Jane Slayre

I have always been a fan of both the classics and paranormal fiction, but I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about them mashed together. Jane Slayre made up my mind for me. I love it! Sherrie Browning Erwin stays true to the writing style of the original, but skillfully works in an edgy paranormal flair. (*Literary Purists, avert your eyes*) The paranormal elements actually make some of the Jane Slayre scenes more entertaining to read than the originals! This book has the same great characters and timeless romance, but with added entertainment value. You can't go wrong. I highly recommend this book to anyone. And Literary Purists: it just might convince you, too.

There's been a gaping hole in my heart since May 20, 2003. That was the day the final episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer aired, and since then, the world of sinister and wacky has been lacking... something. World, we have a new vampire slayer, and her name is Jane. Who knew Jane Eyre could be so much fun written as a mash-up? This novel took me completely by surprise. Not only is it so beautifully written that Charlotte Brontë's ghost might have guided the author's pen, but it's also delightfully disturbing. As the story opens, a young orphaned Jane Slayre is living under the guardianship of her aunt, Mrs. Reed. Mrs. Reed and her three children are vampires, and Jane is forced to copy their bloodthirsty, nocturnal lifestyle despite her mortal condition. She lives in fear of her cousin John (who has a taste for her blood even if it is too common), and is constantly chided by a maid named Abbott, who possesses curious, detachable limbs which the devilish Reed children like to rearrange as she sleeps. Jane dreams of vengeance and sunlight, but has little hope of either. And then a miracle: Weak and bleeding after an attack by her cousin, Jane is visited by her dead uncle, who urges her to pursue her destiny as a Slayre. Jane determines to do so, and as she gains confidence, her undead aunt gains a new fear of her, finally sending her away to a girls' boarding school. Jane's adventures have just begun. She spends eight years at school, where she receives an education not only in French and music, but in battling zombie classmates and a wickedly opportunistic overseer. Jane secures the safety of the school, but begins to yearn for more from her life. She gains employment as the governess to a child in the charge of the brusque Mr. Rochester. But at Thornfield Hall, dangers abound, from lurking vampires to a beast which emerges on the full moon to devour cattle and leave their remains strewn in trees. Amidst the intrigue, Jane cannot help falling head-over-heels for Mr. Rochester; but if they are ever to live happily ever after, she must first uncover the truth about who - or what - her beloved is hiding in the attic. Here Mr. Rochester benefits from Ms. Erwin's retelling. It is infinitely easier to sympathize with Rochester's decision to keep his wife locked away in the attic when said wife is a lunatic werewolf. And if he conceals such sordid facts from Jane, who can really blame him? Other character tweaks involve St. John Rivers; though he's still got a you-know-what stuck up you-know-where, his passion for designing weaponry brings the story a flash of steampunk that one can only hope will be explored further in future books from Ms. Erwin. But what really carries the novel is Jane herself. She's the same good old Jane that Charlotte Brontë first gave us: unflinchingly brave, at once both plain and remarkable. What she does, she does wholeheartedly, whether it's staking the undead, or falling in love. In that, Jane Slay

Bravo to this author for being brave enough to face the hordes of literary snobs (such as myself) that would bristle at the thought of their beloved Jane Eyre being toyed with in any manner. I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed this book so much...the thought of Jane stalking around the manor slaying vampires was just brilliant! What an image! I am thrilled with this and would ask all other literary snobs to give it a chance. It's a cross between Jane Eyre and Buffy the Vampire Slayer...too good to pass up.

First thing's first. If you are a Charlotte Brontë purist, you may not like or appreciate JANE SLAYRE by Charlotte Brontë and Sherri Browning Erwin. This story is similar to the original in the way 10 Things I Hate About You was similar to Taming of the Shrew; close enough to recognize the story, but that's about it. If you've ever read and liked these kind of adaptations before, I'm fairly certain you'll love this book. If you would rather keep Ms. Brontë's the story the way it is in your mind and don't want to experiment, don't read it. That being said, I highly recommend this book. Full of the paranormal, this is like crack for those of us who love the classics but just can't seem to get enough dark and creepy in our books. From the first page you'll get hooked as we meet Jane Slayre and learn a little bit about the family she is living with. While her cousins weren't my favorite children in the original, they are hilarious in this adaptation. Hilarious, but certainly not nice. You see, Jane has the unfortunate circumstance of living with a bunch of vampires. Not really something that to stick on a resume or use to boost one's social status. Like any good heroine in a paranormal story, Jane quickly learns that there is more to her history than she knew. She is a slayer, destined to hunt down creepy blood-suckers and end their miserable existence. All while wearing a dress and bonnet mind you. Can't have a girl's hair go frizzy, now can we. Probably the best aspect of this story was the hilarity of the situation. I haven't read a whole lot of these adaptations, so the whole idea is still pretty fresh and new to me. I just loved that I could revisit a favorite story of mine with a brand new twist thrown in. Combine that with the fact that one of my favorite romances now has an edge of suspense to it and you've got one heck of a book. Did I mention there are werewolves in JANE SLAYRE? Oh yes, there are! Zombies, vampires, werewolves...a paranormal girl's dream come true! Will Jane end up with Mr. Rochester? Will Mr. Rochester eat Jane? You'll have to read to find out! Yep. Loved it. Definitely recommend it. Even if this didn't have the original classic to cling on to and use for publicity, this would still be a great book. It can easily stand on its own against any paranormal out there right now. Well, that's my opinion anyway. What do you think Charlotte Brontë would say? I would hope she'd have a sense of humor and get a good giggle out of this story. I know I did.

Being raised by vampyres doesn't change Jane's destiny as a slayer. She has a duty to rid the world of these creatures but it becomes a problem when she falls in love with a man who whose first wife is not only a werewolf, but also living in his home. In the end will love conquer all or will Jane be forced to live alone because of her responsibilities with the paranormal world? I thought this book was fantastic! I really loved the twists and turns, it was almost like a roller coaster ride. Two thumbs up!