The Brontë Sisters: The Brief Lives of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne

by Catherine Reef

The Brontë sisters are among the most beloved writers of all time, best known for their classic nineteenth-century novels Jane Eyre (Charlotte), Wuthering Heights (Emily), and Agnes Grey (Anne). In this sometimes heartbreaking young adult biography, Catherine Reef explores the turbulent lives of these literary siblings and the oppressive times in which they lived. Brontë fans will also revel in the insights into their favorite novels, the plethora of poetry, and the outstanding collection of more than sixty black-and-white archival images. A powerful testimony to the life of the mind. (Endnotes, bibliography, index.)

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, History, Biography Memoir, Historical, Middle Grade, Childrens

240 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2012

About the author

Catherine Reef is the author of more than 35 nonfiction books for young people. Her books for Clarion include the highly acclaimed JOHN STEINBECK and SIGMUND FREUD, which was the recipient of the 2002 Sydney Taylor Award, presented by the Association of Jewish Libraries. She lives in College Park, Maryland.

Reviews

[Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars but I must round it up for appreciation. Started in the afternoon after a strenuous day of tree planting, and garden wall /soil renewal- I would never have thought I could stay up and finish this in one evening. It was GOOD!

The research and references are 40 pages plus at the end of the Kindle read. The written letters and association correspondence for a dozen others followed to an excellent degree. Even the period after the sisters had passed and their fame increasing- who helped with the salvage of their remnants and who did not.

But what was core and central was the personality detail! And the portraits and photos embellished those with physical reality. Love, love, loved the detail.

Now I do understand more of the source for the insight. And the gulf of differences between their writing and their "eyes" of worldview, as well.

Because they were all set into a world that restricted their employment and their singular and narrowly encapsulated personalities doubled down on the onus to escape and the near impossibility to do so. BOTH. Charlotte was the only self-identity that pushed herself to travel, for instance. And eventually, after increased tragedy, she actually went to Belgium alone. UNHEARD of for a single woman of her class and situation.

All three sisters were forced by circumstance to work as governess or teacher. None of them had the least inclination to do so. In fact, all the Brontes' perceived work as intrusion. And two of them were majority personality introverts from the get-go, as well. Anne was spiritual and religious to a deeper degree than the other two. Emily rarely wanted to leave the house, and did not when the other 2 had to go to London for publication access connection. But all were employed by private households of wealth at different periods for tutoring and governess work. In great majority of the employments, it was necessity of duty direction. Not a desired occupation for any of them. I really did LOL when they wrote in letters that they were required to work from morning until evening and then given mending or sewing to finish, as well. One mentions that she does her writing when the charges are refusing to do any studies anyway. The letters seem to indicate that any time actually performing the job was an unwelcome burden to be associating with such dolts. Because this took time away from their reading, games of imaginary places, and twined fantasy worlds of secluded occupation within each and between each other; work for outsiders was always intrusion. And the cruelty and worldview of disdain at their first "away" school was horrendous. In fact, it was so bad that it did play a role in their older sisters' deaths. Marie, especially, seemed to have been bullied and literally killed in her disease onset and progression at that place.

There are many other writers and poets in this book that are excellent windows into the world of these Bronte siblings too. Even thought their town was too far and obscure to connections of travel that the short lived school they started never had a single student. But what came across the most to me was how and what they made of their own REALITY in that clergyman's house. More than most could make of a downtown Manhattan. Also the Moors and nature play such a role too, especially for Emily with her dog, Kemper. She seemed, to me, always preferring outside and the natural world to people.

And the marriage proposals! And the funerals! And the scowling father. And the beloved brother that in every job and occasion for employment finds the way too hard, too restrictive, filled with too many rules, or just plain gets caught and fired in short order. And then coming right back home again in tears. Real tears. The small red-headed man with the big forehead is described sublimely.

The most shocking story, I think, was Anne's. Asthma, and more. Then so sick and you are directed to go to the shore for a cure? And when you say good-bye you know you are not coming back. And how she is the only one not in the church graveyard but resting by the shore forever.

What a good, good survey of these women. Bright, arrogant, spirited, mostly wise and generous- and stuck in the mire of the mid 1800's when there was almost no tunneling out. And when they did burrow through, I thought it was truly incisive that the luckier women and the celebrated and literate men (like Coleridge and Southery, the poet laureate) discouraged them. Not just discouraged but chided them to return to feminine duty and purpose. And after the last funeral, a few of those women would not even help the collections of the Bronte papers and drawings.

Well, I just finished an Anne Bronte, so I think I will have to read the Charlotte that she wrote just before her death at 38. TB and the particulars of how these people lived their medical and physical lives! Well I can't help but use exclamation point. They were not lazy in household chores, but were ill so much of the time. Their ages at death 11,9 for the oldest two. And all others but Charlotte before they were close to 30. Charlotte, married she became for a very short time, and then died at 38. Many, many hours of those years spent in imagination of "other" places. Psychologically and with full intellect available, you can certainly see why.

[Maliha Tabassum Arna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where Sin abounds Religion dies,
And Virtue seeks her native skies;
Chaste Conscience hides for very shame,
And Honour’s but an empty name.
Then, like a flood, with fearful din,
A gloomy host comes pouring in.

I've never read any book of Charlotte Brontë, Emily Brontë or Anne Brontë. But I didn't hesitate to read this biography based on their life. Catherine Reef has written a very heart-touching book on the three sisters' life. The Brontë Sisters: The Brief Lives of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne has told the joy happiness of their lives. Besides it also carries the most sorrowful part of their life.

If few and short the joys of life
That thou on earth couldst know,
Little thou knew’st of sin and strife
Nor much of pain and woe.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
And yet I cannot check my sighs,
Thou wert so young and fair,
More bright than summer morning skies,
But stern death would not spare.

Early she goes on the path
To the Silent Country, and leaves
Half her laurels unwon,
Dying too soon . . .

I felt like- 'If I could cry!' But I never cry...
This book holds something inside it. If you never have any idea who they are, that won't matter at all. (Just like me; I didn't know who they really were!)

But absolutely recommend it for those who are interested in biographies.

A SIGHHH!!! 😓

[Destiny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is around the fifth biography I've checked out on a Bronte but only the first that I have finished. I have the massive tome by Juliet Barker but I was overwhelmed when I opened it. I've started and put down several more.

I felt I needed something light to introduce me fully to the sisters. Currently I've only read one book from Charlotte but it really made an impression on me. I've started both Shirley and Vilette but I haven't finished them yet. The same goes for Anne's Agnes Grey.

But reading this I felt like I got a good overview of them. And I reacted to it. Near the end with the family tragedies. I really felt upset. I don't know what it was about this particular book but yeah. I knew how they all died of course but I didn't really feel it until I read this.

I think this a good introduction to the family and it's easy to read. Four stars.

[Himel Rahman · Rating 5 out of 5]

If it were a story I would not have believed. As it's not I'm more befuddled.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

To say that I am a big Bronte fan, would be an understatement. I am the girl who BEGGED my husband to let me choose Bronte as a middle name. I also asked if we might PLEASE name our daughter Charlotte. Or our dog Heathcliff...please, Dear! Though all of those monikers fell by veto, my love for all things Bronte remains in tact. Though I have read most of the Bronte sisters' works, I learned a great deal about them in this family biography.

For example, I did not know that there were two more Bronte sisters, Maria and Elizabeth, who died in childhood after being abusively treated at a Christian boarding school for girls. Sound familiar? Yes, the Clergy Daughters' School at Cowan Bridge was the model for Jane Eyre's nightmarish experiences at Lowood school.

I had heard that Charlotte had fallen in love with a married man and was prepared to pursue this relationship against propriety. (This relationship became somewhat reversely reflected in the relationship between Jane and Mr. Rochester in "Jane Eyre). I also knew that all three writers had short lives, each dying before age forty, but I did not know that Charlotte married. I was so happy for her, though it seems so cruel that her marriage was so short. Reverend Patrick Bronte, their father outlived each of his children.

I knew little about their brother Branwell. I did not know that he struggled with alcoholism, poverty, opium use, and depression.

Like "Jane Eyre" and "Wuthering Heigths", the short lives of the Bronte sisters had possessed plenty of sadness, darkness even. But the joy of family, of passionate expression, of education and art transformed even their darkest moments and disappointments into enduring legacies. I am grateful that their passions and beautiful heartaches were captured on paper, both in story and poetry.

My only negative observation about this book is that the writing was a little dry and seemed to jump all over the place. I'm not sure that a family biography is a good idea. The author wrote of the Bronte family's experiences chronologically for the most part, so I was never sure whose experiences were being discussed when. It was a very confusing format. My other complaint would be the pages-long summaries of each of the Bronte novels. It seemed that the author only included the summaries in order to lengthen her own manuscript.

Overall, this was an interesting and quick read. I would recommend it to anyone who loves the Bronte's as much as I do.

[Sharika · Rating 5 out of 5]

এখন পর্যন্ত ২০২১-এ পড়া সবচেয়ে প্রিয় বই 🖤

***

"ওয়াদারিং হাইটস"-খ্যাত এমিলি ব্রন্টে এবং "জেন এয়ার"-খ্যাত শার্লট ব্রন্টেকে ক্লাসিক সাহিত্যপ্রেমী সকলেই চিনি। এমিলি, শার্লট এবং অ্যান - তিন বোনের বেড়ে ওঠা, জীবনকাল, সাহিত্যে প্রবেশ সবকিছু নিয়ে রচিত হয়েছে এই বই।

সূচনাতে রয়েছেন তাদের বাবা প্যাট্রিক ব্রন্টে। প্যাট্রিক ব্রন্টে তার স্ত্রী মারিয়া ব্র‍্যানওয়েল ব্রন্টে এবং ছয় সন্তানের বিশাল পরিবার নিয়ে হাওয়ার্থ গ্রামে থাকতে আসেন ১৮২০ সালে। মারিয়া ছয় বছরের মধ্যে পরপর ছয় সন্তান জন্ম দিয়ে তীব্র অসুস্থতায় ভুগছিলেন এবং ১৮২১ সালে মারা যান। অথৈ সাগরে পড়বার দশা হয় প্যাট্রিক ব্রন্টের, তার ইচ্ছে ছিল দ্বিতীয় বিয়ের কিন্তু তার বিয়ের প্রস্তাবে তিন তিনবার ব্যর্থ হবার পর সে আশা ছেড়ে দেন। পরিবারের ছেলেমেয়েদের শৈশবকাল ছিল চরম কষ্টকর আর দুর্ভাগ্যে পরিপূর্ণ - মা মারা যাওয়ার সময় বড় সন্তানের বয়স ছিল সাত আর ছোটটির মাত্র এক। তাদের আন্ট ব্রনওয়েল মাঝে মাঝে তাদের দেখাশোনা করতেন।

১৮২৪ সালে হাওয়ার্থের নতুন বাসিন্দা রেভারেন্ড উইলসন কাওয়ান ব্রীজে একটি স্কুল প্রত��ষ্ঠা করেন। ছয় সন্তানের মধ্যে ছেলে ব্র‍্যানওয়েলকে প্যাট্রিক নিজে বাড়িতে পড়ালেখা শুরু করান এবং তার সাথে সাথে মেয়েরাও পত্র-পত্রিকা এবং ম্যাগাজিন পড়া শিখছিলো। মেয়েদেরকে নিয়ে প্যাট্রিকের প্রধান চিন্তা ছিল যেহেতু তার কোনো সহায়-সম্পত্তি নেই, তার মেয়েরা বিয়ের বাজারে কোনো সুবিধা পাবে না। যদি আজীবন তাদের একা থাকতে হয় সেক্ষেত্রে একমাত্র উপায় হলো একটি সম্মানজনক পেশা তথা শিক্ষকতা। সেই চিন্তা থেকে কাওয়ান ব্রীজের স্কুলটি প্রতিষ্ঠা হবার কয়েকমাসের মধ্যেই বড় মেয়ে দু'টি - মারিয়া এবং এলিজাবেথকে স্কুলে পাঠান। ক'মাসের ব্যবধানে যোগ দেয় শার্লট এবং এমিলি।

স্কুলে তখন চলতো শিক্ষার নামে ছাত্রীদের উপর অমানুষিক নির্যাতন। প্রতিষ্ঠাতা রেভারেন্ড ছাত্রীদের প্রতিটি কাজে কোনো না কোনো "পাপ"-এর চিহ্ন খুঁজে পেতেন। বালিকাদের মাথার চুল ছিল সৌন্দর্যের বহিঃপ্রকাশ তাই তাদেরকে ধরে চুল কেটে ছোট করে দেয়া হতো, স্যাঁতসেঁতে দালানগুলো তারা শীতকালে ঠাণ্ডা করে রাখতো আর খাবার হিসেবে ছাত্রীদের দেয়া হতো পুড়ে যাওয়া পরিজ, বাসি রুটি আর গন্ধযুক্ত মাংস। শিক্ষিকা মিস এন্ড্রুজ ছাত্রীদেরকে বেদম প্রহার আর শাস্তির মধ্যে রাখতেন, তার চোখের বিষ ছিল বিশেষ করে মারিয়া ব্রন্টে - কেন না মারিয়া ছিল একটু এলোমেলো স্বভাবের। ক্রমাগত শাস্তি পেতে পেতে মারিয়া এক পর্যায়ে অসুস্থ হয়ে পড়ে। এবং যখন তাকে বাড়ি পাঠিয়ে দেয়া হয় - জানা যায় তার হয়েছে মরণব্যাধি "গ্রেভইয়ার্ড কফ" তথা টিউবারকিউলোসিস। ১৮২৫ সালের মে মাসে এগারো বছর বয়সে মারিয়া মারা যায়, একমাস পরই টিবি নিয়ে বাড়ি আসে এলিজাবেথও এবং মারা যায় অল্পকিছুদিনের মধ্যে। ভয় পেয়ে স্কুল থেকে এমিলি এবং শার্লটকে সরিয়ে আনেন প্যাট্রিক - বেঁচে যায় তারা।

অতঃপর বাড়িতে বাবার কাছে পড়াশোনা শুরু করে। ভূগোল, ইতিহাস, ব্যাকরণ আর বাইবেলের পাশাপাশি তাদের বাবার সংগ্রহের ক্লাসিক উপন্যাসগুলো পড়তে শুরু করে তারা - লর্ড বায়রনের লেখার বিশেষ ভক্ত হয়ে পড়ে। এমিলি ছোটবেলা থেকে ছিল প্রকৃতিপ্রেমী ধরণের, শার্লট ছিল কিছুটা অন্তর্মুখী - মনে গোপন ইচ্ছা পুষে রাখতো সে লেখিকা হবে। চার সন্তানের সকলে বিভিন্ন ধরণের সৃজনশীল লেখালেখি করতো আর সেগুলো একে অন্যকে পড়ে শুনাতো। ব্র‍্যানওয়েল এবং শার্লটের ছোটবেলার অসংখ্য লেখা সময়ের স্রোতের সাথে টিকে রয়েছে কিন্তু বাকি দু'জনের লেখাগুলো হারিয়ে গিয়েছে।

১৮৩০ সালে প্যাট্রিক ব্রন্টে অসুস্থ হয়ে পড়েন, সকলে ভেবেছিলো হয়তো তিনি বাঁচবেন না। কিন্তু সুস্থ হয়ে উঠবার পর তিনি নতুন উদ্যমে সিদ্ধান্ত নেন যদি তিনি মারা যানও তার সন্তানেরা যেন অসহায় না হয়ে পড়ে। সকলের যাত্রা শুরু হয় নতুন করে, এরপর ব্রন্টে পরিবারের ছেলেমেয়েদের বৈচিত্র্যময় জীবনযাত্রা, তাদের প্রাপ্তবয়স্ক হয়ে উঠা, দৈনন্দিন জীবনের উঠা-নামা এবং প্রত্যেক বোনের জীবনের বিস্তারিত ইতিহাস।

বইয়ের প্রথম দশভাগের কাহিনী সম্পর্কে একটু বললাম উপরের আলোচনায়। বাকিটা না হয় নিজেরাই পড়ে নেবেন। ক্যাথেরিন রিফ-এর লেখা অতুলনীয় রকমের সুন্দর লেগেছে, আমি নন-ফিকশন বই খুব কম পড়ি, ব্যক্তিগতভাবে তেমন একটা পছন্দের জন্রা নয়। কিন্তু Wuthering Heights পড়ার পর থেকে (যদিও অরিজিনালটি এখনো পড়া হয় নি) এমিলি ব্রন্টে-র প্রতি ভীষণ ভালো লাগা রয়ে গেছে মনে আর সেখান থেকে বাকি ব্রন্টে সিস্টার্সদের প্রতি আগ্রহ তৈরি হয়েছে। সেই আগ্রহ মেটাতে এই বইটা আমার জন্য সেরা অপশন ছিল। বইয়ের শুরু থেকে শেষ পর্যন্ত কোথাও মনে হয় নি যে জীবনী বা নন-ফিকশন ধরণের কিছু পড়ছি। উনিশ দশকের কোনো এক গথিক উপন্যাসের অনুভূতি দিচ্ছিলো।

কিভাবে তিন বোনই লেখিকা হয়ে উঠলেন তার গল্পটা চমৎকার। ভালো লেগেছে যে বিভিন্ন জায়গা থেকে নিরুৎসাহিত হয়েও তারা স্বপ্ন থেকে সরে যায় নি। চার ভাইবোন একবার পরিকল্পনা করে বিভিন্ন বিখ্যাত কবিদের কাছে নিজেদের লেখা পাঠায়, তখনকার নামী কবি রবার্ট সাউথি জবাবে শার্লটকে পাঠিয়েছিলেন তীব্র সমালোচনা - "Literature cannot be the business of a woman's life, and it ought not to be". কি একটা আয়রনি, কারণ তার কথার উল্টোটা সত্যি হয় - তিন বোন হয়ে উঠেছিলেন সফল লেখিকা আর তাদের ভাইয়ের বছরের পর বছর ব্যবহার-চলাফেরা আর চরিত্রের শুধু অবনতিই হতে থাকে। এবং - উনবিংশ আর বিংশ শতকের সেরা ক্লাসিকগুলোর বড় অংশই এসেছিল মহিলা সাহিত্যিকদের হাত ধরে।

তখনকার সময়ের সামাজিক অবস্থা এতো ভয়াবহ ছিল যে মহিলারা নিজের নামে কোনো কবিতা কিংবা উপন্যাস লেখার সাহস পেতো না কারণ "মহিলা" বলে তাকে অন্য চোখে দেখা হবে বা লেখা ছাপার অক্ষরের মুখই দেখবে না। এই বই পড়ার আগে আমি জানতাম না যে জর্জ এলিয়ট প্রকৃতপক্ষে একজন মহিলা ছিলেন যিনি ছদ্মনামে লিখতেন স্বাধীনভাবে লিখতে পারার জন্য। ব্রন্টে সিস্টার্সরা তিনজন মিলে তাদের প্রথম পাণ্ডুলিপি প্রকাশের উদ্দেশ্যে পাঠিয়েছিলো ছদ্মনামে। তারপর ধীরে ধীরে আসে এমিলির বিশ্বখ্যাত "Wuthering Heights", অ্যান-এর "Agnes Grey" এবং শার্লটের "Jane Eyre"। তিনটিই শুরুতে প্রকাশিত হয়েছিলো পুরুষনামে। সময়ের আবর্তনে লেখা তাদের বিভিন্ন গল্প, কবিতা আর ডায়েরির অংশ, চিঠির অংশবিশেষ আর সংশ্লিষ্ট অনেকগুলো ছবি (ফটোগ্রাফ এবং তাদের আঁকা ছবিগুলো), এমনকি তাদের লেখার কিছু বিশ্লেষণ বইটাকে করে তুলেছে আরো সুখপাঠ্য।

এখন পর্যন্ত একটা ঘোরের মধ্যে বসে আছি পড়া শেষ করার পর। বাস্তবের জীবন এমন সুন্দরভাবে, এতো মহিমার সাথে তুলে ধরা, বর্ণনা করা সম্ভব! জীবনী পড়তে গিয়ে এরকম রোমাঞ্চ অনুভব করবো ভাবি নি - ক্লাসিক হিসেবে মানুষের মুখে মুখে যে বইগুলোর নাম আজ ঘোরে তাদের পেছনের গল্প, পেছনের মানুষগুলোর গল্প জানা হলো। তিন বোনেরই জীবনকাল ছিল ভীষণ সংক্ষিপ্ত, যেটা খুবই দুঃখজনক। আরো কতো লেখা তাদের কাছ থেকে পেতে পারতো পাঠকসমাজ। এই বইটা পড়ে আমার একটা প্রিয় ব্যক্তিত্ব হয়ে উঠেছেন প্যাট্রিক ব্রন্টে। সমস্তকিছুর ভেতর দিয়ে এবং সব পরিস্থিতিতে তিনি তার মেয়েদের পাশে সমর্থন নিয়ে উপস্থিত ছিলেন। আজীবন ছেলেমেয়েদের দেখাশোনা করার পর তিনি বেঁচে ছিলেন তার সকল সন্তানের চেয়েও বেশি সময়।

অনেককিছু লিখে ফেলেছি, আর কথা না বাড়াই। আমার মতো যারা ক্লাসিকের মধ্যে দিয়ে পারলে শ্বাসপ্রশ্বাস নেন আর বাঁচেন তাদের জন্য এটা অসাধারণ একটা পাঠ হবে। ৫/৫।

[Mia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uma boa introdução para quem quer conhecer melhor as irmãs Brontë. É um livro curto, então não espere detalhes esmiuçados - mas é um ponto de partida que abarca todos os acontecimentos mais relevantes das vidas das três irmãs.

O único erro é creditar uma foto antiga como a Charlotte Brontë - sendo que não há evidência suficiente para dizer que trata-se dela naquela foto. De resto, ótimo livro.

[Karyl · Rating 3 out of 5]

In reality, I would give this 3.5 stars, but alas, Goodreads is chintzy on the half-star thing. At any rate, this is an interesting look at the very short lives of the three Brontë sisters, all of whom were published authors in a time when women were not expected, or even really allowed, to be anything other than wives. Publishing originally under male pseudonyms, the sisters gained the recognition they would not have gotten had them published under their true names. It was only after the deaths of Anne and Emily that Charlotte revealed who they really were.

It's kind of a depressing read, this book on the Bronte sisters, mainly because they endured so much loss. First they lost their mother, then they lost their two elder sisters to sickness after all the girls were sent to a boarding school at which they suffered a great deal of abuse. Only Charlotte, Emily, Anne, and their brother Branwell achieved adulthood. Branwell, however, seemed to be destined for failure, and turned to drugs and alcohol to alleviate his pain. He died without realizing his sisters had all been published; they had kept the knowledge from him in order to spare his feelings. But within the year after the loss of Branwell, Charlotte and her father experienced the loss of the two other sisters. Charlotte herself was dead before she reached 39 years of age, causing her father to outlive all six of his children. It brings to the fore the likelihood of early death from common illnesses that was so prevalent in the Victorian era.

The book goes into some detail on each work published by the three sisters. Before this, I had not been aware that Charlotte had published anything other than Jane Eyre, but she also wrote two other novels. It was interesting to learn that Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights weren't immediate successes, and were even panned to some degree. They brought up issues that Victorians had preferred to leave hidden, like abuse in boarding schools, drunkenness, and the idea that women could feel passion. It's rather surprising, as these books are now gothic classics and taught in most English classes.

I found the writing to be a bit elementary-sounding, as though the author was speaking to middle-school or younger children, instead of high school students, the typical readers of YA literature. This is why I can only give this 3.5 stars.

[Lisa - (Aussie Girl) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great insight into the lives of these amazing writers and their tragic and short lives.

[Grandpa Jud · Rating 3 out of 5]

This little book, which might be retitled "A Brief History of the Brief Lives of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne" is an interesting and informative look at their inside lives and provides some insight as to the inspirations for their novels.

This book is best not read until several of the Bronte classic novels themselves have been read to have an appreciation of their writing style and the characteristics of their novels. Indeed, I skipped over the brief reviews contained in this book of the Bronte works I have NOT read, because I did not want to encounter any spoilers.

In this book. we learn that Emily and Anne died at about age 30, and that Charlotte did not live to reach age 40. They were all survived by their father, a pastor. We learn of their childhood home, which was also their adult home for the most part, and its proximity to isolation and the moors so predominately featured in their novels. We learn of their wonderful imagination as children, which foretold their later success as authors although Charlotte, Emily, and Anne did not early on appreciate this possibility. We learn of the overlooked and highly talented authors, Maria Bronte and Elizabeth Bronte. Well, they may well have been highly talented - Maria's and Elizabeth's sisters certainly were, but unfortunately, Maria and Elizabeth died at ages 11 and 10 respectively. But Maria was mistreated and "fiercely" whipped by a "sadistic schoolmistress" at the Clergy Daughters' School at Cowan Bridge before she subsequently fatally contracted tuberculosis. This mistreatment was witnessed by Charlotte and is later reflected in her own writing.

We learn of the society's ignorance of germs, the causes of tuberculosis, and how it is spread so that Anne was probably unwittingly spreading the disease as she walked among the healthy in the last weeks and days of her life. We learn how women novelists were not yet in favor, encouraging authorship under a pen name. We learn how some contemporary critics judged novels by the "correctness" of the behavior of its characters, resulting in criticism of the "excess passion" that often gripped the female heroines of the Bronte novels - a passion that was a contributing reason those novels became classics. We learn how only Charlotte ever married, did so late in her brief life, but was then very happy. We learn of their brother Patrick, whose trouble with alcohol might equally have taken place in the 20th or 21st centuries.

There is so much more of interest here. Overall, it's an interesting story.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars.
What? The Bronte sisters got fired? They hated their jobs? They weren't exactly the ideal teachers? There are lots of juicy things to learn from reading this biography. It is excellent and well done. Great pictures and backgrounds. I couldn't put it down.

On page 32 Charlotte is in the classroom and she starts picturing an imaginative scene: "One particular day, she envisioned a Byronic hero named Zamorna dismounting his black horse. The schoolroom disappeared, and Charlotte stood beneath a sky that was 'quivering & shaking with stars.' Then she heard an annoying voice calling her back. Africa faded, and she was back at her desk looking into her pupil's questioning face."
I loved this passage because if you've ever read a really well-written book, this has happened to you. While reading, "The Last of the Mohicans" I had this happen to me. I was there! I was on the trail while those boys were hiking and trying to hide thier tracks. Oh, it was an amazing experience. And the great thing was, that when I put it down and picked it up again, I was right back in the story. It has only happened that one time, so I treasure it, but loved to see that Charlotte had experienced the same thing.

Loved this quote about "Jane Eyre:" Someone commented, "This is because reality --deep, significant reality is the great characteristic of the book." page 113.

This book is for grades 5 and up, but I believe anyone who is a fan of the Bronte girls will enjoy it.

[Martyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought I knew a lot about the Brontës but I had never fully appreciated before how closely together Branwell, Emily and Anne died. I can't begin to imagine the desperate grief that must have caused, on top of the earlier deaths of Maria (mother and child) and Elizabeth. I also never realized that Patrick Brontë outlived his last child by six years.

This book is primarily aimed at the YA audience but, like the best books for that market, it isn't insubstantial in the slightest. It's a great starting point to learn about this fascinating family. I read it after watching the amazing 2016 BBC tv show To Walk Invisible, which was written and directed by Sally Wainwright who grew up close to Haworth in Sowerby Bridge.

It's a tragedy that they were born at a time when disease was not fully understood, it's a tragedy that their genius was not allowed full exposure simply because of their sex; I can't quite grasp the fortitude that these women must have had just to physically write, let alone accomplish what they did. In my opinion the ultimate tragedy in literature is that Emily only wrote one novel; fortunately she filled it with more ideas and passion than most writers achieve with much larger outputs.

[Jarm Boccio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating to see the parallels between the Brontë sisters cloistered lives and their now classic works. Although this is a YA book, I recommend it to all, especially writers, who love "behind the scene" peeks into author's lives. I re-watched "Jane Eyre" (the 2006 BBC Masterpiece Theatre version, of course!) as I read the book. . .

[Gina Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

April's book club read. This biography of the Bronte sisters was an enjoyable easy read. It was well written and very informative and it made me want to read Jane Eyre (and their other books) again.

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an informative read and I think anyone can read this and draw the parallels from the real lives of the Brontë sisters and their work.

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to read this after watching To Walk Invisible on PBS. It gave me the extra info on the Brontes I wanted without dragging it out into literary criticism.

[Emily Hill]

This was such an interesting read! I happened to see it at the library and picked it up on a whim. It was a clear, sometimes dry but overall well researched biography that proved to be a great first dip into the lives of the Bronte sisters. I really enjoyed getting to learn more about their childhood, and how much of their lives as governesses, students, and women who endured much trials and hardships inspired their books. Now I want to visit the barren moors of Hawthorn and tromp around in the knotty heather fields and stand at the edge of the sea :)

[Bianca Elena · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 ⭐️

[Jill Talbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is so tragic that they died so young!

[Kayli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Catherine Reef's book on the Brontë sisters was an excellent read for so many reasons. First off, the content itself is exceedingly in-depth on not only Charlotte, Emily and Anne but also their father, brother and the other important people in their lives including their friends, suitors etc. The involvement of these other individuals is consistently noted throughout the book which adds to the full picture of the Brontës. This was surprising and welcoming though I will say their brother Branwell is an interesting character to say the least. Secondly, the author takes a chronological approach to the sisters and includes historical and cultural notes as she goes. I found this specifically important because it seems to show not only how the sisters responded to society but also how English society was at the time. Finally, I love how she approached the novels and poetry created by the sisters. Catherine Reef provides wonderful summaries of the novels that still leave the mystery and endings intact, which was helpful in guiding my next reading choices. She also provides samples of their poetry with the background of who wrote the piece and what it could be interpreted as. I especially like how the author included the public reception of the works in her descriptions.

This book was recommended to me by the lovely ladies at the Bonnets at Dawn podcast and I'm very happy I took the time to read it. My knowledge of the Brontë family was limited to the fact that I knew there were three sisters, they were from England and I had read Wuthering Heights in high school with little appreciation. My interests changed as I grew up and I read Shirley for my Masters dissertation, sparking an instant love for Charlotte Brontë. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a brief introduction to the Brontës regardless of age. I found that even though this is a classified as a children's/young adult book the author is incredibly thorough and also offers a selected bibliography for further research.

[Crizzle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved getting to learn about the brief lives of the Bronte sisters! I marked this as "to read" when it came out in 2012; I recently requested it on our South Dakota Overdrive library and they got it in for me! So much I didn't know: their mother died when Anne was a baby, they had two older sisters, Maria and Elizabeth, who died while attending their cruel boarding school, and their brother Branwell lived a sad life as an addict, losing job after job while the girls quietly worked hard as undercover authors (and stints as governesses). The sisters chose pseudonyms to go by: Anne, Emily, and Charlotte went by the manly monikers Acton, Ellis, and Currer Bell so they wouldn't have to deal with the discrimination they would as women authors in the 1800s. These girls were feminists! In the firestorm that ensued upon the release of Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, Charlotte reminded readers that "conventionality is not morality". Readers struggled with these books because never before had they seen such frankness from female protagonists, nor were prim and proper Victorians accustomed to reading about the harsh realities and disfunctionalities of life. I read Jane Eyre as a thirteen year old and loved it... as an older teen I tried getting into Jane Austen and couldn't stand it. I felt redeemed when I read that Charlotte Bronte couldn't, either! "Her business is not half so much with the human heart as it is with the human eyes, mouth, hands and feet." So sad finding out that Patrick Bronte outlived not only his wife, but all six of his children. Within eight months, Charlotte lost Branwell, Anne, and Emily to tuberculosis; they were 29-31 years old. Charlotte only lived 38 years. This was a short and fascinating book, just like the lives of these quiet, smart, strong women.

[Steven Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title of the book refers to the three Bronte sisters--but it also touches upon the short tragic life of their talented brother--Branwell. I was not that familiar with the lives of the sisters--although I did know that their lives burned brightly as authors and ended far too early.

For me, this book fills in the blanks of their lives nicely. We see their lives traced from their birth to their (tragically early) deaths. Each of the three sisters wrote at least one impressive novel. They had begun writing much earlier, when they were quite young. As they grew up, they continued and deepened their commitment to writing. They went by the nom de plume of Bell--each with a different first name. They assumed male personae, given that the times were not favorable toward women authors (although, as the work noted, there were exceptions).

The volume describes their efforts to make a living, their home base with their father, the effects of living where they did.

All in all, we get a good introduction to their lives and their works. I, for one, found this a very nice work, albeit rather brief.

The book is 190 pages long, but the type is rather large and the spacing between lines rather large. On the other hand, the content was most helpful to me, and I think that for those who want a well written introduction to the lives of the Bronte sisters (and family), this will suffice nicely.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully simple but alarmingly deep look at the Bronte sisters and their brother Branwell and their life in the parsonage. Now, it details everything from their upbringing with a religious father (who ended up outliving his wife and all of his children), their care by their aunt for the majority of their lives, their imaginations and interactions with each other, and their subsequent rise in popularity, though for the most part, obscured by the fact that they were writing under male pseudonyms.

For the simple organization in chronology, there are so many facets of life during that time period that were discussed including a woman's place, her need to be married and silent and dutiful, while their brother, the male of the family, pissed most of his "independence" with stupidity. The girls worked hard but suffered from illness and depression while muddling through life. It's amazing to understand their work in publishing, the proposals by men, their relationship with each other and especially after all were dead except Charlotte and what that did to her-- writing, companionship, outlook.

I would highly recommend reading it since it also paints a picture of authorship and creation as much as it was about their family intricacies.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s nice to read a biography written for young readers for a change of pace. Sometimes it’s nice to have things spelled out in not too much detail and plain language - like who/what a curate is, which I’m not sure I would’ve bothered to look up, but I’d actually a useful thing to know.

I didn’t know that one of the Brontë’s best friends moved to New Zealand for 20odd years in the early years of the colony. I didn’t know the Brontës were Irish either. Or the details of Branwell’s sad (some would say pathetic) life.

What an interesting and sad story all around. If only the girls had lived longer, although to wish them lives of better health would probably be to wish that they lived in a different time and place, and who knows whether they would’ve been the same writers had they not suffered grief and loneliness and the isolation of Haworth.

I definitely want to reread Wuthering Heights as an adult, and Jane Eyre is already on my list. This biography said that Anne may have become the greatest author of the three had she lived longer so I guess I should add one of her books to my to-read list too.

If I came upon a good biography of the family written for adults I would probably be interested to read more about them.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

While reading this biography, I am able for a time to return to the scenes of Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre; to me, the Bronte's best... it is an atmosphere which makes a return to reality hard.

Their stories reflected their lives.
Jane Eyre "might suit the public taste better than you anticipate - for it is true and Truth has a severe charm of it's own." Charlotte Bronte

While this book was not superbly written, I appreciated it for what it was. A concise record of the brief lives of the Brontes. The pictures and glossy pages were physically appealing. I especially enjoyed the beginning of the book with its familiar setting. Keep in mind, however, that about a third of the book summarizes each individual Bronte title. Therefore, if u have not read all their works, you may want to hold off on this one. Extreme spoilers enclosed!

[Connie D · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read several biographies of the Brontes and several (but not all) of their books and this is a great retelling of their fascinating story for teens. The numerous illustrations, including pictures of people and places involved in their lives and their own writings and drawings, are a great addition that usually get omitted from adult biographies. The author, Catherine Reef, also does a great job of connecting what they wrote about to what they experienced in life, literary connections that you don't usually see in biographies for younger people. If you hadn't read any other biographies, this would be a great first one, and if you were only going to read one, this would be an excellent choice too. (As a reader, I never felt talked down to, by the way.)

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This young adult biography was the perfect introduction, for me, to learn about the entire Bronte family. I learned a lot about the personalities of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne, and now have a much deeper understanding about the settings, plots, characters, and the emotions that they penned into their novels. There were also a plethora of pictures and illustrations throughout the pages that made for a quick and informative read.

I found this to be a very engaging book. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in knowing more about these great authors through an informative, yet quick and easy read.

Content: There is some talk of affairs, drinking, and drug abuse.

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great look at the Bronte family. Charlotte got a little more airtime, but that makes sense since she lived longer than the others. I need to read some more Bronte novels. I really like how Catherine Reef writes these biographies.

[Lisa Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A concise and touching introductory biography of the Bronte sisters, with special focus on Charlotte, this book is appropriate for Middle Grade readers but not too simple for adults. Recommended as a prologue to the reading of Bronte novels.

[Deon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great to book introduce you to the three sisters. It is young adult and moves pretty quickly.