Jane Eyre

This is a classic Gothic and Victorian love novel . I have seen several film adaptations of Jayne Eyre but had never read the book. What struck me immediately about the novel is that it is written in the first-person. This enables Charlotte Bronte to enter the mind of Jayne, a governess in the employment of Edward Rochester. We see that Jayne is a reserved but passionate girl. Jayne, although plain-looking, is industrious, clever and honest. She is a true heroine who bravely faces adversity when it arises. The book does has moral and religious undertones but I did not find these intrusive. The prose is beautiful written especially the descriptions of Nature. Downsides? Adèle Varens, the little French girl who is the ward of Edward Rochester, can speak English but will insist in speaking French at every opportunity! I don't speak French. What Adèle was saying in French, therefore, was a complete mystery to me. Also the discussions between Jayne and some of the characters do go on a bit. Should you bother to read this book? Undoubtedly! I would go further and say this is a book everyone should read before they die!

Just beautiful. I began reading this book with a few preconceived notions--I had previously seen a rather dismal movie adaptation of the story and found the heroine to be dull and overly solemn.

Imagine my delight when I found that Jane is really a full-blooded, passionate woman with a deep longing for excitement and challenge. Who hasn't been in her shoes? Most of us haven't been a governess, but we've all looked into the distance and wondered, "What else is there?"

Harold Bloom once said that we should read for ourselves--that is, to find a part of ourselves written down on a page which resonates in our souls. At least for me, this was one of those books.

Compared to the stuffy romances of the time, Charlotte Bronte's most famous novel is a surprisingly gripping read. Even in comparison to Austen's Pride and Prejudice, which was previously ranked top of my list, Jane Eyre excels. Of note is that our heroine isn't beautiful or rich or of any social consequence. She's a poor, plain working girl whose concerns and feelings are so expertly portrayed that we almost feel they are our own.

And who wouldn't connect on some level with Jane Eyre? Through her eyes and ears we see the displays of the upper classes as an outsider--giving the social mores of the time an even more futile tone. The purpose of the "genteel" characters seems no more important than the drapery. Indeed, the rolling moors and fields of scented heather claim more of our attention. Therefore the fact that Jane Eyre sees the brooding Rochester for who is really is, is a given. And her socio-economic situation makes her assertion of equality even more potent, because we know she'll suffer for this knowledge. In the end this theme symbolically takes us to its happy conclusion. Earth, wind and fire conspire to reduce our characters to the equals they always were. They just needed a little reassurance that they were right.
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Just like many of the ''reviewers'' already said, I wholeheartedly recommend you this book for you will not get bored the whole time you read it. It is one of the few books I’ve read that captured my attention from the very beginning.

But there are parts of Jane that I’m not that fond of, like the fact that she’s sometimes bitter about life and mostly about herself. Too much modesty is not so healthy. She is rather impulsive and I don’t like the fact that she doesn’t think before running away from Edward. But this act represents another intrigue of the novel which causes lots of other adventures and changes of fate.

The ending is atypical and many of you romantic daydreamers out there won’t be fully satisfied, because of the atypical happy end. Read it and you’ll know what I am talking about.

Edward Fairfax Rochester is one of my favourite characters of all time. Although it is painful and confusing for Jane, I love the way he plays with her until revealing his true feelings which can be a little too obvious for the reader to figure out. He and Jane are very well portrayed, they both are realistic and in the same time, most romantic characters.

Jane’s childhood is very interesting; she is an odd child, strange, free-thinking and impulsive one who always follows her heart and response deeply and sincerely to the adults. That is the Jane I enjoyed the best! But as she grows older, her mind gets erased a bit in cause of the strict and absurd religious education. But you can really tell that it is the true mind of the author herself who reflects her own way of thinking, her own ideals of happiness, so different from the reality that Charlotte deals with.

I also recommend you Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights, one of the best novels ever! Now that’s a true mystery and drama novel with splendid characters, both human and inhuman in the same time.

i love this story

A wonderful, moody, romantic, mysterious book. I first read it as a teenager, and I was amazed that some "old person" (ha!) from years ago could write such a passionate book.

You won't be able to lay it down until you finish it....

Absolutely superb epic novel about the trials and love of a tormented young girl who grows into a lady of steadfast faith, judgement, and character. I guarantee you will love this novel.