What do you think?
Rate this book
Profligate son: Branwell Brontë and his sisters
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 10, 2017
A Branwell biography, that isn't really about Branwell. Ok...
Seriously though, there were many things wrong with this. Firstly, Rees takes Gaskell's biography of Charlotte as authoritative, and as soon as you do that, you are doomed from the get-go. The book as a whole lacks focus, and certainly is not a biography of Branwell, despite what the title suggests. Rees also makes some damning claims about Aunt Branwell, that lack referencing and indeed, lack any bearing on reality. It's a shame because I did like Rees re-evaluation of the Thorpe Green saga, there are many things going on there that don't quite ring true, and I personally find Rees' argument that there may have been a homosexual element to Branwell's dismissal, plausible - if ultimately subjective. It answers some questions, whilst raising others. It's really a shame that this book couldn't have been better, as it did show moments of promise, but it got too distracted by Emily, Anne and Charlotte, and it ultimately didn't get past Gaskell.
Seriously though, there were many things wrong with this. Firstly, Rees takes Gaskell's biography of Charlotte as authoritative, and as soon as you do that, you are doomed from the get-go. The book as a whole lacks focus, and certainly is not a biography of Branwell, despite what the title suggests. Rees also makes some damning claims about Aunt Branwell, that lack referencing and indeed, lack any bearing on reality. It's a shame because I did like Rees re-evaluation of the Thorpe Green saga, there are many things going on there that don't quite ring true, and I personally find Rees' argument that there may have been a homosexual element to Branwell's dismissal, plausible - if ultimately subjective. It answers some questions, whilst raising others. It's really a shame that this book couldn't have been better, as it did show moments of promise, but it got too distracted by Emily, Anne and Charlotte, and it ultimately didn't get past Gaskell.
January 7, 2012
I am sad to say that this is the worst biography of the Brontës I have read thus far. Presented as a biography of Branwell Brontë, the title alone indicates that Rees will be less than favourable. The truth is that, not only is she damning of Branwell but unnecessarily so. Any of his good points are swept under the carpet, to replaced with suppositions and callous remarks that have no supporting evidence.
Rees also attempts to write a biography of all the Brontë siblings, but does so by skipping through their lives, offering facts alongside more suppositions so that it becomes impossible to tell which is which.
Any Brontë biography suffers from comparison with Juliet Barker's Brontës, but under that book's shadow Rees' effort is simply garbage. Don't waste your time with it.
Rees also attempts to write a biography of all the Brontë siblings, but does so by skipping through their lives, offering facts alongside more suppositions so that it becomes impossible to tell which is which.
Any Brontë biography suffers from comparison with Juliet Barker's Brontës, but under that book's shadow Rees' effort is simply garbage. Don't waste your time with it.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews