Reviews tagging 'Classism'

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

48 reviews

madzie's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Toxic relationship, Classism, Misogyny, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Suicide, and Child death

Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Racial slurs, Grief, Racism, Incest, and Death of parent

cgrays's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

It's difficult not to compare this to an Austen novel, and the direct comparison does it no favors. Both the main character, and her love interest, are frustrating and shallow characters. 

This novel was also written when eugenics was in vogue, and this is very present in the novel once you start to notice it. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Classism

sarasanchez's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Classism, and Racism

bearystarry's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

Despite the … views of the time, I guess, and the fact that between the entire cast of characters there were about three redeeming qualities, I enjoyed listening to this book. The first two thirds were the most interesting and the last third sort of lagged for me but in general I guess I was just interested in the way Jane told her story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Religious bigotry, Child abuse, Body shaming, Ableism, Classism, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Death, Abandonment, Racism, Mental illness, Infidelity, Forced institutionalization, Confinement, and Colonisation

Moderate: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Incest, and Terminal illness

sgferguson'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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexism, Mental illness, Racism, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Colonisation, Ableism, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, and Child abuse

carolinecronj's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

4.0

I went into this without knowing anything about the plot and would recommend you to do the same if you are still unspoilered, because some of the turns of the plot really surprised me.

What I greatly enjoyed about the book is its superb writing. Charlotte Bronte's command of the English language is nothing short of astounding, and her description of the various setting and a treat to read. 
 
However, my main problem with Jane Eyre is the romanticisation of abusive, manipulative and toxic character traits and relationships. I could not help but cringe at many of the supposedly sweet or romantic interactions throughout the book.

Furthermore, there are some deeply misogynistic archetypes, and the language throughout the book is at times ableist, racist and colonialist. 

In its own time and society, Jane Eyre was in many ways a revolutionary piece of writing and I definitely recommend it to be consumed as a historic product of its time. But if you are looking for a sweet and unproblematic love story, you should be looking somewhere else.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Violence, Classism, Colonisation, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Racism, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

theblushbookworm's review against another edition

challenging tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Reader, I read Jane Eyre. This classic was enjoyable for pleasure and not an English class pick from my perspective. The relationships are incredibly questionable and many views very outdated. But in keeping interest Jane Eyre holds up.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Forced institutionalization, and Gore

cait's review against another edition

dark reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Abandonment, Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Addiction, Child death, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Misogyny, and Racial slurs

mjenae's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was not the story I was expecting, and much better for it.
I thought it was going to end depressingly and therefore make me dislike it, but the ending was beautiful and relieving. I also wasn't expecting such a strong Christian perspective throughout the book, and I enjoyed that. Jane was ever one of my favorites, and although at times I did not like Mr. Rochester, I came to love him by the end. St. John, on the other hand, I never did like. Someone read this book so we can discuss the wonderfully varied cast of characters.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Child abuse, and Classism

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Death, and Death of parent

marilla07's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Racism, Classism, Emotional abuse, and Forced institutionalization