Is there an affinity between Heathcliff and Milton’s Satan as antiheroes?

A columnist from The Irish Times wishes students could take their class copies of books home.

My sister and I studied Wuthering Heights, our copy was used by my eldest for her Leaving Cert. To my daughter, it was a physical connection to me, her, much tidier, more precise, notes joining my decades-old scrawls. She was particularly interested in who the various boys my sister was in love with, each name crossed out and replaced with another. An appropriate scribble considering the themes of the novel.

But this will no longer be the case. No longer will each family have time capsules contained in their studied novels. That sense of heritage, of connection, will be broken. There will be no love hearts, no names, no scribbles, no notes in any book. You can’t mark a book if you’re only borrowing it. (Conor Murphy)

A contributor to Spectator Australia mentions Wuthering Heights 2026 in passing.

Australia is likely to be a middle power when it comes to theatre though it’s interesting to see in cinema and streamer television that Jacob Elordi can jump from Justin Kurzel’s Narrow Road to the Deep North to Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein – about which there has been much debate – with the prospect of playing Heathcliff to Margot Robbie’s Cathy in an apparently off-beat Wuthering Heights: well, it’s not as though Emily Bronte’s story is anything other than craggy and black. Is there an affinity between Heathcliff and Milton’s Satan as antiheroes? (Peter Craven)

Claire & Jamie recommends '7 Gothic romance novels to add to your TBR' and a couple of them are retellings of Jane Eyre.

Salt and Broom by Sharon Lynn Fisher

Salt and Broom is a retelling of Jane Eyre with a fun, magical twist. Jane Aire resides and teaches at the Lowood School for girls. She is a healer and an herbalist, a.k.a. a witch. She is sent to Edward Rochester’s estate, Thornfield Hall, to help rid the manor of a mysterious curse. As she tries to solve the mystery of Thornfield’s troubles, she begins to fall for Rochester. 

While it has magic, mystery, and a Gothic Victorian setting, it isn’t scary. This is the book to read if you are looking for a cozy, light-hearted love story with a happy ending.  

If you haven’t read Jane Eyre, add that to your TBR, as well. It’s a classic! [...]

Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood

Within These Wicked Walls is another fantasy retelling of Jane Eyre (okay, so just go ahead and read Jane Eyre). This Ethiopian-inspired retelling follows Andromeda, a debtera (an exorcist), who has been hired to cleanse Magnus Rochester’s home, Thorne Manor. As Andromeda dives deeper into the horrors of Thorne Manor, she also falls deeper into her attraction to Magnus. As the possession grows stronger, Andromeda begins to question if she can save herself or her beloved Magnus.

While elements of this book obviously veer away from the traditional Jane Eyre (hello, this version of Jane is an exorcist), many elements and themes still ring true. It is full of magic, mystery, and an epic love story. (Brianna Jones)