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A review by emilybryk
Emma Brown by Clare Boylan
2.0
I really wanted to read the Charlotte Bronte passage.
Sadly, that's pretty much it.
See, I know that "Jane Eyre" had the irritating Helen Burns. But let me tell you, Helen Burns had nothing on the maudlin, tawdry Jenny Drew. She had all the insight and philosophy of "The Family Circus" (especially Grandpa's ghost! I love that guy!) and all the wit, too.
Ms Boylan makes a good effort here -- Charlotte Bronte is a lot to live up to, and it can't have been easy to try to seamlessly blend into the time period. The book, however, is sometimes jarringly modern (child prostitution?) and sometimes simperingly antiquated (the whole Crystal Palace scene makes "Great Expectations" seem gritty and clear-eyed). Basically, it doesn't work for me.
Sadly, that's pretty much it.
See, I know that "Jane Eyre" had the irritating Helen Burns. But let me tell you, Helen Burns had nothing on the maudlin, tawdry Jenny Drew. She had all the insight and philosophy of "The Family Circus" (especially Grandpa's ghost! I love that guy!) and all the wit, too.
Ms Boylan makes a good effort here -- Charlotte Bronte is a lot to live up to, and it can't have been easy to try to seamlessly blend into the time period. The book, however, is sometimes jarringly modern (child prostitution?) and sometimes simperingly antiquated (the whole Crystal Palace scene makes "Great Expectations" seem gritty and clear-eyed). Basically, it doesn't work for me.