Raise the Dead: A Jane Eyre Retelling by Nina Clare (A Classic Retold book 5)

Life is just about perfect for Jane Eyre, now Rochester. She’s happily settling into married life, until a young woman faints on her doorstep. Suddenly the past refuses to stay buried, and Jane must venture into both heaven and hell to save her family.

“Light will show what is hidden from me.”

If you loved Jane Eyre, you will surely love this sequel. Clare does an excellent job capturing the essence of the characters from the original and pulling them into an all-new story of light and darkness.

The gothic elements of the original are pried open to reveal the fantastical, yet the supernatural elements are not glorified in any way. Jane’s forays into heaven and hell are reminiscent of Pilgrim’s Progress.

One caveat: I do not like Rochester at all, and this story has only increased my dislike of him. We know for a fact that he cheated twice on his first wife, Bertha, and yet she is the one who has slander spoken against her. I also think Jane is too perfect of a character. However, if you are a fan of the original, then this story is the sequel you’ve been waiting for.

5 Roses – My dislike of the main characters has nothing to do with Clare’s writing. She has a beautiful writing style and holds true to Bronte’s work, which is not an easy feat.
Some kissing and a married couple cuddling in bed. References to infidelity.
No swearing.
No violence, but the depictions of hell may be disturbing to younger readers.

(Thank you to the author for the ARC of this book. This is my honest review.)