing or explaining them helps the reader see how he became the man he is in Jane Eyre. He is obedient to a fault, and this leads to the events that harden his character.

Rochester as a child deeply feels disappointment and loss in a way that explains why he is so guarded later in life. He is close to few but is a deep thinker, so this book takes us into his mind.

"Why had I so easily assumed there would always be another time, another chance?"

"The future is as uncertain as the weather, knowable only as far as one can see on each day, and therefore just as unpredictable and, just as unkind."

The heartbreak and neglect that he suffers helped me form a greater sympathy for and attachment to the dark, mysterious lover of my precious Jane.

His battle to cope with the wife he is tricked into taking on also created greater sympathy for Rochester. While it is easy to read Jane Eyre and wonder at his great deception, in this book we see just how much he had done for poor, mad Bertha.

"Still, she was my wife; I had taken her for better or for worse, though none of us imagines beforehand how bad the worse might be."

I only wish that the revelation of character had continued once Edward and Jane's stories came together. Instead of continuing to be a deeper look at Rochester's thoughts, here the novel becomes a quick retelling of the story that we already know. It is still difficult to see the love growing between Jane and Edward. In fact, one wonders at how cruel this previously thoughtful and sensitive man could be toward the woman he claims to love more than any other.

He has suffered disappointment and disillusionment, but his actions toward Jane still don't seem to fit with the character that Shoemaker has created. The romance is there because we know it is, not because we see it happen.

If the Jane portion of the story seemed a bit rushed and didn't answer all the questions that I had hoped it would, I still greatly enjoyed this story. I feel a closer connection to Rochester having read it, especially through feelings he experiences that are easy to share, such as "I ran from the room, my mind at once full and blank, if such a thing is possible." Yes, it is possible. I feel for you Edward, as I did not before.

I received a copy of “Mr. Rochester” from Netgalley; my review is voluntary.

It’s difficult to pick up a book like this one and not have great expectations. Its title alone promises the moon. Brontë’s Rochester is something of a dynamic and sultry figure, the brooder we all love despite the secret madwoman locked in his attic. He’s a character that many readers – those who know “Jane Eyre” – know well. As Jane tells us her story, she tells us his too, and most readers will intuit his ways and reasons for being. We know he’s sour and churlish and petulant, and when we discover his marriage to Bertha, alongside Jane, we begin to understand why he is the way he is. At least, that’s how I always experienced the novel …

So I was curious to see what Sarah Shoemaker would do with him, the choices she’d make to show us how Rochester becomes Jane’s Edward. I’m disappointed to tell you there’s not much showing at all. This novel is boring, and at times either reads like an exercise in biography, or as if the writer had used a history text to fill in some of the content. The episodes of Rochester’s life mirror Jane’s to a certain extent and yet the choice to do this is done with a heavy hand. It’s obvious Shoemaker wanted her novel to remind the reader of Brontë’s but the problem comes from the fact that “Jane Eyre” is filled with intrigue and mystery. “Mr. Rochester” reads like a bland re-telling of a life whose fate is already set to course.

Shoemaker, it seems, is working to get to where she has to, and yet she reveals nothing new along the way. No risks are taken, and no rich character development forged. We learn about Rochester’s upbringing and education, and we’re told about his disappointments and heartaches, but we never actually experience them with him. Everything seems to be at arm’s length, which I think is due to too much telling and not enough showing. Nothing is being digested, only talked about. This, I assume, comes down to the writing. While there’s nothing wrong with it technically, it feels stilted and depthless.

This look at Rochester isn’t insightful, either. I didn’t close the book with a feeling of knowing why he fell in love with Jane. It’s more obvious in “Jane Eyre” because we too have fallen in love with her by the time she reaches Thornfield. But Shoemaker’s Thornfield is without incident and mystery, and there’s no initial moment when Rochester falls in love with his governess. He just does, almost immediately. There’s nothing in his life, in fact, that makes it seem plausible for this to happen. Unless we’re supposed to make a connection between Jane and Touch, and see her as a surrogate for the friendship he lost. But even that’s a bit of a stretch, or at least too clinical. The episode with Touch seems more about mirroring Jane’s experience with Helen at Lowood than anything else.

There was so much more in this novel that bothered me, though, from the undeveloped episodes with Bertha and Céline (both women too one-dimensional to understand), to Rochester’s inexplicable adoration of Thornfield (which again seems an attempt to mirror Jane’s affection for it), to the lack of change in his perspective from one age to the next, to his inconsistent behavior once he goes to Paris, to his finding Pilot – a stray, no less, to the contrived storyline with Bertha and Rowland (a possibility for intrigue that went nowhere quickly), to the disregard for the Gothic elements that so richly adorned Brontë’s novel, to why Rochester keeps his secret from Jane (the biggest missed opportunity here), et cetera, et cetera. I have notes of things I thought I’d complain about, but it’s too tiring to do so, and no one has asked my opinion, so I’ll let it rest here. I would never suggest you pass up reading any book, good or bad, so I won’t. But fans of “Jane Eyre” may not find the fan fiction they’re looking for here …

Wait! One last thing. The multiple mentions of Austen’s novels were a little too ‘wink, wink’, and the Epilogue was … oh boy … nope, I’m done.

Magnificent! If you are a fan of Jane Eyre, you must read the book. This is HIS story, from his own sad, lonely childhood to the beautiful happy ending for our beloved Jane and Edward Fairfax Rochester. So much greater understanding of the sad life and behavior of our H, told in the style and voice one would fully expect from him. To find that his life was equally solitary and melancholy, subject to the machinations of his manipulative father, explains his desire to marry Jane although he has a mad wife already. This is truly a work of love by the author. What a wonderful book. I received this as an ARc in exchange for an honest review, and I honestly adored it, and am eager to re-read Jane again!

I did not finish this story as I did not engage with the story on any level.