My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows Review

Overall Review: 4.5/5 Stars

"Prepare for an adventure of Gothic proportions, in which all is not as it seems, a certain gentleman is hiding more than skeletons in his closets, and one orphan Jane Eyre, aspiring author Charlotte Brontë, and supernatural investigator Alexander Blackwood are about to be drawn together on the most epic ghost hunt this side of Wuthering Heights."

Goodreads

Non-Spoiler Section:

My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows (also known as The Lady Janies) is the second novel in this trilogy. Each of the three novels follows a different Jane. This one focuses on classic literary protagonist, Jane Eyre. It is a retelling of the classic novel with a supernatural twist. There are ghosts and Jane is a ghost seer. The Society for the Relocation of Wayward Spirits desperately wants to recruit Jane, however, she knows that they trap ghosts in talismans, while she believes they should be free, so she continually declines the offer.

Just like the first in the series, the Lady Janies never fail to create laugh out loud moments that are so hilarious. They even incorporate real figures into the fictional story of Jane Eyre in a really clever way.

This is the second in the series, but the order in which you read them doesn't matter. The first book is My Lady Jane, which follows Lady Jane Grey, the nine day Queen. The third book is My Calamity Jane, which follows famous frontierswoman, Calamity Jane, and it is being released on June 2, 2020.

This is your SPOILER WARNING! If you haven’t read My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows and don’t want to be spoiled, Stop Reading Now! (Of course come back after you’ve read so we can discuss!!)

Plot (A):

I read this book immediately after I read the first book in the series, I couldn't get enough and had to see how the Lady Janies tackled the story of Jane Eyre.

The decision to make Jane Eyre supernatural and involve ghosts makes perfect sense to me. Jane Eyre (originally written by Charlotte Brontë) has always had a very gothic feel to it. I do think that the possession part got to a point where it was overdone a tad. It got to the point where every time someone acted a bit off, I instantly thought they were being possessed, when that wasn't always the case. BUT, there were some instances where it was so cleverly used to explain important plot points.

The narrators were fantastic again, showing their personalities through their writing. I can't wait to see how they tackle an American setting in My Calamity Jane, as the first two books in the series were both set in England.

Characters (A+):

Jane: Jane was an interesting character to read from. She was very stubborn (not in a bad way), and once she made her mind up about something there was no changing it no matter what people tried to do to persuade her. The authors did a very good job of staying true to the original character from the classic while taking their own liberties and incorporating new elements. Her friendships with both Charlotte and her ghost friend Helen are everything I want in a friendship.

Charlotte: I just have to say, I think it's absolutely genius that Charlotte Brontë, herself a character. She really added to the story. I loved reading from her perspective because of how spunky and determined she was. She was actually probably my favorite character in the story. If she wanted something badly enough, such as becoming a member of the Society, she was going to get it no matter what. She really had to prove herself throughout the story, because she doesn't appear to be tough or intimidating, but I loved watching her character development and proving herself to everyone by the end.

Alexander: I'm not gonna lie, at first, I didn't really understand how Alexander came into play, but I actually think he, arguably, had the most character development out of all our main characters. At the start of the story, he doesn't really have anyone, mainly because he doesn't want to be close with anyone, not even his somewhat dimwitted assistant Branwell Brontë (yes, that is actually the real life brother of Charlotte Brontë). But, I think any scene with both him and Charlotte was done so well, since they brought out different sides of each other.

Setting (A):

Again, this book took place in England, much like My Lady Jane. However, this book has a very different feel to it than the first book did. I actually enjoyed the setting in this one much more than I did in the other one. That is mainly because of the vast difference in time periods (1500's vs. 1800's).

I think the authors did a great job of describing the setting exactly. It had that exact dreary and gothic English literature you'd hope to get from a book like Jane Eyre. Both scenes done inside and outside gave a perfect mental image. When I say I like books that take place in England, I mean when it's done this way. Especially the scene where Mr. Rochester falls off his horse and meets Jane. It gives a very Sleepy Hollow/Headless Horseman type vibe which I think works in that scene's favor.

Aesthetic (A):

I didn't think much of the title at first glance. It's not that I didn't get it, I just didn't give it much thought. However, after reading the first few chapters, (especially those written from Jane's point of view), I totally understand the title. The one word that is used over and over again to describe Jane is... (you guessed it)... plain! Nobody thinks much of her except for the ghosts that she can communicate with. The ghosts think she's great. But Jane doesn't care that other's call her that. She's very aware of her own self worth.

As for the cover, I also love it. I love that it goes so well with the other two covers and can look perfectly next to one another on bookshelves. Nothing is worse than when book series doesn't really have a common aesthetic and look awkward next to each other.

Recommended!!!