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rmla's review against another edition
5.0
Putting the question of Gaskell's accuracy aside, this is a fascinating piece of work in its own right. Gaskell produced an innovative biography that focused on the life, more than the works, of the author. To have one famous Victorian female author writing on another is in itself unconventional and exciting - its inaccuracies alongside its history of production, then, are something to celebrate rather than criticise - and therefore the text can tell us a lot about Gaskell as well as Brontë.
pinderbucks's review against another edition
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
3.75
missbryden's review against another edition
3.0
Coming from reading all the Brontes books in order, and also a biography of Anne, by or in chapter 14, I was annoyed with Charlotte, when she relates, in a letter, the challenges with Branwell during and after the occasions when he was a tutor in the same house where Anne was governess. Charlotte relates the challenges of having him at home and the state he's in, but little to nothing about Anne having had to observe his goings on in their workplace, a private home.
But otherwise, I didn't see the publicising of names and scandal, that Samantha Ellis complained of in [b:Take Courage: Anne Bronte and the Art of Life|29779226|Take Courage Anne Bronte and the Art of Life|Samantha Ellis|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1483433033s/29779226.jpg|50149148]. My paperback edition is apparently a copy of the first edition, and yet apparently Gaskell had to edit and produce another edition after complaints that it shared too much about Mr. Bronte and Branwell. Yet in this edition most names are referenced in initials or blanks only, and the scandal of Branwell in the Robinson home (where he and Anne were working) is unnamed. Though I can see that describing his carrying on and self-medicating with opium and alcohol would've been displeasing to the father and friends still living, though Gaskell largely quotes from Charlotte's letters.
After her sisters' death, I felt more sympathy and ultimate sadness with the narrative. Charlotte spent years alternately in depression, and also had a great deal of communication on literary matters, writing to friends and publishing colleagues of who she saw and heard, what she read, and about her own writing.
To read of her ultimate and brief happiness with her husband before she died was that much more sad.
But otherwise, I didn't see the publicising of names and scandal, that Samantha Ellis complained of in [b:Take Courage: Anne Bronte and the Art of Life|29779226|Take Courage Anne Bronte and the Art of Life|Samantha Ellis|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1483433033s/29779226.jpg|50149148]. My paperback edition is apparently a copy of the first edition, and yet apparently Gaskell had to edit and produce another edition after complaints that it shared too much about Mr. Bronte and Branwell. Yet in this edition most names are referenced in initials or blanks only, and the scandal of Branwell in the Robinson home (where he and Anne were working) is unnamed. Though I can see that describing his carrying on and self-medicating with opium and alcohol would've been displeasing to the father and friends still living, though Gaskell largely quotes from Charlotte's letters.
After her sisters' death, I felt more sympathy and ultimate sadness with the narrative. Charlotte spent years alternately in depression, and also had a great deal of communication on literary matters, writing to friends and publishing colleagues of who she saw and heard, what she read, and about her own writing.
To read of her ultimate and brief happiness with her husband before she died was that much more sad.
littletaiko's review against another edition
3.0
Written by a contemporary of hers, this book offers a intimate look at Charlotte's life. It relies heavily on letters to put together the narrative. Learned quite a bit and will probably reference this book when reading Shirley next year.
pixie_d's review against another edition
3.0
The official Good Reads description is wrong - Bronte was NOT pregnant. Gaskell coyly insinuated that she was, but it was her illness that was causing the symptoms. Most of the rest of the "biography," I would have to take with the same grain of salt. The reason I said I liked it is that when I read it, I had just done an intensive class on the Brontes in grad school. So any information on Bronte was better than nothing. But modern readers expect more truth in their biographies and more rigor from biographers.
magratajostiernos's review
5.0
https://cronicasdemagrat.com/2016/11/05/vida-de-charlotte-bronte/
Este libro me ha impresionado mucho más de lo que parecía posible
readingoverbreathing's review against another edition
4.0
"Now there is something touching in the sight of that little creature entombed in such a place, and moving about herself like a spirit, especially when you think that the slight, still frame encloses a force of strong, fiery life, which nothing has been able to freeze or extinguish."
Upon the death of her dear friend, [a:Elizabeth Gaskell|1413437|Elizabeth Gaskell|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1223499865p2/1413437.jpg] was asked to write a biography on fellow novelist [a:Charlotte Brontë|1036615|Charlotte Brontë|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1335001351p2/1036615.jpg], the woman whose books had so widespread an impression on the public, that half the country of Britain spent half a decade trying to learn her identity.
What resulted was a biographical masterpiece, the very first of its kind to be written about a woman by a woman. One hundred fifty years later, Gaskell's outstanding work, written with such careful, thorough, researched detail, still stands as a classic on its own and as a testament to one of the most brilliant minds of the nineteenth century.
This is such a unique read because of the perspective Gaskell really provides, as someone who knew Charlotte quite well. And not only does she offer her own insights, but those of many Charlotte came into contact with, who were always left with a strong impression of "that little creature" as a quiet force of nature.
Though I do think some parts unnecessarily dragged on and on with little purpose, Elizabeth still did a marvelous job in attempting to capture the essence of her friend in a way that no other work ever could.
flamingo_and_owl_books's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.0