Reviews with content warning for Emotional abuse - Jane Eyre

Even though I was an English major, I somehow never read "Jane Eyre" until now. What a mistake! This is one of the best books I've ever read. Just delightful. Beautiful writing throughout. It's a bit long, but worth it. I did not love the ending, I thought it was a strange ending for such a gorgeously wrought story. But really, it was not important. I listened to the Audible version voiced by Thandie Newton - that woman is a gift to the listening world! She is an absolutely brilliant reader, and I'd listen to anything and everything she's done. Her outstanding vocalizations, accents, voices and intonations brought this story, first published nearly 200 years ago, to life in all the best ways. Bravo, Ms. Newton! And thank you!

Content Warnings

rachaelina's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This book is very well written and fun to read. Unfortunately, it also has the potential to be very dangerous if you're not reading with your guard up.

For example, she does a fantastic job actually leaving after finding out Rochester is already married. She has her eyes open enough to see where their relationship would be headed if she decided to stay and be his mistress and she runs. She builds a new life. She finds a family. And then she goes running back because she thinks she hears him calling her name. A lot of ladies want to say this is fine because his wife is now dead and he has been humbled, but she doesn't know any of that. She thinks she's walking back into the same situation she left. Instead, it conveniently turns out she now gets to play savior to the guy who lied and manipulated her. It's the same "I cAn ChAnGe HiM" garbage that plagues stories aimed at and cherished by women even though they know these stories never end well in real life.
Side rant, it rather drives me crazy that people turn it into a she must marry Rochester OR St. John situation when she easily could have just...not married either. Given that her cousins both successfully met and married other men, I think it's safe to assume they probably had friends they could introduce her to? They weren't the only men in England?

Anyways, it is very well written and enjoyable, but I'd only recommend it if I knew the reader would read it thoughtfully.

Content Warnings