Customer Reviews
Worth a try for curious readers - By: Nicola Jarvis, 18 Aug 2008 
'Jane Eyre' is probably one of my favourite novels of all time, & when a family member lent me this prequel, I was quick to devour it.
My expectations were not high, however. I was excited about the 'Jane Eyre' BBC adaptation, & when it turned out to be outstanding & very loyal to its source material, I was keen to watch the prequel that they advertised afterwards. I was not as impressed. I found it dull & could not really connect with Bertha.
As it turns out, after reading this novella, the BBC adaptation was as loyal as the 'Jane Eyre' adaptation. It was sexy, colourful, brooding, exotic & menacing, & whilst I did not appreciate this at the time, I do after reading this. Unfortunately, this loyalty means the shortcomings of the TV adaptation are also true of this novella. It is quite difficult to feel for the heroine, like we are clearly supposed to, & the author opts to make Rochester (who, interestingly, is never named) out to be a villain, & her madness is entirely his fault.
It is a plausible exploration that aligns itself with Victorian gender politics; when women were sent to lunatic asylums for as little as depression, & then sent mad inside of them. Actually, it is highly relevant, & it gives the reader a completely different view of Bertha's story. This is a double edged sword though. As interesting as it is, & perhaps right,in many respects, it is pretty difficult to grasp the characterisation of Rochesterin this manner for all the people that adored his characterin 'Jane Eyre'.
Besides the character of Bertha, & the fact that this novella is a prequel, it can firmly stand on its own. Not, perhaps, as a story or something to be enjoyed, but for the thematics & how the language complements them. The narration is riddled with imagery, foreshadowing & sheer elegance. It deals with gender politics, Victorian martial laws, colonialism, race, & of course, psychology. Having said that, I would recommend reading 'Jane Eyre' before embarking on this, as much of it would be lost if you have not read 'Jane Eyre' first. It also may soil your view on Rochester for 'Jane Eyre' & give away plot details which would ruin the novel for you considerably.
If you have read 'Jane Eyre', I would not say that this is vital, but if you are curious about Bertha's character this novella fleshes her out a bit, though there is still something about her that is lacking. I felt more sympathy for herin `Jane Eyre' without all of this background to be honest.
Highly recommended. - By: LJW, 18 Jan 2008 
This is a morose, but beautifully written novel. Definitely lives up to expectations. I read it through twice for full appreciation, & recommend this idea to others. I rate this 6 stars!
Dark and Delicious - By: Mrs. K. A. Wheatley, 27 Oct 2007 This is a macabre book with a true sense of gothicism to it. I first read it as a teenager after being blown away by Jane Eyre, & hated it. Its difference from Bronte's writing & its harsh treatment of Rochester didn't sit well with me at all. Having had to read it again as part of a course recently I have to say I wasn't relishing the experience, but how wrong I was. Reading it again, with no expectation of kinship with Bronte made such a difference. This is a brilliant book, densely layered, symbolic & evocative of the tropical landscape, madness & imprisonment. It has some of the wonderful internal dialogue moments of Woolf's Mrs Dalloway, swooping through the narrative & Rhys' eye for detail & dialogue is superb. Its brooding menace is chilling & the use of imagery is stupendous. A fantastic book.
Had to read it - By: M. C. Batson, 30 Jan 2007 ...for a course. I wouldn't of picked this book otherwise. I am glad we had to read it though as it introduced me to an interesting book that I wouldn't have read otherwise.
I'm not saying it is the best & most enjoying book that I have ever read but it was very interesting & well written & really worth reading.
What sort of fellow keeps his wife locked up? - By: Ichabod J, 13 Oct 2006 
The recent BBC adaptation of 'Jane Eyre', & the accompanying one-off adaptation of this novel, should help to bring Rhys's most well-known work to a new audience. This is a good thing, as 'Wide Sargasso Sea' introduces intriguing elements to the Jane Eyre story.
The book tells the story of Mr Rochester's marriage to Creole heiress Antoinette Coswayin Jamaica. In so doing, Rhys effectively explores 19th Century colonial & gender politics. This novel gives a fresh take on the characters of Rochester & his first wife - they become more than the archetypal dark & brooding Victorian hero & a madwoman respectively.
Definitely worth a read. Despite it being a prequel, I wouldn't read this before 'Jane Eyre' if you've yet to try either. For those who are familiar with the Bronte classic, 'Wide Sargasso Sea' offers a challenging new perspective on some of its key characters.
This is a successful exercisein showing there's always more than one side to every story - even a classic.
