Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte

This is a really interesting book that captures very well the literary style of the great authors of the day. Jane Eyre is the story of a young girl who is ill-loved by her adopted family, and eventually makes her own way through Victorian England carving out a life for herself. That synopsis is simple and lacking at best, for Jane Eyre is full of twists and turns, as well as heartache and pain. This was my first venture into any of the works of the Bronte family, and I must say, I enjoyed the book from start to finish. While Charlotte's subject matter and writing style is not all that different from her contemporaries, such as Jane Austin, Jane Eyre actually goes in some very unexpected directions that keep the reader intrigued. Without giving away too much, Eyre finds herself embroiled in a marital uproar that is found more frequently on Days of our Lives than it is in classic fiction. Eyre is torn between the undying feelings she has for the man that she loves, and the obligation to do what is right and just. The ending of the book wraps up neatly in the way that most modern romantic comedies do, but by the same token, it is hard to say that Jane Eyre has a truly happy ending. I would call the conclusion of this book happier, but it is not the most storybook ending in the world, and that is something that I feel gives this novel a lot of credibility. There are a few coincidences in the book that are a little difficult to swallow, but Jane Eyre is such a noble and compassionate character that these faults are easy to overlook and have little negative impact on the novel at all. My wife has read Jane Eyre twice now, and is very fond of it. I doubt I will ever read this book again, but I will certainly encourage my daughter to read it when she gets a little older. I really enjoyed my first foray into the Brontes' collection; I give Jane Eyre 3 and a half stars.