Charlotte Bronte before Jane Eyre by Glynnis Fawkes

Summary from Goodreads:

Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong!--I have as much soul as you,--and full as much heart!

Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre is a beloved classic, celebrated today by readers of all ages and revered as a masterwork of literary prowess. But what of the famous writer herself?

Originally published under the pseudonym of Currer Bell, Jane Eyre was born out of a magnificent, vivid imagination, a deep cultivation of skill, and immense personal hardship and tragedy. Charlotte, like her sisters Emily and Anne, was passionate about her work. She sought to cast an empathetic lens on characters often ignored by popular literature of the time, questioning societal assumptions with a sharp intellect and changing forever the landscape of western literature.

With an introduction by Alison Bechdel, Charlotte Brontë before Jane Eyre presents a stunning examination of a woman who battled against the odds to make her voice heard.

Review:

I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this one as much as I did. I’m not a huge nonfiction reader, but I ate this one up. It helps that it was super short, and the artwork was gorgeous. But, also, I have to own up to really loving the story of Jane Eyre. So, that definitely plays a role in my overall enjoyment and high rating of this book.

I didn’t know a lot about Charlotte Bronte going into this book either. I knew a little more about her sisters than I did about her. So, I was pleasantly surprised to learn so much about her. I did not know about the stories she came up with her brother or her involvement in writing with her sisters. I learned about how she really set the path for her family. And I had no idea how much hardship she overcame in regards to death and loss.

I also had no idea how closely linked her story and the character of Jane’s were. I knew there must be some similarities, but I didn’t know the extent of them. And I guess, this made me love and appreciate Jane Eyre even more. And I’m itching to go back to the classic for a re-read. I’m actually thinking about setting a reading challenge for next year (2020) to go back and re-read a whole bunch more classics. I’ve been missing them, as English Majors probably all tend to do.

I found Charlotte’s story inspirational and powerful. She had such tenacity and strength in a time when it would have been so easy to give up. I can’t imagine not having Jane Eyre, so I’m so glad she never gave up. I was impressed with her story. And I was impressed with the simple artwork (which almost allowed for the spotlight to remain on the story more than the pictures). The simplicity really paired well with what was happening. I recommend this book to all the Jane Eyre fans out there. I’m not sure readers who have not read the classic, would really appreciate this book. It’s definitely aimed for those who have already it. I give it an 8/10.