Ilse's Reviews > Jane Eyre

This just reminds me of how much I want/need to re-read Jane Eyre.

Great to hear that, Toni! For me it is the first time and I am enjoying it tremendously...

Oh, I love Jane Eyre! :)

i thought it fabulous Plateresca :-) I now want to read 'Villette' too...

Ik heb nog steeds niet één van deze gelezen, ik denk altijd dat ze verdrinken in de romantiek deze boeken en ik betwijfel of ik daar geschikt voor ben ;-) maar als ik er eentje oppak dan wordt het Wuthering heights van Emily Brontë. Maar die ligt er al jaren, dus ik maak niet erg veel haast nog...

Ilse wrote: "i thought it fabulous Plateresca :-) I now want to read 'Villette' too..."

Me, too, I'm going to read it this year, definitely! I've read an article in 'Slightly Foxed' that said it's even better than 'Jane Eyre', although, frankly, I doubt that :)

As last year I hardly reread any books, I was wondering today which one I should start with. Your review reminded me that it's long time I've read Jane Eyre.

Moira wrote: "Ik heb nog steeds niet één van deze gelezen, ik denk altijd dat ze verdrinken in de romantiek deze boeken en ik betwijfel of ik daar geschikt voor ben ;-) maar als ik er eentje oppak dan wordt het Wuthering heights van Emily Brontë."
Het hangt er waarschijnljik van af wat je als romantiek bekijkt, Moïra, maar het zou me verwonderen dat dit je zou beletten immens van dit boek te genieten :-). Voor mij zijn ze ook nieuw, deze Britse klassiekers, ik hing tot hiertoe vooral in de Franse en Russische 19de eeuw rond :-). Wuthering Heights is één van de weinige (4?5?) boeken waarin ik halfweg opgegeven heb, ik hoop dat ik inmiddels vorderingen heb gemaakt in lezen in het Engels om het dit jaar toch opnieuw te proberen (ik raakte twintig jaar geleden niet door het vele dialect in het boek) - nu ik 'Jane Eyre' heb gelezen ben ik alvast extra gemotiveerd.

Ah, great, Ilse! I even did not think that it was very outdated or oldfashioned when I reread Jane Eyre a few years ago! It is a novel to be cherished forever, I think! I am pretty sure people will still love to read it in a hundred years from now. Those emotions will always feel genuine!

Agreed, Ilse. I loved it also.

" Tonight is departure to my island
A carriage made of walnut waits
for you, at the steps.
Again, wear thick clothing and do
not be late.

Don't be afraid, the
carriage driver is dead,
And the horses are dead,
and the carriage is dead.

It's just an illusion, I am on the other
side.
You wait with torches four
thousand six hundred."

Read it twice and loved it both - it's one of those encased in gold.

So happy you enjoyed this Ilse, so easy to see. 😊 Have a great weekend Swooning :):)

I loved Jane Eyre when I was very young. My favorite lines from it were
Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong! — I have as much soul as you — and full as much heart!
Loved those lines when I was sixteen! And even now that I'm old enough to be jaded and cynical, I still love them.

Lovely!

Ilse, I enjoyed your swoon. Makes me want to reread the novel.

So happy for you, dear Ilse that this book has got such a wonder effect. I am sure spring helps in spite of anything else;:-) “In love again” is the one of my favourite perfumes btw:-)

Inebriated is exactly right. And it only gets better with each re-read!

It always makes me believe in READING again, if I ever forget. I don't think it's a coincidence that we first me our heroine when she is . . . reading a book.

Plateresca wrote: Me, too, I'm going to read it this year, definitely! I've read an article in 'Slightly Foxed' that said it's even better than 'Jane Eyre', although, frankly, I doubt that :)
You made me curious about 'slighty foxed' Plateresca, I hadn't heard of it before (and have now subscribed to their newsletter). Even if 'Villette' would be half as good as 'Jane Eyre' I think it will be worth reading (I am curious about the depiction of Brussels). I look forward to your thoughts on 'Villette' when you would get to it!

I love the image of you basking and swooning.
I love the book.
(And yet I don't think of it as a love story.)

Ilse wrote: "Wuthering Heights is één van de weinige (4?5?) boeken waarin ik halfweg opgegeven heb, ik hoop dat ik inmiddels vorderingen heb gemaakt in lezen in het Engels om het dit jaar toch opnieuw te proberen (ik raakte twintig jaar geleden niet door het vele dialect in het boek)..."
Goed om rekening mee te houden en als ik het oppak zal ik eerst even kijken hoe dat vorm heeft gekregen in de pocket die ik heb liggen. Het is namelijk een oudje (jaren 50 als ik het goed onthouden heb) en ik dacht een Amerikaanse uitgave. Geen idee of daar aan gesleuteld is voor de Amerikaanse markt, maar is dat wel het geval dan houd ik deze voor het leuke oude kaftje en pak ik een ander om te lezen.

I find it troubling as a love story since there has to be suffering and disablement to purify mr rochester and render him suitable/acquiescent/ incapable of future dominion? But as as a piece of writing Bronte is incredible in creating such a compelling passionate voice that sweeps the reader through some of the odd supernatural elements and renders the violence of the story acceptable.

Simon wrote: "Read it twice and loved it both - it's one of those encased in gold."

Oh, yes, do believe in love again.

Tatevik wrote: "As last year I hardly reread any books, I was wondering today which one I should start with. Your review reminded me that it's long time I've read Jane Eyre."
I hope you'll enjoy the re-reading of Jane Eyre if you would get to it, Tatevik. I think I should do that more often, re-reading books I loved or might like more the second time around, the few times I did (eg 'Un amour de Swann') I enjoyed it even more. On the other side a re-reading might spoil one's fond memories of a book...such dilemma's we have to solve as reader :-).

My feelings exactly, Ilse :))

You've convinced me, Ilse! I'm adding. I'm delighted that you loved this one!😊

So happy that you loved it, Ilse! Your review was perfect. I can't remember if you've read "Wide Sargasso Sea" by Jean Rhys. You probably have. It's the story of the first Mrs Rochester.

Hanneke wrote: "Ah, great, Ilse! I even did not think that it was very outdated or oldfashioned when I reread Jane Eyre a few years ago! It is a novel to be cherished forever, I think! I am pretty sure people will still love to read it in a hundred years from now. Those emotions will always feel genuine!
You were absolutely right this is a gorgeous book, Hanneke! I think you put that very well, I believe so too, in case people would still read in a hundred years from now this novel will continue to amaze and move people, at least I cannot imagine it wouldn't touch people anymore! You make me wonder on books being outdated, I don't think such thought came to my mind on a book often, as one has to take into account the times in which a book was written - ideas might be old-fashioned when transposed to a current context, but for me such doesn't necessarily reflect on enjoying the book nevertheless...

Ilse wrote: "Tatevik wrote: "As last year I hardly reread any books, I was wondering today which one I should start with. Your review reminded me that it's long time I've read Jane Eyre."
I hope you'll enjoy th..."

Yes, the dilemma exists. Some books I've reread, I loved them even more, but there were also some regrets. I read Jane Eyre 3 times, and this book was not definitely a regret for a reread. I know I will reread this more than once. But that's my personal experience.

Jane Eyre never goes out of fashion. I know because I re-read it a few years ago for a class. I was initially reluctant. Was I going to like it second time round? There was absolutely no need to worry. Jane Eyre is a classic and will forever captivate audiences with its passion, affirmation of life and the u ique character of its heroine.

david wrote: "Agreed, Ilse. I loved it also."
Glad we are on the same page with regard to 'Jane Eyre', David. It is strange, reading this now make me wonder what my life would have looked like if my father didn't happen to have a Russian 19th century classic in the book case but 'Jane Eyre' or 'Wuthering Heights' instead - maybe I would have become a quite different person under the influence of the characters created by British female writers :-)? WH came in via Kate Bush nonetheless, I adore(d) her music.

great book. happy you enjoyed it so much.

Theodor wrote: "" Tonight is departure to my island
A carriage made of walnut waits
for you, at the steps.
Again, wear thick clothing and do
not be late.

Don't be afraid, the
carriage driver is dead,
..."

Theodor, these lyrics sent shivers to my spine, thank you, they remind me of Emily Dickinson’s ‘Because I could not stop for death’, I am just a bit puzzled by the contrast on the dark thoughts in the lyrics and the up-beat tempo and tone of sound
of the song! ((https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lX1s...)

The Dickinson poem that came to my mind:

Because I could not stop for Death –
He kindly stopped for me –
The Carriage held but just Ourselves –
And Immortality.

We slowly drove – He knew no haste
And I had put away
My labor and my leisure too,
For His Civility –

We passed the School, where Children strove
At Recess – in the Ring –
We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain –
We passed the Setting Sun –

Or rather – He passed us –
The Dews drew quivering and chill –
For only Gossamer, my Gown –
My Tippet – only Tulle –

We paused before a House that seemed
A Swelling of the Ground –
The Roof was scarcely visible –
The Cornice – in the Ground –

Since then – 'tis Centuries – and yet
Feels shorter than the Day
I first surmised the Horses' Heads
Were toward Eternity –

Simon wrote: "Read it twice and loved it both - it's one of those encased in gold."
Encased in gold, very well put, Simon! Encountering a book like this makes me feel privileged having had the chance to read it and now treasure it, the kind of experience that lifts the spirit and makes me glad to be still alive. In that sense it had the same powerful effect on me like some opera's I have attended, I am trying to analyse why, is it the beauty of the language like music, or the big emotions?

To hell with 'uncool'—the books we love, we have every right to love, and every right to shout it from the goodreads updates!
The only thing to question, if we are urged to question our reactions to books, is how a book manages to leave us swooning as 'Jane Eyre' has left so many of us, and with each reread. There must be magic in the web of it!

Peter wrote: "So happy you enjoyed this Ilse, so easy to see. 😊 Have a great weekend Swooning :):)"
Many thanks, Peter! It has taken me five years to finally get to my copy of 'Jane Eyre', knowing nothing about the story, ever waiting for the 'right' moment to start it, and when that moment came it was entirely worth the wait! I have been enjoying reading Russian and French classics for many years, and now can rank some British too among my favourite books, the good news I could go on for years immersing into the 19th century...

I have held off reading this for so long, Ilse. I've had it on my list to read for years, but your perfect, concise was just the right incentive for me to move this up a bit.

Karen wrote: "I loved Jane Eyre when I was very young. My favorite lines from it were
Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong! — I have as much soul as you — and full as much heart!"
I love those lines as well, Karen, I think it is a wonderful phrasing of what is at the essence of empathy. Isn’t it amazing how some fiction can conquer our cynicism regardless of our own experiences? Apart from the lines I posted as updates, from my own background I was struck by the line 'Law and principles are not for the times when there is no temptation: they are for such moments as this, when body and soul rise in mutiny against their rigour.'. ‘I have not much pride, I would always rather be happy than dignified' put a smile on my face - so true, clinging to pride doesn't often go together with happiness :-).

Lisa wrote: "Lovely!"
Thank you, Lisa! I would have to read the book again if I would wish to write something that made more sense than just saying what a delight it was to read it :-)

Ilse wrote: "david wrote: "Agreed, Ilse. I loved it also."
Glad we are on the same page with regard to 'Jane Eyre', David. It is strange, reading this now make me wonder what my life would have looked like if m..."

With you on Kate Bush, Ilse! She hit just the right off-key note with her "Heathcliff!"

TBV wrote: "Ilse, I enjoyed your swoon. Makes me want to reread the novel."
Glad you did, TBV! I am happy with swooning about a book about once a year, and 'Jane Eyre' turned out the one I let myself be entirely carried away with this year :-).

Katia wrote: "So happy for you, dear Ilse that this book has got such a wonder effect. I am sure spring helps in spite of anything else;:-) “In love again” is the one of my favourite perfumes btw:-)"
Thank you so much, dear Katia! The book called me at the perfect moment :-). I love the evocative name of the perfume you mention, I haven't heard of it before (and now am curious to find out the scent of it, part of the appeal of perfumes is indeed in their name, more maybe then in the shape of the bottle to me :-)). I try to believe in the coming of spring despite of the current weather here (rain, hail, wind), I hope the two red squirrels I saw on the way to work this morning are some sign nature is looking forward to spring as well :-).

Roxanne wrote: "Inebriated is exactly right. And it only gets better with each re-read!"
Glad we are on the same page on the potentially dangerous impact of the novel on the reader, Roxanne! One might forget the meal simmering on the stove, the bills that need paying, the hens needing food :-). I noticed many of my friends have read it several times, you make me hope I will be able to read it again too :-).

Sometimes words are enough to convey what you feel, I guess perhaps silences also have capability to convey our feelings :)

Gregory wrote: "It always makes me believe in READING again, if I ever forget. I don't think it's a coincidence that we first me our heroine when she is . . . reading a book."
Exactly, Gregory...instead of the swooning, I could have put the reading experience more briefly, it is the kind of book of which I would say this is why I read, no more, no less ;-) - thank you for stopping by and commenting!

Vos critiques sont normalement plus longue. Pourtant, votre critique est la 38,917e de ce roman. Il n'a pas besoin de plus d'avocats. Jean Paul n'écrivait jamais une critique s'il y avait déjà plus que 10 sur GR. Continuez à fair vos efforts pour promouvoir les bons livres peu lus.

Eh bien, Czarny, je pense que tu vien d'ouvrir la Boîte de Pandore. Excuse mon intervention.

Czarny, here is indeed a first little cloud from the Box of Pandora! Just wanted to tell you that Ilse's reviews are the very best you can read and are very much loved, so why would you want to deprive our community from reading hers, just because there are so many others available.

Czarny, je suis d'accord avec le "livres moins lus", mais, que fait-on si nous n'avons pas encore fini toutes les consécrations ?
Toutefois, je pense bien que la différence entre qui tu es maintenant, et qui tu seras dans cinq ans, est donnée par le livres lus. Cela peut sembler un peu pompeux, mais, c'est mon avis.