If You Like, Then Read is a feature where we offer book suggestions based on titles you already like. This week we are showcasing books recommended for fans of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre. To read other “If You Like, Then Read” posts, click here. To find out what Charlotte Brontë heroine you are most like, click here.
Introduction
Jane Eyre is immensely popular. Book Riot reports that when they asked readers their favorite book, Charlotte Brontë’s classic romance novel came in third after To Kill a Mockingbird and Pride and Prejudice. (Many people suggest reading Pride and Prejudice if you enjoyed Jane Eyre, presumably because both are historical novels–though from different centuries–and both combine romance and keen social commentary.) But reading Jane Austen and Brontë together seems a little obvious. So read on to discover the books we recommend for those who love Jane Eyre, whether they are books similar to Jane Eyre, books based on Jane Eyre, or books inspired by the lives of the Brontë family.
The Brontë Sisters by Juliet Barker
This nonfiction overview of the Brontës, based on original documents and letters and years of research, suggests that some of the most commonly held beliefs about the Brontë are not true; for instance, perhaps the siblings’ father was not the cold, unfeeling man readers have thought for generations. A highly rated book sure to help readers understand the biographies and psyches of Charlotte and her siblings that you should read after finishing Jane Eyre.
Agnes Grey by Anne Brontë
The first of two novels written by Charlotte’s sister Anne, Agnes Grey follows a young woman as she faces the hardships of the life of a governess, often isolated and little respected. Though inevitably compared to Jane Eyre, the book lacks the Gothic elements of that novel and takes a more realistic look at the women dedicated to teaching unruly children not only book knowledge but also values. A pleasant romance completes the work. If you like Anne’s work, you should also check out The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, a (then) scandalous look at the realities of women abused by alcoholic husbands.
Villette by Charlotte Brontë
If you enjoyed Jane Eyre, it’s likely you’ll enjoy Charlotte’s other novels. In Villette, Lucy Snowe goes to teach at an all-girls boarding school after a family tragedy. There she encounters romance from unexpected quarters and a mysterious ghostly nun. Enjoy all the elements of love, Gothic influence, and psychology you found in Jane Eyre, in what is argued by many critics to be Brontë’s best work. (And if you like Villette, you can always go on to read The Professor, which features a male protagonist in similar circumstances!)
Reader, I Married Him: Stories Inspired by Jane Eyre edited by Tracy Chevalier
A natural choice for readers who love Jane Eyre, Reader, I Married Him: Stories Inspired by Jane Eyre is a female-authored anthology with contributions by Tracy Chevalier, Tessa Hadley, Sarah Hall, Helen Dunmore, Kirsty Gunn, Joanna Briscoe, Jane Gardam, Emma Donaghue, Susan Hill, Francine Prose, Elif Shafak, Evie Wyld, Patricia Park, Salley Vickers, Nadifa Mohamed, Esther Freud, Linda Grant, Lionel Shriver, Audrey Niffenegger, Namwali Serpell, and Elizabeth McCracken.
Worlds of Ink and Shadow by Lena Coakley
In this imaginative novel, children Charlotte and Branwell have the power to jump into their imaginary world of Verdopolis. (A world the siblings created in their juvenelia, for those readers who don’t know.) Emily and Anne used to play with them in this fantastic world, but now they’re mostly left behind. Unknown to all four of them, however, a villain is lose in Verdopolis, and the children may pay a high price for their grand adventures.
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
For almost eighteen years the Doctor of Beauvais suffered in the Bastille, innocent of any crime. When at last released and reunited with his daughter Lucie, he has lost both his identity and any remembrance of those who imprisoned him. The two turn to England as a place where they may be able to build a new life, but the outbreak of the French Revolution threatens to destroy everything they have gained. Consider reading it in honor of the bicentenary of Dickens’s birth!
Camille by Alexandre Dumas fils
This classic features another woman who believes she may never find love. If you liked Jane Eyre for the romance, you will enjoy this story of two lovers fighting to be together against their own doubts and the expectations of their society. Dumas writes a beautiful tale that explores what it means to be human and to truly love. Read Briana’s review of Camille here.
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
In a parallel universe, the England of 1985 is essentially a police state, the Crimean War has dragged on for 130 years, and time travel and cloning have become common. Technology furthermore enables people to travel within books, but the country’s third most wanted criminal has begun to use this power to change some of the world’s most famous literature. Special Operative Thursday Next is on the case as she seeks to prevent Hades from changing the story of Jane Eyre forever.
Jane Eyre’s Daughter by Elizabeth Newark
In this sequel to Jane Eyre, Newark imagines the life of the Rochesters’ daughter Janet at boarding school. Why does the mysterious Highcrest Manor have a locked wing? And which of two men should she give her heart?
Always Emily by Michaela MacColl
Emily and Charlotte Bronte dream of becoming writers, but for now a series of local robberies and a neighbor’s death has caught their attention. Can two teenage girls solve the mystery?
Adele, Grace, and Celene: The Other Women of Jane Eyre by Claire Moise
Claire Moise’s sequel to Jane Eyre imagines Rochester’s ward Adele discovering a cache of letters from Grace Poole to her mother Celene. In them, Grace recounts the events of Jane Eyre to Rochester’s former mistress.
Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
Antoinette Cosway grew up on a plantation in the West Indies, but is given in marriage to an Englishman who takes her away from her home and ultimately grows to distrust her. The book shifts between Antoinette’s perspective and that of her husband as a restrictive and prejudiced society drives her to madness. This 1966 novel responds to Jane Eyre by reimagining Bertha Mason, “the mad woman in the attic,” as a fully-fleshed character with a story of her own.
Jenna Starborn by Sharon Shinn
Grown from embryonic tissue and then rejected by the woman who ordered her production, Jenna grows up lonely but receives a fine scientific education. She finds work as a technician on the distant planet of Fieldstar and falls in love there with the enigmatic Everett Ravenbeck. Ravenbeck, however, hides a secret that will destroy their future happiness. A science-fiction retelling of Jane Eyre perfect for Charlotte Brontë fans.
The Case of the Missing Moonstone by Jordan Stratford
This book imagines a friendship between eleven-year-old Ada Lovelace and the future Mary Shelley. Together, they shock the sensibilities of Victorian Society by creating the Wollstonecraft Detective Agency, a secret constabulary to apprehend clever criminals.
The Glass Town Game by Catherynne Valente
In this whimsical fantasy, Charlotte, Branwell, Emily, and Anne Brontë have spent countless hours imagining stories in the room at the top of the stairs. Now, however, Charlotte and Emily must go off to school–where their two older sisters died from fever. But just as it seems separation is inevitable, they find themselves in a magical world where the Duke of Wellington still fights Bonaparte–a world they have created! Can the siblings escape a land they themselves have authored? Or has the world spun out of their control? If you’re interested in Charlotte’s juvenilia, check out our review of The Secret.
The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood
The Mysterious Howling is a quirky middle-grade book that delights in upending the conventions of Victorian society by introducing that most horrific of things into its stories–unmannered children. It centers on the arrival of new governess Miss Penelope Lumley at Ashton Place. But she never expected to find children raised by wolves! Now she must solve the mystery of how these children were found in the forest in the first place.
Bonus: TV Drama
To Walk Invisible: The Brontë Sisters
Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë secretly harbor dreams of publishing their stories. However, writing, they have been told, is not the life for a woman. Unfortunately, their brother Branwell is slowly descending into a life of degeneracy and madness, and their father is aging and blind. Faced with the prospect of having to support themselves, the sisters hatch a plan to publish their work under pseudonyms.
What books would you recommend to readers who liked Jane Eyre?
Pages Unbound | Book Reviews & Discussions 
I’ve been planning on reading most of these books you’ve listed at some point. (Why can’t we get through as many books as we’d like, hehe?!) I tried A Tale of Two Cities some time ago and found it kind of boring, but perhaps I was too hasty and I’ve been thinking that maybe I was trying to read it in the wrong mood. Although it was one of those classics that came with my e-reader, so I have it if I feel ready to try it again.
Thank you for having this feature!
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I think A Tale of Two Cities can be difficult to get through in the sense that, during your first read, it seems like Dickens is juggling all these unconnected stories and you don’t have a full sense of where he’s trying to go with them. You only really appreciate it once you finish it. But you’re not going to finish it if you don’t appreciate it. So Dickens sort of created a conundrum for his readers. 😀 That being said, I absolutely love A Tale of Two Cities; it’s one of my favorite books.
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Jane Eyre is one of my all-time favorite books, so I simply had to check out this post. And what do you know, I’ve actually read most of these! Tale of Two Cities is also one of my TOP TOP favorites. I definitely did not appreciate it in full when I was forced to read it during high school. A few years ago I gave it another go and fell in love. It is most certainly one of those books that requires multiple readings, as there are layers upon layers of plot and character twists. I read it remembering a few key tropes from my high school studies and kept doing that excited finger pointing at the text when I realized something that I missed entirely the first time is actually incredibly significant. I can’t wait to read it again!
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I’m glad you enjoyed the list–we certainly enjoyed making it! And A Tale of Two Cities is fabulous! It’s great to find another fan! I wasn’t able to see the musical when it came out, but I think there’s a concert version on DVD, so I hope to be able to see it one day.
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Love what you’ve done with the blog. The use of infographic.. amazing!
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Thank you!
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I just discovered this post but Jane Eyre is one of my all time favorites. Your suggestions are all great! I loved WIde Saragasso Sea and Jenna Starborn is going on my TBR. I’ll add a few:
-Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye is great, darkly humorous re-imagining of Jane Eyre. Think Jane Eyre meets Dexter. It begins with those immortal words, “Reader, I murdered him…” http://amzn.to/2uwoW8P
-The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte- Anne definitely followed Charlotte’s lead in terms of writing a smart, independent heroine. This book was rather controversial when it came out because the heroine had the audacity to leave her abusive husband. The book didn’t condemn her for it, and even gave her a second chance at love, with a more worthy man. http://amzn.to/2eMAvTK
-Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte was a book that Charlotte felt she had to make excuses for. While Mr. Rochester is undeniably flawed, he still functions as a hero. We root for him and Jane. With Heathcliff it’s hard to say. His actions are villainous. But he doesn’t function as a villain either. We can’t comfortably classify these characters, which is part of what makes it so compelling .http://amzn.to/2eMdOzq
-Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier has a very similar plot about an orphaned young woman entering a gothic mansion full of secrets. She’s very suspicious of the housekeeper. Like Jane, she has a romantic relationship (in this case a marriage) with its owner, whose first, wife, Rebecca is still very much present in her own way. http://amzn.to/2eMdOzq
-Dragonwyck by Anya Seton is also similar plot wise. A young woman comes to a gothic mansion as a governess. She falls in love with the owner, but is wife is alive. Until she’s suddenly not. The naive heroine marries the now widowed master of the house, but she comes to fear that her husband might have dark secrets. http://amzn.to/2h1Vtic
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Thanks for the recommendations! I hadn’t heard of Dragonwyck before!
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soooo helpful!!!!
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Jane Eyre is my absolute fave!!! I have already pinned this post to my TBR board! 😀
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I hope you find something you like!
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Great picks. I absolutely loved watching To Walk Invisible! I’ve only read The Eyre Affair and A Tale of Two Cities out of all of these books and I’ll definitely check out the rest.
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