Author: Anne Brontë
Published: 1847
Genres: Novel, Romance
Rating: 3 out of 5
Review
The Bronte sisters are among my favorite authors. Emily Bronte's ''Wuthering Heights'' and Charlotte Bronte's ''Jane Eyre'' are two very special books for me. While ''Wuthering Heights'' is my favorite book of all time, ''Jane Eyre'' is one of the books that made me fall in love with books. These two books are so powerful, so intense, with so strong, powerful, memorable characters. Charlotte and Emily are thus two of my favorite authors. ''Agnes Grey'', however, is the first Anne Bronte novel that I've read.
Anne Bronte was the youngest of the Bronte sisters. She wrote only two novels: ''Agnes Grey'' and ''The Tenant of Wildfell Hall''.
''Agnes Grey'' is based on Anne's own experiences while working as a governess. The titular character of this novel, Agnes Grey, being the youngest member of the family, grew up with a lot of love and affection from her parents and elder sister. Though her father has a modest income, he does his best to keep the family happy and comfortable, but, however, circumstances make them fall into poverty.
Agnes decides to earn a living as a governess. She takes the job of a governess to the children of the Bloomfield family. The mischievous and disobedient children make life miserable for her, and she gets tired and devastated. However, after she loses her job because Mrs Bloomfield has complains about the children's learning, she is appointed as a governess to the children of the Murray family.
Miss Rosalie Murray and Miss Matilda Murray are older than Agnes's Bloomfield pupils, and in some ways, they are a little less mischievous. But though they are not very mischievous, they are immature, disobedient and spoiled, and Agnes's life in the Murrays' home also becomes difficult. But when will she find happiness and satisfaction...?
''Agnes Grey'' is mainly about the life and sufferings of the protagonist. In the Victorian era, governesses were poor, but educated young women, who used to teach the children of wealthy people. The governesses used to live in the house, and despite being well educated, they were often treated merely as upper servants. They were often victims of bad behavior. For example, in ''Agnes Grey'', we see Agnes not even being greeted by the acquaintances of the Murray girls.
''Agnes Grey'' is about the life, feelings, sufferings of Agnes Grey. She finds love... she falls in love with Mr Weston. But will she find the happiness that she longs for?
The narration is impressive. The overall story, and the storytelling, is moving. It is Agnes's day-to-day story, Agnes's retelling of her life as a governess, her pains, her suffering. Her feelings towards Mr Weston was very touching, but even in case of love, there were so many obstacles and uncertainties in front of her.
''Agnes Grey'' was a pleasant and touching novel... But when I compare it to ''Wuthering Heights'' and ''Jane Eyre'', Agnes Grey seems rather a little plain. Both Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre were so powerful and intense, with characters whom I'll never forget. ''Agnes Grey'', on the other hand, was touching, but not as much that it will remain very memorable... nor were the characters that well developed. BUT ''Agnes Grey'' was also worth a read, and I'm glad that I read it.
3 out of 5
Author: Charles Dickens
Published: 1854
Genres: Novel
Rating: 4 out of 5
Review
Compared to other Charles Dickens novels, there are relatively a few characters in this novel, and no noticeable subplot. ''Hard Times'' is the shortest novel by Charles Dickens. It is also the only Charles Dickens novel not to have any scenes in London.
The story is set in an industrial town named Coketown. Here, the working class people who work in the mills, known as ''Hands'', are subject of many ''fictions''. The owner of some such mills is the ruthless and easily detestable Mr Bounderby, who is always declaring that he is a self made man and how an unprivileged childhood he had had. Mr Bounderby's friend is Thomas Gradgrind, who is so fond of facts that he has never let his children read anything, or know anything fictional. He has given strict education to his children from their childhood. His two eldest children, Louisa and Tom, play important roles in the story. After Louisa turns into a young woman, Mr Bounderby, who is at least thirty years older than her, proposes his marriage with her, which she accepts due to some reasons revealed in course of the novel.
A part of this novel deals with Louisa's married life and the difficulties she comes across, how the strict education from her childhood made her emotionless. The latter part of this novel deals with a crime for which an honest person is apparently falsely accused.
Dickens's characters play a more vital role in his novels that his stories do. The character development in this shortest novel of his is no less significant. My favorite characters in this novel are Louisa, Rachael and Sissy. These three characters have got much emphasis and depth. Stephen Blackpool is also a likeable character. Louisa can be considered the main character of this novel. I really felt sympathy for Louisa. Mr Bounderby and Mrs Sparsit were quite detestable.
''Hard Times'' was mostly a grim novel. With a relatively few characters (if compared to the other Dickens novels), the novel spends much time giving emphasis to the sad lives of Louisa, Stephen, Rachael, and also the unfortunate love of James Harthouse.
I really liked this novel. Despite being comparatively short in length, the development of the characters and incidents were really very good.
4 out of 5
Author: George Eliot
Published: 1861
Genres: Novel, Victorian literature
Rating: 4 out of 5
Review
I liked George Eliot's ''Silas Marner''. It was a simple and smooth, pleasant, quite emotional read. The titular character, the protagonist, is a weaver,who is falsely accused of a theft apparently committed by his best friend. After this, he loses his trust on humans- and a few days later, goes away to a village named Raveloe. Living in a stone hut, and weaving all day, he isolates himself, and keeps no communication with people (except, of course, for business purposes). People, meanwhile, have strange superstitions and ideas about him. Living alone, he grows an obsession for the money that he earns, and his life becomes centered on two things- his work and money. He starts hoarding his wealth, and notoriously becomes known as a miser. He becomes detached from the society.
Godfrey Cass is the son of Squire Cass. He has a terrible secret, that he is secretly married to a woman, who is addicted to opium and whom his father will certainly never accept. The only person who knows this secret is Godfrey's brother Dunstan, who blackmails him. Godfrey had lent some of his father's money to Dunstan, who spends it and, to pay it back to his father, Godfrey tells Dunstan to sell his horse. But the horse meets an accidental death- and Dunston, unable to get the money, sneaks into Silas Marner's house and steals all his hidden money.
Silas Marner is devastated seeing his money has disappeared. The money had somewhat been the purpose of his life. People slowly begin taking sympathy on him, and their views about Silas Marner start to improve. A twist comes in the story as Godfrey's wife is found dead in the snow, and Godfrey doesn't admit that it is his wife... Silas Marner finds Godfrey's infant daughter (who had been traveling with her mother), and starts raising her as his own daughter. Godfrey never reveals that the girl is, in fact, his daughter. Silas starts loving the girl, and his life takes a new direction, and he is again united with the society. His adopted daughter brings changes to his isolated lifestyle... bringing new hope and purpose to his life.
This was a relatively short novel and it told a story of isolation, of disappointment, and also gave a portrait of how isolated life can be. Then, a new hope comes in Silas Marner's life... the little child he finds and raises as his own daughter. I liked the characters. Silas Marner, of course. Nancy Lammeter, Godfrey Cass, Eppie, to name but a few... These characters had an emotional depth. Godfrey's love for Nancy was quite touching. Silas and Eppie's father-daughter relation was wonderful. Yet, most of the characters were not that much well developed because of the fast paced nature (it became really fast paced from the time Eppie grew up) and short length of the novel.
The novel reminded me of Victor Hugo's Les Miserables, because Silas and Eppie had similarities with Jean Valjean and Cossette.
I really liked reading Silas Marner. It wasn't a great read. But it was very good, really very good and memorable.
4 out of 5
Author: Charles Dickens
Published: 1853
Genres: Novel, Victorian novel, Mystery
Rating: 4 out of 5
Review
I really liked Charles Dickens's ''Bleak House''. The subject matter is grim, yet the novel is lively with lively characters and bits of humor here and there. The sudden humor in this dark novel can be so surprising. It is not as powerfully intense as Dickens's ''Oliver Twist'' or ''David Copperfield'', two books I simply love, yet it is enjoyable, moving, and good.
The main storyline of ''Bleak House'' is about Esther Summerson, an ''orphaned'' girl with a mysterious background. She had lived with her aunt as a child. Her aunt, before her death, requested John Jarndyce to take care of her. Esther, now a beautiful young woman, now moves to Bleak House, a residence of Mr Jarndyce, with two cousins of Mr Jarndyce, Richard Carston and Ada Clare.
Lady Dedlock is the wife of Sir Leicester Deadlock, Baronet. After years, she comes to know that a man of her past, a man related to many intense secrets of her life, might have come back to her life. The man is Captain Hawdon. The secret is related to Esther Summerson, and it such a secret that might ruin Lady Deadlock...
I initially thought that this novel would center around a legal court case, named Jarndyce and Jarndyce. The case is about the fate of an inheritance of the Jarndyce family. I understood very little what this case was about, so I was worried that the novel might become confusing to me. Yet, though this case, and the people related to it, play major roles in the book, the main story centers around the story of Lady Dedlock and Esther Summerson.
There are so many characters, so many incidences in this novel. All are somehow memorable. Richard Carstone, a naive man who ruins his with the hope of Jarndyce and Jarndyce. Mr John Jarndyce, who detests Jarndyce and Jarndyce. Hortense, the vicious French maidservant. Mr Tulkinghorn, the unpleasant lawyer. Allan Woodcourt, a likeable doctor. And so many, so many more memorable characters.
But however, that doesn't mean that this novel is very perfect. It has some faults as well. Many parts were confusing, for example, the case Jarndyce and Jarndyce, which plays a very important role in the novel. The part were Lady Deadlock runs away; a little complicated part.
Nevertheless, it was a pleasant read, and a memorable book, and I guess I will read it someday again.
4 out of 5
