John Eyre Review

This was my first book by author Mimi Matthews and it definitely will not be my last.

Yorkshire, 1843. When disgraced former schoolmaster John Eyre arrives at Thornfield Hall to take up a position as tutor to two peculiar young boys, he enters a world unlike any he’s ever known. Darkness abounds, punctuated by odd bumps in the night, strange creatures on the moor, and a sinister silver mist that never seems to dissipate. And at the center of it all, John’s new employer—a widow as alluring as she is mysterious.

Sixteen months earlier, heiress Bertha Mason embarked on the journey of a lifetime. Marriage wasn’t on her itinerary, but on meeting the enigmatic Edward Rochester, she’s powerless to resist his preternatural charm. In letters and journal entries, she records the story of their rapidly-disintegrating life together, and of her gradual realization that Mr. Rochester isn’t quite the man he appears to be. In fact, he may not be a man at all.

From a cliff-top fortress on the Black Sea coast to an isolated estate in rural England, John and Bertha contend with secrets, danger, and the eternal struggle between light and darkness. Can they help each other vanquish the demons of the past? Or are some evils simply too powerful to conquer?

I don’t even know where to begin honestly, I have always loved historical fiction – its part of the reason I’m an English Literature and History major but I have not read a book like this for a while. It was a delightful Victorian gothic drama that Bronte herself would have been proud of, intertwined with gender reversal roles, romance and a theme of light and hope. It moves between thriller and mystery that had me gripped and completely riveted at the relationship that starts to form between John Eyre and Mrs Rochester and I really enjoyed following this through the novel.

This book provides so much more than just a retelling of the classic novel Jane Eyre – it also retells a second story but I don’t want to give an spoilers just trust me when I say it is an intriguing mix and it really works.

There is absolutely nothing to dislike about this book the characters are extremely well written, the setting is perfectly described and deliciously gothic and I would go as far as to say that it is even more gothic in setting than Jane Eyre is.  Every chapter in the novel poses a question that leaves the reader literally begging/devouring the chapter to get an answer only to start all over again in the next chapter. Everything that I adored in Jane Eyre was in this novel but Mimi Matthews also elevated it to a new level.

I read this so quickly and has now become a new favourite book of mine as well as Mimi Matthews becoming a new favourite author. Please pick up this book and give her some love, I wish I could give more than 5 stars but sadly I will have to make do with 5.