Reviews
Advertised and criticised as the worst novel written by the pen of one of the most prominent English names, this book promised to be nothing but a beautifully written biography of an utterly boring man.
To my pleasure and surprise, I found more than ornamental language of the 19th century and a typical fairytale-like love story. To quote the author, I saw a man (and a woman, several even!) that 'should work his way through life', 'should never get a shilling he had not earned', a story of a man where 'no sudden turns should lift him in a moment to wealth and high station', etc. etc.
This is a simple life story of a small person in a small world. Going into this book, the reader shouldn't have expectations of greatness, ambition, and success. Better just go on this journey together with the author and explore the magnificent simplicities of life.
whatever happen to charlotte stein that wrote the amazing, god tier 'you already know'. i don't know if this is stein's attempt with her own the professor retelling because the language style is definitely there but sadly recasting the settings to modern, current world proven to be a daunting task for her. by the end i was left thinking just in what kind of world does people speak or think this way.
My least favorite book by Charlotte Bronte. Couldn't care less for the characters or the plot.
No. William Crimsworth is an insufferable bitch boy. The love story is nonexistent. Where is the FLAVOR
La primera novela de Charlotte Brontë fue la última en publicarse. Los editores la rechazaron hasta que uno le dijo que estaria dispuesto a publicar algo del mismo autor que tuviera más acción. Se comprende: la base es entretenida, pero se pierde en digresiones aburridísimas y es a ratos muy lenta.
Although the plot is flat, I liked this book better than I liked Villette. The playful and sometimes rather chaotic writing made it more fun to read. The ongoing French dialogue annoyed me as it did in Villette, but thankfully there wasn't as much of it. If Charlotte Brontë had worked a little more on the plot, thinking it through better, writing some twists and turns here and there, I would have given this book a higher rating. It wasn't because of the writing (which honestly was more heartfelt and felt less rule-driven than her other work) that I got bored at times. All in all, not her worst. Could definitely use improvement, but I don't regret reading it. 2.5 stars
Highlights
I suppose the sensations, stirred by those first sounds, first sights, are felt but once; treasure them, Memory; seal them in urns, and keep them in safe niches!
Where there is one grain of perseverance or willfulness in the composition, trifling obstacles are ever known rather to stimulate than discourage.
But whenever a danger or a horror is veiled with uncertainty, the primary wish of the mind is to ascertain first the naked truth, reserving the expedient of flight for the moment when its dread anticipation shall be realised.
No man likes to acknowledge that he has made a mistake in the choice of his profession, and every man worthy of the name will row long against wind and tide before he allows himself to cry out, 'I am baffled!' and submits to be floated passively back to the land.