A review by zenithharpink
Shirley by Charlotte Brontë

3.0

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read, I loved the language and every minute of enjoying the beauty of the prose. That aspect of the book was nearly flawless. In spite of this enjoyment, I found myself often confused, and that's where this book earns only 3 stars.

I was not confused in what was actually happening, that piece was clear enough. What I was frustrated with was the character dynamics-they drifted in and out of focus, character chemistry generally didn't resonate with me, and there were aspects of characters that I found inconsistent. Characters were described in detail frequently, but their behavior and other characters interactions and judgement didn't align with the author's description. Perhaps this was a bit anachronistic of me as a reader 150 years after this had been written, but it grated nonetheless.

I would recommend this book to those looking for a beautifully written book, by a well-known and gifted author. The focus really isn't there, but it's an enjoyable read nonetheless.