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3.12 AVERAGE
3.12 AVERAGE
I'm a longtime fan of Jane Eyre, and I loved how this book gave me a brief snapshot of the life of the author.
I am listening to the audio version, so far for my first audio book I am enjoying it.
slow-paced
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Not at all what I expected. I know the story of the Bronte family on a surface level and was looking to learn more about them. This book, however, focused more on describing the food on the table or the flowers in the countryside than providing any insight into this tragic family's story. It never mentioned tuberculous by name, doesn't recount how the eldest two died from TB contracted at their boarding school or the deplorable living conditions at said board school, doesn't explain how Charlotte's 2 younger sisters died of the same disease. It just asks a TON of questions in the form of Charlotte's musings when she starts writing Jane Eyre, then draws comparisons between the book and Charlotte's life - skipping anything informational or remotely interesting. On one page she's still writing Jane Eyre, jealous that Emily & Anne receive an offer of publication while her own 1st book was rejected, then about 2 pages later not only is Jane Eyre complete, but it's been published and a rousing success. I could rant with so many more examples of this pattern repeating, but I wasted enough time on this book as it is. Suffice it to say... All of the potentially interesting tidbits and character developing events happen off-page.
Complete waste of time. No insight into any of the girls' lives, other than envy over each other's success. I learned more about the Brontes from a wikipedia page I read years ago while writing Sim's fiction! I will definitely be unhauling this one.
One good thing about it? - it was short.
Complete waste of time. No insight into any of the girls' lives, other than envy over each other's success. I learned more about the Brontes from a wikipedia page I read years ago while writing Sim's fiction! I will definitely be unhauling this one.
One good thing about it? - it was short.
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
This review appeared first at Fantasy is More Fun.
I'm so happy I stumbled on Becoming Jane Eyre. I probably wouldn't have found it if I hadn't been looking for a biographical fiction book to fulfill the requirements of a challenge I was doing and that would have been a shame. Becoming Jane Eyre tells the story of Charlotte Bronte - and to a lesser extent, her sisters and brother.
I loved Jane Eyre when it was assigned in high school Freshman English, but I haven't read it since, so it was really neat to have this reminder of the beloved book - which I suddenly want to read again, along with Wuthering Heights, written by Charlotte's sister Emily. Becoming Jane Eyre is brief, focusing on the years where Charlotte first wrote Jane Eyre and when it was published to high acclaim. But the author did a great job giving a feel for the Bronte's childhood through flashbacks, weaving in Charlotte's experiences as motivations or inspirations for her current work.
I'm not sure to what extent this is fictionalized, since I'm only marginally aware of the Bronte's biography - but it certainly felt accurate. There were moments where I felt that I was reading something taken directly from research - not that it pulled me out of the story, but more that as a historian, I was able to imagine the letters or journals the author was using for inspiration. There was also a few hints at some uncomfortable (maybe abusive) relationships - and I'm not sure if I was reading too much into them or if the author was trying to leave some ambiguity because it's something that is ambiguous about the Bronte's.
I'm particularly glad I listened to Becoming Jane Eyre - Jen Taylor did a fantastic job with all the voices. There's lots of accents - from French and British, to Irish and Scottish - and they're all done well, for both men and women. In fact, her delivery of male voices was one of the best I've listened to by a female narrator.
All in all, Becoming Jane Eyre was a real treat and has wet my appetite to reread some old favorites.
I'm so happy I stumbled on Becoming Jane Eyre. I probably wouldn't have found it if I hadn't been looking for a biographical fiction book to fulfill the requirements of a challenge I was doing and that would have been a shame. Becoming Jane Eyre tells the story of Charlotte Bronte - and to a lesser extent, her sisters and brother.
I loved Jane Eyre when it was assigned in high school Freshman English, but I haven't read it since, so it was really neat to have this reminder of the beloved book - which I suddenly want to read again, along with Wuthering Heights, written by Charlotte's sister Emily. Becoming Jane Eyre is brief, focusing on the years where Charlotte first wrote Jane Eyre and when it was published to high acclaim. But the author did a great job giving a feel for the Bronte's childhood through flashbacks, weaving in Charlotte's experiences as motivations or inspirations for her current work.
I'm not sure to what extent this is fictionalized, since I'm only marginally aware of the Bronte's biography - but it certainly felt accurate. There were moments where I felt that I was reading something taken directly from research - not that it pulled me out of the story, but more that as a historian, I was able to imagine the letters or journals the author was using for inspiration. There was also a few hints at some uncomfortable (maybe abusive) relationships - and I'm not sure if I was reading too much into them or if the author was trying to leave some ambiguity because it's something that is ambiguous about the Bronte's.
I'm particularly glad I listened to Becoming Jane Eyre - Jen Taylor did a fantastic job with all the voices. There's lots of accents - from French and British, to Irish and Scottish - and they're all done well, for both men and women. In fact, her delivery of male voices was one of the best I've listened to by a female narrator.
All in all, Becoming Jane Eyre was a real treat and has wet my appetite to reread some old favorites.
Pretty good piece of "historical fiction". Quick read, and worth it.
DNF on page 9. I realize it seems unfair to rate a book without reading it. However, this author suffers from an intolerable case of the question marks, as we can see on page 8.
On a different note... dear publishers, please could we go back to trimming the pages? I realize that deckle edges are a thing with old books, and this is a book set in the 19th century, but there's a reason people invented better production methods. Deckle edges are so frustrating for readers who like to flip back and forth.
He reaches out for her. What does he know of her, or she of him, after all these years? What secrets would he tell her if he could speak? Would she want to hear them? What would he say about his marriage, his parents, his God? Had he chosen her mother for love or for her superior position in society, the fifty pounds a year? Or was it her religion? Did he want her help with his work in the church? Did he think she could advance his career? Was his religion simply a means of advancing socially?Give me a break! This isn't a paragraph in a novel, it's a questionnaire. It tells us nothing and is exhausting (not to mention silly) to read. I gave up when I hit the next barrage of question marks on the following page, and a quick flip through the book confirmed that there were many others ahead.
On a different note... dear publishers, please could we go back to trimming the pages? I realize that deckle edges are a thing with old books, and this is a book set in the 19th century, but there's a reason people invented better production methods. Deckle edges are so frustrating for readers who like to flip back and forth.
This is a light, fluffy, enjoyable read for anyone who has read and loved Jane Eyre. Understanding that this is a fictionalized account of her life, I was intrigued by her relationships and the different inspirations for events and characters. It made me even more curious about Charlotte, and makes me anxious to read Villette and motivated to read Gaskell's biography of Charlotte Brontë.
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:
No