Book #27 – Jane Eyre
Earlier this year I walked by the Classics shelf at my local library and picked up Emma by Jane Austin on a whim. I’ve never been one for classic, but I thought I’d check it out. And guess what? I really liked it! Shortly after that I read Lady Audley’s Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon. My realization after those was: maybe classics aren’t actually all that daunting. After all, they deal with the same things as contemporary novels: intrigue, manipulation, dynamics of relationships, and broken hearts.
Which brings me to my next classic: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. I feel like I’m the very last person to have read this book, but I’m looking forward to it. I’m intrigued by the Brontë sisters and hope to read more of their novels after this one.
Before I finish up here, a quick, unrelated note: I never realized before starting this blog how much I appreciate book covers. True, you shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover, but a cover can not only give insights into the story behind it, but also insights into other people’s interpretations of the story. Jane Eyre has definitely had plenty of different covers over the years and I’m looking forward to sharing some of them. The one I’ve included here is the cover of the copy I’m currently reading. What do you think the flame represents? Or is it a flame? It could be some mystic symbol, I guess.
I agree with you about the book covers playing an important role in the story. My favorite book cover that tells the story is from A Separate Peace – I’m not sure if you’ve ever read it – but the one with the man standing by the tree says so much about the story. If you look closely, you see the outline of 2 young boys climbing the tree, the tree that plays such a huge role in the story. I don’t want to ruin it for you if you’ve never read it, but if you do (have), the you can get so much information from the cover.
I read Jane Eyre in high school, and I’m pretty sure I know what the cover symbolizes. But I don’t want to ruin the story for you, so I’ll wait till you are finished with it to tell you my thoughts. :)
I didn’t read “Jane Eyre” until this past Christmas. My grandma was in the hospital and I just ran into the bookstore and grabbed the first thing I saw. I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVED IT! It was the reason I started blogging about books! :) I hope you love it too!
You’ll see what the flame represents once you get further in the book…I hope you’re enjoying it!