The Bronte Family: Passionate Literary Geniuses

by Karen Smith Kenyon

A joint biography of Charlotte, Emily, Branwell, and Anne Brontd explores how the siblings sparked creativity in each other and how their lives were woven into their novels.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, History

128 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2002

Reviews

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC provided by NetGalley & Endeavour Media, for release of a new edition, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

I have always had an interest in the Brontë family ever since I was young. I first visited the Brontë Parsonage when I was 10 and I was incredibly interested by the Brontë sisters lives.

This biography spoke deeply of all the Brontë sisters lives as well as their brother, Branwell. I learned quite a number of things about the family from this read - especially in terms of Branwell and his troubled life.

This was an informative and enjoyable read and I would recommend it to anyone interested in the Brontë family or any of their wonderful works. Reading this has made me want to reread my first ever edition of Jane Eyre which I bought at the Parsonage at 10 years old. Such an inspiring story to writers - that these sisters worked through all their hardships and found enjoyment in writing. Although Emily, Anne, Charlotte and Branwell had short lives they were full of potential and success in their own ways. It is a shame that such talent was lost. This read really brought the family back to life quite like my multiple visits to the Brontë Parsonage.

“Whatever now becomes of the work—the occupation of writing it has been a real boon to me—it took me out of dark and desolate reality to an unreal but happier region . . . imagination lifted me when I was sinking . . . I am thankful to God who gave me this faculty.”  —Charlotte Brontë to William S. Williams, 29 August 1849

[Linda Romer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved learning about The Bronte Family through Author Karen Smith Kenyon's research and writing. I was enamored with the romantic and dramatic lives of Reverend Bronte and his six children. The photographs and sketches in the book are amazing. There lives were amazing and devastating. I'm looking forward to reading Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. And I would love to visit The Bronte Parsonage Museum in the Yorkshire Village in Haworth.

I give The Bronte Family 5 stars for its informative read.
I would recommend this book to everyone.

[Rania Ioannou · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're looking for a brief introduction to the life of the Bronte family, this is a good summary of the main events that marked their lives. I personally love reading fully-fledged biographies with lots of details and anecdotes. I think this book lacked in this department, It mostly felt like reading a brief biography that I could easily pick up in a gift shop at the Bronte Parsonage Museum or an extensive Wikipedia entry. Unfortunately for me, it didn't provide me with any greater insight about the lives and minds of these great female nineteenth-century authors. Saying this, at least it intrigued me to look for something more detailed.

[Juli Rahel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aah, the Brontë sisters! What geniuses they were and how miserably short their lives. And yet their few years continue to fascinate their readers. Sadly I am still far away from visiting Haworth, but it has been on my list ever since I first read Jane Eyre. As a devout Brontë fan I try to get my hands on every book written about them and the latest instalment is The Brontë Family by Karen Kenyon. Thanks to Endeavour Media and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review of this book.

I love the Brontë sisters. Once I discovered English literature through the brilliant Jane Austen I swiftly fell for Charlotte, Emily and Anne as well. I must admit, however, that Emily is my undoubted favourite. There is something so visceral and wild about Wuthering Heights that has, in my opinion, never been topped. But this is true of all the Brontë sisters. They were true in a way that was rare, honest almost to the point of painful and undoubtedly gifted. What fascinates me is how they penned three fascinating novels simultaneously by candle light, huddled over the kitchen table after a long day of work. The creative spirit that must have surrounded them is something I'm amazed and inspired by and it is no surprise they have continued to inspire people for years.

In The Brontë Family Karen Kenyon captures the lives of Charlotte, Emily and Anne in short chapters dedicated to some of the most powerful and some of the most tragic moments in their lives. Whether it is the first sparks of their literary genius, their hardships at school, the brilliancy of their talent, the tragedy of their ends, \Kenyon covers it all in short yet insightful chapters. Although there is not much that would be new to Brontë fans, Kenyon's The Brontë Family covers them very well. I liked how every chapter began with a quote, whether from the Brontë sisters directly or from someone close to them. Kenyon also covers Branwell's life, how he brought both pride and shame to his family before his untimely end.

Short and to the point, I enjoyed reading The Brontë Family. In a few chapters, Kenyon highlights some of the high and low points in the lives of the Brontës, her love for the three sisters clearly shining through. I'd recommend this to anyone interested in finding out some more about the Brontës.

[Mystica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A detailed account of the lives of the entire Bronte family but dealing with Emily, Charlotte and Anne in greater detail, their life at the parsonage, their excursions into the wider world to both broaden their horizons as well as earn a living and how they all came back to the moors which they loved and the tragic end to their young lives.

Born at a time when women did not venture into the world of publishing, they first published under male names and once established as "proper" authors ventured into this world with a great deal of success. With happiness denied in their personal lives, they lived a very self sacrificing life giving up on love and companionship for the parsonage and their (in my opinion) tyrant of a father.

This is a very short book but it encompasses all the details of the Bronte family very well.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting read. It is incredibly well written non-fiction that reads like a story instead of a collection of facts and thats how I like my non-fiction. I have long been a fan of the Bronte sisters and have read a great deal about them, so what I really enjoyed about this look at the family was the peek into the life of Branwell. I didn't know how much I didn't know about him. I was again struck, as I often am when reading about the Bronte sisters, by the strength of will and character of Charlotte. She had to watch each of her siblings die and support her father through their deaths yet she persevered and lived an incredible life despite the myriad of challenges before her. I would definitely recommend this to any Bronte fans.

[ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was lovely - I didn't know much about the Brontes, and I was worried this would turn out to be a pretty dense read, Actually, it read more like a story in and of itself. It was interesting (I definitely enjoyed learning more about their early lives and what drew the sisters into becoming such amazing authors - as well as Branwell, and how that affected their novels too).

Not only has it reaffirmed my love for the Brontes, but it's given me so much insight into their novels. The context behind each book, especially Jane Eyre, possibly one of my favourite novels of all time, added so much to my enjoyment - the critical reception of Wuthering Heights for example. But, overall, I did really enjoy this, especially as a first biography of the family.

[Gill · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a fan of the Brontes, and living near the parsonage, I have read a lot of books about the Bronte family. This one is quite short, but would serve very well as an overview of the Brontes and Haworth. Just enough to appeal to everyone, and especially those who might feel daunted by a thick, academic tome.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book.

[Lauradish79 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting look at the life of the Bronte sisters. Through a life of difficult circumstances, they created and collaborated to create amazing novels that are enjoyed to this day. The author does a wonderful job of telling their story.

[Elisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

very interesting. I feel sad after reading the Bronte family but excited to see their books. Looking forward for Wuthering Heights.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this historical look at each of the Bronte's and how their work influenced each other. I received a copy from NetGalley and the publisher and this is my honest opinion.

[Lisa Connors · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed learning more about this family and the hard times, inspirations & tragedies that informed their writing. Fascinating read

[Jen Solak · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an extremely accessible biography of the famous Brontë family. Charlotte, Emily, and Anne are the most famous members of the family but this book covers their other sisters, who died young, as well as their troubled brother Branwell. This particular biography manages to tell their story in a way that covers facts but also humanizes the members of the family, Everything from romances (confirmed and speculated) to the publishing process are covered. I would recommend this book for anyone who is a fan of any of the Brontës, or who simply wants a glimpse into life during their time because so many different subjects ar touched upon,

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I happened upon this book after Ian pushed a pile of books off the shelf in the biography section at the library. I was fascinated with the Bronte sisters. Their lives were so short and sad, but they gave us such amazing stories before they departed this world. I especially admire them because they continued to write even though men told them that women couldn't write. Ha, they showed them, it is the Bronte name we remember.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely history of a few short but creative lives. The photos and artwork are a nice touch.

After reading this, you will be thankful that dank disease ridden boarding schools are a thing of the past. You will want to make sure that your TB vaccine is up to date. You will also be grateful that Ellen didn't burn the letters.

Happy reading!

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had read a novel this summer about the Brontes then Daphne (see later review) so I needed a quick biography to settle some questions I had. This fit the bill. Designed for the YA audience so readable in a couple of hours.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book!

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really a very nice book. Short and an easy read, a good picture of their lives, not too much detail.

[Bre · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Brontë Family is a work of nonfiction. I'm a big fan of the Brontë sisters, so much so, that I even chose Charlotte Brontë as a subject for a research paper. This biographical piece paints a broad picture of the entire Brontë family. I learned pieces of information that I had not known before reading. For example, the fact that Charlotte was shortsighted. Also, I enjoyed how Kenyon depicted the Brontë sisters' attitudes towards children. Kenyon's work was easy to read and understand.

[Cynthia Guerra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had no idea there were so many sisters or the amount of tragedy this family had to endure! So Sad! To be young and famous under a false name is bad enough but then to endure such loss just seemed so unfair. I wish they had had time to write more . Excellent book

[Annette Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short but interesting history of the fascinating and tragic Bronte family, this book by Karen Kenyon would work well as an introduction to the subject. While she does cover the family history, it is not in any great detail. That being said, I did enjoy the book and the story it reveals intrigued me . As a fan of all the Brontes I had a basic knowledge of their story, but I definitely learned more by reading this book. It is a very human tale, and is simply told, not in a dry academic way, so it is a very accessible read.

[Cristie Underwood]

The Bronte sisters are always referred to as a collective unit and it is hard not to think of them that way. The author of this book did extensive research on the women as individuals and wrote about how each sister was influenced by her other siblings, including their brother. This book was a very interesting read and definitely proved that these women are just as interesting as individuals as they are as a collective unit.

[Denice Langley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Bronte sisters were very prolific writers who enjoyed great success, at first writing under male pseudonyms, then as themselves. Their personal; lives served as the background for many of their novels, leaving one to wonder how a life lived in a parsonage could contain so many non secular adventures. Bronte books are rightfully considered literary classics, enjoyed by readers of all ages. Ms Kenyon's book serves to expand the reader's knowledge of the Bronte sisters and their almost famous brother. Not only is it a very good book, it enhances the readers enjoyment of the books written by the Brontes.