I love, love Kristin Cashore's writing. GRACELING is one of my all-time favorite books, so needless to say, I truly appreciated the writing and the tone for this novel. Two-thirds of it was an incredibly absorbing read. I loved the call-backs to Daphne duMaurier's REBECCA, an influence Cashore herself acknowledges. I was intrigued by the mystery of the house, the characters.

However, the last third of the book shifted into a fantasy novel that failed to capture my attention. I appreciated the beauty of the story and the writing, though. Cashore is truly imaginitive and she is a gifted story teller!

The novel is definitely worth a read for lovers of mystery and fantasy, and fans of Kristin Cashore.

It has taken me a couple of days to put together my thoughts about Jane, Unlimited. This is a weird book and that is not a bad thing.

Jane, Unlimited is the story of a young college dropout dealing with the loss of her aunt Magnolia. Fulfilling a promise to her aunt to visit Tu Reviens if ever invited, Jane travels to the mysterious Thrash estate on a mysterious island. One she arrives, Jane meets the cast of characters on the island and then the real story begins.

It is hard to classify Jane, Unlimited, which I think is one of Kristin Cashore goals. It is in turns mystery, a thriller, a horror story, a science fiction story and a fantasy story as each path that is laid out for Jane is followed. The story restarts to a specific point and Jane chooses the next step and the next step is straight into a new genre. It takes a little bit of time to get into the writing style and I think that may be part of the reason the first two genres are my least favorites. I loved the third genre for sheer unusualness (this got the red squiggles, I know it's not a word!) and the fourth genre was really creative. The fifth genre felt a little lack luster to me- I wanted to know more. It is hard to talk about my feelings on the ending because there were technically five endings but the fifth and final ending felt a bit too neat.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for the opportunity to read and review Jane, Unlimited by Kristin Cashore. Jane is stuck in a rut, unhappy with her present life situation because she's lost her loved ones and feels alone and desolate. Kiran, Jane's ex-tutor, invites her to visit her rich family on their private island. She takes Kiran up on her offer and meets many new people. Jane accidentally eavesdrops and overhears a strange conversation. She discovers the jobs that Kiran's family members and visitors pursue. Two art pieces are missing, presumably stolen, and Jane wants to solve the mystery. When the art mystery is solved, Jane learns about her aunt's true past. Then the plot changes somewhat and the story becomes more science fiction than mystery. The story just got weirder and weirder after that with strayhounds and a place called Zorsted. Though, I do appreciate the author’s notes that help explain the path of writing that this book took during its creation and the research and sources that she used. 3.5 stars.

This book is weird, confusing, and exhausting.

I've seen reviews where Jane, Unlimited is described as five stories in one, and, while that it is true, it's not very accurate. There are five different stories --or paths-- and there is one protagonist and one main setting, but it's more of a Choose Your Own Adventure where you don't get to pick the path-- it's chosen for you. (In fact, in the author's note at the end, Cashore states that at one point in the book's life, it was a Choose Your Own Adventure.)

Think House of Leaves + Lost + Doctor Who + The Invisible Library.

Jane promised her late aunt Magnolia that should she ever receive an invite to Tu Reviens she should go. After receiving an invite Jane gets caught up in the strange happenings of the mansion and its inhabitants. Jane, Unlimited takes awhile to get going but once it does readers will find themselves in a wonderful world where everything has more layers than one expects. This book goes in several surprising directions that explains things that you may not notice when you first encounter them. Reading this book requires a lot of patience but patient will be greatly rewarded. Think of this book as a puzzle that becomes more complete as you move along.

The premise of Jane, Unlimited had me hooked. And let’s face it, Kristin Cashore is a genius, at least I think so. Part fantasy, part mystery thriller, part choose your own adventure, Jane, Unlimited starts out strong. The idea of a mystery was intriguing enough, but add in a magical element or multiple dimensions and heck yeah!

I really enjoyed Jane playing detective. All of the characters are so odd and untrustworthy. It was fun as she tried to uncover what exactly was going on, while also trying to determine who was credible and not. (Full disclosure: I trusted no one!) And the mansion itself was a character, I think. Just truly an exceptional setting. There’s also a ton of diversity amongst the cast, which is a draw for many readers.

The plot is mostly well done. I think some things were added hastily or not fully used, but for the most part it’s enjoyable. Though I admit for the entire book I had no clue what was going on! It’s confusing and odd, but brilliantly written. Cashore’s writing is nearly flawless. I must applaud her in writing such a complex story, because something of this magnitude had to be hellish to complete.

This review is probably as confusing and erratic as the story and for that I apologize. I did enjoy the story, just not as much as I’d hoped. The execution of this one just wasn’t as great as I wanted it to be. There was a lot of intrigue and build up, but ultimately, I felt the work that was spent there came without a big payoff. I think Cashore is brilliant and look forward to her future works! I do recommend everyone at least give this a try. It’s so unique that my explanations (and anyone else’s) won’t do it justice. It’s truly something you have to experience for yourself.

Inspired by Rebecca and Jane Eyre, Jane Unlimited has a gothic, mysterious feel, but none of the suspense or even romantic tension. Jane is a rather forlorn character, limp and mopey, yet with a sharpish tongue. She’s grieving the death of her fabulous, accomplished aunt, the one who raised her when her own parents died, when she’s invited to dreamy and surreal Tu Reviens. There, she quickly enters a rarified world of wealth filled with artists, art lovers, art dealers, art investigators... a Brancusi goes missing, then a Vermeer is discovered to have been replaced by a fake. People are wandering around in the middle of the night with guns. There’s talk of a pair of scientists who’ve uncharacteristically robbed a bank and then disappeared with their children, something about a missing smallpox strain. Meanwhile, Jasper the hound, has taken to Jane like a long lost friend. Jane has taken to Ivy, who’s part of the staff, but also something else. It’s all weirdish and quirky. Then the dimensional travel and alternate universes come into play. It’s a fascinating concept to see what unfolds when you choose various courses of action, but it makes a very, very long and overly repetitive story. I would recommend this only for the umbrellas, which I loved.

It’s hard to know where to start in my review of Kristin Cashmore’s Jane, Unlimited. I haven’t read any of her books before, though I’ve eyed Graceling several times, so perhaps her fans will approach this unusual story through a different lens.

I had a digital ARC to read and because of the inherent problems with formatting that often come with these, and perhaps the fact that I really knew nothing about the novel’s structure, I became confused pretty early on. I confess that I stopped reading and did a little research online where I learned that Cashmore had initially thought to write a choose-your-own-adventure style of novel, and ultimately wrote one where various sections of the novel show the reader the what-if of different directions the story might take. Knowing this prior to reading would have helped me with my early struggles, I’m sure. But did I appreciate the structure? I’m not sure.

All the same, there’s plenty to appreciate about this novel. The writing is rich, especially when describing the umbrellas that Jane crafts. I never thought of umbrellas as works of art and I wish I could reach out and hold each one imagined here. Jane’s struggle with grief following the death of the aunt who raised her is raw and moving. As much as I was intrigued by the various mysteries set forth at the beginning of the novel, how Jane would come to terms with her loss quickly became the heart of the story. Most of all, you have to recognize the creativity of this novel. A structure that weaves in gothic horror, spy thriller, science fiction, fantasy, and mystery is truly unique and gives the author unlimited opportunities to showcase her vivid imagination.

I guess I would’ve liked Cashmore to have chosen one direction. I thought, boy, this book has really jumped the shark, on more than one occasion. And although I found beauty in the way Jane ultimately found peace (and answers) in dealing with her aunt’s death, it didn’t leave me feeling satisfied.

This book’s uniqueness may not be for everyone, but I recommend giving it a try. You can always put it aside if you don’t like it; but maybe, like me, you’ll want to keep reading just to see where the journey goes.

I have never read anything by Kristin Cashore, but really liked the synopsis of the book. Jane, a now orphan, has been invited to a remote island her now deceased aunt had once told her to "promise me, if you are ever invited, you will go". Jane sets off with her former tutor, on what seems like an ordinary time away.

I was not prepared for the book to turn into a "choose your own adventure", and was engaged in the story until the "second" adventure started. I was confused as to why things were being repeated, with different twists. To be honest, by the "third" adventure, I was sick of it & wanted to just have an ending. The sci-fi switch with the last section did me in and I skimmed through.

Sorry to say, this was not my chosen genre, but I see that others, especially those who love Sci-fi, have loved it. I am glad for the chance to have read her book, & hope that others will enjoy it.

Originally posted on Forever Young Adult on 2017 September 20.

BOOK REPORT for Jane, Unlimited by Kristin Cashore

Cover Story: Confuddled
BFF Charm: Heck Yes!
Swoonworthy Scale: 6
Talky Talk: Gothic Echoes
Bonus Factors: Art, Giant Mansions, Umbrellas, Loyal Pets, Clue
Relationship Status: Obsessed

Cover Story: Confuddled

Is this a huge spray of water coming towards me? Really shiny metal? I’m doing that thing where I stare at the cover with my eyes open really wide like that will help me see better, but it’s not making this…whatever this is any clearer. But even if I did unlock the mystery, it’s still super boring and tells you absolutely nothing about the book contained within the pages. It’s a hard book to pin down, so I get that the jacket designer probably had a tough go of it, but Jane makes beautiful umbrellas. SURELY they could’ve mined SOMETHING from that?

The Deal:

Jane is an ordinary, aimless college dropout still grieving the loss of her dear Aunt Magnolia when she runs into her old tutor, Kiran, an obscenely rich socialite who can’t figure out what career she should go for since she really doesn’t need one. Impulsively, she invites Jane to her family’s mansion, named Tu Reviens, and Jane feels like this is Aunt Magnolia speaking to her from beyond the grave.

See, right before she died in a blizzard in Antarctica, Aunt Magnolia made Jane promise that if she was ever invited to Tu Reviens that she would accept no matter what. So Jane packs her bags and a selection of her favorite umbrellas (because they are her art and she makes them, not because she is a weird umbrella-lady) and follows Kiran to the family’s private island off the coast of New York.

From the moment she arrives, Jane soaks up the strange and mysterious atmosphere of the lovely but eclectic estate, searching for clues as to why Aunt Magnolia would send her there. But Jane also needs to keep an eye out for herself, because at Tu Reviens, nothing and no one are what they seem.

(There is so much going on in this book, dear readers, but to explain any more would ruin the fun.)

BFF Charm: Heck Yes

Jane was orphaned when she was young, so she was raised by her wildlife photographer aunt, who was the center of her world. Now that she’s gone, Jane has no idea what to do with herself. I think we’ve all felt what Jane is going through at age nineteen: the confusion over your place in the world as you struggle to figure out who you will become as an adult. The actions she took during the book felt like decisions I could see myself making if I were in her place, so I feel like she has a good head on her shoulders (if I may say so myself—and I do). At her core, Jane is smart and thoughtful and a nerd just like us (she wears Doctor Who pajama bottoms and makes Harry Potter references with the best of them). I would gladly give her my BFF charm and go sneaking about a giant house with her in the middle of the night.

Also, her jellyfish tattoo? So cool.

Swoonworthy Scale: 6

There is no shortage of attractiveness for Jane to feast her eyes upon, like Ravi, Kiran’s dramatic and sexually-voracious twin brother. But as charming as he is, Jane keeps finding herself drawn to the beautiful and mysterious Ivy, who lives and works at the house as one of the staff (and grew up playing with Kiran and Ravi).

Jane hasn’t had much experience in the romance department, and this book is, in part, an exploration of her sexuality, but she’s comfortable enough with herself to be open to all possibilities. I liked that the portrayal of her romantic explorations was given a thoughtful examination but was still treated as commonplace and normal (because it is). There is always a need for more sex positive diversity in YA!

Talky Talk: Gothic Echoes

I think many fans of Cashore’s previous Graceling series have been eagerly awaiting a new book of hers for what feels like forever, and I’m thankful to say that the wait was not in vain. The elements of what I liked about her writing are still there: that dreamy play of words, wry humor, and complex subjects. I saw echoes of Bitterblue in Jane, but this is a completely different genre with a modern protagonist, so Jane still felt like her own character.

Cashore was clearly influenced by the Gothic novel—I mean, an orphan gets invited under enigmatic circumstances to a slightly spooky, unnerving mansion filled with strange and furtive characters? It hits all the right notes. But lest one gets comfortable thinking this is merely a straightforward play on the genre, the reader (and Jane) get thrown some curveballs in the form of choose-your-own-adventure-esque intrigue. This is the kind of story that you almost need to go back and reread as soon as you finish because you’ll realize you missed so many little clues.

Bonus Factor: Art

Octavian, Kiran and Ravi’s father, is, like his forefathers before him, a huge collector art, so Tu Reviens is filled to the brim with priceless Vermeers and Rembrandts and all manner of sculptures and photographs. The characters in the book are art enthusiasts, and even though I have just a beginner’s level of knowledge on art, I was swept up in their passion for it.

Bonus Factor: Giant Mansions

Tu Reviens is one of those houses you dream about visiting (maybe “living in” for you, but, honestly, I can’t even imagine living in a place with my own pool and bowling alley and three story tall greenhouse. It both boggles the mind and makes me unbearably bitter, and no one needs me to go there), like one of my favorite mansions, the Biltmore estate in Asheville, North Carolina (why, yes, I’ve been there three times and I regret none of it).

Bonus Factor: Umbrellas

Umbrellas keep our heads and arms dry and give us something to swing about when it’s not raining, or just something to constantly leave behind in a restaurant booth. That’s about the extent of my interest in umbrellas. Jane, however, designs and creates her own umbrellas by hand, turning a simple human convenience into a work of art. They sounded lovely, albeit not always completely practical, and I wish I could’ve “seen” them in real life.

(I may have created the above image on one of those coloring apps because now, whenever I think of umbrellas, I think about this book.)

Bonus Factor: Loyal Pets

Jasper the basset hound is the kind of dog everyone wants.

Bonus Factor: Clue


Janie has stepped into a veritable board game of mystery, and she even at one points starts writing down all the suspects and checking their alibis, just like in a game of Clue. She’s basically living the movie, with less zany antics.

Relationship Status: Obsessed

It’s been more than a month since we dallied, Book, yet I’m still thinking about it. I think it’s safe to say that our affair was intense and dazzling, and while you may have confused me at times, your mysterious ways served only to intrigue me more. Tell me it won’t be long until we meet again.

FTC Full Disclosure: I received my free review copy from Kathy Dawson Books. I received neither money nor peanut butter cups in exchange for this review. Jane, Unlimited is available now.

Jane, Unlimited is fascinating from beginning to end. The plot is not so much chronological, as layered. The book is about finding your passion, your love, your family; where and with whom you belong; what it means to be home. What it means to be yourself.
This book defies description. It grabbed me and wouldn't let go. I'm still enthralled. Jane, Unlimited is unlike anything I've read before.
Jane promised her Aunt Magnolia she would accept an invitation to the house, Tu Reviens, if she ever got one. When Jane does receive an invitation, after Aunt Magnolia's death, she accepts.
At Tu Reviens the unlimited nature of Jane, and all the characters, is revealed. By the end, the book has answered the questions inherent in Jane's journey. It's definitely a journey worth taking.

Jane, Unlimited is a complex, elegantly written exploration of grief for a sophisticated older teen reader. This is a compelling puzzle of a novel. for readers willing to let themselves be immersed in the surreal world Cashore has created.

Having never read a book from Kristin Cashore before, I wasn't sure what kind of story to expect. I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly I was pulled into Jane's story and wanted to see what happened next in that mysterious house. I was not expecting the "choose your own adventure" spin, and I was definitely not expecting the sci-fi/fantasy twist halfway through the alternate endings. I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about the book taking that sort of turn, since it was originally coming off as a mystery/thriller, but the final two endings turned out to be some of my favorites. I enjoyed the author's writing style, so I will probably search out more works by her.

Before Jane's beloved aunt died on an Antarctic expedition, she made her niece promise to visit the ancestral Thrash mansion. So, when her old friend Kiran Thrash tosses out an invitation to a gala at Tu Reviens, Jane packs up her umbrella-making supplies and heads to the island. She is immediately swept up in multiple mysteries involving stolen art, missing people, spies, and the multiverse. At a certain point, Jane makes a fairly inconsequential decision that sends her life spinning off into five radically different directions. Like Tu Reviens itself, this novel is a hodgepodge straining to find a unifying spirit.

Feeling directionless and alone, Jane is struggling with the loss of her beloved Aunt Magnolia, an underwater photographer who raised her as her own child. Before Aunt Magnolia embarked on her fateful trip to Antarctica, she made Jane promise one thing: if she is ever given a chance to visit Tu Reviens, she has to take it. So when school acquaintance Kiran Thrash invites her to this very place, Jane makes the first of many choices that change the direction of her life. Through a cast of eccentric characters and unexpected twists, Jane, Unlimited examines grief, betrayal, and the endless possibilities that are available to us if we only stay open to them.

While the intrigue in this novel runs the gamut from art heists, espionage, and kidnapping, what makes Jane, Unlimited stand out is the narrative structure. Cashore has managed to blend elements of mystery, science fiction, and fantasy by following Jane down several different paths, each directed by a seemingly insignificant choice Jane makes in the mansion. Each journey provides new insight to the overall narrative, but because the reader is returned to the same point again and again, it started to feel a bit redundant to me. I think the story might have been better served with fewer alternate realities.

There were also lines of Cashore’s writing that struck a chord with me, particularly the descriptions of Jane’s feelings of grief and betrayal. Jane is constantly seeing reminders of Aunt Magnolia, like glimpses of light and color that remind her of the blue blotch in Aunt Magnolia’s eye or the lining of her favorite jacket. These moments felt very real to me, as I could image that feeling of being suddenly struck by a memory of loved one.

Although I wouldn’t classify this as a romance, I appreciated Cashore’s treatment of Jane’s bisexuality. Jane is attracted to two residents of Tu Reviens – Kiran’s brother Ravi and the enigmatic Ivy, an employee of the Thrash family. What is unique about this is that Cashore never makes a big deal out of Jane being attracted to both a man and woman – she just simply is, and it isn’t examined beyond how each person makes her feel.

A bit weirder than I expected, Jane, Unlimited has the unique ability to be both character-driven and plot-driven all at once, as well as incorporate elements of multiple genres. While the unique structure drives the story, we watch Jane’s feelings and sense of self evolve as she makes sense of her new life sans Aunt Magnolia. While I had a bit of trouble buying into some of the stranger plot twists and staying engaged with the story through the alternate realities, I would still suggest this to those looking for a fresh and challenging teen read as well as fans of complex stories and unusual structures.

While I've been eagerly anticipating Kristin Cashore's return to publishing, this one didn't work for me. Half the time, I had no idea what was going on, and I couldn't connect to the any of the characters.

This is a clever absorbing novel that defines genre and age classification. It will probably push Cashore out of a young adult fantasy label, and cast her into a more literary role as author. It’s clear that this book has taken some time in crafting, and the end result is impressive and entertaining.

There will be readers who want more of Cashore’s fantasy style, so it would be easy to be disappointed if you go into Jane, Unlimited with that in mind. While there are fantastical elements at play, this sits more on the speculative fiction or magic realism spectrum, rather than the traditional high fantasy sub-genre. Readers are placed very firmly into a contemporary setting, and Jane is suffering uncertainty of her future in a very modern way – what should she do with her life? Find a steady career that will provide financial security, or risk an Artist’s Life? And yet, while it’s an important underpinning of the plot, this element is downplayed when we see that her anxiety really stems from the crushing grief over losing her beloved Aunt Magnolia.

Jane’s voice is lively and snarky. In her head, we see her counter many of the comments made by privileged and powerful people, but her demeanour is often quiet and accommodating. As the novel progresses, and Jane paradoxically becomes more assured and less knowledgeable, she speaks out, and makes braver choices. Her growth is inevitable but comes at a cost—more loss, and hard truths revealed. But of course, there are also great gains: a new love, a strong friendship, and a place to call home.

I am not certain how much to share of the specific workings of this narrative. Reading an advanced copy doesn’t give much of a clue as to how the final format will deal with the conceit of the book—that Jane lives through five different versions of the same three days. In the electronic ARC, it’s not clearly delineated the first couple of times, but by the third iteration, the transition is smoother and more acceptable. Do try to read this in print form, as it will allow for a much easier flicking back and forth, which is necessary at certain points in the novel.

It’s interesting what knowledge is gained and forgotten as Jane moves through the alternate realities. As observers, our role is to be memory keepers and hold the undeniable facts in our mind, even as they mutate slightly to the varying events and outcomes. We cling to some of the best results, and discard those moments where the villains go free. It’s a tumultuous experience for readers, both emotionally and intellectually. Trying to keep track of Jane’s explorations and discoveries means we need to accept that life is often messy and humans are flawed. We might also secretly wish that a place like Tu Reviens could actually exist, and allow us to work through our own emotional journey like Jane. She truly is unlimited by the end, having opened her heart and mind to the infinite possibilities life offers.

Thanks to publisher, Kathy Dawson Books and Netgalley for providing an advanced copy. Highly recommended to curious and eccentric readers who are on the look out for sophisticated and unexpected stories. There is much discussion and appreciation of Art and the role it plays in people’s lives, and a smattering of unusual relationships. There is also a message about being openhearted and non-judgmental regarding people’s circumstances, and a obvious love of animals, and a concern for the environment. Romances are quirky, the dialogue is sharp, and the journey is well worth taking.

Jane, Unlimited will be out in the US on September 12, 2017.

This book was...interesting. I was okay with the first half, but didn't really enjoy the alternate realities/endings. 2 or 3 would have been okay, but it just got confusing. Maybe in the actual book it will be easier to tell where one stops and another starts? Otherwise, I think this would be confusing for a lot of my students.

I was so excited when I saw this on Netgalley. I loved the Graceling series and was so looking forward to a new book by Kristin Cashore that I’m not even sure that I read the synopsis. So I had no idea what I was in for. I will confess that I almost didn’t finish this. I unfortunately started it when I was a bit jet lagged and my tired, fuzzy brain couldn’t handle it. So I decided that this was the issue, not the book and started it again when I was better rested. I also decided that it was the way my kindle app was formatting the book and made it hard to read. Once I switched to the Blue Fire reader, things got even better. Let this be a lesson to you, don’t start complicated books and poorly formatted books when you are really tired. You won’t enjoy them.

Once I got a handle on the book it was pure joy to read. It is really five different stories that all tie together and tell one complete story. Wait did that make sense. It really is hard to explain without giving anything away. Let’s say it is like a choose your own adventure story (remember those?) but instead of skipping around you just read straight through the five stories. Still sounds confusing doesn’t it, don’t worry just go with it and it will eventually make sense.

I loved Jane, she was smart and a little sassy and very creative. I would certainly buy one of her umbrellas as they sounded amazing and beautiful. I loved the way she could totally immerse herself in creating one of them and not care about what was going on around her. She also was very curious about what was really going on in Tu Reviens and even though some of her choices led her into some interesting stories, she did what needed to be done and got through it.

There are many characters that Jane interacts with on the island, the amount of interactions varied from story to story so it was sometimes hard to relate to the other characters. Their personalities also changed somewhat depending on the story. But I really liked Kiran in most of the stories, even when she was behaving aloof and kind of snotty. I also liked Ivy, who was the most mysterious of all of the characters even though Jane related to her the most. I’m still wondering why she was taking all of those photographs. I really liked that she would just say a random word out loud that would be a high score in Scrabble, I really liked her quirkiness. Ravi, Kiran’s twin brother, was the one who seemed to change personalities the most in the stories, but he was passionate about the art and loyal to his family and friends. Many other characters populate the book and stories and all were unique and interesting.

As I said before there is really five stories that tie together into one. The main ties are a missing family, stolen art work, a painting with an umbrella, and Jane’s Aunt Magnolia. All of these plot points are in the stories, even when the stories themselves go off in another direction. Sometimes conversations get repeated in the stories, but won’t be exactly the same as before or will take place in a different room or with a different person (can you see why my sleep deprived brain got confused?) But all of this keep you on your toes and wondering where it will all end.

This is an exciting story about how your choices can make a difference in your life and what it might be like if you made a different one. Highly recommended.