A reimagining of Charlotte Brontë’s classic novel Jane Eyre set in present day, written by acclaimed screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna and Eisner Award-winning illustrator Ramón K. Pérez. Growing up in a broken home in a small fishing town, Jane dreamed of escaping to art school and following the allure of New York City. When that dream becomes a reality however, it’s not long before she feels out of place by the size of the city and the talent of her peers. She soon discovers her place as she begins to nanny a young girl named Adele, but that is upended when she falls for the girl’s father, Rochester, a sardonic man of power, wealth, and unexpected charm. Jane learns that in the world of New York’s elite, secrets are the greatest extravagance and she’ll have to decide if she should trust the man she loves or do what ever it takes to protect Adele from the consequences of his deception. Award-winning screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna ( The Devil Wears Prada, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend ) makes her graphic novel debut with Eisner Award-winning illustrator Ramón K. Pérez ( Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand ) in this powerful reimaging of Charlotte Brontë’s classic novel Jane Eyre in present day Manhattan, where luxury masks dark secrets. Gr 10 Up—This present-day graphic novel adaptation of Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre draws on the original story with some surprising twists. Orphan Jane has grown up in a New England town under the not-so-watchful eye of her relatives and has earned enough money for art school in New York City. Rochester, a mysterious businessman, hires Jane, now a college freshman, to take care of his precocious daughter. Jane becomes a surrogate mother to Adele and catches the eye of her absent father and Mason, Rochester's business partner and Adele's uncle. As the heroine unravels the mystery behind Rochester's wife's death, she falls in love with her boss and the glamorous life that he can afford her while neglecting her studies. She quickly gets embroiled in the dangerous dealings and power struggles of the two men. Screenwriter Brosh McKenna (Devil Wears Prada, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) injects the narrative with intrigue and romance, updating this story for modern audiences while maintaining elements from the source material (the protagonist's naiveté, Rochester's aloofness). The dynamic art changes from sketchy blues and whites (for scenes of the past) to bright yellows and reds (during Jane's first weeks in New York City) and dark blues and purples (menacing and brooding panels involving Rochester), establishing a gothic mood. The variation in panels becomes more comic book—like as the story progresses, especially in the final action-packed scenes. VERDICT This brilliant homage to the classic will enamor fans of the original and intrigue newcomers. A strong choice for graphic novel collections.—Shelley M. Diaz, School Library Journal Aline Brosh McKenna is an American screenwriter and producer, known for her work on The Devil Wears Prada and, most recently, the television series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. A child of the 1970s, Ramón K. Pérez was born early to immigrant parents in a small suburban town of southern Ontario, Canada. A visit to a drive-in double feature of Buck Rogers and Battlestar Galactica at an early age sparked his imagination and set the stage for his future career.