Salt & Broom by Sharon Lynn Fisher

 

Summary (from the publisher): A gifted healer unravels the mysteries of a cursed estate—and its enigmatic owner—in a witchy retelling of Jane Eyre.

"Salt and broom, make this room
Safe and tight, against the night."

Trunks packed with potions and cures, Jane Aire sets out on a crisp, clear morning in October to face the greatest challenge of her sheltered girls’-school existence. A shadow lies over Thornfield Hall and its reclusive master, Edward Rochester. And he’s hired her only as a last resort. Jane stumbles again and again as she tries to establish a rapport with her prickly new employer, but he becomes the least of her worries as a mysterious force seems to work against her. The threats mount around both Jane and Rochester—who’s becoming more intriguing and appealing to her by the day. Jane begins to fear her herb healing and protective charms may not be enough to save the man she’s growing to love from a threat darker and more dangerous than either of them imagined.

Review: In this retelling of the classic Jane Eyre, young Jane Aire is a teacher and healer at the all girls' school where she was raised. She has lived there since being dropped off as an infant and stayed on after she finished her studies to teach. But the head of school informs her that she is being sent to Thornfield Hall, whose master, Edward Rochester, has contacted the school to hire a girl trained in the arts of witches to help rid his estate of a mysterious force. Jane and Rochester grow increasingly drawn to each other, all the while the force at the estate seems to grow in strength and threatens the life of the man Jane feels increasingly pulled towards. 

The author has certainly captured the tone and spirit of Jane Eyre in this novel. Jane comes across as a mournful, lonely figure who is still steadfast and independent. Despite her lowly origins, Rochester feels drawn to this strong young woman. 

I had a hard time with some of the changes Fisher made. I liked the brave choice to make this book supernatural in nature. Jane in this version is required because of her skills as a witch and because Rochester knows that some sort of force or spirit is stalking his estate and himself. I didn't love any of this, but it was basically fine, albeit Jane's skills as a "witch" were poorly fleshed out. And it did provide a way to retell the story without it being another governess tale. 

However, I didn't like Jane's altered origin story in this, which imagines her abandoned as a baby at the school and reveals who her parents are as the novel progresses. Additionally, in the original Jane Eyre, much of the reader's admiration for the main character comes because of the struggle poor, young Jane endures. She is abused and cast out by her only remaining relative, her aunt. She is poorly treated at school until she finds a single friend. But then she loses her friend in another terrible stroke of luck. The reader is given far fewer opportunities to build compassion for Jane in this book. In fact, her childhood is skipped over entirely, as this book opens when she is a young woman. I found the character development somewhat lacking as a result. 

Ultimately, I found this to be just ok for me. I love the original novel so it's hard to improve upon it. I do think the author did a great job replicating the tone and atmospheric feel of the original novel. But some of the plot changes fell flat for me. 

Stars: 3