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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
This is my first time ever to finish a classic. Well, I finished Wuthering Heights but it was an abridged version. This book hands down is one of the best I've read so far. To be honest, I read the book after I watched the movie adaptation where Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender played their part, in my opinion, perfectly. Of course the movie only excerpt a small part of the book yet I consider the movie in some way do the book justice, sort of.
Charlotte Bronte not only tells a love story between Jane Eyre and Edward Fairfax Rochester, but a story about social issues happened in Victorian era England when it was the largest empire with colonies all over the world. However, in England itself, people were struggling for class division, gender inequality, and moral/religious standards. The fact that the book was first published in 1846 astonishing me more. In an environment where woman was being oppressed in the form of limited movement, speech, etc, Jane Eyre become the voice of the generation, it is even still relevant today. Of course, Charlotte Bronte used an alias (Curer Bell?) when the book was first published for the reason that the plot of the book was too masculine.
Charlotte Bronte not only tells a love story between Jane Eyre and Edward Fairfax Rochester, but a story about social issues happened in Victorian era England when it was the largest empire with colonies all over the world. However, in England itself, people were struggling for class division, gender inequality, and moral/religious standards. The fact that the book was first published in 1846 astonishing me more. In an environment where woman was being oppressed in the form of limited movement, speech, etc, Jane Eyre become the voice of the generation, it is even still relevant today. Of course, Charlotte Bronte used an alias (Curer Bell?) when the book was first published for the reason that the plot of the book was too masculine.
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I finally finished Jane Eyre, and wow… I have a lot of thoughts. It’s a classic for a reason, and I’m really glad I read it, but I’m still kind of shocked by how much manipulation and emotional pressure Jane had to face especially from the men in her life. I was expecting romance and maybe some old-fashioned values, but I wasn’t ready for how toxic some of these characters were, especially Mr. Rochester and St. John Rivers.
Let me start with Jane. I loved her. She’s one of the most quietly strong characters I’ve ever read. She doesn’t yell or fight to prove herself — she just knows who she is deep down. Even when she’s poor, alone, or being guilt-tripped by people, she holds onto her self-respect. That part really stayed with me. The way she values her integrity over comfort or even love was inspiring, especially when she walks away from Rochester after finding out about Bertha. She knew staying would destroy her soul, and I respected that choice so much.
Now let’s talk about Mr. Rochester. At first, I thought he was just a grumpy, mysterious man with a dark past — your typical brooding love interest. But the more I read, the more I realized how manipulative he really is. He plays so many mind games with Jane. He pretends he’s going to marry Blanche Ingram just to get a reaction out of her. He keeps huge secrets and then expects Jane to just forgive and stay with him after it all comes out. And let’s not forget — he literally tries to trap her in a marriage while still married to someone else. That’s not love. That’s control. And it shocked me how even after all this, the book still pushes us toward seeing him as her “true love.” I’m not saying he didn’t suffer or have his own pain, but that doesn’t excuse how he treated Jane. He wanted to own her, not love her freely.
Then comes St. John Rivers, and honestly, I found him even worse in a different way. At least Rochester was emotionally messy and passionate. St. John was cold, calculating, and emotionally distant — and still somehow managed to pressure Jane harder than Rochester did. His proposal felt more like a job offer. He didn’t want Jane as a wife; he wanted a missionary partner, someone to fulfill his vision of duty. And when Jane said no, he bullied her with religion and guilt. The way he used “God’s will” as a weapon to push her into marriage made me so angry. It wasn’t love, and it wasn’t even spiritual. It was pure control.
What made me the most uncomfortable is how both men — in totally different ways — tried to break Jane down to fit into their plans. But she didn’t let them. That’s what made the book powerful for me. She kept saying no when it mattered most. She chose herself again and again, even when it meant being alone or poor. That’s why I admire her. She could’ve had money or security, but she chose freedom and self-respect first.
The writing is beautiful, and the gothic atmosphere is something I really enjoyed. There’s a haunting, almost eerie quality to some parts of the book — like the mysterious laughter in the attic, or the strange dreams and symbols. It kept me interested, even when the pacing slowed down. But I also had to take breaks sometimes, especially when the language got too heavy or the dialogue felt a bit too formal. Still, it was worth it.
Overall, I’m giving Jane Eyre 4 stars. It’s not a perfect book — some of the values and attitudes, especially toward women and marriage, are clearly outdated and even disturbing. But the emotional impact, Jane’s personal strength, and the way it made me feel things — frustration, admiration, and even a little rage — mean it deserves a high rating. I don’t think I’ll forget it anytime soon.
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No