Jane Eyre

Superfluous yet lucid language, flowery and fluent tone of the book sets it a classical masterpiece. Not to mention that the book being the forerunner for all poor girl meets rich boy stories and also how an orphan makes a name for herself and a family inspite of all the childhood troubles.

The book does start off slow and bleak with the orphan being ill-treated by the guardian. It gathers some momentum when she is sent off to a strict school for orphaned kids. The strong character of the girl is evident from the start as she takes a positive approach to any new predicament placed in front of her and is heart-warming to see her triumph over the obstacles. Again, her solidarity is tested as finding true love is not always without its own set of impediments.

Beautiful English country side settings perfect for romance, strong and positive characters, a sprinkling of mystery and interesting twists makes this a wonderful read.

Jane Eyre  by Emile Bronte is available free on kindle.


Some of the flowery lines that just go straight to my heart-

If people were always kind and obedient to those who are cruel and unjust, the wicked people would have it all their own way: they would never feel afraid, and so they would never alter, but would grow worse and worse. When we are struck at without a reason, we should strike back again very hard; I am sure we should—so hard as to teach the person who struck us never to do it again.” 

“But I feel this, Helen; I must dislike those who, whatever I do to please them, persist in disliking me; I must resist those who punish me unjustly. It is as natural as that I should love those who show me affection, or submit to punishment when I feel it is deserved.”

“It is not violence that best overcomes hate—nor vengeance that most certainly heals injury.”

Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity or registering wrongs.
Besides, with this creed, I can so clearly distinguish between the criminal and his crime; I can so sincerely forgive the first while I abhor the last: with this creed revenge never worries my heart, degradation never too deeply disgusts me, injustice never crushes me too low: I live in calm, looking to the end.”

“If all the world hated you, and believed you wicked, while your own conscience approved you, and absolved you from guilt, you would not be without friends.”

I looked, and had an acute pleasure in looking,—a precious yet poignant pleasure; pure gold, with a steely point of agony: a pleasure like what the thirst-perishing man might feel who knows the well to which he has crept is poisoned, yet stoops and drinks divine draughts nevertheless.

I believe he is of mine;—I am sure he is—I feel akin to him—I understand the language of his countenance and movements: though rank and wealth sever us widely, I have something in my brain and heart, in my blood and nerves, that assimilates me mentally to him.

Presentiments are strange things! and so are sympathies; and so are signs; and the three combined make one mystery to which humanity has not yet found the key.

The fact was, I had other things to think about; within the last few months feelings had been stirred in me so much more potent than any they could raise—pains and pleasures so much more acute and exquisite had been excited than any it was in their power to inflict or bestow—that their airs gave me no concern either for good or bad.

Laws 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; stringent are they; inviolate they shall be. If at my individual convenience I might break them, what would be their worth?

We know that God is everywhere; but certainly we feel His presence most when His works are on the grandest scale spread before us; and it is in the unclouded night-sky, where His worlds wheel their silent course, that we read clearest His infinitude, His omnipotence, His omnipresence.