Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

This classic engaged me in a delightful summer getaway! I first read this book in high school, but I don't remember what I thought of it then. I reread it one summer in Hawaii about a decade ago when I found it on Louise Austin's bookshelf. She let me have it, and it made our flight home very pleasant. When our book club read it this summer, I was gone. But still, I wanted to visit it again to see if it still had the magic I remembered from the last time I read it. It does!

This book was apparently one of the first where women had independent ideas and considered themselves equal to men. It's interesting that that didn't stand out to me when I read it; this came later as I read about it online. I was looking to see how rich Jane's inheritance would have made her by today's standards, and read how ground-breaking this novel was for its time. It made me appreciate it even more! I had planned to also use the Internet to help me understand some of the French phrases that little Adele says, but that are never translated. I haven't done that YET.

What I love about this story is how humble yet bold Jane is. I love watching her love for Mr. Rochester grow. I enjoy reading how his teasing and humor underlie his seeming gruffness. I love how she struggles with her moral decisions and shares her thinking and feelings with us, her readers. She is such a keen observer and knower of human nature!

I also found Lowood School's description both fascinating and appalling. It reminded me, too, of the importance of "one caring adult" at school having such a profound influence. Systems of education and systems of class are revealed in such an interesting way. It deepened my desire to return to England and this time, soak up more of the history and culture. All in all, a very satisfying read.