Web Series Review: The Autobigraphy of Jane Eyre

Web Series: The Autobiography of Jane Eyre
Episodes: 95
Rating: 4/5 stars- poignant with a strong sense of longing

Review:

A quick disclaimer: this review comes to you from a girl who has not read the original Jane Eyre book. (ok so sue me for not reading it SORRY) I have read an adaptation of it so I know what happens.

I started The Autobiography of Jane Eyre about a month or two after I finished the Lizzie Bennett Diaries. I was in a bit of a drawback after finishing that series and after rewatching one of the episodes (take a guess which one I rewatched) I saw that someone had commented that there was another web series called The Autobiography of Jane Eyre that was also excellent. I had read an adaptation of the novel, and thoroughly enjoyed it. So I figured I'd give it a go. This was around the time when The Autobiography of Jane Eyre was only about... 14-15 episodes in? Somewhere around that.

I blew through all the episodes in day (those of you who've watched it know that the beginning episodes are VERY short so it was quick), and I was intrigued and yeah I just wanted to see Rochester's face.

Can you blame me.

The actors in this series are simply amazing. Alysson Hall is ridiculously talented at playing Jane Eyre. She completely encompasses the quiet shy persona of Jane, yet there's a richness and depth to her in this modern adaptation. She and Adam (the original actor for Rochester- more on that later) had the most incredible chemistry on screen. I was addicted to seeing them on the same scene.

Honestly their chemistry was so incredible that literally any other character who shows up (despite the fact most of them are amazing) and I will scream for them to leave to so I can see Jane and Rochester together.

I sense some shipping guys.

Despite that I did enjoy the other characters, and they all really had good chemistry as a cast. I especially love Suzanna.

Another thing I really loved about this series was how it was shot. It wasn't on the high end of productions with like super fancy lights, as say LBD or Emma Approved. It felt very genuinely as if someone just picked up a camera and decided o keep a video diary/vlog. It was a very down to earth and personal touch to it and it made it unique.

Also the setting. Granted they didn't really have much choice in country and province (I assume) but I'm so happy they shot in Vancouver. Because a) I'm a Vancouverite and yeah I'm biased and b) the forests just complimented the gothic-y feel of the original Jane Eyre.

I do have a few things that I think was a bit of an issue. I thought pacing could be a bit slow sometimes. I dread every video without Rochester. (Seriously why would you do that to me.) I thought we spent too much time with some of the other characters. (Maybe that's just my Rochester bias speaking sigh). Again, not really to big of an issue, kind of just personal preference that pacing is a bit faster, but fans of the book seem to really enjoy it sooo... I'll promptly shut up.

My only really giant big issue is the ending. OK first and foremost, I understand that because of certain situations, the actor who played Rochester ended up leaving the series before they finish shooting it all. That's understandable. I just wished that they found a way around it instead of seemly spontaneously ending the series. I would've excepted that he had an accident so bad that he got total facial damage and needed a completely new face. I WOULD'VE PROBABLY BEEN SOMEWHAT OKAY WITH THAT. (Depends on the replacement actor actually.)

I feel like we needed one more episode between the second last video and the ending. Something with more substance to explain the things between Jane and Rochester. With some of the dialogue that the end of the book has and the feeling you get when they meet again, stuff like that. They could've hidden his face or something. Honestly I would've even accepted just PHONE DIALOGUE AT THIS POINT.

I felt like my computer swallowed a secret episode somewhere. It's like swinging on monkey bars and suddenly realizing one bar is missing so you have to reach out a bit further to make the connection. Not awful but not great either.

I loved the ending video but I wanted something BEFORE it.

Overall, I will say this was a great series to follow. I enjoyed the first half much more (are you sensing more Rochester bias cause I am) and although I'm a bit disappointed with the ending... I still think this series has a lot of strong points that overshadow that one really major thing.