Monday, May 27, 2013

The Bronte Sisters (2012)

The Bronte Sisters: The Brief Lives of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne. Catherine Reef. 2012. Clarion. 240 pages.

This is a young adult biography of three Victorian writers: Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Bronte. While it is titled Bronte Sisters it is in all honesty a look at the whole Bronte family, plenty of attention is given to their father, aunt, and brother. Beyond giving biographical details, the book focuses on the creative writing and creative world-making of all the Brontes. The author does discuss the works of each sister in some detail. For better or worse, the book discussions involve major spoilers. It was interesting to see how each book was received by the reading public or by the reviewing public! And how perceptions changed with each additional publication! For example, how perceptions of Jane Eyre changed a bit after Wuthering Heights was published!
Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books, so I just loved reading about its publication and initial impressions.

The book is a personal look into their lives. It also provides some context for readers interested in this time period. I liked this one. I would recommend it for those looking for an introduction to these writers.

© 2013 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

No comments: