But wait: In the meantime, I read another book that I think most readers of this blog would enjoy.
Not Forgetting Adèle takes place in the Victorian Era, during the time of Jane Eyre. I am a Brontë fan and have been ever since I was a teenager, and I always wondered about the young girl in Jane's care when Jane was the governess in Jane Eyre. Here is my review:
Julia Harbour’s gothic mystery, Not Forgetting Adèle, is a sequel to Jane Eyre. The novel’s protagonist is the young girl Jane taught when she was a governess at Thornfield Hall. Edward Rochester had rescued Adèle after her mother, his former mistress, abandoned her in a Paris hotel and made him Adèle’s guardian. As the story opens, the grown Adèle has joined the Rochesters in their new home at Southfield after two years at a finishing school in Geneva, Switzerland.
At this point in her life, Adèle is haunted by two questions: She would like to know why her mother abandoned her, and she would like to have her secret conviction confirmed that Rochester is her true father. While in Switzerland, she learned of her mother’s new marriage to an Italian count. and wrote a letter to the newspaper that posted the news. She is hoping the letter will be forwarded and inspire a reply. It is this letter that sets the tale in motion, a tale with subplots and twists and turns all deftly handled by this author as she weaves them into a satisfying conclusion.
Harbour knows her Victorian England and give us scenes that ring true. Her characters are well-rounded—and full of surprises. (More than one person is not who he or she claims to be.) Adèle is an appealing protagonist, spunky, a bit insecure from her difficult start in life, but determined, adventurous, caring. The chemistry that grows between Adèle and the mysterious Jack Whitaker (not of her class) keeps good tension throughout. Jane, now a mother of two and expecting a third, provides a serene foil to the stormy Edward and the conflicted Adèle. And familiar characters from the original Jane Eyre, including Jane’s cousins, show up in new roles. Not Forgetting Adèle is a pleasurable read on all counts.
You can get a copy of Not Forgetting Adèle HERE .
On another note, I hope you have a safe and enjoyable Christmas and Hannukah and Kwanzaa, or any other holiday you celebrate at this time. It is heartening to read of the two vaccines that have come out and will eventually be available to everyone. Till then, stay safe and well during this Covid-19 crisis. Please do follow all the precautions.
How will you be spending the holidays? Normally, my husband and I spend Christmas Day with our god-family in Martinez and stay overnight to avoid night holiday driving. This year we will stay home and do some phoning and Skyping. And reading, of course!
