The Jane and Bertha in Me

Rita Maria Martinez's The Jane and Bertha in Me is a Rubik's CubeTM of Janes. Each poem is a smartly annotated, hauntingly revisionist homage to Jane Eyre. Martinez's astounding poems are literary, conversational, personal, fun, as she confidently transports her Janes from the Moors to Macy's, from Thornfield Hall to the world of tattoos.
--Denise Duhamel, author of Blowout
There is some kind of serious magic at work in this wonderful book. Reading it, I feel as if I am waking up in another world where Gothic sensibility of Jane Eyre joins the surreal of contemporary American culture. The experience is nothing short of intoxicating. I can't wait to read more of Rita Maria Martinez's work.
--Nin Andrews, author of Why God is a Woman
Rita Maria Martinez's The Jane and Bertha in Me gives an unusual twist to the well-known characters from Jane Eyre, envisioning Jane at the guidance counselor, Bertha getting a makeover. These persona poems give us greater insight into the minds of madwoman and governess alike and even minor characters like Blanche and Alice, with beautiful, lush language and empathetic vision. Even casual fans of Bront 's great book will enjoy this lively re-imagining.
--Jeannine Hall Gailey, author of The Robot Scientist's Daughter