The Madwoman Upstairs

The Madwoman Upstairs is the debut novel from author Catherine Lowell. It is a modern-day retelling of Jane Eyre, and deeper than that, a kind of love letter to the work of the Bronte sisters, and to literature itself.

American Samantha Whipple is the last living relative of the Bronte family, her father Tristan descended from the father of the Bronte sisters. Home-schooled by her father and as obsessed with the Brontes as he was, Samantha also shares his passion for literature. After her father dies, she moves to Oxford University to study English Literature. There, she finds herself in an archaic place governed by rules and literary mystery. She also finds herself the uncomfortable focus of stories in the university newspaper, as well as a target of Sir John Booker, her father’s nemesis and curator of the Bronte museum. And of course there is also her tutor, Dr James Timothy Percival Orville III, to deal with.

Jane Eyre has been a long time favourite of mine (I still own the battered cheap copy I bought when I was about 12 and read practically to death), and it was natural that I was drawn to this book and how it would deal with modern-day versions of Jane and Rochester.

This isn’t an exact transposition, of course, but reads more as something inspired by Jane Eyre and the Brontes. There are chunks of commentary and theories about the Brontes and their work scattered through the book. It’s possible that some readers may find these sections harder reading, but for me, they were fascinating (even if some of the theories did sound outlandish – but to be fair, I’m no student of literary theory of the classics).

Samantha herself is a frustrating character. It becomes clear very quickly that her childhood, which she sees as idyllic, has actually stunted a lot of how she’s able to see the world and be able to communicate with other people. She is often arrogant and rude to people, but the depth and passion of her beliefs make her a character who is easy to follow through this labyrinth of a story.

There is a vividness to this Oxford University. Samantha’s tower lodgings, with no heating or windows and a tour group coming through at intervals, gives an almost fairytale sense to the book. And Samantha sets out on a very fairytale quest as she seeks to untangle the mystery of her father’s legacy (including undertaking some extremely foolish acts, which would name her clearly as the titular Madwoman).

For me, the weakest aspect of this book is the romance, and I never quite found that it rang true to me. However, as we see everything of the relationship between Samantha and Orville through Samantha’s eyes, it is entirely possible that this is deliberate. It could also be a deliberate comment on the original romance between Jane and Rochester in Jane Eyre, which is in many ways just as unlikely.

If you have a love of the Brontes’ work and of literature, you will likely find a lot to enjoy in this book. If not, this is probably not going to be the book for you.

"Do you think that Charlotte Bronte invented the madwoman in Rochester's tower? ... I had an inkling that the madwoman in the attic was not quite as fictional as the world might have hoped."

WOW! What a complete surprise and amazing read. I shall try my best to convey how I was absolutely enraptured with this novel, however suffice to say, if you are a Bronte fan this is a MUST.READ! I did not expect to be so taken with it, but I was, and availed myself of every available opportunity to read. Such fascinating literary discussions - this book nerd was in heaven! I felt like I was back at university highlighting passage after passage, or at the very least, my Year 12 English class having rich literary discussions. Oh joy!

"... the ones who believed in the sanctity of a text and judged a novel based only on the words on the page ... Dad, to him, books were living breathing things. Once a book left the brain of the author, it took on a life of its own, and served as the only liaison between the reader and the author."

All things said, this really is such an entertaining and witty novel that takes the works of the three Bronte sisters, has an academia backdrop and pursues a literary treasure hunt. The main lead, Samantha has grown up living in the shadows of her Bronte ancestry and now, with her beloved father dead she is off to Oxford to study literature.

"I once again tipped my hat to my three dead female ancestors. Even in the grave they managed to exert a power I could not."

I really enjoyed Samantha’s character: she was funny yet charming, awkward and a loner. You will love her sarcasm and humour - she is a fabulous lead and this must all be attributed to Lowell and her amazing style. What a debut. Her romance with Orville was very ‘Bronte-ish’.

"I did not ask whether you are literate. I asked why you are studying English literature. What do you imagine it will provide you?"

"Unemployment."

It's been many years since I delved into a Bronte novel and this had me running back to my collection as memories came flooding back. To fully appreciate the inferencing and homage paid to the Brontes' in this book, it would be beneficial to be in some way familiar with Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. It will enhance your appreciation of the depth of research and commentary that Lowell has undertaken. However, it is not essential - the book is that good.

The history of these particular writers was a history of censorship. Their work was defined not by what they wrote, but by what they had been forced to cut out."

Samantha attempts to make sense of what these books mean via the clues left behind by her father. She wants to make sense of these literary works, her legacy, and in doing so reconcile her past in an effort to become her own person. Gosh, I love books about books and I love the Bronte’s novels.

If you love literature and the Bronte sisters, with a touch of mystery and romance, then this is the novel for you. It is quirky and wonderful, totally compelling as I lost myself in the well written prose. It will give you pause to ponder the reasons why and how we read.

"We force ourselves to acknowledge what did exist in the Brontes' world: generations of women, who, silent and confined, reined in their passions and lived a life of seclusion."