Despite the … views of the time, I guess, and the fact that between the entire cast of characters there were about three redeeming qualities, I enjoyed listening to this book. The first two thirds were the most interesting and the last third sort of lagged for me but in general I guess I was just interested in the way Jane told her story.

Content Warnings

sgferguson's review

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reflective slow-paced

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

2.25

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carolinecronj's review

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

4.0

I went into this without knowing anything about the plot and would recommend you to do the same if you are still unspoilered, because some of the turns of the plot really surprised me.

What I greatly enjoyed about the book is its superb writing. Charlotte Bronte's command of the English language is nothing short of astounding, and her description of the various setting and a treat to read.

However, my main problem with Jane Eyre is the romanticisation of abusive, manipulative and toxic character traits and relationships. I could not help but cringe at many of the supposedly sweet or romantic interactions throughout the book.

Furthermore, there are some deeply misogynistic archetypes, and the language throughout the book is at times ableist, racist and colonialist.

In its own time and society, Jane Eyre was in many ways a revolutionary piece of writing and I definitely recommend it to be consumed as a historic product of its time. But if you are looking for a sweet and unproblematic love story, you should be looking somewhere else.

Content Warnings

cait's review against another edition

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dark reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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marilla07's review

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challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.75

Content Warnings

town_scar's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

Content Warnings

peytonktracy's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious tense slow-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

5.0

This is easily my favorite “classic” novel. Man, I love Jane Eyre. She’s truly hilarious, witty, clever, and knows herself thoroughly. Mr. Rochester is so complex and interesting - the very definition of a morally gray love interest. This particular audiobook version really brings forward a lot of the wit and humor as well as the less-melodramatic emotional humanity that often gets lost in the gothic mystery of most adaptations. 10/10 would recommend.

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erica_cronje's review

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adventurous dark hopeful mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Immediate Initial thoughts

Oh My Word.

I am absolutely in love with this novel. It is the perfect combination of character and plot and descriptive language. I adored annotating and as such, analyzing this novel and all it's characters. Everything was absolutely amazing, it was much better that Pride and Prejudice in my opinion, the entire character development, love story and progression of the love story, i just enjoyed it much more, it felt like there was more depth with the characters even though, there is arguably less information and character growth in Jane than in Pride. In simple terms, I enjoyed Jane more in every wat possible.

Day-after-thoughts

I adored this book, have i mentioned that by chance?

There were so many aspects of this novel that just, it was just perfect, in my opinion. The characters, the plot, everything, the progression in the characters and such.

Plot and Characters: although it is not perhaps the most essential part of the novel, there is no lack of plot. The thing that made this novel so wonderful to read , is the characters and the plot intertwines with each other. The characters thoughts and actions are integral parts of the plot. The characters and the plot is not two different things, instead they work as a team, enhancing each other even more. For example, when Jane is shoved into the Red Room, we see her lash out, people commenting on her behavior and yet the plot moves on, they keep tying her to a chair, we keep seeing Jane's thought process, it should be a very chaotic scene, yet it is perfectly balanced.

Writing Style: I am so absolutely in love with the writing style of Charlotte Bronte. the way that 'Jane' is constantly addressing the reader personally, it makes the entire experience just even more personal and you connect easier to Jane as a character. I wrote in an annotation on page 93,

Its almost like it is a long personal letter to a friend, almost like she wrote it for you.

Then the descriptions in general were absolutely gorgeous, of both Jane's thoughts, as well as what is around her, and her actions.

Chapter 2, pg. 13, "The reproach of my dependence had become a vague sing-song in my ear, very painful and crushing, but only half-intelligible.
Chapter 9, pg. 75, "When mists as chill as death. . .for the forest on its banks, that showed only ranks of skeletons.
pg.76. " Disease had thus become an inhabitant of Lowood, and deaths its frequent visitor.

My favorite of all though, is the descriptions of nature and feelings in general. They are personalized and due to this personalization, it just adds something so eloquently beautiful, it just reads beautifully, as often seen in the descriptions of the moon.

pg. 116, "a blue sea absolved from taint of cloud, the moon ascending it in her solemn march, her orb seeming to look up as she left the hilltops, from which she had come. . .
pg. 158, " Memory had giving given her evidence of the hopes, whishes and sentiments I had been cherishing since last night. . . Reason having come forward and told, in her own quiet way, a plain, unravished tale, showing how I had rejected the real and rapidly devoured the ideal.

the discussion of the themes: Bronte has various commentaries on the society of the time, the way love was seen and portrayed, gender roles and how they are enforced into people since birth, women being learned and expected to repress their emotions, as seen with Jane herself. Bronte intertwines it into characters that, if one is nor looking for it, it would be unnoticeable, yet it is prevalent throughout the novel.

In conclusion, there s nothing about this book that i do not love, it is is unbelievably perfect, from the plot, to the descriptions, to the commentary on society and all the themes prevalant in general.

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