Autumn bookclub - Thornfield Hall by Jane Stubbs

[Daisy]

Clover - so far I haven't had to hide behind the sofa! I'm 64% through it (good old Kindle!)

[Gemini]

I have started it, and enjoying it.

[Plantaholic]

I was a bit late getting the book and I am a slow reader so I bought it on Audible and I too am enjoying it

[Daisy]

I've finished, and have dismantled my hiding place behind the sofa!

[Gemini]

Feel free to add your comments ladies. I intend to as soon as I get the time to do it

[Daisy]

As you know, I was a bit uncertain about whether I wanted to read this at all, but gave it a go. I found myself drawn into the world 'below stairs' and the everyday lives of the 'lower classes'. Even within the servant class there was a very clear hierarchy which was well-portrayed in the early part of the book.

I've already forgotten some of the characters' names! However, I thought Bertha's second carer was just a little bit too good to be true - but it worked within the framework of the story. I would have liked to have seen Jane feature more prominently. But I did enjoy the book and didn't feel the need to hide behind the sofa.

I'm interested to see what everybody else thought.

[Plantaholic]

Sorry, I had forgotten that the review date was lst Nov. I have listened to it on Audible and found it an interesting insight to the housekeepers role. It was a story about life below stairs and the 3rd floor and I think it worked. Not sure about the end when Alice, the housekeeper managed to get away with the fact that it was not Bertha that died.

[Daisy]

Plant, I agree, I think the ending was improbable and it almost seemed as though the author was struggling to keep her main characters 'happy' and couldn't face the Bertha she had pulled back from madness being the victim of the fire.

[Clover]

I quite enjoyed the book but wouldn't want to reread it.I found it a bit improbable that Bertha was kept a secret for so long even though it was a large house and also that she was virtually "cured" by the end of the story. The convenient ending also seemed a bit contrived but after all it is fiction!
I agree I would have liked to hear a bit more about Jane and I kept waiting for some reference to her that I could recognise from "Jane Eyre"

[Daisy]

Clover - I think what we're feeling is that parts of Jane Eyre were quite dark, and the mood of Thornfield Hall was in a much lighter vein. I had expected more Gothic drama - hence my hiding place behind the sofa!

[Plantaholic]

I wonder if the author had to restrict her use of the original book her novel was based on

[Daisy]

Interesting thought, Plant. I don't know if Jane Eyre is in copyright or not, but I would have liked the author could have included more about Jane that wasn't plagiarising the original.

The ending was a bit of a let down, and too cozy, when we already knew the ending of the original. It did feel like a book about the past written in the present day, and lacking the 'life in the raw' of Jane Eyre. That's not to say I didn't enjoy it!

[Clover]

I wonder what made the author want to prelude such a famous story when it was inevitable that references and perhaps comparisons would be made. A hard act to follow! Has she written anything else completely original ,I wonder? I liked her style and it was easy reading so I think I would enjoy another book by her.

[Plantaholic]

Interesting article Mary Sharratt talks to debut author Jane Stubbs about ...

https://historicalnovelsociety.org/mary-sharratt-talks-to-debut-author-jan...


Mary Sharratt talks to debut author Jane Stubbs about Thornfield Hall. MARY SHARRATT. Thornfield Hall cover In the spirit of Jo Baker's Longbourn, Jane ...

[Clover]

Interesting reading Plant.