‘The Wife Upstairs’ brings Jane Eyre into the world of Ubers and f-bombs
By Kendall Franz
When broke, spunky Jane — if that’s even her real name — lands a job walking dogs in the gated community of Thornfield Estates, where gossip is currency and the mansions are ridiculously huge, she soon learns the meaning of “mo’ money, mo’ problems.”
Rachel Hawkins’ debut adult fiction novel “The Wife Upstairs” takes a fun, modern twist on “Jane Eyre,” the 1847 gothic classic by Charlotte Brontë. Hawkins immerses readers in a world of competing housewives and the mystery of the handsome, brooding widower Eddie Rochester.
Eddie’s wife, Bea, drowned with her best friend in a boating accident six months ago, but their bodies were never found. Although Eddie and Jane take to each other quite quickly, Jane immediately notices there’s something off about Eddie and his wife’s presumed death. In fact, there’s something off about all of Thornfield’s wealthy residents.
Brontë’s “Jane Eyre” is the story of a lonely orphan who’s been mistreated and cast aside her whole life by Victorian society. Jane lands a job as a governess at Thornfield Hall, where she falls in love with her employer, Mr. Rochester, but a deep secret threatens to tear them apart.
Brontë’s Jane is intelligent and principled. Throughout the novel, she struggles to find the harmony between love and her desire for independence.
Hawkins’ Jane, however, is anything but the perfect heroine.
She’s deceptive and has a knack for stealing jewelry and forgotten trinkets from her rich clientele. While Jane does have feelings for Eddie, she’s mainly using his money as a shield against her dark past.
Despite being a little self-serving, Hawkins’ Jane is a more honest reflection of modern feminism.
“The Wife Upstairs” echos the mysterious and suspenseful nature of “Jane Eyre” with a plot that’s riddled with murder, love and manipulation. Hawkins recycles the names of characters, but completely reimagines them and their relationships to Jane. She even gives a voice to Bea Rochester, the dead wife whose story was never fully explored in Brontë’s novel.
Where “Jane Eyre” is heavy and complex, “The Wife Upstairs” is funny and refreshing, but still packs a punch.
While the superficialities of life in Thornfield Estates can be obnoxious at times, Jane’s relatability provides a clever and entertaining read. It’s sharp, eerie and fast paced. Hawkins’ is a bestselling young adult fiction author, so her writing is naturally light and casual.
Is it the insightful hallmark of feminist literature that “Jane Eyre” was? No. “The Wife Upstairs” lacks the depth of Brontë’s writing, and honestly, it’s hard to feel any real attachment to the characters. But maybe that’s what makes it work — you never know who to root for.
If anything, “The Wife Upstairs” finally gives Jane the ending she deserved almost two centuries ago.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars
“The Wife Upstairs” is available on Amazon or at Barnes & Noble in paperback, hardcover, audiobook or e-book. Prices range from $10.90 to $27.99.
