HMH Books for Young Readers, 400 pp.
Published May 1, 2018
Seventeen-year-old Stella Ainsley wants just one thing: to go somewhere—anywhere—else. Her home is a floundering spaceship that offers few prospects, having been orbiting an ice-encased Earth for two hundred years. When a private ship hires her as a governess, Stella jumps at the chance. The captain of the Rochester, nineteen-year-old Hugo Fairfax, is notorious throughout the fleet for being a moody recluse and a drunk. But with Stella he’s kind.
But the Rochester harbors secrets: Stella is certain someone is trying to kill Hugo, and the more she discovers, the more questions she has about his role in a conspiracy threatening the fleet.
The tagline is evocative: "Jane Eyre in space". Even without a tip-off on the front cover, Brightly Burning follows the beats of Charlotte Brontë's classic closely enough that most readers could have figured out the connection on their own. It's a bumpy transition from early 19th century England to a futuristic space fleet, the success of which largely depends on what you loved most about the original inspiration. Unfortunately my favorite parts of Jane Eyre also suffered the most from transposing the story into outer space, making this re-telling more of a miss than a hit. However, Brontë's novel is so widely loved that I've broken my review down to focus on Brightly Burning's strongest and weakest points to help you better decide if this is the next book for you!
You'll LOVE it if...your favorite part of Jane Eyre was the romance between Jane and Rochester.
Brightly Burning undeniably focuses on the developing chemistry between governess Stella and the mysterious captain Hugo. Donne does a good job drawing out a slow-burn romance, focusing on Hugo's uneven temperament and how it complicates both Stella's professional and personal life. Timeless characters like Jane and Rochester can fit naturally into almost any kind of retelling. The events surrounding their unconventional courtship differ slightly to accommodate a cosmic setting, but their fundamental personalities and the push-pull of attraction and consternation remain intact. While theirs isn't my all-time favorite relationship in classic literature, I still recognized many of the touchstones and nuances that made it such an enduring journey for so many readers. Those who swooned over Brontë's original characters should be pleased with this modern update to their romance.
You'll LIKE it if...you think any story set in space is inherently better.
Donne establishes an interesting refugee scenario in Earth's near future, with an impending ice age forcing humans into orbit aboard large, socially stratified spaceships in order to avoid extinction. Stella grew up on one of the more luxurious vessels yet wound up living and working on a ship limping along past its service date. Her appointment on the private Rochester, though, surpasses any previously known comforts. These dynamics reflect the strict social strata of historical England without parroting them exactly. Donne also spends time establishing the beauty—and emptiness—of space. Romantic descriptions of stars and planetary bodies fill her chapters, establishing a haunting and lonely existence compared the security of a healthy Earth. While some terms like "governess" feel a little clunky in the context of a science-fiction drama, the general setting and social dynamics make a smooth transition to space.
You may NOT LIKE it if...you're expecting the same Gothic atmosphere of Jane Eyre.
I fall into this group of readers and my expectations for Brightly Burning definitely left me wanting a spookier, more foreboding atmosphere. Some of this disappointment might unavoidably stem from already knowing what surprises lie ahead; I'm not willing to put all the blame for my feeling underwhelmed on knowing the story, though. Even when the late-developing twists no longer shock, the atmosphere should still have a noticeable effect. With so much focus on the budding attraction between Stella and Hugo, the story takes on a softer tone that forgoes much of Jane Eyre's creepiness. Even the added mystery of the fleet's fate falls short and feels tacked on as a way to occupy the space between the lovers parting and reuniting.
Brightly Burning perfectly encapsulates the idea of "your mileage may vary". Faithful in plot and chemistry to its classical inspiration, it fails to capture the spooky atmosphere that sets Jane Eyre apart from many of its contemporaries. Depending on what you most enjoyed in the original novel, Brightly Burning can fall anywhere in the spectrum from success to disappointment. It works well as a YA romance set in space, but will likely let down those seeking a darker sensibility.
RATING:
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