The Wife Upstairs
Author: Rachel Hawkins
I enjoy re-tellings and modern remakes of classics. It's fun to see how a modern writer takes a familiar plot and makes it their own. The Wife Upstairs is Rachel Hawkins' new vision of Jane Eyre. Jane is a dog-walker in a posh Birmingham, AL neighborhood, Thornfield Estates. Then she meets Eddie Rochester, a widower. Eddie's wife and her best friend drowned in a boating accident. Jane is hiding some secrets, but then again....so is Eddie.
I found this story interesting because there wasn't a single character that I liked. Everyone is a liar, self-absorbed or sneaky. But, really, doesn't every human being have an agenda? I don't want to give anything away.... All I'm going to say is that I got sucked right into this story because I literally disliked every character. But...I pretty much felt the same way about Jane Eyre. Edward is hiding his crazy wife and taking advantage. Jane is too Mary Sue. The servants are all gossips. Edward's rich friends are all classist bigots. The characters in this modern version are still very flawed, but in ways that are bit more recognizable. And a bit more evil.
This tale had a few surprises along the way. It definitely kept my attention from start to finish. It isn't just an update of the plot we all know. There are marked similarities, but enough is different to make this a real update.
This is the first book by Rachel Hawkins that I've read. I will definitely read more of her books. I like her writing style!
I had both an ebook and audio book version of this new release. The audio is just over 8 hours long. Narrated by Emily Shaffer, Kirby Heyborne and Lauren Fortgang, the audio is very well done!
Excellent twisty tale! I enjoyed it!
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own**
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