Title: Jane Eyre

Author: Charlotte Bronte

Genre: Classics

Pages: 533

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mixing It Up -- Classics; Mount TBR; Books2Movies; Fall into Reading

This is one of those classics that I just never got around to reading, and it's all because of Wuthering Heights. I read Wuthering Heights back in high school and absolutely hated it. It was dull. the characters were stupid, the story wasn't anything exciting. That experience turned me off to all the Bronte sisters' work. And so I never actually read Jane Eyre. Of course I knew the story and saw the movies, but I never read the book. That all changed today.

I read it and actually liked it. It doesn't beat Jane Austen, but I did grow to love Jane Eyre. She's an odd character, meek yet strong, naive yet worldly. Mrs. Fairfax is a bright spot in the gloom of Thornfield Hall. Adele is a bit annoying, but thankfully she's only occasionally mentioned. And Mr. Rochester is very dreamy. I didn't care for the autobiographical style of the novel. It seemed very silly to me throughout. I would have rather had third person storytelling. At times Bronte rambles, but overall I enjoyed the novel.

Movie version (2006 mini-series):

This was the first one that I saw. I loved this adaptation so much. Jane is just plain enough, but has that spirit. I loved the moody atmosphere of the mini series. Toby Stephens has a great ability to switch from moody to light-hearted in an instant. Plus, that painting in the corridor... creepy creepy creepy. Out of the two adaptationsI like this one more.

Movie version (2011 film):

I was excited to see this one as it starred Michael Fassbender, but I wasn't completely sold on the movie. I did not really like the changes in timeline in telling the story. Starting with Jane's running away seemed like an odd choice. Mia Waskowska just didn't sit right with me as Jane. She as too withdrawn. I wanted someone a bit more feisty. Just not the best. But I must say that Judi Dench as Mrs. Fairfax is just awesome.