A review by hollyaaa
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Such a surprising read for me. I think what I loved most about it is the ambivalence with which Jane views the people she cares about, despite her strong personality. She can see the good and bad in Mr. Rochester or John Rivers and weigh the pros and cons of different life paths (why not take the chance to see India!). Of course there’s a wild power dynamic with her and Mr. Rochester, but she seems to astutely judge it, including surmising that if she interacts with him as a mistress, even with extenuating circumstances, he will not respect her as he should. The resolution was almost too neat (ah good, the wife is gone), but I appreciated the contrast drawn in his treatment of her as a result (no more fancy clothes), which she feels comfortable interpreting as an equaling of their power due to his imposed humility. 
Her daily interior world is clearly not dominated with thoughts of god’s will; instead, religion seems more to be a culturally legible way of communicating the immovability of her morals. 
I loved the shape of the narrative arc; it felt so like life in its ambling chapters without assurance that there will be a central theme or purpose. Of course the 19th century strong female character has to be outlined in contrast to other, more commonplace women, but still an excellent protagonist to accompany on her journey. 
I am no bird; and no net ensnares me.