Jane: The Woman Who Loved Tarzan by Robin Maxwell - Book Review and Giveaway #JaneVirtualBookTour

About the Book:

Cambridge, England, 1905. Jane Porter is hardly a typical woman of her time. The only female student in Cambridge University’s medical program, she is far more comfortable in a lab coat dissecting corpses than she is in a corset and gown sipping afternoon tea. A budding paleoanthropologist, Jane dreams of traveling the globe in search of fossils that will prove the evolutionary theories of her scientific hero, Charles Darwin.

When dashing American explorer Ral Conrath invites Jane and her father to join an expedition deep into West Africa, she can hardly believe her luck. Africa is every bit as exotic and fascinating as she has always imagined, but Jane quickly learns that the lush jungle is full of secrets—and so is Ral Conrath. When danger strikes, Jane finds her hero, the key to humanity’s past, and an all-consuming love in one extraordinary man: Tarzan of the Apes.

Jane is the first version of the Tarzan story written by a woman and authorized by the Edgar Rice Burroughs estate. Its publication marks the centennial of the original Tarzan of the Apes.

About the Author:

ROBIN MAXWELL is the national bestselling author of eight historical fiction novels featuring powerful women, including Signora da Vinci and the award-winningSecret Diary of Anne Boleyn, now in its twenty-fourth printing. She lives in the high desert of California with her husband, yogi Max Thomas.

http://www.robinmaxwell.com/




My Opinion:

Do not start this book right before bed. I did and found myself still reading at 2:30AM. The story of Tarzan's Jane told by Robin Maxwell was in its beginning chapters very enthralling. I love anthropology so the inclusion of the early studies of fossils and the debates on Darwin's theories were fascinating to me. Ms. Maxwell has that magic with words that draws you into time and place and time flies as you read Jane's tale of meeting Tarzan and her telling the story to a young Edgar Rice Burroughs - a delightful conceit to get the story rolling.

Jane Porter is a very self possessed woman, brought up by a liberal father in straight laced Victorian Times. He has encouraged her study of science despite her mother's objections. Upon meeting a slick explorer who knows exactly how to sell himself and how to appeal to the desires of Jane's father a trip is planned to find Darwin's missing link; but Ral Conrath has his own agenda and is not what he purports to be. Jane has her reservations but her father tells her to leave it to the men - a surprising response from such a forward thinking type.

As all who know the story realize, Jane finds herself in the jungle, rescued by an ape-man. But this Tarzan is not like any other. In fact he is a bit too much of a 90's man - 1990s. He is a bit in touch with his feelings for a soul raised by an ape like tribe in the jungle but the story rolls along. I found the second half to be not quite as compelling as the first - it seemed to drag a bit as Jane sorted through Tarzan's backstory and Tarzan taught Jane the ways of the Jungle. I got a bit bored but it picked right back up when Jane and Tarzan teamed up to defeat the evil Mr. Conrath. 

The ending was an unexpected jolt and makes me wonder if there are going to be further adventures for Jane and Tarzan. There are questions left unanswered and I would love to know how Jane came to be telling her story as she was. This was, overall, an exciting and truly different book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. Jane is certainly a character to be applauded and she deserved a book of her own. Ms. Maxwell had the vision and the talent to bring her to vivid life.
You can see the Tour Schedule HERE

You can purchase Jane:  The Woman Who Loved Tarzan on Amazon.com

The Giveaway:

TWO lucky readers from the US, Canada or Europe will win copies of Jane thanks to Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours! How do you win? It's easy! Just hop on the Rafflecopter!  Good luck everyone!

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Disclosure:  I received a copy of Jane:  The Woman Who Loved Tarzan from Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours gratis. Any opinions expressed are my honest opinions and were not impacted by my receipt of the free book. I received no monetary compensation for this post.