5 YA Victorian Retellings You Will Love

When you think of Victorian England, you probably think of Queen Victoria first. Then you might think of extravagant dresses and fancy suits, of a time long past that has nothing at all to do with you living in the 21^st century. Maybe you will even think about the industrial revolution that made most of the iconic fashion styles happen, as well as inventions such as steam engines and railways.

And when you think of literature during this time, the Brontё sisters, Charles Dickens, and Mary Shelley are bound to be some of the first names to pop up. Nevertheless, just like the fashion going out of style, the language in which books like Oliver Twist, Wuthering Heights, and Frankenstein have been originally written in, has become old-fashioned.  

In an attempt to make these classics accessible for a young and modern audience, writers and especially YA writers, have been adapting Victorian classics. This can be achieved by simply putting the characters into a modern setting, by making one of the background characters from the original work the protagonist, to change the gender, age, or sexuality of a character or, to change the course of the story completely!

Nowadays, there are so many amazing retellings of Victorian novels that it can be difficult to decide where to start. If you’re one of the intimidated readers, don’t fret because here are five great young adult adaptions of Victorian novels to start your Victorian reading binge with (which, incidentally, mostly focus on girl power!)

My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand (A retelling of Charlotte Brontё’s Jane Eyre)
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While this is the second book in the The Lady Janies series, this is a stand-alone novel and is only connected to its forerunner because both feature a protagonist named ‘Jane’ and both are retellings of older tales.

You may think you know the story. After a miserable childhood, penniless orphan Jane Eyre embarks on a new life as a governess at Thornfield Hall. There, she meets one dark, brooding Mr. Rochester. Despite their significant age gap (!) and his uneven temper (!!), they fall in love—and, Reader, she marries him. (!!!) Or does she?

Prepare for an adventure of Gothic proportions, in which all is not as it seems, a certain gentleman is hiding more than skeletons in his closets, and one orphan Jane Eyre, aspiring author Charlotte Brontë, and supernatural investigator Alexander Blackwood are about to be drawn together on the most epic ghost hunt this side of Wuthering Heights.

Olivia Twist by Lorie Langdon (A retelling of Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist)
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Olivia Brownlow is no damsel in distress. Born in a workhouse and raised as a boy among thieving London street gangs, she is as tough and cunning as they come. When she is taken in by her uncle after a caper gone wrong, her life goes from fighting and stealing on the streets to lavish dinners and soirees as a debutante in high society. But she can’t seem to escape her past … or forget the teeming slums where children just like her still scrabble to survive.

Jack MacCarron rose from his place in London’s East End to become the adopted “nephew” of a society matron. Little does society know that MacCarron is a false name for a boy once known among London gangs as the Artful Dodger, and that he and his “aunt” are robbing them blind every chance they get. When Jack encounters Olivia Brownlow in places he least expects, his curiosity is piqued. Why is a society girl helping a bunch of homeless orphan thieves? Even more intriguing, why does she remind him so much of someone he once knew? Jack finds himself wondering if going legit and risking it all might be worth it for love.

Olivia Twist is an innovative reimagining of Charles Dickens’ classic tale Oliver Twist, in which Olivia was forced to live as a boy for her own safety until she was rescued from the streets. Now eighteen, Olivia finds herself at a crossroads: revealed secrets threaten to destroy the “proper” life she has built for her herself, while newfound feelings for an arrogant young man she shouldn’t like could derail her carefully laid plans for the future.

A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro (an expansion of the Sherlock Holmes Universe by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
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The last thing Jamie Watson wants is a rugby scholarship to Sherringford, a Connecticut prep school just an hour away from his estranged father. But that’s not the only complication: Sherringford is also home to Charlotte Holmes, the famous detective’s great-great-great-granddaughter, who has inherited not only Sherlock’s genius but also his volatile temperament. From everything Jamie has heard about Charlotte, it seems safer to admire her from afar.

From the moment they meet, there’s a tense energy between them, and they seem more destined to be rivals than anything else. But when a Sherringford student dies under suspicious circumstances, ripped straight from the most terrifying of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Jamie can no longer afford to keep his distance. Jamie and Charlotte are being framed for murder, and only Charlotte can clear their names. But danger is mounting and nowhere is safe—and the only people they can trust are each other.

The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White (a retelling of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein)
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Elizabeth Lavenza hasn’t had a proper meal in weeks. Her thin arms are covered with bruises from her “caregiver,” and she is on the verge of being thrown into the streets . . . until she is brought to the home of Victor Frankenstein, an unsmiling, solitary boy who has everything–except a friend.

Victor is her escape from misery. Elizabeth does everything she can to make herself indispensable–and it works. She is taken in by the Frankenstein family and rewarded with a warm bed, delicious food, and dresses of the finest silk. Soon she and Victor are inseparable.

But her new life comes at a price. As the years pass, Elizabeth’s survival depends on managing Victor’s dangerous temper and entertaining his every whim, no matter how depraved. Behind her blue eyes and sweet smile lies the calculating heart of a girl determined to stay alive no matter the cost . . . as the world she knows is consumed by darkness.

This Monstrous Thing by Mackenzi Lee (another retelling of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein)
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In 1818 Geneva, men built with clockwork parts live hidden away from society, cared for only by illegal mechanics called Shadow Boys. Two years ago, Shadow Boy Alasdair Finch’s life shattered to bits.

His brother, Oliver—dead. His sweetheart, Mary—gone. His chance to break free of Geneva—lost. Heart-broken and desperate, Alasdair does the unthinkable: He brings Oliver back from the dead.

But putting back together a broken life is more difficult than mending bones and adding clockwork pieces. Oliver returns more monster than man, and Alasdair’s horror further damages the already troubled relationship.

Then comes the publication of Frankenstein and the city intensifies its search for Shadow Boys, aiming to discover the real life doctor and his monster. Alasdair finds refuge with his idol, the brilliant Dr. Geisler, who may offer him a way to escape the dangerous present and his guilt-ridden past, but at a horrible price only Oliver can pay…

I hope you love these picks as much as we do, because even if you adore the original classics, indulging in retellings is a lot of fun. You get to go on new adventures with some of your favourite characters, an author might explore a scenario of “what if” a tiny detail would be different or the retold plot focuses on friendship instead of romance! There are honestly no bounds when it comes to reimaginings. On the other hand, if Jane Eyre’s story has always appealed to you but the language has put you off or the pace, this is an ideal way to enjoy the story the way you will enjoy it most! 

Do you read retellings? Which ones are your favourites? Let us know in the comments!