Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

 

Title:  Wuthering Heights: With an Introduction and Student Guide (As Told by Emily Bronte) and Bonus Material by Lord Byron and Alison Larkin

Author:  Emily Bronte with bonus material by Lord Byron and Alison Larkin

Narrated by:  Alison Larkin, Andrew Wincott

Publisher: Alison Larkin Presents

Length: Approximately 14 hours and 41 minutes

Source:  Review copy from Alison Larkin Presents.  Thank-you!

Are you planning on going to see the new Wuthering Heights movie?  It’s on my list, but I am probably going to wait until it comes to streaming.

Lockwood is a new tenant at Thrushcross Grange in Yorkshire, England. Due to weather, he is forced to take shelter at the neighboring estate, Wuthering Heights, the home of his landlord, Heathcliff.  He meets the curious inhabitants. The housekeeper at Thrushcross Grange, Nelly, is able to fill him in on the history of the two families.  Heathcliff was a foundling who was raised with the Earnshaw siblings, Catherine and Hindley.  When Mr. Earnshaw dies, he is treated poorly by Hindley. Heathcliff fell in love with Catherine, but she chooses to marry their neighbor, Edgar Linton of Thrushcross Grange.  Heathcliff spends his life exacting revenge.

My thoughts on this classic novel:

·       I read Wuthering Heights for The Classic Buddy read for January @Dees.reads.  I didn’t finish the book up until February, but I had read it a few other times in my life, so I still enjoyed the group discussion which largely focused on what terrible people the characters were and how it is not a very romantic book.

·       Alison Larkin is a wonderful narrator of this audiobook. She does different distinct voices for all the different characters.  She is one of my favorite audiobook narrators.  She wrote the introduction and study guide at the end.  It was very interesting and puts the book into context.  A poem by Lord Byron was also included.

·       Wuthering Heights is a classic as it looked at childhood trauma and how that trauma could impact a person throughout their life.  Heathcliff takes this trauma and turns it to vengeance on every person he thinks has wronged him, including the one person he loved the most in this world.  He continues this vengeance on the next generation.  Luckily, the book shows that the trauma cycle can be broken, and the next generation can have a new chance.  I think most movies miss the entire point of this book as they focus on the “romance” and most don’t even show the entire second half of the novel.

·       This was Emily Bronte’s only novel.  This novel was different than most Victorian novels of the day which were morality tales.  This Gothic novel had a Byronic hero and intense passionate feelings.

·       I always think of Hindley as an all-bad character, but on this reread, I was reminded that he truly loved his wife Frances and fell apart after her death.

·       It seemed that many of the characters in this novel had mental health problems.  It made me wonder if a lot of the characters could be helped in current times with therapists and modern medicine.  What mental health problems did Emily see within her own family or neighbors that inspired this book?  I also think it’s based a lot on her brother Branwell with his excessive drinking, sleeping with his employer’s wife, etc., but it could have been others as well.

·       Wuthering Heights is a strange novel.  Cathy and Heathcliff are terrible selfish people who do not think about the impact their actions have on everyone else around them.

·       SPOILER ALERT:  I have always wondered – how does Cathy will herself to death?  Does she starve herself to death? SPOILER END

·       The book has an interesting narration as it is a story within a story.  It starts and ends with Mr. Lockwood telling the story and then Nelly Dean taking over for the entire middle section of the story.

·       I wish Heathcliff would have left and never came back.  Catherine, Edgar, and Isabella were happy before his return.  Poor Mr. Earnshaw didn’t realize that he was destroying his family for generations by bringing Heathcliff home.  Heathcliff clings to his hate and bitterness and is a terrible person.

·       Why is this book considered a great romance?  I don’t think Heathcliff really loves Cahterine.  He is obsessed with her but is toxic and would rather destroy her and her family than accept that she has moved on without him.

·       Why didn’t Nelly keep Edgar informed sooner on Young Catherine’s shenanigans?

·       I had gotten about the lawyer’s duplicity.  He was paid off by Heathcliff not to make it to Edgar’s side before his death.

·       Everyone is too alone out there on the moor.  They really needed to socialize with more people.

·       Even though I disliked pretty much everyone in this book, I couldn’t stop reading it.

Favorite Quotes:

“He's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.”

“Be with me always - take any form - drive me mad! only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh, God! it is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!”

“My love for Linton is like the foliage in the woods: time will change it, I'm well aware, as winter changes the trees. My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath: a source of little visible delight, but necessary. Nelly, I am Heathcliff! He's always, always in my mind: not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself, but as my own being.”

Overall, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte is an unforgettable beautifully written classic that shines a lot on how early trauma can impact lives through generations.

 

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

 

Title:  Jane Eyre

Author:  Charlotte Bronte

Narrated by:  Thandiwe Newton

Publisher: Audible Studios

Length: Approximately 19 hours and 10 minutes

Source: Purchased from Audible.com

What classic have you read more than once?

Jane Eyre is the story of a young woman in Victorian times; from her unloved childhood, time in a boarding school and first job outside the school as a governess at the mysterious Thornfield Hall.  Will she find herself and love?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I read this book in October for the JASNA Northwoods Book Club.  We had a great discussion on this book.

·       I first read this as a teen and have read it multiple times since then.  It is a classic book.  I will continue to reread and love it throughout my life.

·       This was a great audiobook version.  Thandiwe Newton had good characterization for all the characters.

·       Poor Jane.  Her childhood and the complete lack at love make me so sad.  Her parents died when she was an infant.  Her uncle took her in and loved her, but he died when she was one.  His widow could not love Jane and treated her terribly.

·       I did not like the way Mr. Rochester treated Jane and played games with her.

·       I do like how independent Jane is and how by the time she returns to Mr. Rocester, she has her own independent means.

·       I’ll admit, I always forget how much of the book is set with the Rivers family.  I like that she split her inheritance fairly.

·       Why is St. John pronounced Sin-Gin?  I have wandered this through many adaptations and this audiobook.

·       I love Gothic romance and all the mysterious happenings at Thornfield Hall. 

·       Mr. Rochester for all his faults, does treat Jane like an equal and usually talks honestly to her.

·       It is horrible when St. John proposes to her with absolutely no love for Jane, but the want for a useful partner for his missionary trip.  I’m glad Jane said no!

·       What is your favorite adaptation? One of my favorites is the 2006 miniseries starring Toby Stephens.  Why is Rochester always hot in adaptations even though he is described as not good looking in the novel?

Favorite Quotes:

“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.”

“Reader, I married him.”

“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! And if God had gifted me with some beauty and much wealth, I should have made it as hard for you to leave me, as it is now for me to leave you!”

Overall, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte is a masterfully written classic with one of the best heroines in literature.

 

The Secrets of Thorndale Manor by Syrie James (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

Which author you would recommend everyone?  I have read and continue to enjoy novels by author Syrie James and I would recommend her to anyone.

Athena Taylor and her sister Selena have realized their dream of opening a school for young ladies at Thorndale Manor.  The manor has a checkered past with a recent occupant having been put to death for murdering a neighbor.  When one of their maids is discovered dead, Athena discovers that she was also linked with the past murder.  She decides to investigate the maids murder as well as the past murder.  What will she discover?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This novel picked up right after the first novel in the series, The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall.  I greatly enjoyed this novel.  You can read The Secrets of Thorndale Manor as a standalone novel, but it is even more fun to read the series in order.

·       I love historical mystery and I thought this was a really interesting mystery and suspense novel.  It had a gothic feel to the entire story as well, which I loved.  I don’t want to delve into the details and ruin it for others, but I enjoyed the twists and turns.

·       I also felt hints of Jane Eyre throughout the novel and there is a lovely author’s note in the end which discusses this as well.  I especially loved that Athena and Selena are working together to run a school for girls and are having a hard time getting students.  This seemed familiar as it was a dream of Charlotte Bronte as well to start a school and her and her sisters were also unable to get enough students to do so.

·       I loved the Victorian England setting.  I also liked getting to know the servants in the manor as well as the neighbors in the small village.

·       Ian Vernon is an architect. His family had previously owned Thorndale Manor, but he had to sell it due to the estate being so far in debt.  He is not happy about Athena investigating the old murder as his sister was convicted of it.   But as he gets to know Athena, sparks fly. I loved this romance.

·       The back of the book has a picture of the beautiful cover of the next book in the series, Danger at Darkmoor Park which will focus on Selena. I can’t wait to read it!

Overall, The Secrets of Thorndale Manor by Syrie James is an intriguing Victorian Gothic historical mystery and suspense novel.  It has great characters and a great story with many twists and turns.  I highly recommend it!

Book Source:  Thank-you to @syriejames @dragonbladepublishing @austenprose for a review copy of this novel as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour.

The Professor by Charlotte Bronte

 

Title:  The Professor

Author:  Charlotte Bronte

Narrated by:  Frederick Davidson

Publisher: Blackstone Publishing

Length: Approximately 9 hours and 24 minutes

Source: Checked out from the Kewaunee Public Library through Hoopla

What is your weirdest reading habit?  I used to love to read in trees when I was younger.

William Crimsworth is an orphan and becomes a clerk for a schoolmate’s brother.  He faces abuse at the job and decides to make a career change, moving to Brussels and becoming a professor.  Once a professor, he finds himself conflicted in love and caught in a bit of a love triangle.  Will he find love and a future in Brussels?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       The Professor was the May pick for the What the Dickens Book Club.  We have an interesting discussion on Facebook on it.

·       I hadn’t read this book since high school.  In high school, I did my senior research paper on Charlotte Bronte.  I read all her novels and watched all of the adaptations of her work that I could get my hands on.

·       The book is the person narrative of William Crimsworth.

·       Most of the book takes place in Brussels.  French is spoken and not translated at times in the book.

·       The main character is very anti-Catholic and seems to look down on the Belgian people that he is teaching.

·       It’s kind of creepy when he and another professor rate and talk about their female students looks. 

·       It’s crazy to think that in the 19^th century, one could beat your employee with a whip!

·       I would rank this as my fourth out of four of Charlotte Bronte’s novels.  It’s worth reading, but it lacks the polish and passion of Jane Eyre.  This was the first novel that Charlotte Bronte wrote in 1845-46 before Jane Eyre.    Bronte used a lot of her own experiences at a school in Brussels for inspiration for this novel.

·       The audiobook was a bit dry and boring to listen to, and strangely about halfway through it, I suddenly couldn’t listen to it anymore.  Hoopla said it was no longer available through my library.  I have never had this happen before, have you?  I had to purchase it on Audible to finish it up.

Overall, The Professor by Charlotte Bronte is worth reading, but it is a bit dry and lacks the passion of Jane Eyre.

The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins

 

Are you a fan of Jane Eyre?  Have you read the book?  Do you have a favorite movie or TV version?

The Wife Upstairs is a modern day take on Jane Eyre.  Jane has recently moved to Birmingham Alabama and works as a dogwalker in the rich Thornfield Estates Community.  She takes trinkets on the side and is always watching. Resident Eddie Rochester’s wife Bea has recently been presumed dead.  Bea had started a Southern homestyle line and made a fortune.  Eddie and Jane soon start a romance, but Jane has a lot of questions.  What exactly happened to Bea and how was Eddie involved?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This was a Rogue Book Club selection for November.  Unfortunately, only one other member read it, but she enjoyed it as much as I did.  She had not read the original Jane Eyre and still enjoyed this book on its own merits.

·       This retelling of Jane Eyre was a new story in itself.  It kept the names and some scenarios from the original tale, but it gives the story its own unique spin.

·       This book kept me guessing.  I kept thinking that I had it figured out and then the story would switch.  This was often achieved with changing the point of view.

·       I didn’t really like any of the characters.  Unlike the original novel, this Jane was not a good person.  I still wanted to know what would happen to the characters.  It was a plot driven novel.

·       Jane grew up in foster care.  She is street smart, but she can read people and blend into her surroundings.  She mimics Bea’s style and that of the ladies in the neighborhood.  Jane is strong willed and will get her happy ending.

·       The author said at the end that she gives Jane the ending she deserves.  I’m not sure if I agreed with the ending of the book being the ending that Jane deserved.

·       Minus one star for the “Reader, I F&*^ed him” quote.  While it did make me chuckle, I didn’t like this rewrite of the famous Jane Eyre quote.

·       This also reminded me of Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier which is itself a modern day take on Jane Eyre.  Just like in Rebecca, the start of the novel was romance between Eddie and Jane as they got together. 

Overall, I thought The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins was very entertaining!

Book Source:  A gift from a friend

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte

 

Title:  The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

Author:  Anne Bronte

Narrated by:  Piers Wehner & Katy Carmichael

Publisher: Naxos Audiobooks

Length: Approximately 20 hours and 29 minutes

Source: Checked out with Hoopla through the Kewaunee Public Library.  Thank-you!

 

Have you ever heard of Anne Bronte?  Have you ever read any of her novels?

I read all of the Bronte novels written by Charlotte, Emily, and Anne back in high school and college.  I enjoyed them all, but I was surprised at how well I loved Anne’s novels.  She is the lesser-known Bronte and not nearly talked about as much as Charlotte or Emily.  I think this is a shame as I truthfully enjoy The Tenant of Wildfell Hall more than Wuthering Heights.  I think it’s just as good as her sisters.  Unfortunately, Charlotte held The Tenant of Wildfell Hall back from being published again while she was alive.  It was considered a scandalous book for its time as it dealt with alcoholism, marital strife, and a woman leaving her husband and supporting herself.  In the twentieth century, this book has been reexamined and is considered one of the earliest feminist novels.

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall was the JASNA Northwoods book club pick for our June meeting that was rescheduled for August.  I finished this book the beginning of June and was ready to discuss it, but I wasn’t finished with the second book so I am glad for the extra time.

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is a story within a story.  The story starts with a young gentleman farmer named Gilbert Markham writing a series of letters to a friend that describe how a mysterious young widow, Helen Graham, has moved to the neighborhood with her small son.  She supports herself as an artist.  Gilbert finds himself falling in love with her, but she becomes the talk of the neighborhood as various rumors abound.  Helen gives Gilbert her diary to discover her true past.  In it, Gilbert discovers that Helen is still a married woman.  She married Arthur Huntingdon for love, but he soon slips into a life of alcoholism and womanizing.  He uses Helen’s money to fund his lifestyle. Helen tries to make her life work, but when she finds Arthur getting their son drunk and trying to lead him into a dissolute life, she knows it is time to leave.   The book flips back in the final third to Gilbert’s point of view. Will Helen and Gilbert get their happy ending?

I really liked how forward-thinking Helen was with her questioning of why boys were educated on the ways of the world while girls were not. I like her posing the question of why aren’t women better prepared for the world and how to handle it?  Why were they left in a state of naivety? It was also forward thinking to have Helen leave her husband and try to support herself.

The framing device with Gilbert was okay.  It felt like Gilbert’s side of the story could have been edited down.  I liked how the beginning of the story was like a Jane Austen novel.  I didn’t really feel Gilbert and Helen’s love story.    I don’t think Gilbert was Helen’s equal, especially when he mistakenly beat up her brother in a jealous rage. 

I liked how this story was one of what happens if you actually marry the Byronic hero from Wuthering Heights or Jane Eyre . . . . or the bad boys from Austen like Willoughby or Wickham.  The man who was so charming in the beginning, is an impossible husband to live with.  It was interesting to think about.  It also makes me wonder, how much of the story was based on Anne’s brother Branwell?  Or was it based on things she saw as a governess?  It made me really think about the lack of options women had at the time and how they could be stuck in a truly terrible situation.

Piers Wehner & Katy Carmichael were both good narrators.  Wehner narrated the Gilbert letters while Carmichael narrated Helen’s letters.  It was a very interesting audiobook.  I liked comparing sections to my book as well.

Reluctant Immortals by Gwendolyn Kiste

 

Are you a fan of Jane Eyre and/or Dracula?  Have you ever wondered if Bertha Mason or Lucy Westenra could have had a different fate?  If so, Reluctant Immortals is the book for you.

Lucy and Bee (Bertha) are immortal and have survived and are currently living in 1960s Hollywood. They have their daily routines living their undead lives, but when Dracula and Mr. Rochester appear back on the scene, how will Lucy and Bee deal with these terrible men from their past who just won’t leave them alone?

Reluctant Immortals is a hard book to characterize.  I don’t want to give too much away as I thought it was a crazy, fun, and unique ride for a book.  I loved Lucy and her strength. She was a great narrator for this book. I also loved how the ladies took control of their own narratives.  It all perfectly seemed to fit into the psychedelic world of the 1960s and the summer of love in particular.  This book had a one-of-a-kind story line and fantastic characters.  I enjoyed it.

Review Copy from Simon and Schuster.  Thank you @BookClubFavorites #BookClubFavorites for the free book. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

John Eyre: A Tale of Darkness and Shadow by Mimi Matthews (Blog Tour)

 

Join the virtual book tour of JOHN EYRE: A TALE OF DARKNESS AND SHADOW, Mimi Matthews’ highly acclaimed Bronte-inspired Gothic romance, July 12-25, 2021. Thirty-five popular on-line influencers specializing in historical fiction, Gothic romance, and paranormal fiction will join in the celebration of its release with an interview, spotlights, exclusive excerpt, and reviews of this new Victorian-era novel set in Yorkshire, England.

 My Review

What if Jane Eyre was a man instead of a woman?  How would the story of Jane Eyre play out?  That is the question that John Eyre answers in a very clever way.  John Eyre combines two classics, but I don’t want to ruin the story, so I won’t say which is the second classic. 

 John Eyre is a schoolmaster who must leave his position after the wife of his patron, Lady Helen Burns, falls in love with him.  He accepts a position at Thornfield as the tutor to two mysterious boys from Europe.  As he works to break them out of their shell, he wonders about his employer, the mysterious and missing Mrs. Rochester.  When Mrs. Rochester returns, he finds her even more of an enigma.  What is Mrs. Rochester hiding from her past?  Why are there mysterious almost supernatural happenings going on at Thornfield?

 I really enjoyed this novel.  I really liked the unique premise with the gender flip and the combining of two classics stories.  They worked well together.  The story is told from John’s perspective in the third person and a past narrative where a young Bertha Mason narrates letters to her best friend Blanche Ingram.   Bertha narrates her voyage through Europe and her meeting and marriage to Mr. Rochester. I loved the way this book was written like this.

 I enjoyed the Victorian Gothic novel and the supernatural elements.  I don’t want to ruin it for others, but I think this would be a perfect book to read leading up to Halloween.  Matthews knows Jane Eyre was able to change elements of it while keeping the elements that make Jane Eyre its own unique story. 

 Overall, John Eyre by Mimi Matthews is a gender swapping supernatural retelling of Jane Eyre that is thoroughly enjoyable.

Book Source:  Review Copy from Perfectly Proper Press.  Thank-you!

QUICK FACTS

·       Title: John Eyre: A Tale of Darkness and Shadow

·       Author: Mimi Matthews

·       Genre: historical fiction, Gothic romance, paranormal fiction

·       Publisher: Perfectly Proper Press (July 20, 2021)

·       Length: (364) pages

·       Hardcover ISBN: 978-1736080207

·       Trade Paperback ISBN: 978-1736080221

·       eBook ASIN: B08NPLVHVN

·       Tour Dates:  July 12 – 25, 2021

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Yorkshire, 1843. When disgraced former schoolmaster John Eyre arrives at Thornfield Hall to take up a position as tutor to two peculiar young boys, he enters a world unlike any he's ever known. Darkness abounds, punctuated by odd bumps in the night, strange creatures on the moor, and a sinister silver mist that never seems to dissipate. And at the center of it all, John's new employer—a widow as alluring as she is mysterious.

Sixteen months earlier, heiress Bertha Mason embarked on the journey of a lifetime. Marriage wasn't on her itinerary, but on meeting the enigmatic Edward Rochester, she's powerless to resist his preternatural charm. In letters and journal entries, she records the story of their rapidly disintegrating life together, and of her gradual realization that Mr. Rochester isn't quite the man he appears to be. In fact, he may not be a man at all.

From a cliff-top fortress on the Black Sea coast to an isolated estate in rural England, John and Bertha contend with secrets, danger, and the eternal struggle between light and darkness. Can they help each other vanquish the demons of the past? Or are some evils simply too powerful to conquer?

ADVANCE PRAISE

“Bertha Mason Rochester shines, dominating her scenes with vitality and strength. The style, too, is spot-on, reprising the spirit of 19th-century Gothic prose without descending into mimicry.”— Publishers Weekly

“An entertaining spin on a classic with thrilling twists and turns…Matthews skillfully transforms a well-known story into a truly original tale.”— Kirkus

“[Matthews] retells Charlotte Bronte's classic story in a way that will keep fans of the original novel totally gripped from cover to cover... Fresh and dynamic... Fast-paced and spellbinding...a book you will have a hard time putting down.”— Readers Favorite

“One of the most moving, suspenseful, innovative and remarkable retellings of a classic in the history of, well, ever... Every page is sheer rapture as [Matthews] moulds popular source material into a spell-binding creation so wholly her own.”— Rachel McMillan, bestselling author of The London Restoration

“[A] captivating and ingenious retelling of Jane Eyre with a supernatural twist. Smart, suspenseful, and deliciously spooky, JOHN EYRE is a must-read; I loved everything about it!”— Ashley Weaver, author of the Amory Ames Mysteries and the Electra McDonnell series

 

AUTHOR BIO

USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews writes both historical nonfiction and award-winning proper Regency and Victorian romances. Her novels have received starred reviews in Library Journal and Publishers Weekly, and her articles have been featured on the Victorian Web, the Journal of Victorian Culture, and in syndication at BUST Magazine. In her other life, Mimi is an attorney. She resides in California with her family, which includes a Sheltie, and two Siamese cats.

 

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GOODREADS

 

TOUR SCHEDULE

                   

July 12          The Caffeinated Bibliophile (review)   

July 12          Syrie James (review)       

July 12          Austenprose—A Jane Austen Blog (review) 

July 13          Bronte Blog (interview)

July 13          Laura's Reviews (review)

July 13          All-of-a-Kind Mom (spotlight)

July 14          Gwendalyn's Books (review)     

July 14          Austenesque Reviews (review) 

July 15          Bookworm Lisa (review) 

July 15          Nurse Bookie (review)     

July 16          Savvy Verse and Wit (excerpt)

July 16          The Lit Bitch (review)      

July 17          My Bookish Bliss (review)         

July 17          From the TBR Pile (review)       

July 18          Rosanne E. Lortz (review)         

July 18          Books, Teacups, & Reviews (review)  

July 19          The Secret Victorianist (review)

July 19          Christian Chick's Thoughts (review)   

July 19          The Gothic Library (review)       

July 20          Getting Your Read On (review) 

July 20          The Silver Petticoat Review (review)   

July 20          Lu Reviews Books (review)       

July 21          Scuffed Slippers and Wormy Books (spotlight)

July 21          The Green Mockingbird (review)         

July 22          Unabridged Chick (review)        

July 22          A Darn Good Read (review)

July 23          Kathleen Flynn (review)  

July 23          So Little Time… (review) 

July 23          The Calico Critic (review)

July 24          The Bronte Babe (review)

July 24          Probably at the Library (review)

July 24          Impressions in Ink (review)

July 25          From Pemberley to Milton (review)     

July 25          Vesper's Place (review)   

July 25          Cup of Tea with that Book Please (review)    

                   

 

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