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Jane and I

I Netflixed the BBC Masterpiece Theatre 2006 adaptation of Jane Eyre, starring Ruth Wilson and Toby Stephens. It was on two disks, so I had to get them separately. I watched each twice on the same night before parting from them and now I've bought it from Amazon. I've seen about five other adaptations of Jane Eyre (Cirian Hinds, William Hurt, Timothy Dalton, George C Scott, Orson Welles as Rochesters) and none come even close to this in the slightest. It captures so much of what I love about the book.

Jane Eyre changed my life. That sounds corny, melodramatic, a little pitiful, and strangely lacking in healthy priorities, but I've always felt it to be true. I was fourteen when I read it and I never felt alone again after that. To have it now with pretty people (eta: um. Which I should have a problem with, as the people in JE are not supposed to be pretty. They are in this, gorgeous, but what I meant was well-acted and well-scripted and that. Anyways, they *act* like they are not beautiful, and not in the She's All That way, in the seriously lacking confidence or being gruff way, and that's what matters to me here) to look at is . . . really a dream come true. Which sounds corny and all that other stuff all over again; it's hard to fathom how this could mean so much to me. But it really does.

Anyway, what sucks is I don't know where to talk about this online. Although I've spent the past two years with Buffyverse, I've often slipped away by cover of night to poke around other fandoms like BSG or Beauty and the Beast or Harry/Draco but I can never quite figure, in both the big and tiny fandoms, where the PEOPLE are. There's not a community-feeling like I feel like I have with my (mostly Buffyverse) flist, where lots of people know each other, like each other, respect each other, and talk about things (/Margaret Dashwood). I mean really! How do you go about finding a place in a new fandom? I know this is an age old quandary, a topic of much debate and meta, but how do you go about it?

And where oh where is Jane Eyre's www.pemberley.com?

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I am not fannish about Jane Eyre, but I was also about 14...maybe 13...when I first read the book and it made a HUGE impression on me. I totally identified with Jane and the book was so vivid and exciting and filled with passion and intrigue and perhaps, in many ways, paved the way for the themes which have captured my imagination ever since.

I have not seen the adaaptation of which you speak- but I will Zip it and watch when I am back home.

*hugs you*

The thing is, I'm not sure I'd say I was fannish over it either. At least, insofar as what I usually associate my fannishness with, which is fanfiction. I don't want to read JE fanfic (ok, after this movie I might; it was HOT) and I've never written it in my head. But I spent pretty much a year of my teenagerhood writing meta on it and reading parts of it every single day. It just...I dunno. Means *so* much to me, like really nothing else has.

And you *need* to watch this adaptation. It's really really really feakin' good. Quite long though, so watch out!

And omg, HI! Having fun? Your pictures were *gorgeous*. I hope everything is going well!

I loved this version of Jane Eyre too!!! There is an active forum at Toby Stephens' fansite where they discuss all things Jane Eyre, if you are interested.

The fansite is tobystephens.moonfruit.com

Or the forum can be accessed directly:

www.z11.invisionfree.com/Toby_Stephens

There was also a fairly active discussion at C19 forum; Bronteblog when the movie came out..but it has since died down.

hee! hi, who are you?

Thanks so so much for the link!

I actually registered at the C19 forum last night 'cause I saw someone somewhere else saying there was some discussion there. Yeah, I didn't see much active, but maybe I'll poke through there again. Thanks so much!

I know

the_royal_anna adored that adaptation too. And looking though her LJ I found this. Might it be of interest?

bbccostumedrama

Oh, that looks *awesome*. Thanks so much.

"I knew you'd do me good the moment we met." --Mr. Rochester! omg I'm such a cheese.

I love seeing you be excited over a book. I loved Jane Eyre when I read it as a teenager too, but not as passionately as you (I was too wrapped up in science fiction and fantasy, I guess).

Have you read The Eyre Affair? I think you would enjoy it, if you haven't.

Definitely read it! And quite enjoyed it. However, I probably would've enjoyed it more if I loved JE just a wee bit less. I kept wanting to shout out it, "No, this should include a dissertation on the THEMES of Jane Eyre, and even then it would FAIL, because no one understands that book like MEEEEEE-EEEE!!!!!" But it was actually not supposed to be about Jane Eyre so I let it slide. (o;

I have not read it since I was 14 (I read it for a year when I was that age. Different parts of it every day, like people read the bible; I wrote about it ALL THE TIME, I have bits memorized) because I knew it would never touch me the same way again. But what's funny is just in the past few months, I've been getting really suspicious of my JE love, even more than just knowing for a fact if I read it now it wouldn't be the same because I'm not who I was at 14. I've always known that the novel wasn't the bestest ever written, that it got to me for very personal reasons, but I was starting to think that maybe it really wasn't that special to me, even.

But this movie reminded me that no, it really gets me deep down in my SOUL. Dude. I'm almost thinking about braving the book again.

I'm sorry for the babbling; I just--wow.

I loved all the Thursday Next novels. The Eyre Affair was probably my favorite, with all the stuff about who was *really* the author of Shakespeare's plays. I love the puns and wordplay and just... everything.

Jane Eyre is the only book I've read more than twice (not counting books I reread for research while I was in school). I used to read it on average once a year. I probably read it when I was about 13 or 14, too. My mother had gotten me the "100 greatest Books" in paperback, and I worked my way through them. It was the best gift she ever gave me. Years later, I even got my sister, the non-reader, to read it. It turned her into a reader. I know that when she read it, she identified with Jane. She understood, for the first time, the alchemy that happens between reader and character. I saw its flaws, even the first time I read it. I saw the melodrama, and the all-too-convenient plot twists. It didn't matter. I've never actually thought about why that is. I just loved it. I have to Netflix now. Thanks for the rec.

She understood, for the first time, the alchemy that happens between reader and character.

This is part of what made this book so important to me. What happened between me and Jane (the character) paralleled what was happening between Jane and Rochester. Not the romantic attraction thing, but the understanding of each other as people and their recognition of each other. And most importantly that human understanding can trump everything else. I felt like I had one of those connections, too, even if it was with a fictional character, but I knew that if happened in fiction, Bronte had to understand it too, and if it was such a well loved book, other people could, too. It was like the first time I believed you really, really could touch other people, all the way down, and that made my life and dreams feel worth it.

I know I am being HIGHLY emotional and melodramatic about that novel, but yeah. I understood its flaws, too, and didn't care. I actually thought for a *long* while about how the same things could've been conveyed in a tighter, cleaner, less out there plot, and never came up with anything that could beat what I already had, with all its--what should objectively be--fault. i just guh, love it.

Do, do Netflix this adaptations. I have some criticisms, but they are relatively minor compared to the shining wonderfulness of it overall. I don't think it could've been done better, and leastaways, it *hasn't* been...other adaptations really suck in comparison, imo. Though I haven't seen the 1973 one, which some say is the best.

Ah the Dashwood girls! Love them. Me sister refuses to read/watch any 'bosum heavers' as she calls them. I regularly tell her she is missing out on a beautiful, lush world of ladies and gentlemen- and angst. God the angst in Mansfield Park. It kills me in such a good way. You've inspired me to get out my old favourites. I haven't read them in a while. (:

Sense and Sensibility is my favorite Jane Austen.

I actually don't like Mansfield Park that much. I found Fanny too prissy and moralizing. But a while back I had a realization about her that made me like her better, which makes me want to go back and reread. They did a new adaptation that I think's only been aired in the UK; I'm interested to see it as Billie Piper (from Doctor Who) plays Fanny. I intensely disliked the one with Frances O'Connor.

I *love* Jane Eyre but I actually quite hate Wuthering Heights. I just...can't stand any of the characters in the book and it's never appealed to me.

I have read Rebecca, and do like it quite a lot, though significantly less than the 19th c. kinda stuff like Jane Austen. I actually liked the Hitchcock adaptation more than the book. I love Joan Fontaine and thought she was perfect for that role. I've heard there's another adaptation that's longer and truer to the book. I think I'll Netflix it!

And...that was probably SO much more than you were interested in hearing! I *love* period films and classic lit; your sister is definitely missing out!

Forgot to mention Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights?!? Have you read Rebecca?

Um, speaking of That-Fandom-Which-Is-Way-Too-Scary, I recently (as in less than two weeks ago) got blindsided by the H/D phenomenon. But I'm chicken! Do you have any fic suggestions?

*mutters, hides head in embarrassment*

Oh, dude. I soooooo feel your pain. "Coming out about Harry/Draco" is on my interests list. I just think it's like the greatest thing since...my last otp. HAHAHA.

I have so many recs for you, it's not even cool, so I will try not to overwhelm you.

My absolute favorite writer of this pairing is

mistful. The fic people always rec by her is Underwater Light. Finished, novel length, PG-13ish. The writing in the opening is not nearly as good as the end, and actually overall dislike the plot that doesn't have to do with 'ship stuff, but love the way she writes the characters so hard it's not even funny. So I do rec it.

Another thing that gets recced a lot is, If You've A Ready Mind. Finished, novel length, PG-13ish. I found this hard to get into because I wasn't impressed with the writing and I thought the idea was cliche, but OMG, it's funny, intelligent, witty, SAD, moving, insightful, hot, sweet, and GOOD.

But out of all her stuff, what I love most is Quality of Mercy, WIP, novel length, mostly gen for now. The Harry and Draco in this are to die for.

The other things you NEED to read are Drop Dead Gorgeous and The Way We Get By. (sorry the links are so screwy; she does NOT organize her stuff well.) DDG is a WIP (PG-13ish for now H/D), TWWGB is a gen-ish piece that takes place during DDG from a different POV. The universe has so many of the bad cliches of HP and H/D fic, but it's genius. I highly recommend it, too.

Okay, so I'm utterly her fangirl, hard, which is why I spent so long with her. Now, other stuff.

My next favorite story is Eclipse. Finished, novel length, PG-13ish, that brings together the characters slowly and intelligently.

My next favorite is possibly Invisible to See. Finished, novel-length, NC-17. It's SCHOOLBOYS REALIZING THEY'RE GAY. WITH TIES. But it also has a good plot, and a sensitive portrayal of Draco.

A Thousand Beautiful Things. Finished, novel length, NC-17. Emotioncrack. The plot is contrived, the characters go places that should be crack, but it totally pushed my buttons, somehow.

Origins. Finished, novel-length, PG-13ish. Sort of a classic in the fandom. A bit too much of Draco being too fabulous, but I quite enjoyed it. It's actually three parts but I never got to the other parts because you had to sign up for something to get to them because the rating goes up, later.

(I'm putting PG-13ish on all the ones that don't contain actual sex, in case all you want is porn. But I'm finding, amazingly, that the very best of the long shipper fics don't have porn, and long shipper fics are what I like!)

Big Dick Come Quick. Finished, novel-length, NC-17, almost pure PWP. Kinda a classic, too. I'm putting this up in case you do want straight porn. I don't like the plot, I think the characters are vastly OOC, and I actually don't think much of the writing, but this went straight to kink city for me. But these are my personal kinks so I understand if they don't apply to you.

Harsh and Honest. One-shot NC-17 DEFINITELY pure PWP. This really is straight kink, in case that's what you're looking for. My kinks. Which, again.

I Like The Way. FANVID. Usually I have a problem with the vids because even in GoF they're still just too young, but this is non-explicit, tongue-in-cheek, really funny to me for some reason, and I'm including it for fun.

I...have more. Hit me again when you need a fix.

Oh, happy happy!

It's all

mistful's fault. Well, actually, it's

suki_blue's fault. She recced Drop Dead Gorgeous when I was in the mood for something completely different from my usual fare and, well, I was completely toast.

Vorabiza's Secrets (http://www.thehexfiles.net/viewstory.php?sid=3386) and Resonant's Transfigurations (http://trickster.org/res/transfig.html) just added the jam.

I'm sure I'll be back for more... *mumbles amusedly*

HEE. Drop Dead Gorgeous is so fun. Have you tried mistful's other fics? OMG, I am SUCH a fangirl.

I've never read Secrets...Resonant's Transfigurations is a bit of a classic, but I didn't like it. Oh well!

Drop Dead Gorgeous is the best! I've also read Quality of Mercy & The Way We Get By, so far. Definitely good stuff. I found Transfigurations solid, once I got past the running off to Florida and the new Hermione...

Secrets is hugely long, and probably my next favorite after DDG for the mo'. I almost didn't read it because of some of the setup in the first chapter (i.e., Victoria). I'm glad I stuck it out, though, because the characterization really worked for me, as did the plot. I ended up rereading Half-Blood Prince again just to see if Secrets worked as well as a sequel as I thought. It did!

Oh! *conks head* I did read Secrets, I'm just bad with titles. I read about 2/3, I think. I can't decide whether I like the plot. There were almost too many things going on, but it made it seem like things were complex and a lot was happening. I just didn't think there was enough focus on H/D and why they were together, and the reasons that were there I didn't agree with. To each her own, I guess! I hope you like some of the others I linked--lemme know. If you want, I mean. I love to talk about H/D but fear HP fandom so keep trying to coerce the H/D fans on my flist to chat with me about it. (o;

Oh, I'm a sucker for complicated plot, among other things! I'll certainly be back to chat once I've gotten some of these read. Even

ravenwings_7 just covers her ears and goes 'lalalalala' when it comes to HP fic...

(Yay! Ready stuff!)

Jane Eyre changed my life. That sounds corny, melodramatic, a little pitiful, and strangely lacking in healthy priorities, but I've always felt it to be true. I was fourteen when I read it and I never felt alone again after that.

*heart*

:)

zomg, L, I miss you! *glomps a lot*

I KNOW!!! I've been thinking about you!

I have been BORING of late. I'm not even interested in my thoughts. It's sad, really. Made hordes of notes on the fic snippets, but didn't actually write anything because lynnevitational is EATING MY BRAIN. And not in a good, omg, thinky thoughts and Plot, kind of way. More like this has got to end one day, right, kind of way. So. Sad. I haven't even been reading. Dude, I am so not cool right now. :(

You are always cool to me! And never boring. This is possibly because I'm bored by my own thoughts too so other people's sock lint will entertain me. WHO KNOWS?

I should not have saved up for lynnevitational. I just can't do things like that; I haven't even started or thought about what I'm going to do. Jeez.

If you want to talk about your fic, lemme know. I'm going to be busy for the next week or so but I'll still be around.

Yay! I'm so happy you liked the BBC version. I love how they keep making adaptations of these classics and people go off on rambles/rants about why they're better/worse/completely off from previous versions.

I've only seen a couple other versions and have liked them all well enough. Except for that raving Cirian Hinds clippie... oh my! This one is certainly pretty, and while they've either made Jane older or Rochester younger, the change fits. It's funny that you say that the actors are pretty, because I didn't think they were. Oh, that sounds horribly shallow, and I by no means think they're unattractive, but I thought Jane was the right amount of pretty/plain. And I loved that inner glowing beauty she had on her ill-fated wedding day. /sigh/ As for Rochester, well, I guess us 21st-Century-ladies like the Byronic heroes to be rugged and sexy. I liked how Bertha was a pretty woman too, instead of a hag - made her seem scarier.

I feel for you in your quest for JE-fans. It doesn't quite have the fan-base one would think it would. Pemberley.com had a heated discussion about it when it came out, but I couldn't find it anywhere else. If music montages are your thing (I adore them), This site might actually make you like (a little) the musical.

Glad you got to see it and you enjoyed it!

I was supposed to read "Jane Eyre" for a class in college, but I was only able to read half-way through it. Ever since then, it has been my intention to read the whole thing some day.
About fan communities- I've always felt at home with anyone who is a Harry Potter fan. I know what you mean though about fandom- I think it is hard to find communities and to fit in at first. But the great thing about it is that in a particular fandom, everyone is a fan of what you like, and you can always talk about that, so it works out well. =)

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Jane and I

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