Book Review: Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte
★★★ and 1/2

Synopsis: Orphaned Jane Eyre grows up in the home of her heartless aunt and later attends a charity school with a harsh regime, enduring loneliness and cruelty. This troubled childhood strengthens Jane's natural independence and spirit — which prove necessary when she finds a position as governess at Thornfield Hall. However, when she finds love with her sardonic employer, Rochester, the discovery of his terrible secret forces her to make a choice. Should she stay with him and live with the consequences, or follow her convictions, even if it means leaving the man she loves?
In A Sentence: A decent classic, but not a favorite

What I Liked: I've been meaning to read this book for a while now, and I'm glad I did. I thought it was very well written (I wish I had highlighted a few quotes on my Kindle), and the plot was interesting. The conflict, once it revealed itself, was something that took me by surprise, which doesn't happen often. I also really loved Jane Eyre's character. She was an independent type, which I love to read about in classic novels. This book is a classic that deserves the attention it constantly gets.
What I Didn't Like: I did think the book was slow going about halfway through. And there were times when Charlotte Bronte wrote just a little too much. I also wasn't totally convinced with Edward Rochester's story about how evil his previous wife was. She just sounded crazy, not evil, and Edward was just an idiot to not pay attention to any of the warning signs that must have cropped up before the wedding. And what kind of psychosis did she have?! The description of her demeanor when Edward first met her, and the description of her 15 years later seems pretty extreme and unrealistic (or is it?) I dunno, there were just some crucial plot points that didn't seem altogether convincing.
Overall: Overall, I enjoyed the novel, but it wasn't the best classic I've ever read. Really the only thing I liked about the novel was Jane Eyre herself, and the writing too I guess. Okay, and maybe the plot too. So it does merit 3.5, maybe even 4 stars. For some reason, though, I kept thinking about Jane Austen's Pride And Prejudice while reading this book, and I kept on wanting to read that book again, as well as watch the movie. So I guess I'm more of an Austen fan than I am a Bronte fan.

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