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Jane Eyre
600 pages, Hardcover
Published March 24, 2026
About the author
Charlotte Brontë
2,397 books19.6k followersCharlotte Brontë was an English novelist, the eldest out of the three famous Brontë sisters whose novels have become standards of English literature. See also Emily Brontë and Anne Brontë.
Charlotte Brontë was born in Thornton, Yorkshire, England, the third of six children, to Patrick Brontë (formerly "Patrick Brunty"), an Irish Anglican clergyman, and his wife, Maria Branwell. In April 1820 the family moved a few miles to Haworth, a remote town on the Yorkshire moors, where Patrick had been appointed Perpetual Curate. This is where the Brontë children would spend most of their lives. Maria Branwell Brontë died from what was thought to be cancer on 15 September 1821, leaving five daughters and a son to the care of her spinster sister Elizabeth Branwell, who moved to Yorkshire to help the family.
In August 1824 Charlotte, along with her sisters Emily, Maria, and Elizabeth, was sent to the Clergy Daughters' School at Cowan Bridge in Lancashire, a new school for the daughters of poor clergyman (which she would describe as Lowood School in Jane Eyre). The school was a horrific experience for the girls and conditions were appalling. They were regularly deprived of food, beaten by teachers and humiliated for the slightest error. The school was unheated and the pupils slept two to a bed for warmth. Seven pupils died in a typhus epidemic that swept the school and all four of the Brontë girls became very ill - Maria and Elizabeth dying of tuberculosis in 1825. Her experiences at the school deeply affected Brontë - her health never recovered and she immortalised the cruel and brutal treatment in her novel, Jane Eyre. Following the tragedy, their father withdrew his daughters from the school.
At home in Haworth Parsonage, Charlotte and the other surviving children — Branwell, Emily, and Anne — continued their ad-hoc education. In 1826 her father returned home with a box of toy soldiers for Branwell. They would prove the catalyst for the sisters' extraordinary creative development as they immediately set to creating lives and characters for the soldiers, inventing a world for them which the siblings called 'Angria'. The siblings became addicted to writing, creating stories, poetry and plays. Brontë later said that the reason for this burst of creativity was that:
'We were wholly dependent on ourselves and each other, on books and study, for the enjoyments and occupations of life. The highest stimulus, as well as the liveliest pleasure we had known from childhood upwards, lay in attempts at literary composition.'
After her father began to suffer from a lung disorder, Charlotte was again sent to school to complete her education at Roe Head school in Mirfield from 1831 to 1832, where she met her lifelong friends and correspondents, Ellen Nussey and Mary Taylor. During this period (1833), she wrote her novella The Green Dwarf under the name of Wellesley. The school was extremely small with only ten pupils meaning the top floor was completely unused and believed to be supposedly haunted by the ghost of a young lady dressed in silk. This story fascinated Brontë and inspired the figure of Mrs Rochester in Jane Eyre.
Brontë left the school after a few years, however she swiftly returned in 1835 to take up a position as a teacher, and used her wages to pay for Emily and Anne to be taught at the school. Teaching did not appeal to Brontë and in 1838 she left Roe Head to become a governess to the Sidgewick family -- partly from a sense of adventure and a desire to see the world, and partly from financial necessity.
Charlotte became pregnant soon after her wedding, but her health declined rapidly and, according to biographer Elizabeth Gaskell, she was attacked by "sensations of perpetual nausea and ever-recurring faintness." She died, with her unborn child, on 31 March 1855.
Charlotte Brontë was born in Thornton, Yorkshire, England, the third of six children, to Patrick Brontë (formerly "Patrick Brunty"), an Irish Anglican clergyman, and his wife, Maria Branwell. In April 1820 the family moved a few miles to Haworth, a remote town on the Yorkshire moors, where Patrick had been appointed Perpetual Curate. This is where the Brontë children would spend most of their lives. Maria Branwell Brontë died from what was thought to be cancer on 15 September 1821, leaving five daughters and a son to the care of her spinster sister Elizabeth Branwell, who moved to Yorkshire to help the family.
In August 1824 Charlotte, along with her sisters Emily, Maria, and Elizabeth, was sent to the Clergy Daughters' School at Cowan Bridge in Lancashire, a new school for the daughters of poor clergyman (which she would describe as Lowood School in Jane Eyre). The school was a horrific experience for the girls and conditions were appalling. They were regularly deprived of food, beaten by teachers and humiliated for the slightest error. The school was unheated and the pupils slept two to a bed for warmth. Seven pupils died in a typhus epidemic that swept the school and all four of the Brontë girls became very ill - Maria and Elizabeth dying of tuberculosis in 1825. Her experiences at the school deeply affected Brontë - her health never recovered and she immortalised the cruel and brutal treatment in her novel, Jane Eyre. Following the tragedy, their father withdrew his daughters from the school.
At home in Haworth Parsonage, Charlotte and the other surviving children — Branwell, Emily, and Anne — continued their ad-hoc education. In 1826 her father returned home with a box of toy soldiers for Branwell. They would prove the catalyst for the sisters' extraordinary creative development as they immediately set to creating lives and characters for the soldiers, inventing a world for them which the siblings called 'Angria'. The siblings became addicted to writing, creating stories, poetry and plays. Brontë later said that the reason for this burst of creativity was that:
'We were wholly dependent on ourselves and each other, on books and study, for the enjoyments and occupations of life. The highest stimulus, as well as the liveliest pleasure we had known from childhood upwards, lay in attempts at literary composition.'
After her father began to suffer from a lung disorder, Charlotte was again sent to school to complete her education at Roe Head school in Mirfield from 1831 to 1832, where she met her lifelong friends and correspondents, Ellen Nussey and Mary Taylor. During this period (1833), she wrote her novella The Green Dwarf under the name of Wellesley. The school was extremely small with only ten pupils meaning the top floor was completely unused and believed to be supposedly haunted by the ghost of a young lady dressed in silk. This story fascinated Brontë and inspired the figure of Mrs Rochester in Jane Eyre.
Brontë left the school after a few years, however she swiftly returned in 1835 to take up a position as a teacher, and used her wages to pay for Emily and Anne to be taught at the school. Teaching did not appeal to Brontë and in 1838 she left Roe Head to become a governess to the Sidgewick family -- partly from a sense of adventure and a desire to see the world, and partly from financial necessity.
Charlotte became pregnant soon after her wedding, but her health declined rapidly and, according to biographer Elizabeth Gaskell, she was attacked by "sensations of perpetual nausea and ever-recurring faintness." She died, with her unborn child, on 31 March 1855.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 19, 2026
Precioso. En algunos momentos un poco denso, pero merece la pena
May 16, 2026
⭐️ 3.5 Stars ⭐️
This story explores themes of love, social class and patriarchy as we follow Jane Eyre in her journey from an abused orphan into a woman who insists on being an equal partner in life.
Opinions in our Bookclub discussion were very mixed for this book, but I actually really enjoyed it.
I found Jane such a compelling character and very ahead of her time in the way she stood up for herself, spoke her mind (regardless of who she was talking to), and held firm to her independence.
Mr Rochester was definitely a controversial topic, and I completely understand why, but I personally found him quite sweet. Yes, his actions were wrong, but I also felt a lot of sympathy for what he’d been through. You can see how deeply he loved Jane, and loved her for exactly who she was.
I will say I preferred reading the physical book to listening to the audiobook. On audio, Rochester’s voice came across much harsher and more abrupt. I’m not sure if that was intentional in the original story, but when reading, I naturally heard him in a gentler tone. Which I think impacted my overall view of him.
The book is very dialogue‑heavy, which did affect the pacing for me. Some sections felt dragged out and more long‑winded than they needed to be, and a few conversations could easily have been shorter without losing anything important from the story.
I also didn’t find it the easiest read because of the language, which although classed as Modern English, could feel quite old fashioned (understandably). This will vary for different readers, but for me I found it took more concentration to follow.
Overall, Jane Eyre is a classic for a reason. It’s a story of resilience, independence, and complicated love. Even with the pacing and language making it a more demanding read, I’m still really glad I finally experienced this iconic story for myself.
This story explores themes of love, social class and patriarchy as we follow Jane Eyre in her journey from an abused orphan into a woman who insists on being an equal partner in life.
Opinions in our Bookclub discussion were very mixed for this book, but I actually really enjoyed it.
I found Jane such a compelling character and very ahead of her time in the way she stood up for herself, spoke her mind (regardless of who she was talking to), and held firm to her independence.
Mr Rochester was definitely a controversial topic, and I completely understand why, but I personally found him quite sweet. Yes, his actions were wrong, but I also felt a lot of sympathy for what he’d been through. You can see how deeply he loved Jane, and loved her for exactly who she was.
I will say I preferred reading the physical book to listening to the audiobook. On audio, Rochester’s voice came across much harsher and more abrupt. I’m not sure if that was intentional in the original story, but when reading, I naturally heard him in a gentler tone. Which I think impacted my overall view of him.
The book is very dialogue‑heavy, which did affect the pacing for me. Some sections felt dragged out and more long‑winded than they needed to be, and a few conversations could easily have been shorter without losing anything important from the story.
I also didn’t find it the easiest read because of the language, which although classed as Modern English, could feel quite old fashioned (understandably). This will vary for different readers, but for me I found it took more concentration to follow.
Overall, Jane Eyre is a classic for a reason. It’s a story of resilience, independence, and complicated love. Even with the pacing and language making it a more demanding read, I’m still really glad I finally experienced this iconic story for myself.
Review of advance copy received from Author
De los libros del periodo romántico que he leído, Jane Eyre debe ser el que menos me ha gustado de todos.
Considero que el libro falla en estructurar un relato sobre la construcción de una identidad individual femenina, considerando que el destino de la protagonista es continuamente transformado y sellado por la voluntad de los hombres que pasan por su vida: El tío que la acoge en su infancia, Rochester de quien se enamora, Saint John que la rescata de la muerte y posteriormente el tío que jamás llega a conocer pero de quien hereda una gran fortuna que le permite conseguir una posición en la sociedad y poder económico.
Además y ante todo, considero que Charlotte Brontë se equivoca desde esto mismo al unir en matrimonio a Jane Eyre con Rochester, un personaje profundamente narcisista que manipula a Jane Eyre de manera sistemática, quien tiene que sufrir un terrible accidente para conseguir algo de humanidad, lo que implica además que la heroína de la novela tenga que consagrar posteriormente su vida al cuidado de este pelafustán de lo peor. Resulta lamentable que la obra plantee ideas radicales de emancipación femenina en la primera mitad de la obra, solo para posteriormente retroceder sobre sus pasos.
Creo también que el libro es innecesariamente largo: la infancia de Jane en la casa de su tía y el yearning excesivo en Thornfield Hall se extienden más allá de su utilidad narrativa. Además, el manejo de la naturaleza para retratar la interioridad o confrontar a los personajes (recurso clásico del periodo) funciona más como decorado emocional que otra cosa en la obra, sobre todo al contrastarlo con autoras como Mary Shelley y Emily Brontë, quienes construían un medio visceral con agencia propia.
En resumen, Jane Eyre es un libro que no puede sostener hasta el final su propuesta, orbita en torno a la identidad masculina a pesar de su argumento, y es muy largo, le quitaría unas 150 páginas.
Considero que el libro falla en estructurar un relato sobre la construcción de una identidad individual femenina, considerando que el destino de la protagonista es continuamente transformado y sellado por la voluntad de los hombres que pasan por su vida: El tío que la acoge en su infancia, Rochester de quien se enamora, Saint John que la rescata de la muerte y posteriormente el tío que jamás llega a conocer pero de quien hereda una gran fortuna que le permite conseguir una posición en la sociedad y poder económico.
Además y ante todo, considero que Charlotte Brontë se equivoca desde esto mismo al unir en matrimonio a Jane Eyre con Rochester, un personaje profundamente narcisista que manipula a Jane Eyre de manera sistemática, quien tiene que sufrir un terrible accidente para conseguir algo de humanidad, lo que implica además que la heroína de la novela tenga que consagrar posteriormente su vida al cuidado de este pelafustán de lo peor. Resulta lamentable que la obra plantee ideas radicales de emancipación femenina en la primera mitad de la obra, solo para posteriormente retroceder sobre sus pasos.
Creo también que el libro es innecesariamente largo: la infancia de Jane en la casa de su tía y el yearning excesivo en Thornfield Hall se extienden más allá de su utilidad narrativa. Además, el manejo de la naturaleza para retratar la interioridad o confrontar a los personajes (recurso clásico del periodo) funciona más como decorado emocional que otra cosa en la obra, sobre todo al contrastarlo con autoras como Mary Shelley y Emily Brontë, quienes construían un medio visceral con agencia propia.
En resumen, Jane Eyre es un libro que no puede sostener hasta el final su propuesta, orbita en torno a la identidad masculina a pesar de su argumento, y es muy largo, le quitaría unas 150 páginas.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2026
No quiero caer en el comentario fácil de que Rochester y Rivers son personajes tóxicos, manipuladores y narcisistas… aunque lo son. Soy consciente de que he leído esta novela con ojos del siglo XXI, pero todo ese trasfondo machista (y la sensación de que las hermanas Brontë no tuvieron precisamente referentes masculinos sanos) hace que la lectura se me haya hecho bastante cuesta arriba.
No he sentido que profundice realmente en los personajes; se recrea en escenas que no aportan gran cosa y, en muchos momentos, la historia se vuelve manida y excesivamente pastelosa.
Sinceramente, me habría encantado un giro en el que Jane mandase a tomar por culo tanto a Rochester como a Rivers y decidiera vivir por su cuenta, como la mujer inteligente y capaz que es, aprovechando la herencia de su tío.
En fin, claramente no es para mí.
2,5 sobre 5 ⭐️⭐️✨
No he sentido que profundice realmente en los personajes; se recrea en escenas que no aportan gran cosa y, en muchos momentos, la historia se vuelve manida y excesivamente pastelosa.
Sinceramente, me habría encantado un giro en el que Jane mandase a tomar por culo tanto a Rochester como a Rivers y decidiera vivir por su cuenta, como la mujer inteligente y capaz que es, aprovechando la herencia de su tío.
En fin, claramente no es para mí.
2,5 sobre 5 ⭐️⭐️✨
Review of advance copy received from Otros
Te amo Jane Eyre, siempre pensaré en ti cuando necesite tener amor propio.
Al final hice las paces con el Señor Rochester porque la vida le enseño la humildad.
Al final hice las paces con el Señor Rochester porque la vida le enseño la humildad.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews