Helpful Score: 2
This is a fictionalized autobiography of Charlotte Bronte. The facts are there and would be a wonderful introduction to anyone who has not read about Charlotte's life before or those who do not like the dryness of reading biographies. If you are familiar with her life, there is nothing new here other than the premise of this being her diary. Well written and researched.
Helpful Score: 2
Rather than fiction, this is a fictional biography, as most of the incidents in the book are based on fact. The few times the author does stray from the known facts the books comes across as much less convincing. She adds in some intrigue about Arthur Bell Nicholl's romantic past which doesn't really work, and she makes liberal use of her imagination in portraying of some of the relationship between Charlotte and Arthur Bell Nicholls. But this is fiction, not biography, and who can blame Syrie James for wanting to give the author of Jane Eyre some passion and romance in her life? It does make for quite a satisfying conclusion to Charlotte's story.
The author did a surprisingly good job of making Charlotte the narrator actually sound like Charlotte the writer. She makes Charlotte say a couple of anachronistic things here and there but nothing to really jar on you, and much of what Charlotte the narrator says is recognisable from Charlotte Bronte's own letters to others.
This would be a good introduction to the lives of the Brontes for those who don't know much about the family. If this leaves you wanting more, try Juliet Barker's fabulous biography 'The Brontes' for the full story.
The author did a surprisingly good job of making Charlotte the narrator actually sound like Charlotte the writer. She makes Charlotte say a couple of anachronistic things here and there but nothing to really jar on you, and much of what Charlotte the narrator says is recognisable from Charlotte Bronte's own letters to others.
This would be a good introduction to the lives of the Brontes for those who don't know much about the family. If this leaves you wanting more, try Juliet Barker's fabulous biography 'The Brontes' for the full story.
Helpful Score: 1
I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I'm a Bronte purist, but James writes in a style that, while not quite Charlotte's, is actually believable. I didn't sleep for two nights after I finished it - the sadness of the Bronte story as a whole becomes much more real when reading it from Charlotte's perspective.
