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Graphic: Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Classism
Minor: Cursing, Incest, Infidelity, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism
Moderate: Colonisation
If it were for that I'd give it 5 stars, however the 2nd half is heavily racist, ableist, xenophobic, and classist. Themes of colonialism and religious missions, institutionalisation, grooming (Jane is sadly very much groomed by the men in her life), etc. There is no condemnation of any of this, no revolt against bigotry in the narrative. Therefore, I can't give it a pass for being "of its time", as there are many classics which either resist against or refuse to entertain such bigotry.
Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Incest, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Colonisation, Classism
Minor: Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Antisemitism, Death of parent
The writing style itself definitely showed its age - there were about 200 pages too many for my liking, and the liberal usage of dependent clauses was noticeably distracting. Also, something that annoyed me to no end was the way in which the character's dialogue was written which was entirely not how any normal person would have spoken, regardless of the time frame.
Now, writing aside, the book was surprisingly relatable. The middle portion in particular with Jane at Thornfield was believable in terms of a young girl falling head over heels for a decidedly childish older man that's entirely no good for her and full of red flags.
... or, I'm projecting based on my own relationships.
In a way, the fervor she felt for her master during said portion kept making me feel like this was some sort of 1800s version of Fifty Shades of Grey.
(Funnily enough, the Wikipedia article for that book has someone from The New York Times calling it "like a Brontë devoid of talent" which amuses me but is besides the point.)
I appreciated the independence that Jane showed throughout most of the book, which I guess is why
I was pleasantly surprised by how approachable the book would be - after reading a number of classics that I didn't enjoy, this was for the most part readable. There were a number of things I didn't like, such as
It gave me Violet Evergarden feelings, except in a much less compelling manner that made me roll my eyes.
I would have given it a 2.75, but I bumped it up to a 3 because as a submissive person, reading her say "my master" made us feel things that Charlotte Brontë surely didn't intend, but we're running with it anyway.
Moderate: Sexism
Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Classism
Also, I didn't realise how many red flags poor Jane is surrounded by. I begrudged her choice to go back to Rochester, but he was so much better than her cousin.
The story provides keen insight into what could happen to a poor and helpless woman in a patriarchal society. It seems so easy for the men in her life to push her around and even order her to marry them, it makes me so uncomfortable.
Also, as an Indian woman, I find St. Johns mission to rid the hindu heathens of their beliefs so ridiculous and disturbing. I don't know how people can go around claiming they have the greatest thing and try to fear monger people into a religion, its baffling.
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Colonisation, Classism
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexism
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Mental illness, Sexism, Abandonment, Classism
Minor: Incest, Death of parent
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexism, Gaslighting
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Sexism
Minor: Child death, Death of parent, Classism
Graphic: Ableism
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Mental illness, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, Classism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Classism