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A review by laurenjpegler
Tales of Glass Town, Angria, and Gondal: Selected Early Writings by The Brontes, Christine Alexander
4.0
4.5 stars
I really enjoyed this collection of the Brontës’ juvenilia. I had only ever read this kind of writing in biographies on the family, so I was excited to read more of a variety (one that wasn’t necessarily bias - you know, the ones that support a biographer’s point). For the most part, the collection was brilliant. I liked having this window into the lives and imaginations of the young Brontës.
I much prefer the writing and world of Gondal in comparison to Angria and Glass Town. The latter two focus heavily on political intrigue, war, and mythological elements. However, Gondal feels a lot more natural and personal. Emily and Anne incorporate their own lives, specifically their surroundings, into their verse. I really wish their prose survived - I bet it would have been beautiful to read.
The only reason I rated it down by half a star was for the monotony of some of Charlotte’s and Branwell’s longer short stories. Although they were interesting, they occasionally got a little tedious. The stories discussed stuff I wasn’t particularly interested in. However, they did demonstrate the brilliancy of the Brontës’ minds. I had to keep reminding myself that these were written whilst they were young, especially Anne. Their word choice (their writing in general) was just beautiful.
I would definitely recommend!
I really enjoyed this collection of the Brontës’ juvenilia. I had only ever read this kind of writing in biographies on the family, so I was excited to read more of a variety (one that wasn’t necessarily bias - you know, the ones that support a biographer’s point). For the most part, the collection was brilliant. I liked having this window into the lives and imaginations of the young Brontës.
I much prefer the writing and world of Gondal in comparison to Angria and Glass Town. The latter two focus heavily on political intrigue, war, and mythological elements. However, Gondal feels a lot more natural and personal. Emily and Anne incorporate their own lives, specifically their surroundings, into their verse. I really wish their prose survived - I bet it would have been beautiful to read.
The only reason I rated it down by half a star was for the monotony of some of Charlotte’s and Branwell’s longer short stories. Although they were interesting, they occasionally got a little tedious. The stories discussed stuff I wasn’t particularly interested in. However, they did demonstrate the brilliancy of the Brontës’ minds. I had to keep reminding myself that these were written whilst they were young, especially Anne. Their word choice (their writing in general) was just beautiful.
I would definitely recommend!