I found this through a post on a blog about prequels and sequels to classics. It answered a lot of the questions I had after reading Jane Eyre and filled in a lot of blanks I hadn't even known existed! All this and I haven't even said how well written it was and how thought provoking it was. A great read I'd recommend to anyone who likes Charlotte Bronte or Jane Austen type novels.

I absolutely loved this book with its secrets, wild nature and romantic tensions. Rhys does a wonderful job of conveying the ambiguity of the colonists: people who belonged neither to the country into which they were born and raised nor to the homeland which they often never even visited. Antoinette's family is neither white nor black, has lost all status and wealth and with it its identity. Madness is the only possible outcome since they cannot hope to rebuilt in a hostile world that has changed and left them behind. The people whom Antoinette loves the most are all black: Christophine, Sandi and Tia; yet, she can never have a relationship of equals. She must marry a white man who will forever hate and resent her because she is so different. The use of nature is beautiful both visually and symbolically: a lush, welcoming, fertile land that can become crushing, overwhelming and suffocating. There are passages that could have been developed: time passes in bumps and it's sometimes difficult to understand the sudden change in Antoinette's marriage, from cordial and hopeful to hating and distrustful. The alternating voices can also be challenging to manage, breaking the rhythm of the story. The reader understands the reasons, but the transitions are abrupt. Rhys does a wonderful job of skirting around and blending emotions, but sometimes too much so. The ending is absolutely incredible: it beautifully recaptures the entire novel in one blinding event. Ultimately this novel does what it set out to do: avenge the first Mrs Rochester.

I disagree with Pepino. This book is amazing! The author has taken a character from Jane Eyre that we knew little about and established who she was and why she was that character. I admit, I was a little lost in the beginning, but as i read, this book grew on me more and more and intrigued me. I had not read Jane Eyre prior to reading Wide Sargasso Sea, but felt this book stood its own and made me yearn to discover more about its characters. Read this one with a friend and have a great discussion afterwards!

wonderful sensory descriptions of Jamaica and other WI islands do not need to know Jane Eyre before reading this

I read this book during university and my mother read it as well. We both agree, this book is awful! Based on the classic Jane Eyre, I am still always surprised when I hear that someone loves this book. The way it jumps around from different perspectives makes it hard to follow and the depressing storyline didn't really have its intended affect due to the fact that I found in impossible to get attached to the characters. The ending leaves much to be desired and if you haven't read Jane Eyre than you wouldn't understand it all. Simply an awful book that will leave you shaking your head as to why its considered a classic.

Book club.