Reviews

The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë by Syrie James

mrsbrharris's review against another edition

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3.0

I learned a lot about Charlotte from this book. It was an easy read. Now I want to read a bunch of other things related to this (Elizabeth Gaskell's biography of Bronte, Shirley, finish Villette, etc).

ansl's review against another edition

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5.0

Uitgelezen maart 2013.


Uitgelezen maart 2013.

Oh, wat een fijn en romantisch boek om te lezen! (Aah, ik zou eigenlijk moeten stoppen om zo'n boeken te lezen, want ik verwacht daardoor echt te veel van mannen :p).
Ok, dit boek vertelt dus over het leven van Charlotte Brontë, toch wel het best gekend van haar boek 'Jane Eyre' (wat trouwens ook een enorm goed boek is ^^). Let wel, dit 'dagboek' is niet het echte dagboek van Charlotte Brontë, maar eerder een boek gebaseerd of feitelijke gebeurtenissen en brieven die dan in een dagboekvorm gegoten zijn door de auteur Syrie James. En ik moet zeggen dat ik dit toch wel een geslaagde vorm van vertellen vindt. Het lijkt net alsof Charlotte Brontë het zelf heeft geschreven. Ze vertelt niet alleen over haar dagelijkse problemen en beslommeringen, maar ook over het verleden (over het verlies van haar 2 oudste zusters toen ze zo'n 8 jaar was op een, haar 2 jaar die ze in Brussel heeft doorgebracht en daar verliefd werd op haar professor). Ik vind het erg interessant om te lezen wat haar inspiratiebronnen waren voor onder andere Jane Eyre. Het is een aanrader!

Let wel, voordat ik dit boek las, wist ik eigenlijk bijna niks over het leven van Charlotte Brontë, misschien daarom dat dit juist zo interessant was om te lezen.

lizzina's review against another edition

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4.0

I liked reading a biography which was not based only on dates and facts but with a real narration which looked more like a novel. The Brontë sisters did not, for sure, have an easy life full of comfortably and healthy days. I appreciate their work much more, even if I must admit I was already a big fan ;) I realized that the character of Catherine in Wuthering heights has got a lot of her creator - Emily. And I discovered that Jane Eyre was almost completely written on real facts happened to Charlotte. The love story between Arthur Nicholls and Charlotte was a nice-to-read part of the book. I wonder if she ever realized it was somehow like the plot of "Pride and prejudice", despite Charlotte herself declared she did not quite like the book ;)

bkdrgn303's review against another edition

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4.0

As a huge fan of Charlotte Bronte and as someone who has read "Jane Eyre" several times, I was a bit leery of reading this "diary" of Bronte. These things can go south in so many ways. Fortunately, author Syrie James did her research and produced a novel that is charming, achingly tragic and hopeful and uplifting all at once. Though I found the book to be a bit wordy and overlong in places, I think that the author's love of her subject ultimately lifts the book and makes it a very satisfying read.

spauffwrites's review against another edition

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3.0

I don't know how true to life this book is, but it was an interesting read.

resaspieces's review against another edition

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4.0

I listened to this on audio and was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed the story. I recently have read "Jane Eyre" (ok) and Anne's "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall" (loved!) so imagining the events of their lives while writing these classics was fun, though heartbreaking. Whoever the reader was...I think it was a Listening Library presentation...did an excellent job!

yona_not_jonah's review against another edition

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inspiring lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.25

mcsangel2's review against another edition

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4.0

Interesting in the beginning, a bit slow in the middle, then REALLY interesting towards the end. I had always thought CB died a spinster like her sisters and Jane Austen, so I was surprised to learn otherwise. According to the afterword and notes, the book is probably 95% factual owing to knowing much about Charlotte Bronte's life, so I recommend for all fans.

mayawildgoose's review against another edition

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4.0

Interesting story but definitely a novel by a new writer. It shows.