Naeun Cho Cho itibaren Charchakis 0407, Armenio
What a fascinating journey was this read. Knowing that this is a must read, if only because it is the same time period as Pride and Prejudice, and because it has the name "Jane" in the title, thus confusing it (for me) with Jane Austen, I was certain I would read it someday ... and finally it was next on the list. Expecting a romance book, I was extremely impatient with the beginning part of the book, which covers a good portion of Jane Eyre's childhood. I could not see the direct connection of her childhood to any future romance, so I kept on being annoyed by how long it went. Even now, as I type this, I cannot see any integral, plot-stopping reason to include a detailed description of her childhood, yet I can now say that I agree to it with complete satisfaction. It, as well as everything else that happens, is a part of Jane Eyre, and without it, we would go into the last half of the book with only a shallow character instead of a fully detailed and intimate one. The other thing that I did not expect were some truly crazy scenes. Some mysterious, if not supernatural elements to the story. One in particular gave me the shivers and still has left a searing image in my mind. So that was a fun gem to stumble on as well. Then, when I finally got to the unconventional romance, Bronte threw in a couple more curve balls (besides the fact that the romance was, indeed, unconventional in all senses of the word), including a climactic exit that I thought was written so well, Bronte could have easily ended the book at that melancholy, but still (in a character sense) triumphant moment, and I would have been satisfied. Instead, the narrative wandered along for another good portion of the book, and I wondered if I would end this book when Jane was an old woman and I an old man. But before too long, Bronte was able to wrap things up appropriately (not too tidily), and create a laudable piece of literature in the process. In closing, I have a couple of words of advice: do not UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES let your tyrannical aunt lock you up in a haunted corner of the house; and never EVER marry a crazy, animal-like half breed from the Caribbean. You have been warned.
Modern Southern Gothic--Stephen King meets William Faulkner. Much too short--leaves you hungry for of the atmospheric tales told in a southern cadence.