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jnkay01's review against another edition
Not a Brontë book, and I didn't care for the direction Boylan was taking.
jgintrovertedreader's review against another edition
3.0
When Charlotte Brontë died, she left 20 pages of a novel behind. Clare Boylan decided to finish it. A little girl is enrolled in a private girls' academy. She is shy and reclusive, but the headmistresses make much of her because it's obvious that her benefactor has money. Trouble arises when her benefactor can't be found and the girl can't--or won't--tell anyone anything about herself.
I have to say that this novel stayed true to the whole Gothic, melodramatic feel that I associate with the Brontës. There were all kinds of improbable twists, turns, loops, and coincidences. Boylan was much more explicit than Charlotte Brontë could have been. Not that she was explicit, it just seems that some things weren't referred to, even obliquely, in those times. I did pick out where Charlotte left off and Boylan took over, but I was pleasantly surprised by how well it did all fit together.
There were a lot of chapters covering the back stories of the supporting characters. They were absolutely necessary, but since I didn't know that until the end, I was mostly frustrated and wishing I could get on with the "real" story.
I would have rated this a little higher if I could have liked Emma a little better. But I really, really didn't like her. She was all "Woe is me!" and "All is ashes." She kept going though, through all her troubles, so I had to admire her for that, but would a smile really have killed her? And her world view was stark black and white. She did not see or acknowledge any shade of gray. She was very unforgiving and intolerant. If this character had been written in Jane Eyre's place, she would never have forgiven Mr. Rochester for lying about his marriage and that would have been the end of that.
But I did like Isabel Chalfont. Her life was never easy either, but she made the best of it, learned what she could, found happiness where she could, and tried not to dwell too much on things she couldn't change.
I think fans of the Brontës, who have read all their work and wish they could read more, will actually like this. Just don't expect anything other than doom and gloom from Emma.
I have to say that this novel stayed true to the whole Gothic, melodramatic feel that I associate with the Brontës. There were all kinds of improbable twists, turns, loops, and coincidences. Boylan was much more explicit than Charlotte Brontë could have been. Not that she was explicit, it just seems that some things weren't referred to, even obliquely, in those times. I did pick out where Charlotte left off and Boylan took over, but I was pleasantly surprised by how well it did all fit together.
There were a lot of chapters covering the back stories of the supporting characters. They were absolutely necessary, but since I didn't know that until the end, I was mostly frustrated and wishing I could get on with the "real" story.
I would have rated this a little higher if I could have liked Emma a little better. But I really, really didn't like her. She was all "Woe is me!" and "All is ashes." She kept going though, through all her troubles, so I had to admire her for that, but would a smile really have killed her? And her world view was stark black and white. She did not see or acknowledge any shade of gray. She was very unforgiving and intolerant. If this character had been written in Jane Eyre's place, she would never have forgiven Mr. Rochester for lying about his marriage and that would have been the end of that.
But I did like Isabel Chalfont. Her life was never easy either, but she made the best of it, learned what she could, found happiness where she could, and tried not to dwell too much on things she couldn't change.
I think fans of the Brontës, who have read all their work and wish they could read more, will actually like this. Just don't expect anything other than doom and gloom from Emma.
erikars's review against another edition
4.0
I started this book with trepidation. Often, works based off of unfinished manuscripts are horrible. The worst of the genre being those that just recycle characters and plot points from other works by the same author.
Thus, I was pleasantly surprised by how Boylan took 20 pages of a manuscript from Charlotte Bronte and wrote a story that was all her own and highly entertaining in its own right. The first chapter from Boylan was a bit of an abrupt transition. As the story gained in momentum though, Boylan found her own rhythm and voice that was reminiscent of Bronte without being derivative or fake.
All in all, I really enjoyed this and would have been quite happy to read it even without the Bronte connection.
Thus, I was pleasantly surprised by how Boylan took 20 pages of a manuscript from Charlotte Bronte and wrote a story that was all her own and highly entertaining in its own right. The first chapter from Boylan was a bit of an abrupt transition. As the story gained in momentum though, Boylan found her own rhythm and voice that was reminiscent of Bronte without being derivative or fake.
All in all, I really enjoyed this and would have been quite happy to read it even without the Bronte connection.
cealynn213's review against another edition
Did not finish it...it was a fine book, just didn't draw me in enough to make me want to read it.
emilybryk's review against another edition
2.0
I really wanted to read the Charlotte Bronte passage.
Sadly, that's pretty much it.
See, I know that "Jane Eyre" had the irritating Helen Burns. But let me tell you, Helen Burns had nothing on the maudlin, tawdry Jenny Drew. She had all the insight and philosophy of "The Family Circus" (especially Grandpa's ghost! I love that guy!) and all the wit, too.
Ms Boylan makes a good effort here -- Charlotte Bronte is a lot to live up to, and it can't have been easy to try to seamlessly blend into the time period. The book, however, is sometimes jarringly modern (child prostitution?) and sometimes simperingly antiquated (the whole Crystal Palace scene makes "Great Expectations" seem gritty and clear-eyed). Basically, it doesn't work for me.
Sadly, that's pretty much it.
See, I know that "Jane Eyre" had the irritating Helen Burns. But let me tell you, Helen Burns had nothing on the maudlin, tawdry Jenny Drew. She had all the insight and philosophy of "The Family Circus" (especially Grandpa's ghost! I love that guy!) and all the wit, too.
Ms Boylan makes a good effort here -- Charlotte Bronte is a lot to live up to, and it can't have been easy to try to seamlessly blend into the time period. The book, however, is sometimes jarringly modern (child prostitution?) and sometimes simperingly antiquated (the whole Crystal Palace scene makes "Great Expectations" seem gritty and clear-eyed). Basically, it doesn't work for me.
resaspieces's review against another edition
4.0
This story was like an onion....layers and layers to peel away and ponder. Enjoyed!
doloresofcourse's review against another edition
4.0
This book is based on a fragment by Charlotte Bronte. I really enjoyed the first two chapters which were original to Bronte. After those when Clare Boylan took over and expanded with her own imaginings for the story, it felt like I was reading a Dickens novel. I was hanging in there until Emma went to London and from there on out, it read like a Penny Dreadful. I understand Boylan was trying to get across the misery being suffered, but the explicitness was a record scratch. Jenny Drew and her doll, really? All the characters' interwoven back stories were okay, but the way the tertiary characters kept dropping off, you'd think the plague had been running amok.
Although not a keeper for me, I'm giving this book four-stars for effort. If nothing else, the late Clare Boylan brought a forgotten piece of Bronte's work back to us.
Although not a keeper for me, I'm giving this book four-stars for effort. If nothing else, the late Clare Boylan brought a forgotten piece of Bronte's work back to us.
siria's review against another edition
2.0
Emma Brown is a modern-day continuation of a novel left unfinished by Charlotte Bronte at the time of her death. It's a quick read, and one which definitely encompasses all the kinds of twists and turns of astonishing coincidence that marks a truly Gothic, Brontean novel. However, the tone is much too modern, with turns of thought and phrase that struck me as anachronistic; for Boylan to have updated the novel in that respect made me wish that she had equally made the plot more suited to modern sensibilities--the disconnect made the book seem much sillier than I think it was. Certainly, it ensured that the ending squicked the hell out of me.
Interesting if you want to see the chapters that Charlotte Bronte left behind, but for me this was pretty forgettable stuff.
Interesting if you want to see the chapters that Charlotte Bronte left behind, but for me this was pretty forgettable stuff.
bookshy's review against another edition
4.0
The author does a great job at a very Bronte-esque atmosphere in this book. Although, I was a little annoyed at how conveniently it all came together near the end. Bordering more on "impossible" than "coincidental". Overall, an enjoyable read and entertaining.
alexis58's review against another edition
2.0
Let's make some things clear. This book was not written or planned for by Charlotte Brönte after the first two chapters. It is not similar to such books as Jane Eyre and probably shouldn't be compared with it. I'm probably going to do it anyway.
The brilliance of Jane Eyre, other than the great writing, was the fact that it was revolutionary. Charlotte Brönte challenged a lot of ideas during her era with her writing. Her female characters embraced passion and had personal growth throughout the book. The same can not be said for Emma Brown.
The Plot: Slow and murky until the last 10%. A story about a girl with a lost memory and sold by a woman who claimed to be her mother should not have been that difficult to read. The book had the makings of excitement but got lost upon the way.
The Characters: An affront to Brönte. The characters were never really human to me. They were more like paper cutouts drifting uncertainly through the book. Emma could have been spectacular. She was bitter and clever. I wanted to like her. Instead, I found myself rolling my eyes as she went through the book without ever caring about anyone else. She hated herself because she thought that no one would ever like her if she wasn't a virgin. After it was told that she was indeed a maiden, Emma suddenly became something akin to cheerful. I realize that a lot of emphasis was placed on virginity at the time, but there was so little self-acceptance that it annoyed me endlessly. Mrs. Chalfont was an affront to the memory of Jane Eyre. She spoke of nothing besides benevolence and that passion was overrated. Her only love came back to life and instead of seeing it as a miracle, she was terrified of what the neighbors thought of her. Mr. Ellin was an dull man. He had no remarkable traits accept for selfishness.
The thing that bothered me the most, however, was when Mrs. Chalfont pushed Mr. Ellin to consider Emma for marriage. Why would she want that for a girl she claims as a daughter?
The brilliance of Jane Eyre, other than the great writing, was the fact that it was revolutionary. Charlotte Brönte challenged a lot of ideas during her era with her writing. Her female characters embraced passion and had personal growth throughout the book. The same can not be said for Emma Brown.
The Plot: Slow and murky until the last 10%. A story about a girl with a lost memory and sold by a woman who claimed to be her mother should not have been that difficult to read. The book had the makings of excitement but got lost upon the way.
The Characters: An affront to Brönte. The characters were never really human to me. They were more like paper cutouts drifting uncertainly through the book. Emma could have been spectacular. She was bitter and clever. I wanted to like her. Instead, I found myself rolling my eyes as she went through the book without ever caring about anyone else. She hated herself because she thought that no one would ever like her if she wasn't a virgin. After it was told that she was indeed a maiden, Emma suddenly became something akin to cheerful. I realize that a lot of emphasis was placed on virginity at the time, but there was so little self-acceptance that it annoyed me endlessly. Mrs. Chalfont was an affront to the memory of Jane Eyre. She spoke of nothing besides benevolence and that passion was overrated. Her only love came back to life and instead of seeing it as a miracle, she was terrified of what the neighbors thought of her. Mr. Ellin was an dull man. He had no remarkable traits accept for selfishness.
The thing that bothered me the most, however, was when Mrs. Chalfont pushed Mr. Ellin to consider Emma for marriage. Why would she want that for a girl she claims as a daughter?