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mari1532's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Brief Summary: Lucy Snowe is a governess turned school teacher in this semi-gothic tale. As events take Lucy from her childhood home to France she must navigate classism and societal expectations.
Thoughts: This is my third Bronte book and one thing that the sisters do exceptionally well is vividly describing the life of middle-class women in the mid-nineteenth century.
While the story was captivating in that you wondered what misfortune was likely to occur to Lucy next, it was a bit difficult to follow all of the characters in the plot. Not least because Dr. Bretton has two different names at one point in the book and Pauline goes by her nickname and given name.
Also, it feels like Bronte was trying to have an enemies-to-lovers storyline with Lucy and M. Emmanuel, but I was nearly finished with the book before I realized that. For much of the book M. Emmanuel seemed like a 70-year-old man, perhaps a priest, who truly didn't like Lucy at all. Also, the ending of this subplot was both ambiguous and depressing.
I'm also not entirely sure why there was such a strong Catholic subplot throughout the book. I understand that in England, where Bronte was writing there was both a strong anti-Catholic and anti-French sentiment, but overall it seemed unnecessary to the overall plot of the book.
If you like to read about characters experiencing real issues both mentally and interpersonally you may enjoy this book, but I do think it is an acquired taste.
Thoughts: This is my third Bronte book and one thing that the sisters do exceptionally well is vividly describing the life of middle-class women in the mid-nineteenth century.
While the story was captivating in that you wondered what misfortune was likely to occur to Lucy next, it was a bit difficult to follow all of the characters in the plot. Not least because Dr. Bretton has two different names at one point in the book and Pauline goes by her nickname and given name.
Also, it feels like Bronte was trying to have an enemies-to-lovers storyline with Lucy and M. Emmanuel, but I was nearly finished with the book before I realized that. For much of the book M. Emmanuel seemed like a 70-year-old man, perhaps a priest, who truly didn't like Lucy at all. Also, the ending of this subplot was both ambiguous and depressing.
I'm also not entirely sure why there was such a strong Catholic subplot throughout the book. I understand that in England, where Bronte was writing there was both a strong anti-Catholic and anti-French sentiment, but overall it seemed unnecessary to the overall plot of the book.
If you like to read about characters experiencing real issues both mentally and interpersonally you may enjoy this book, but I do think it is an acquired taste.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Grief, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Classism
Minor: Colonisation
strabbyfieldz's review
challenging
emotional
funny
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
um so I was going to put 'most normal repressed victorian' as my review. but then the ending happened. and now I feel like I've been punched in the gut lol.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use, Misogyny, Racism, Grief, and Colonisation
Minor: Stalking
jaimemt_reads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Abandonment
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
This book is very anti Catholic.reisrambles's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I feel guilty rating this worse, but can't bring myself to rate it better so I'll settle for 3.75. The writing was lovely, the story a struggle to finish. This would be a terrible introduction to classic literature for someone who hasn't veered into that murky genre. In general classic lit can be challenging just because the way the world has changed both good and bad can make objectivity difficult.
Some challenges with this book:
-French if you don't speak it then there will be a struggle because whole conversations will be confusing.
-Classism
-Sexism (a woman's place or behavior is discussed many times, and apparently pink is the color of degeneracy)
-Catholicism vs Protestantism
-Ages of couples (I understand this was a different time, doesn't make grown men with careers sneaking into a school to visit teenaged girls any more comfortable. Even the more acceptable Twenty-three year old with a forty something still didn't sit right in how it came about.)
Side note: I am not particularly fond of 1st person narrative which didn't help. Lucy Snowe is an unreliable narrator who is struggling mentally and physically, and will address the reader through out the story. Though I thoroughly enjoyed the moments when she spoke her mind and stood for herself, it never lasts. I also wish my book came with translations for all the French parts because I'd probably understand this book so much better and have enjoyed it more. Sadly the bits I did somewhat understand from my meager skills seemed less than flattering to the characters. But it seems like this books is filled with a quite a few terrible people so maybe my understanding was better than I thought.
I finished this feeling like I went on an incredibly long journey without a proper destination, and am a bit lost upon completion. What did I just read? Why are any of the couples together? How did anyone tolerate the head of that school? Also why was that ending so vague?
Some challenges with this book:
-French if you don't speak it then there will be a struggle because whole conversations will be confusing.
-Classism
-Sexism (a woman's place or behavior is discussed many times, and apparently pink is the color of degeneracy)
-Catholicism vs Protestantism
-Ages of couples (I understand this was a different time, doesn't make grown men with careers sneaking into a school to visit teenaged girls any more comfortable. Even the more acceptable Twenty-three year old with a forty something still didn't sit right in how it came about.)
Side note: I am not particularly fond of 1st person narrative which didn't help. Lucy Snowe is an unreliable narrator who is struggling mentally and physically, and will address the reader through out the story. Though I thoroughly enjoyed the moments when she spoke her mind and stood for herself, it never lasts. I also wish my book came with translations for all the French parts because I'd probably understand this book so much better and have enjoyed it more. Sadly the bits I did somewhat understand from my meager skills seemed less than flattering to the characters. But it seems like this books is filled with a quite a few terrible people so maybe my understanding was better than I thought.
I finished this feeling like I went on an incredibly long journey without a proper destination, and am a bit lost upon completion. What did I just read? Why are any of the couples together? How did anyone tolerate the head of that school? Also why was that ending so vague?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexism, and Classism
Moderate: Grief
buildingtaste's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
What an immersive book. It flagged at points--and it's probably a bad sign I thought the final love interest was two different people until nearly the end--but it is a lovely work in all. I liked the ending, though I can see why it doesn't resonate as much as Jane Eyre with most people. Worth a re-read once you know all the things Lucy is being a bit obtuse about.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Colonisation
Moderate: Incest
There is an extended sequence where the main character is to take care of a disabled child, and the characterisation of that child is not kind. The character in question is legally an adult when they get into the romantic relationship, but they are very young and knew the love interest when they were a child. The love interests for this character and the main character are about 10-20 years older than them. There is an extended sequence of fuguelike depression where the narrator is seemingly suicidal. There is significant discussion of catholicism vs. protestantism and attempts to convert characters. The main character's romance begins with mostly her being bullied, verbally assaulted, and at least once physically assaulted, but none of this is ever explicitly sexual. There are significant amounts of grief over family death and lost chances/circumstances. At one point the protagonist is drugged against her will. A character travels to a colonial plantation for several years. A character is meant to marry their cousin.