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hjb_128's review against another edition
dark
emotional
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexism, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Racism and Classism
Minor: Death and Colonisation
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
jasmineandsweetbriar's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
About half of the book is really quite good. The other half is meandering and annoying. These halves are dissipated across the text so one moment you'll be reading a very insightful and thought-provoking scene and the next you'll be hit with opaque, dragging characterisation. C.B's weakness is really her characters, as she relies so heavily on broad phrenological descriptions and telling rather than showing. Since a lot of the novel focuses on its characters, this can make for very flat reading. However, she does a good job with the development of the key themes. The plot is either richly gothic or absurd, depending on how much you are willing to tolerate. I got some good from Villette, and it has affected me a lot in some ways, but I am glad I read it for uni because I would not choose to read this book over others of equivalent length.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry
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
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.ok7a's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Xenophobia
Minor: Colonisation
traceymc's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Xenophobia and Colonisation