Customer Reviews

Penguin Classics Jane Eyre

5 star:		(390)
4 star:		(89)
3 star:		(30)
2 star:		(18)
1 star:		(42)

 

 

This book is one of my favorite books of all time. It is well thoughout and the story line is well developed through the whole book. It is such an interesting story you will never get bored of it. I would highly recommend everyone to read this book if you enjoy an interesting, serious, and creative book!

I studied the novel Jayne Eyre while in high-school and loved it. Since then I have re-read it several times and have also seen four different versions of the movie plus a musical. I recently purchased a second copy of the novel to give to my sister as a gift along with the DVD Jane Eyre.

Therese

This is my favourite novel, and I have many editions of this text. This one came with many great discussion questions for classes or book groups. This will make a great addtion to anyone's collection, whether you're a lover of classic literature, or want a great story to read.

Jane Eyre being my favourite book, I have read any sequels, prequels or spin-offs that I could find:
- Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys, which tells the story from Bertha's point of view, including her time in the West Indies.
- Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier. It is similar in the sense that the second Mrs. DeWinter in the book is haunted by the unseen presence of the first Mrs. DeWinter, just as Jane hears the maniacal cries of Bertha. There is the fact that Maxim is much older than the second Mrs. DeWinter, just as Rochester is much older than Jane. Then, finally there is the fire that destroys their stately old mansion, Manderley.
- The Ivy Tree by Mary Stewart. The parallels in that story are not as clear at first, but there is the young girl who falls in love with an already married man, and who runs away to escape from it all, and also the fire, and the destruction of an old majestic tree.
- a scifi version - Jenna Starborn by Sharon Shinn. In plot and structure it was almost exactly the same, following Brontë's narrative scene by scene, except for the transposition to a far-off planet in the distant future. I didn't think it was different enough, though, from the original to make it interesting in its' own right.
- How Nancy Drew Saved My Life by Lauren Baratz-Logsted. Even with the misleading Nancy Drew reference in the title, reading the book it was clear that it was Jane Eyre in the modern day in Iceland.
- The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde was a very different sort of take-off. It is a book that defies genre description - is it mystery, romance, alternative history, fantasy, or scifi? I think the consensus must be that it combines elements of them all. In this book, which takes place in a 1985 England still in the throes of the Crimean War, spec ops agent Thursday Next enters the world of fiction, and ends up changing the end of Jane Eyre to the conclusion we know today, for which we must profoundly thank her. (Nobody wanted Jane to end up with frigid St. John.)

Jane Eyre is one of the classics of 19th century English literature. It is not possible to judge the book by to-day's literary standards: books must be judged in their own time and social setting. The language is, at times, tedious, and the plot absurd - with impossible coincidences, but, to English reader of the mid 19th century, these were accepted and demanded. The characters are well drawn and the atmosphere is vivid. Miss Eyre is a strong character who proves that the good and honest will prevail in God's good time. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to gain a better appreciation of the evolution of literature.

this book made me laugh and made me cry. i cannot believe that she ran away...cant get over it. awesome, though. oh, and has anyone else noticed that on the front of the Dover Thrift edition it says that Jane Eyre is by Emily Bronte? anyone else notice that?...

I first read Jane Eyre when I was thirteen, and I fell in love with it almost instantly as soon as I finished the first chapter. As you follow Jane's hardships from her troubled childhood through to her near-doomed relationship with the dark, brooding, and deathly handsome Rochester, you feel as if those hardships were your own. After all, aren't we all plain Jane Eyre's at times?

I really loved this novel.......a classic that is still great today. It's a lot more plot driven than your average classic making it an easier read than you would think. When the plot is slower, the rich language is enough to keep you engrossed. I'm a big Jane Austen fan; C. Bronte is a really good author for those who've exhausted Austen's works. She is definitely darker, but just as great!

In short, Jane Eyre is the story of a fairly unconventional life. Jane is orpahned when she is young and sent to live with her Aunt Reed, to a horrible "school", then to work as a governess at Edward Rochester's home. She falls in love with Mr. Rochester but his secrets may make it imposible for them to ever be together.
The book has a really slow, melodic feel to it, so if you like fast reads, it is not the book you're looking for.
This is one of the best books I have ever read, so good its one of few that I have actually read several times over. Definately a classic.

The story of Jane Eyre is a classic tale of a search for human compassion. From the tragedies of her orphaned beginnings and a childhood with a hateful aunt who, out of spite, sends Jane to a prison-like life at Lowood Boarding School, Jane's strength of character shines through. Through each ordeal the reader develops a true concern for this "plain Jane". When she finally begins to find a more content life at Thornfield and as her relationship with Rochester develops into love the reader feels happiness for her, but follows her through the depths of despair at the shocking revelation that prevents her from marrying him. The reader cheers for her as she rebuilds her life as a strong, independent woman who is able to choose her destiny.

Jane Eyre is a beautifully written book, although at times Charlotte Bronte's descriptions were very wordy and therefore the reading process was difficult. Understandably, this descriptive style of writing was typical of an era in which the average person did not have the opportunities we now have to envision different people and places.