Hi friends and happy Monday! I hope you’re all doing well. I’m back with another classic read! Today I’m posting my reading update thoughts on Jane Eyre by: Charlotte Brontë.

Charlotte Brontë tells the story of orphaned Jane Eyre, who grows up in the home of her heartless aunt, enduring loneliness and cruelty. This troubled childhood strengthens Jane’s natural independence and spirit – which prove necessary when she finds employment as a governess to the young ward of Byronic, brooding Mr Rochester. As her feelings for Rochester develop, Jane gradually uncovers Thornfield Hall’s terrible secret, forcing her to make a choice. Should she stay with Rochester and live with the consequences, or follow her convictions – even if it means leaving the man she loves? A novel of intense power and intrigue, Jane Eyre dazzled readers with its passionate depiction of a woman’s search for equality and freedom.


Goodreads synopsis

My next classic read is Jane Eyre and I’m going into this one completely blind because I have no idea what the story is about, nor have I really heard people talk about it other than to say it’s a classic. I’m 9 chapters in now (I figured I’d wait until I made it further than 2 chapters to give an update) and Jane is already quite an eccentric child. She’s orphaned and now sent to live at this school because the people she was left with don’t want her. I’m liking her character and am interested to see where it progresses. The fact that she needed to visit her dying friend Helen was so heartbreaking to read. The writing is really gorgeous and flowery, very poetic. I can’t wait to continue!

I’ve hit “the next chapter”, if you will. Well, that’s what Jane is calling it, as the story skips ahead to her older and now tutoring a child, so she’s moved from the school to Mr. Rochester’s house… and I’m sad to say I’m kinda bored. I missed the precocious kid that Jane used to be. I feel like I didn’t get enough of it. I still like Jane, she’s still got this air to her that is enjoyable to read, but the last few chapters have just been ok to me. The whole affair with the fire and the flood of water was interesting and had my attention somewhat. I am still enjoying the writing, it’s really beautiful, but I guess I want more story and more character development. We’ll see where this goes. 

Okay, so this has picked back up again. A lot has happened in the last 7 chapters I’ve read. Mr. Rochester is a strange man, and for the longest time I didn’t get him. I also couldn’t see how Jane could fall for him… but when they came together to admit all their feelings, I was invested?! How did I get here?! I need to keep reading to see what will happen next. Also, Jane’s aunt asks her to come to her death bed, only so she can berate her one last time… I was surprised that Jane went back, but that shows great character strength, even while she’s with her aunt, I was like damn, she’s got a lot of self-control. I hope this continues to pick up because I’m locked in again. 

See! I knew there was something fishy about Mr. Rochester! He never quite sat well with me… and now I know why. Wow – this story went from 0-60 real fast! I was really afraid this story was going to go downhill, but it’s just been getting better. I’m really glad that Jane stuck to her truth and didn’t just stay because it was convenient; she really chose herself, even if that meant almost dying. I honestly have NO idea where this story is going or what direction. There have been so many twists and turns that nothing is predictable at all! Jane as a character isn’t bad, I like reading about her and seeing where she ends up but sometimes she can be sorta bland. I’m so ready for wherever this story is going to go next. I have 9 chapters left, so hopefully next week I’ll be back with my final thoughts!

Alright so I’m back with a mini update because I’m not quite done yet, but geez! When I said I couldn’t predict what was going to happen next, I wasn’t wrong! This story is kinda insane… but I’m living for it. Like my goodness, Jane realizes she has family and money, St John basically adopts her as a sister… but then wants to marry her?! What is going on, and please don’t tell me Mr. Rochester is back. I loved Jane’s speech to St John, I loved reading her reasonings and her thought process. I’ve been loving the writing and the plots have been wild so I find it a nice balance. Curious how this is all going to end, only 3 chapters left!

Wow, you know, I feel like I should have seen that ending coming, but I didn’t. Although, I have to say I’m not surprised by it, nor am I mad by it. I think the events of this book happened in the right time and I think that Brontë did a fantastic job with creating a story you can really sink your teeth into and one that you’re not going to love all the characters, but you understand the reasons they do what they do. She set it up so that nothing was rushed and it really felt true to real life in the sense that things will happen when they’re meant to, and I thought that was really beautiful. This story gets almost all the stars for being completely wild and memorable; it gets stars for being extremely well written, like beautiful writing, so captivating and moving; and more stars for the characters who were so versatile; I will say it lost a star for me because there was a part in this that dragged and really made me question the rest of this novel, but in the end a solid 4-star read.

 Have you read Jane Eyre? Let me know in the comments!