Charlotte Brontë did not write many books; but then she died before she was forty. The few books that she did write have become classics in English literature.
I first read 'Jane Eyre' in my teens. A couple of chapters were assigned to me for homework. I read them... and then read on... and loved the book so much that I continued reading, and finished the book by the end of the weekend. I then requested my own copy for Christmas, and have re-read it several times since then.
Recently I decided to read 'Jane Eyre' to my sons, aged 15 and 13. It's not the kind of book that either of them would pick up to read, but we enjoy family reading times still, and I thought it about time to introduce them to the book which was my absolute favourite for so many years when I was younger.
The story is fairly well-known. Orphaned Jane, in the early 19th century, is brought up by her cold and unloving aunt. When she tries to stand up for herself as much as she can, she is sent to a charity school, where she suffers even more hardship.
However, she does make some friends, and perseveres - and at the age of 18 applies for a job as governess at a stately home called Thornfield Hall.
Jane befriends Mrs Fairfax, the housekeeper, and her pupil Adele. She also finds herself gradually falling in love with Mr Rochester, owner of the hall, who is a blunt man several years older than she is.
Thornfield Hall has a mystery which Jane learns about in horrifying circumstances, leading her to life-changing decisions.
So there's high drama, romance, pathos... all in rather melodramatic style, but as the writing is good and the characters believable, it somehow doesn't matter. There are, admittedly, some very unlikely coincidences in the later chapters of the book, but the ending is highly satisfactory.
Recommended to everyone; 'Jane Eyre' is a classic which is well worth reading at least once. It's been continually in print (in several editions) for not far off 200 years now.
Oh, and my sons enjoyed it too, on the whole.
(You can also read my longer review of Jane Eyre, when I re-read it nearly nine years later in Kindle form)
I was delighted to discover that Robin Pilcher (son of Rosamunde Pilcher) is a talented writer; perhaps a little more hard-hitting than his mother, but with the same excellent knack of making characters come alive and feel like friends.
'Starting Over' is about Liz, a recently separated farmer, who lives with her father and student son Alex, near St Andrews in Scotland.
An American firm want to build a new golf course on her land, and that of her deserting husband. But Liz adamantly doesn't want them to do so.
Meanwhile, Alex's German tutor comes to lodge with them, and brings a bit of relief to their rather depressed lives.
This is a wonderful book of endings and beginnings, with lovely characters whom I found very believable. The ending was somewhat unexpected, but positive and hopeful.
Definitely recommended.
I do like Georgette Heyer! I started collecting her historical novels when I was in my teens, gradually found almost the entire collection - mostly second-hand - and have read and re-read them all many times. She is the absolute master of light Regency romances, with very clever plots, realistic and believable settings, and the most delightful characters.
'The Unknown Ajax' features Hugo Darracott, who unexpectedly becomes heir to the family estates, even though most of the family have never heard of him. His grandfather, who knows of his existence, expects him to be common and illiterate, since his mother was a weaver's daughter.
Hugo turns out to be a very large soldier with a dry sense of humour, who eventually sorts out various serious problems amongst his male cousins, and becomes very friendly with his female cousin.
Light-hearted, set in a smuggling area, fast-moving, and very enjoyable.
Highly recommended. Still regularly in print in the UK, and widely available second-hand.
(I wrote a longer review of 'The Unknown Ajax' when I re-read it in 2007)
I think this is the first novel I have read by Susan Sallis. The cover looked intriguing, the blurb on the back sounded like my kind of book - nostalgic, character-driven, and relatively light.
'Summer visitors' begins with Madge in Cornwall, at the funeral of an old friend. Then there's a long flashback, showing us the time when Madge was a little girl, and saw Cornwall for the first time.
The flashback takes up a considerable amount of the book, showing how Maggie grows up and learns about life and love. Her young brother survives a horrifying accident, but is handicapped severely.
There are many realistic characters, and I found the book highly readable, although rather confusing in places as the people span generations, and the plot moves pretty rapidly.
There is a satisfying ending, which is always a good thing, in my opinion.
This book seems to be out of print, but can often be found second-hand, online or from charity shops.
Recommended, if you like this kind of novel.
I find Anne Tyler's writing intriguing. It's not my usual preferred genre - she doesn't go for emotional depth or introspection, and there isn't always much plot. Yet her observations are very clever, and there's a subtle irony in her writing that makes me return to her when I want a break from my usual saga or historical novels.
'Breathing Lessons' is a delightful novel which takes place in just a single day.
Maggie and Ira drive to and from the funeral of an old friend. Through their conversations and thoughts, and a series of flashbacks, we learn a lot about their personalities, lives and marriage.
Maggie is an eternal optimist of the lively and spontaneous type (most likely ESFP in Myers-Briggs terms, if I read her correctly) and Ira is a contrast, much quieter and more thoughtful. He holds her back at times; yet the bond between them is very strong.
In the end, after a disappointment, Maggie concentrates on preparing for the following day when their daughter is due to go to college, and relaxes in the contentment of her secure marriage.
This book apparently won the Pulitzer Prize in 1988 - definitely recommended.
