Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

About This Book:

Goodreads Summary

✥Series/Trilogy/Stand-Alone, etc:  Stand Alone

✥Release Date: October 16, 1847

✥Setting: Thornfield; England 
✥Page Count: 467 
✥Edition: Paperback
✥Genre(s): Literature, Gothic, Historical/Classic (19th Century)
✥Date(s) Read: 9/14/17-9/20/17
✥Rating:  Book:  3.5/5   Audio: 5/5   Narrator: Elizabeth Klett

My Thoughts:

Audio:

I really enjoyed Elizabeth's narration and her accent. She is the reason I got through the book. It's like she truly became Jane in my opinion. Like Jane was right there actually talking to me (weird, I know). One of the best narrators I can think of to date of all narrators I've listened to. 

Book:

It took me a few chapters to get into the book. A few times during those few chapters, I questioned whether I wanted to continue or not but I continued to push through it and found myself being glad I did. It still had the boring moments. There were sad moments in the book and moments I found myself rooting for her. I was glad to see a lot of growth for her throughout the book and her coming into herself as a young woman. The love and patience she showed for Adele, the little girl she was governess over, was one of the best parts for me in the book. Maybe a lot of that had to do with her upbringing and not getting enough love, then the support she received when she went to the boarding school later on had a lot to do with that as well. 

As the book went on, the more I began to hear the poetry that is Jane Eyre (as stated above, I did listen to it on audio mostly). A beautiful story of, as Ms Bronte put it, a not so "handsome" young woman. Where her supposed unattractive physical appearance, she had the intelligence and personality of the loveliest woman on earth. 

The main men in Jane's life were extremely worthy of a good hard slap or two for being controlling butt holes (If that were a reason to assault someone of course). Yet, although Jane would give into their controlling behaviors, many times, she'd still be brutally honest and eventually let them  know where she stands on things. For her youth, she did have a level of strength I admired. 

As for the book itself, I believe Ms. Bronte was a bit too long winded way too often. She gave more detail than needed sometimes. The book could've been about 100-150 pages shorter. If she talked as much in person as she did in this book, I am pretty sure she probably got shushed quite a few times throughout her [short] life (No, I do not mean that disrespectfully for those who tend to take things way too personally and get upset easily). But, with all the over description, she was an amazing writer and I can see why this book was and is so popular. 

                                                   (Usually, the covers shown are the covers I have)