Cover Image: Jane, Unlimited

Jane, Unlimited

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Member Reviews

I enjoyed the multiple storylines and possibilities. and it was fun to read! Five choices that can change your life. Anything is possible- choose your own mystery.

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I tried to like this story even though this genre isn’t my favorite but I liked the idea. The writing was drawn out and exhausting.

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*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.

This is definitely an interesting book. We follow Jane as she travels to an island to meet some friends of her Aunt but when she arrives things take a weird turn. Before long she finds herself being offered the chance to change her life story by being given five different options to choose from. This definitely makes things a little strange though it is an interesting idea. I tried to get into it but it was hard at times. Still an enjoyable read overall though so I give it 3/5 stars.

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I was not interested in this book enough to finish it. I am sure that others will feel differently as each of of has different interests.

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An easy recommendation for my students who can never seem to pick a genre. I love how the author scrambles the "Choose Your Own Adventure" / multi-verse idea into a wholly original multi-genre novel. I've never read anything like this, and I was hooked! Jane herself seemed more like a cipher to the wild narrative than a fully-realized character, which makes sense as an authorial choice, but left me wondering more about Jane as a person. Definite purchase for my collection.

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This reminded me of a Name Your Adventure book where you didn't get to pick which path to take. I thought this before I read the author's note in which she mentioned this book was Name Your Adventure-esque. It was very bizarre and at times, difficult to follow. The story was original and interesting and that is what kept me reading

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I wish there were slightly more choices but also every ending was something amazing. I wanted more of each. A clever idea.

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Wonderful read! I loved the way the story developed using multiple genres to complete the narrative.

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This was fun! Jane, Unlimited is a very unique story that's unlike anything I've ever read. It is very well-written and complex... a little strange. I had no idea that it was inspired by Rebecca, which makes me happy... but I didn't see it so it must have been very subtle. Recommended!

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This book experimented with multiple realities. It was adventurous and a little audacious, not content to stay within the lane of the conventional YA adventure/romance. It took some risks. Some of them paid off more than others, just like some of the potential realities explored were more compelling or interesting than others. I think other books will be inspired by it.

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Jane, Unlimited was a very interesting book to read, but it is very different from Kristin Cashore's Graceling series. A story that takes on the concept of parallel worlds, and what makes someone themselves, this book got a bit confusing until the end when everything began to fall into place. While it was disconcerting at first to be tossed into what felt like entirely new books every chapter, it was overall an enjoyable read. I prefer the Graceling, but this was still a fun read that I would suggest to teens who are interested in science fiction.

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Not everything is as it seems in real life or in a book. If you've ever felt alone and looking for the right path to follow, suspend belief and dive into this book.

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After the death of her beloved Aunt Magnolia, Jane is lost. When an old friend pops into her life with an invitation to a lavish gala, Jane accepts without thinking, partially to escape the doldrums and partially out of an obligation to Aunt Magnolia who made her promise to never turn down an invitation to this particular house. What she discovers there will change everything.

Jane, Unlimited was so utterly delightful. I love Jane so so so much with her underwater creature inspired wardrobe and the umbrellas! Wonderful fantastical umbrellas. While the idea behind the novel isn't original, it is used neatly here. I love the different narratives and how there are ties between each of them, echoes, if you will. Obviously the ones with maximum Jane and Ivy are the best, they are all intriguing. If you're looking for another Thursday Next, look no further. This has a Ffordeian feel to it and will be a delight for all who love capers, mysteries, multiverses, and wit.

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Kristin Cashore is a delight, and this book was a twisty puzzle that I enjoyed attempting to unravel. It almost reads like a collection of short stories, written in different formats or genres. It's very different from her other books set in the Graceling Realm, and quite a departure from other YA literature. Highly recommend!

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The unique approach to write the same story in different styles was fine for the first three genres but lost me at the alternate singularity science fiction version. By that point it was hard to keep which character to trust straight and I was unable to finish the book. Ambitious execution, but disappointing overall.

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I think we all wanted another Graceling novel, which makes this novel look bad even though it was okay.

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Always a great read from this author! For those who are willing to read outside the Graceling world, try this for something different.

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DANG!! This book hooked me slowly, and then suddenly I was ALL IN and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it for days. This book felt like reading a concoction of North by Northwest and We Were Liars and A Wrinkle in Time and The Amber Spyglass with a pinch of straight-up horror and also hope. I am blown away.

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What a weird, wonderful, original book. It’s got a cute dog, a sprawling mansion on an isolated island, umbrellas, priceless art, spies, a library worthy of the Beast, velociraptors, pirates, parallel universes, Doctor Who pajamas, y’know, all the typical stuff you find in YA Lit.

Grieving her adventurous aunt who tragically died during an expedition to Antarctica and feeling lost, Jane jumps at the chance to spend some time at Tu Reviens, the island mansion home of Kiran, a family friend. Upon arriving, Jane is overwhelmed by the size and opulence of the mansion and by the quirkiness of the assorted people currently staying at the house (only a few of them family members). She’s thrilled to have her own suite of rooms, space to create her art (though she wouldn’t call it that, Jane makes umbrellas), and a new constant companion in Jasper the Basset Hound (don’t worry, he doesn’t die - dogs always seems to die in books). She’s not so thrilled and definitely confused by the mysteries that abound, including who stole the Brancusi sculpture, what happened to the Vermeer, how did Charlotte (Kiran’s stepmother) disappear, did some of the people in the house have something to do with the kidnapping of two infamous children, and more. Early in the story, after all of these mysteries are set up, Jane arrives at a crossroads. Does she follow Mrs. Vanders, the little girl, Kiran, Ravi (Kiran’s twin brother), or Jasper the dog? Fortunately for the reader, she makes each choice. Author, Kristin Cashore, brilliantly writes what would happen if Jane made the choice to follow each of these characters. Because of what the reader learns about parallel universes, at the end, we know that these were not just “choose your own adventure” type of choices or some kitschy writing technique; Jane did, indeed, make each of these choices. Cashore writes this in a way that isn’t overly repetitive (genius). It does get a bit confusing at times but overall it’s just original and whimsical.

Without having read anything about the plot of this story, the second Jane arrived at the mansion and met the housekeeper, Mrs. Vanders, I knew that this book would somehow include a nod to one of my favorite novels, Rebecca (some of the major plot points of which include the mansion Manderley and a super-creepy housekeeper named Mrs. Danvers). I also detected some Jane Eyre and Alice in Wonderland influences. Many parts of the book had me thinking of the movies Sliding Doors and The Royal Tenenbaums. In Cashore’s notes, she discusses the Rebecca and Bronte references and mentions several others, too. I love how she took her loves and influences and turned them into this creative piece of literature. Although I loved and appreciated this book, I know many won’t. It’s definitely out there and will only appeal to strong-reading, literature-appreciating teens, and adults. I’m also sure that many fans of the Graceling series will be disappointed that Cashore’s long-awaited follow-up wasn’t more of the same. To them, I say just reread Graceling. I’m glad to see Cashore branching out and can’t wait to see what her genius brain comes up with next.

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I am currently purchasing books for our secondary school library for our senior students. I am trying to provide a balance of genres and periods and really try and introduce them to a wide range of modern fiction. This book would definitely go down well with a hypercritical teenage audience as it has a bit of everything - great characterisation and a narrative style that draws you in and keeps you reading whilst also making you think about a wide range of issues at the same time. I think that school libraries are definitely changing and that the book we purchase should provide for all tastes and reflect the types of books that the students and staff go on to enjoy after leaving school. Jane... is the kind of book that you can curl up with and totally immerse yourself in and I think it will definitely go down well at my school. I think that it was the perfect blend of page-turning fiction with a strong narrative voice too! I think it would be a big hit with our seniors and will definitely recommend that we buy a copy as soon as we can.

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