Juliet Gael’s fictionalized biography of Charlotte Bronte is exactly the type of book that I publically shy away from but privately devour. As an uber-fan of nineteenth-century British lit, I should be better than Jane Austen & Bronte sisters spin-offs. I spit on mediocre-ly written lame sequels detailing how Darcy and Elizabeth settle into old age or how, with Jane by his side, Rochester finds his ultimate redemption as a great public figure, helping those down on their luck around Thornfield. (Actually I don’t spit on them, but that’s what I say.) (In other news, this blog is really becoming a very stark portrayal of my very serious and sick book snobbery.)
Happily, Gael’s book defies stereotype. Based on the well-known biography of the reclusive authoress, Gael’s book has all of the heart of Jane Eyre itself. In fact, multiple times I actually forgot that I was reading fiction and not Bronte’s own words! I know, high praise, indeed!
There is nothing shocking or earth-shattering in Romancing Miss Bronte (in fact, the title might be the most shocking part!), but, in part, that might be what I like so much. There isn’t an undue amount of sensationalizing or imagination not in keeping with the spirit of Charlotte Bronte’s work. Rather, this novel is a delightful trip into the heart and mind of someone we bookish types feel like we know very well; the Bronte presented in Gael’s pages feels like the Charlotte we “know.” By my estimation, this is no small feat.
Beyond the story of Bronte’s relationships with her immediate family and her marriage to a local clergyman, Romancing Miss Bronte reminded me of so many oft-forgotten aspects of Bronte’s life and work. The difficulty presented to a woman in the publishing word is brought to the forefront as is the shock and horror produced by what the Bronte girls (or Bell men) wrote. It’s so easy to forget (ohsoeasy for my own high school students to forget) that the story in the pages of Jane Eyre or Wuthering Heights utterly defied literary, religious, and social mores of the day. Had the Brontes revealed their true identities at the time of publication, they surely would have been shunned from polite society, and everyone in society read the novel of the day. Jane Eyre was not a “girly” book to Londoners of the mid-nineteenth century … it was bold, brash, and daring.
If the gushing didn’t tip you off, I loved this book. Since we will never have new Austen or Bronte, we need more books like this — novels that embody good writing, good story-telling, and the utter readibility of real literature.
Tags: Juliet Gael, Review, Romancing Miss Bronte
Great review Bek! I’m really looking forward to picking this book up sometime soon!
I loved loved loved this book too. I agree with everything you said, from beginning to end.
I just received this book which I ordered from Amazon. As I began reading it this evening, something just wasn’t ringing right, getting through the first few pages of Romancing Miss Bronte. The characters didn’t sound particularly English in their dialogue, but I know a fellow American and midwesterner is the author of this novel. Patiently I kept on, still sensing a glaring inauthenticity which took me ever further from the sphere of 1840′s Yorkshirewomen. My suspicions were confirmed when I reached page 46, when Charlotte comes into Emily’s room to apologize for reading the poems in Emily’s journal. And what, dear readers, does Charlotte say to Keeper, Emily’s dog as he growls in warning?
“It’s only me, boy. It’s okay.”
!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“Okay” as slang vernacular is a product of the American 20th century, and that is about as American and 20th century in dialogue as one can get. As for Charlotte’s constant outbursts of “Good grief,” it’s more Charlie Brown than Charlotte Bronte.
I had really looked forward to reading this new novel about the Brontes, but so far this book is leaving me with a peculiarly flat taste. I don’t even know if I want to go on with it, a very difficult thing to confess from a Bronte fanatic owning an extensive library of all their works, letters, biographies, literary criticism, and yes, many novels based on their lives. I’m just feeling as if I’m watching a rather tacky Hollywood movie about the Brontes, or maybe a TV show. What’s the telling utterance in the next chapter going to be? Are they going to confront Brandwell with, “Get with it, Bro, or we’ll ship you off to Rehab” ?
The editors at Ballantine Books are as much to blame for this teenybopper lack of craft as the author is. Shame on all of you.
Wow. Shame on you for going to so much trouble to sound condescending in your disagreement about a book you haven’t even finished.
Kudos, though, for being so well read in all things Bronte. While I consider myself a fan, clearly, you have me and the editors at Ballantine Books beat. I just enjoyed a good story.
I liked it. You didn’t. I hope we can still get along.
Best,
Rebekah
Loved this book.