Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

19 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

---

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

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

---

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.

---

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

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

---

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

nanc_282's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

I’ve read Jane Eyre many times. I only picked the book up to find a reference and ended up reading the whole thing. It’s a book that I always find something different in each time. Lots of dark and problematic themes. Reading this time, I was particularly struck by the character of St John and his coercive, manipulative behaviour towards Jane. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Bullying, Child death, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, Classism, and Racial slurs

The age of the book means it does not acknowledge slavery and exploitation as the source of wealth for some characters.

town_scar's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Body horror, Bullying, Colonisation, Classism, Ableism, Cultural appropriation, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Medical content, Mental illness, Suicide, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Religious bigotry, Racism, and Misogyny

amybetch's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective slow-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

3.5

I just expected more of a payoff from the plotline with the first Mrs. Rochester, it's also hard to overlook how race is handled in the book and also a lot of the offhand, witty comments to other marginalized communities.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Racial slurs and Antisemitism

catherinedsharp's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

 DISCLAIMER -  I read this text as a set text for university meaning I did not pick this up for myself. It does not fit my usual reading selection so my review may be rather biased. 

This is the first ever classical novel that I have read that I truly adored. With a purely descriptive writing style, a relatively loveable heroine and a complex moral story, I really enjoyed Jane Eyre.

Bronte's writing is delightful and although long winded at times, beautiful, with lots of extended metaphors and references to the supernatural and fantastical. One other downside to the writing is that of the different languages that are sometimes used; this does add to the book however you may need a translator to understand completly what is being said in dialogue. This in itself is an easy solution to a small problem.

The story is interesting as we follow a girl throughout her childhood as she becomes an adult woman. This is one of the first novels to do this in its time, with less of a focus on marriage and courtship. Instead the focus is on Jane and her life and adventures.

I would highly recommend as a relatively accessible and interesting, classic!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death, Racism, Blood, Suicide, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, and Fire/Fire injury

annapox's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Racism, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Ableism, Child abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Antisemitism, Racial slurs, Colonisation, Death, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, and Medical content

darthizzy's review against another edition

dark emotional funny tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Racial slurs, and Ableism