Customer Reviews
Could be better - By: A. Hudson, 08 Jul 2008 
This adaptation of the book is good, however it does deviate from the plot a lot in my opinion. For example the entire period from the break down of the wedding to the end of the book is encompassed in only 1 hour & should have had more time spent on it. Important details are also left out of that final episode, for example Jane searching the village for somewhere to live & eat before stumbling across the Rivers household where she is rejected & then taken in. Additionallly the beginning of the program with Jane as an infant living with her Aunt before she goes to school is about 2 minutes long when in reality it should be longer.
All in alll, however it does make the plot of the story clear & is enjoyable.
Brilliant ! - By: Lulu, 04 Jul 2008 
I love the classics, & this version of Jane Eyre is stunning, in my opinion anyway.
It was an afternoon well-spent, watching this series with my teen daughter. Since there is so many reviews done of JE, I'm not going to give one.
I liked the casting of Ruth Wilson & Toby Stephens as Jane & Rochester. They did a great job of portraying the characters & the chemistry between them alone keeps you riveted to your screen.
Yes, I know Toby Stephens is far too handsome for this role but he captures Rochester's abrasive & mercurial temperament superbly. He is a tortured soul. You can sense his vulnerability & loneliness quite keenly at times.
I enjoyed his interaction with Jane, in whom he sensed a kindered spirit. You can feel his passion, simmering just beneath the surface. He wants Jane badly but must keep her at arms length, (because of a dark secret revealed later on) & his frustration in failing to do so is so tangible.
Ruth Wilson was perfect as Jane. Her passion & zest for life just simmers beneath her sombre & reserve exterior. Despite her harsh childhood she grows up sweet & kind.
She's takes one look at Rochester & fallls for him. She sees through his abrasive manner, sees his inner pain & is captured by his wit, humour & vulnerability. She practicallly glows when she's with him.
Her absolute love for Rochester makes you feel her pain when things falll apart.
This is one series I know I will be watching repeatedly as it's a definite keeper, with its gorgeous outdoor scenery, wonderful costumes & perfect casting.
My only gripe is, I wished they had sub-titled this series. I hated missing even one word of dialogue!
A fantastic adaptation - By: Jack Barnes, 03 Jul 2008 Any reviews that give this production one star are clearly written by bitter purists who need to be more open-minded.
'Jane Eyre' is my favourite book, & this adaptation is never less-than compelling.
The main thing that sets this particular adaptation far above it's competition is the casting of the two leads. The BBC were absolutely spot-on in their choice of an 'unknown' Jane (Ruth Wilson) who is simply stunning in the role - subtle, intelligent, brimming with repressed passion; she is everything that Jane should be.
And Toby Stephens is no-less impressive as Rochester; we see a man who has been so badly hurt in the past that he is afraid to open his heart to the possibility of love. The chemisty between the pair is electric - every scene between them is incredibly sexy, & both actors make the connection they have with one another utterly believable.
This is a beautifully written & well-acted production, & if you are a fan of the book I highly recommend it.
True love! - By: gkpdk, 26 May 2008 From a time where honour, still matters.
The two main characters played by Toby Stephens & Ruth Wilson, do it so convincing, in this heartbreaking & passionate love story.
If you like love stories from the 18th century, then: don't miss out on this one.
An appalling production - By: Pamela Lake, 02 May 2008 
Why the BBC made this new 'Jane Eyre' when their 1983 production was truly the definitive one beats me. This new version is terrible & Ruth Wilson & Toby Stephens are totallly miscast. Instead of being tiny & plain, but witty & piquant, this Jane is a great strapping sombre girl, solid, boring & completely lacking in humour, while Rochester looks far too young & handsome. Great chunks of the novel have been left out & the dialogue has been modernized & dumbed down, presumably to attract the mass of British teenagers who never open a book of any kind. Timothy Dalton & Zelah Clarke in the 1983 production were the perfect incarnations of Rochester & Jane & that version is completely faithful to the book & is definitely the one to buy!
