Book Review: Jane Eyre

Perhaps I'm the only one in the free world who has not yet read the 1847 Classic, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. Anybody else?

I labored through it. I know that literary fans of fine, old fashioned literature will groan and roll their eyes at me, but I almost put it in the dust bin with Frankenstein (another torturesome book).

I will say that the story was engaging. I will also say, I was happy when it was over. If I live to be 2,000, I will never understand how so many books gained the fine distinction of being called Classics and to be revered and to stand the test of time.

I do not enjoy flowery words and old fashioned speech. There, I said it. I cannot stomach Shakespeare either. Jane Eyre could have been cut to half of its slow-moving, over 420 pages and STILL have been too long and too full of lengthy, tedious narrative.

And, being the spit-fire that I am, it was painful to read of a woman who was treated so poorly, and expected and settled for so little. I know that was the time in which the character lived, but nevertheless, it pained me. The two main male characters, her suitors, were, neither one, worthy. One had money and status and was 20 years her senior, and was just plain weird. The other was perhaps only about 8 years her senior, and a missionary/minister, harsh and cold and demanding. And I was cheering for her to simply get a good job and live independently.

In short. I didn't love it.

I'm reading a classic here and there thinking myself remiss to not have any idea what these oft-discussed books are about. I'm beginning to think that reading the cliff notes could be enough. Here...I'll give you the link to some cliff notes about Jane Eyre. Don't say I never gave you anything.