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A review by eringow
The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë by Syrie James
2.0
As someone who had done a fair amount of research on Charlotte and her family prior to reading this novel, I found the story a little lack-luster. James seemed determined not to stray too far from the facts of Charlotte's life, which is commendable when writing about a historical person, but in doing so left the story feeling predictable for readers already familiar with those facts. The parts that James had made up, and her conjectures about incidents that may have impacted on Charlotte's personality and writing, were rarely ground-breaking and too often conformed to an equally predictably romance novel plotline.
Although I was at first most impressed by James' excellent efforts to write in Charlotte Bronte's style, the further into the book I got (especially in the dialogue) I became increasingly aware of jarring lapses into modern usage and style. Overall this was not a terrible book; certainly it is an accessible way for anyone interested in learning a bit more about the Brontes to do so. It was not, however, a brilliant book and left me feeling a bit disappointed by its unrealized potential.
Although I was at first most impressed by James' excellent efforts to write in Charlotte Bronte's style, the further into the book I got (especially in the dialogue) I became increasingly aware of jarring lapses into modern usage and style. Overall this was not a terrible book; certainly it is an accessible way for anyone interested in learning a bit more about the Brontes to do so. It was not, however, a brilliant book and left me feeling a bit disappointed by its unrealized potential.