I love the novel Jane Eyre. It's is one of the very few novels that I break my no rereading rule for from time to time. So, when I heard about Margot Livesey's new novel, The Flight of Gemma Hardy, I was intrigued as it is pegged as a modern retelling of Jane Eyre. Taking on a novel like Jane Eyre is a bold step, but for the most part, Livesey pulls it off. Most of the action takes place in Scotland in the 1960s. The Jane character, Gemma, is originally from Iceland. When she becomes orphaned she goes to live with her uncle and his family, then to boarding school, and then to be an au pair for an orphaned little girl - sound familiar?
I could probably write a whole essay comparing and contrasting the two novels, but I don't want to. I don't think that is the author's point in writing the novel. If you want to know more about the similiaritis and differences, you'll have to read it for yourself.
I will point out that there is one kind of plot hole that bothered me. *Spoiler ahead* While there is no Bertha character per se, some personal revelations are made that make Gemma take flight from Mr. Sinclair (the Rochester character). However, in my opinion, the revelations aren't that big of a deal. Definitely not big enough to cause one to throw away love and happiness. I went back and read the passages a couple of times thinking I had missed something, but I hadn't. A mad wife in the attic is a much more believable plot twist.
Also, near the end of the book, Gemma heads to Iceland to see if she can learn about her family. This is arguably the best part of the book (maybe because it is where the plot strays the most from the original?) and has gotten me interested in Iceland. I would like to read more books that take place there. If you know of any, please let me know.
I think this book is definitely worth reading. People who aren't familiar with Jane Eyre should appreciate it for the story that it is, and people who are Jane Eyre fans can have fun comparing and contrasting the two.
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