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Ashley

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Ashley is currently reading

Jane Eyre (Modern Library, 64.3)

by Charlotte Brontë

bookshelves: currently-reading

Reading for the 2nd time

read in August 2022

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Ashley said:

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" Phew, what a time that was. Charlotte Brontë was soooo dramatic! I had a good time though, and I definitely plan to read this again some day! Some general thoughts.

1. JANE! Loved Jane! She is a spectacular protagonist, and even reading about as unlik Phew, what a time that was. Charlotte Brontë was soooo dramatic! I had a good time though, and I definitely plan to read this again some day! Some general thoughts.

1. JANE! Loved Jane! She is a spectacular protagonist, and even reading about as unlikable a man as Rochester was enjoyable because I got to follow the story through her eyes. Reading about her falling in love with him felt like learning your bestie has a crush on someone really toxic, like no sweetie, you deserve better. ❤️

2. Lol, I am glad though that Rochester got his redemption arc, even if it did feel a bit contrived. The guy was really weird and gross for most of the novel, but also, I did at times find myself blinded to his flaws by his charming nature? I can’t accurately explain how I feel about him. I can’t stop thinking about when he yanked her out the door to hurry up and (attempt to) marry her before anyone could intervene though; poor Jane didn’t even get to have breakfast. 🙁🍳 I really wanted to hate the guy because I was very aware that he was a rake and a bit (a large bit) predatory in nature as well. I read a comment one time that I feel like is relevant here (Beth is going to roll her eyes because I have already said this to her once in person and once over text but) that said “I like reading about toxic relationships, not because I think they are okay or because I want to be in one, but because I am messy.” Honestly though, I did think he was pretty likable at the end. Mayhaps I am too easily swayed. Mans really was wild for trying to commit bigamy though.

3. I had to read Wide Sargasso Sea for a class before I got to read this, and I’m kinda sad about it now, because I feel like a lot of those big reveals would have been more impactful if I hadn’t known they were coming. BUT also I feel like the author of WSS was totally justified. Like, yes, Rochester really was a walking red flag, thank you for writing a novella dedicated to calling him out.

4. St. John… still don’t know how I feel about that guy. I know this is straying into headcanon territory, but I am convinced the man has religious OCD. I think that made me try to be more understanding of him as a character, but he really was just too much sometimes. Those soliloquies when he was trying to get Jane to marry him sometimes felt like they would NEVER END. Made the last few chapters of Jane’s time in Moor House a bit difficult to get through. I don’t think I hated his character, but I do struggle to see eye to eye with Jane’s interpretation of him as a reader.

In conclusion, I had fun, thank you for coming to my TEDTalk. ...more "

progress:

(page 208 of 466)
"Thomas thought Mr. Rochester’s gypsy shtick was kinda cringe." — Feb 15, 2026 07:13PM

Aug 11, 2022 08:11PM · see review