Re Jane

A Novel

De: Patricia Park

Narrado por: Diana Bang

“Re Jane is snappy and memorable, with its clever narrator and insights on clashing cultures.”—Entertainment Weekly

For Jane Re, half-Korean, half-American orphan, Flushing, Queens, is the place she’s been trying to escape from her whole life. Sardonic yet vulnerable, Jane toils, unappreciated, in her strict uncle’s grocery store and politely observes the traditional principle of nunchi (a combination of good manners, hierarchy, and obligation). Desperate for a new life, she’s thrilled to become the au pair for the Mazer-Farleys, two Brooklyn English professors and their adopted Chinese daughter. Inducted into the world of organic food co-ops and nineteenth–century novels, Jane is the recipient of Beth Mazer’s feminist lectures and Ed Farley’s very male attention. But when a family death interrupts Jane and Ed’s blossoming affair, she flies off to Seoul, leaving New York far behind.

Reconnecting with family, and struggling to learn the ways of modern-day Korea, Jane begins to wonder if Ed Farley is really the man for her. Jane returns to Queens, where she must find a balance between two cultures and accept who she really is. Re Jane is a bright, comic story of falling in love, finding strength, and living not just out of obligation to others, but for one’s self.

Journeying from Queens to Brooklyn to Seoul, and back, this is a fresh, contemporary retelling of Jane Eyre and a poignant Korean American debut.

hard to enjoy with such an awful performance

it was hard to listen to. first book I have ever returned. terrible performance. Diana Bang shouldn't narrate ever again. unless maybe a Shatner memoir.

Great Cross-Cultural Story!

I grew up straddling two cultures and I found that this book not only nailed a lot of the feelings I've had over the years when visiting both sides but it was well-written, funny, and true to life -- as we are all non-perfect human beings. I also loved learning more about Korean culture. I was in South Korea for the first time last month through my taekwondo training. So many things in her descriptions made me laugh and want to go back. Thank you for a wonderful story! I learned about this book via her interview on NPR.

A dedication to the modern Asian American and the coming of age trope.

I originally picked up this book because I am a fan of Jane ear and I am in adopted Korean American. I found myself empathizing with Jane and Devin's plight on finding their own identity in the two worlds they straddle. Yes they can be whiny and a little selfish, but that is more testament to their youth and naivety, and a launching point for their growth. I did have to speed up the narration to 1.2x speed to make the flow more naturally paced, but I do commend the narrator for her dedication in enunciating both Korean and English. I also love the modern twist at the end and in the epilogue. I found myself happy for the main character and proud that, while she didn't achieve what she originally dreamt, she found her own happiness.

Missed Badly

The narrative never quite finds its footing. What ambition exists on the page feels labored rather than earned — the prose reaching for weight it hasn’t built the muscle to carry. There’s a voice here still learning the difference between sounding significant and being significant.

The narration makes for an frustrating listen. The delivery is difficult to follow, pulling you out of the story at every turn rather than drawing you in. A stronger narrator would have disappeared into the work. This one never lets you forget they’re there.

Absolutely terrible narration...

This was my book club's selection which I wouldn't have picked on my own because I'm not a fan of coming-of-age stories. However, I was intrigued by the novel being cross-cultural and I have lived in both NYC and Seoul, so I was actually looking forward to reading it. Unfortunately, Ms. Bang destroyed this novel with her narration. She read this as if she was on stage at a poetry slam. I wish I had abandoned the audio version and read the book on my Kindle.