Product Description

"I have written about the joys of love. I have, in my secret heart, long dreamt of an intimate connection with a man; every Jane, I believe, deserves her Rochester."

Customer Reviews (20)

Perfect for the Bronte Aficianado!
Here, I was soundly surprised. James' immersion into the subject; the phrasing and the complete Bronte-ness while writing Charlotte's "diary" was refreshing and fun. Charlotte's diary, like the woman herself, is a coupling of dark and light. Plenty of footnotes heighten the atmosphere and enlightened me on numerous time-authentic words and subjects.

At times a kunstleroman unearthing Charlotte's genius-in-embryo and at times a rip-your-heart-out parallel of the events in that greatest of tragedies Villette, I sped through the book. I applaud James for assimilating Bronte's prose and style-- and while there are tell-tale signs we are not reading the source--- she comes close in celebration and homage.

Events, letters, a stern understanding of Gaskell's famed biography: are the thread that binds this interesting literary tribute together. James' re-introduced my passion to a subject I had not engaged with since university ( not that long ago; but long enough for me to recognize that absence surely makes the heart grow fonder).

James painted a truthful canvas and allowed me to spin around in a world at once romantic and melancholy: an imaginative spree I would often take as a teenager --- roaming around the moors; calling for Rochester.


Perhaps the portion most dear to my heart was Charlotte's account of her time at the Pensionnat Heger: the experience which founded her most autobiographical novel, Villette. James uncovers the passion between master and pupil and draws readers back to the original source.



I really, thoroughly, heartily enjoyed this celebration of Bronte's life and developing romance with the curate Arthur Bell Nichols.


Any one who has ever peeked at a Bronte letter; or stole into Charlotte's Juvenalia; or re-read those parts in Jane Eyre ( you know THOSE parts), will find in this work not a stranger, but a welcoming friend. If James set out to revitalize my love for Charlotte Bronte (especially having witnessed her through a slightly different lens) she more than succeeded.

A Good Read
This was a fun way to learn about one of my favorite authors. It was straightforward and fact-based, and though it lagged in a few places, overall a good book.

Probably inaccurate but fun
I don't know how true to life this book is, but it was an interesting read. It got schmaltzy and sappy towards the end, though, so I had trouble finishing it.

Made me want to read Jane Eyre again!
If Jane Eyre is one of your favorite books, then I highly recommend The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte. I admit that I have never read Shirley or Villette. But this excellent novel, based mostly on fact, has made want to read all the Bronte's works. Immediately after finishing this book, I ordered Shirley, Agnes Grey, and Elizabeth Gaskell's biography on Charlotte.

The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte mimics a diary written by Charlotte herself. If you have never read a Bronte biography, don't let that stop you from picking up this wonderful book. The author did a superb job of painting a crystal clear picture of who Charlotte and her family really were. The novel walks you through Charlotte's childhood from her days at The Clergy Daughters School and through the death of almost all of her siblings.

The author really fleshes out all of the characters in the book, not only Charlotte, but Anne, Emily, and their brother Branwell. The novel is full of tragic and heartfelt moments lived by the Bronte family. If you a sensitive reader, you might want to keep a tissue handy.

The Secret Diaries not only explores Charlotte's feelings about her career as a novelist, but also her feelings about being a woman, a sister, and a daughter.

I can't praise this book enough. The end contains some excellent excerpts from letters written to or by Charlotte. The book also contains a few poems written by Charlotte, her sisters, and her brother.Fabulous book!!

Well researched, fantastic life and love story of Charlotte Bronte!
My first response upon finishing The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte was "Wow!"I thought this was a wonderful novel that fleshes out the life story of Charlotte Bronte in a realistic and fascinating way.

The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte is written from the first person narrative of Charlotte Bronte as she relates the events of her life to her diary.The diary starts with a proposal of marriage to Charlotte which has thrown her household into an uproar.As Charlotte states, "Who is this man who has dared to ask for my hand?Why is my father so dead set against him?Why are half of the residents of Haworth determinded to lnch him - or shoot him"The diary then goes back to start in 1845 and details Charlotte Bronte's earlier life and first meeting of Arthur Bell Nichols.

The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte lovingly fleshes out the life story of Charlotte Bronte while remaining true to the facts of her life.Charlotte's stay in Brussels and love of her professor, her best friend Ellen, her time as a governess, her relationship with her siblings, and the writing of her novels are all included.Overall though, this is the love story of Charlotte and Arthur Bell Nichols.

I enjoyed the love story and the development of the relationship between Charlotte and Arthur.Ironically, it often reminded me of Pride and Prejudice as their understanding of each other develops over time.

The end of the novel also has author insights, extras, and more which includes an interview with Syrie James, selected letters of Charlotte Bronte, selected poetry of the Brontes, complete works of the Brontes, and book club questions for The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte.I really enjoyed these extras, especially the author interview and Charlotte Bronte's letters.

Overall, The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte was an engaging, wonderfully written fictional account of Charlotte Bronte's life.I loved, loved, loved how Syrie James has written the love story of Charlotte and Arthur Bell Nichols.Most often Nichols is the second choice and Monsieur Heger is written as the love of her life.I've read Bronte biographies and letters in the past, and it does seem that she truly loved Arthur Bell Nichols.It's about time that their love story was given proper treatment.
... Read more

Product Description
With neither friends nor family, Lucy Snowe sets sail from England to find employment in a girls’ boarding school in the small town of Villette. There she struggles to retain her self-possession in the face of unruly pupils, an initially suspicious headmaster, and her own complex feelings, first for the school’s English doctor and then for the dictatorial professor, Paul Emmanuel. Charlotte Brontë’s last and most autobiographical novel is a powerfully moving study of isolation and the pain of unrequited love, narrated by a heroine determined to preserve an independent spirit in the face of adverse circumstances. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

"I wished him success; and successful I knew he would be.He was born victor, as some are born vanquished."
Villette, simply put, is the story of the "other" woman.She is the one who is not as beautiful, charming, rich and lucky in life as the ideal girl.
The protagonist, Lucy Snowe, brushes with happiness a few times in the novel.But the phrase, "So close, yet so far away," aptly describes her experience.
She is a fierce woman who believes her lot in life is secure and prays that happiness will await her in the other life.

It starts off in England, but quickly moves to the fictional town of Villette in Belgium which is modeled after Brussels.There, penniless, she lands
a job at Madame Beck's boarding school.This is the setting for much of the story.Two men enter her life, John Graham, an up and coming doctor who is
also from England and M. Paul, a professor at the school.Whereas Graham's background is fairly staid, to say M. Paul's background is complicated would be an understatement.

Lucy has quite a romantic view of things and prizes her love, even if it be doomed, as her sole possession.At one point, she frantically grabs a letter
from a suitor she knows she has no chance with simply because it gives her the least shred of happiness.Her description of her melancholy and isolation
is very well done.The reader can piratically hear the silence of the boarding school at night, and see teh drab white linen sheets of the beds she is with.

This is an excellent piece of literature.I have read all of the novels from the three sister and think that this is the best after The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (Oxford World's Classics).It is by no means an easy read, you can't just scan the paragraphs to get it finished, you'll miss too much.Every description has meaning.Every dialog
has profound implications.Things that happened or said early on have an impact throughout the whole novel.Where can we get writing like this these days?
I loved every word of it.

Betrayal by Author
I felt horribly betrayed by the authoress of this book. Like others, I, too, have enjoyed many of the Bronte sisters' masterworks: Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. But this book let me down like a deflated balloon at its ending. I stuck through this book, despite its lack of page-turning excitement, due to the beautifully drawn characterizations. However, it is a bleak book with a bleak outlook on life. Lucy Snowe is a depressive melancholiac. Yet, there is hope for a happy ending.......and that motivates a swiftly increasing pace of reading for the last 100 pages. But, alas, we are left without a denouement. The book describes an ending for each of the characters in the book, with the exception of the heroine Lucy Snowe. It asks the reader to imagine what happens to Lucy, although it is painfully clear for a thoughtful reader to surmise. I felt as if I was left hanging by an authoress that did not have the courage to logically conclude this pensive novel. (Actually, that is true; this wonderful edition makes it clear that Charlotte Bronte bowed to her father's wishes for an ending that she could not conceive as really happening to her main characters.)

One of my favorite books - "a sense of real wonder" arises from the beauty, passion, tragedy, and joy of this haunting novel
I now completely understand George Eliot's statement about Villette (Penguin Classics): "I am only just returned to a sense of real wonder about me, for I have been reading 'Villette' ... There is something preternatural about its power." I have just read this book for the first time and finished it a few days ago, yet I could not immediately write a review as I was still so submerged in the language, the story, and the characters, that I wanted to stay with them for a little while longer before I withdrew.

Virginia Woolf called Villette (Penguin Classics) Brontë's finest novel, and though this is the first of hers that I have read, it was indeed a true masterpiece. The intricate character descriptions were vivid and priceless, gentle even in their thoroughness, which cannot but seem harsh at times. There was a quiet and restrained passion to this novel and to Lucy Snowe which I found powerful and compelling. Brontë's personifications were numerous - Death, Reason, Feeling, Hope, and her soul to name a few - and wonderfully imaginative and descriptive. Interesting to note were the comments and undertones disparaging Catholicism and the Catholic Church, and also the emphasis on the superiority of England, the English, and Englishwomen to their "continental" counterparts.

I must admit that though I was somewhat engaged at the beginning, I became subsequently less so. If this occurs with you also, please do not let it deter you, do not put the book away - I read the last 300 pages in one sitting. I found this novel very moving and in this last sitting experienced the range of human emotions - sorrow, as I despaired that Lucy would ever find happiness in her life; joy and anticipation for each interaction between M. Paul and Lucy (the scene in the evening when M. Paul sits at the table beside her and takes offense to her making room for him had me laughing out loud); surprise, despair, anger, and more - I do not want to give specifics on occurrences in the novel which I myself would not have wished to know before I read it.

At the beginning of her stay in Villette I found Lucy Snowe too placid and weak, but my opinion was reformed and though, as I said before, there is a quietness and restraint to her, there is also an underlying passion which is full and lively and which no one could possibly overlook. I loved Paul Emmanuel and even now, writing about him for this review, I cannot help but smile at my memory of him. He sees Lucy as others do not and I truly relished every clash - and increasing moments of accord - between them. Lucy says to herself on the subject of M. Paul: "You are well habituated to be passed by as a shadow in Life's sunshine: it is a new thing to see one testily lifting his hand to screen his eyes, because you tease him with an obtrusive ray" (p. 371).

BOTTOM LINE:
READ THIS BOOK!! I borrowed it from the library and the day after finishing it I ordered a copy, as I already feel a need to reread it and immerse myself in Villette (Penguin Classics) once more.

SUMMARY (from the back cover):
"With neither friends nor family, Lucy Snowe sets sail from England to find employment in a girls' boarding school in the small town of Villette. There she struggles to retain her self-possession in the face of unruly pupils, a headmistress who spies on her staff, and her own complex feelings - first for the school's English doctor and then for the dictatorial professor Paul Emmanuel. Drawing on her own deeply unhappy experiences as a teacher in Brussels, Charlotte Brontë's last and most autobiographical novel is a powerfully moving study of isolation and the pain of unrequited love, narrated by a heroine determined to preserve an independent spirit in the face of adverse circumstances.
This edition includes a new introduction, which examines the novel's social and historical context, a chronology of Brontë's life and full explanatory notes."

P.S.:
In regards to this specific edition, I found it extremely useful in references/notes and background information. As another reviewer mentioned, full translations are provided and were very accurate and allusions were marked and explained.

An Edition with Translations
VILLETTE is the type of novel that will either haunt you forever or make you say "meh!" Although, I'm a total JANE EYRE freak, VILLETTE is my favorite out of the two. I don't really have anything else to add that already hasn't been elaborated on by my fellow reviewers.

With that out of the way, this review is directed towards those who are looking for an edition of VILLETTE that contains translations of the French text--yeah, there is A LOT of French in this book! If you don't know French, you're missing out on so much.

The Penguin Classics edition of VILLETTE edited by Mark Lily (introduction by Tony Tanner) actually does have a notes section in the back with English translations of the numerous French conversations. Also, many literary allusions (to the Bible, Greek mythology, etc.) in the novel are explained there as well, which was a big help to me. IBSN: 0140431187

However, a handful of free-standing, random French words are left untranslated in this edition. For example, "brioche" is translated but "ours" (bear) is not.

Heartbreaking, beautiful
I just finished Villette tonight, and I can't stop thinking about Lucy Snowe.

As many people do, I picked up this book after falling in love with Jane Eyre.And, as others have noted, Villette is just as good-- better, even-- but reading it was rather a different experience.Jane Eyre is a wonderful story, but it's really a fairy tale in many ways.Villette feels a bit more like real life, full of complications and unresolved disappointments, strange and unbelievable coincidences, and situations that just have to be borne.There were moments when I laughed on the subway, and moments when my heart ached in recognition.The characters are so finely detailed and alive, and the sentiment is so true.I think Lucy Snowe is a character that will stay with me for a long time, and right now, it hurts.

On the edition: Penguin again puts out a great version, with exhaustive notes (including all of the necessary French translations) and sharp graphics on the cover (love the orange on black). ... Read more

Product Description
The first novel written by the author of "Jane Eyre," "The Professor" is a story about the life of the resilient William Crimsworth. An English orphan raised by coldly aristocratic uncles, he rejects a life as a clergyman to work in his brother's mill in Yorkshire. Treated abominably in his tedious clerkship, Crimsworth escapes to Belgium and begins teaching in a boys' school. There he eventually meets the headmistress of a neighboring girls' school, Zoraide Reuter, as well as one of the teachers in the girls' school, Francis Henri. Narrated from a convincing male perspective, Bronte exercised her skill as a writer in telling a tale based on her own experiences as a student in Brussels, challenging many of the assumptions of Victorian society in the process. Crimsworth matures, finds a fulfilling profession, and discovers love in this significant commencement to Charlotte Bronte's literary career. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

The novel nearest and dearest to Charlotte Bronte's heart
In vain did Charlotte Bronte attempt to publish this novel during her lifetime. The Professor was repeatedly rejected by publisher after publisher. The book was thought to lack the substance to interest and engage readers.

The novel is clearly drawn from Bronte's life experience during her time in Brussels, where she developed feelings for a married man named Constantin Heger. There are many similarities between the characters in this book and Charlotte's experience in Brussels, but there are also vast differences.

The novel is told from the point of view of William Crimsworth, an aristocrat who turns his back on his family legacy and sets off to begin a new life in Brussels. Here he makes the aquaintance ofZoraide Reuter, who initially illicits deep feelings in William until her deceptive behavior reveals her true nature.
Instead, William feels himself drawn to a plain, but intelligent young lady named Francis Henri. Francis is unlike other girls in the school. She is terribly shy and in no way fashionable, but her intelligence and her passion for education ignite William's interest.

The Profesor does not in any way compare to Jane Eyre. It's not surprising to know that the novel was not well received. It read painfully slow at times. There was no real climax in the story. However, hardcore Bronte readers will find themselves lost in Bronte's magical description of the human emotion. The Professor is simply a pleasant novel that probably only Bronte fans can appreciate.

I'd rather read a book about Hunsden!
If you were hoping perhaps for a spicy romance about a forbidden love between a professor and his student, this book will certainly disappoint. If you really like Jane Eyre or Victorian novels, then this book will be decent.
First, the bad parts: It wasn't boring, but it was a bit tedious. The narrator is incessentantly moralistic, judgmental, and xenophobic. If you're Roman Catholic, French, or Flemish, don't read this book unless you want to be called a Popish slave, a conniving coquette, or a dull-witted Neanderthal.
Next, the good parts: the romance was sweet, if unrealistically perfect, and the love interest, Frances, was likeable. (Certainly more likeable than the narrator.) However, the most fun part of the novel was a side character named Hunsden who only shows up in a few chapters. Hunsden gets into arguments with everyone, making sure to say something extra belligerent after he's just something incredibly kind for the main character. The best scene in the whole novel is when he and Frances start an epic verbal sparring match after he insults her homeland of Switzerland. Toward the end of the novel, he says that he could never find a woman up to his ideal, but does drop a tantalizing hint about an Italian named Lucia. I'd much rather read a novel about him, rather than the cold and tiresome Mr. Crimsworth.

Satisfaction with Book Purchase
I was most pleased with the prompt delivery of this wonderful novel by Charlotte Bronte. The condition of the book was perfectly described by the seller as "new." I would recommend "The Professor" to anyone who is a follower of Charlotte Bronte's wonderful books. Have both an English and French dictionary at your side when reading it, but this does not distract from the great story.

I have to give this 5 stars... no one writes books like this anymore!
With all it's flaws, I have to give this book 5 stars. It has no climax and no real ending. What it does have is Charlotte Bronte's view that fits into today's society. Ahead of her time, women should work and be equal to men... is a huge message for 1857. That men should want intelligent wives and not pretty dumb ones shouts from this book. It has very feminist views, ahead of their time. She also is a bit shocking in her school girl/professor fantasies. This must have been a bit erotic for it's time. If you read between the lines, the heroine likes her man to gently scold her like a school girl and she seems to take pleasure in this. He does not understand why, but likes the results of it. Think about the time this was written in and that she allows passionate kissing and women sitting on mens laps. It has character flaws and many flaws, but I give it 5 stars for it's timeless message to women and to men and it's slightly poetic eroticism. Read it carefully and get a book with the French parts interpreted. This was her first book and the professor is an interesting character in and of himself, like many men of intellect are.

An Early Work of Charlotte Bronte
Charlotte Bronte's first novel, The Professor, was not published until after her death despite repeated attempts to do so. Perhaps this was so because new novelists often have difficulty getting published, but also the book lacks the high drama of her masterpiece, Jane Eyre. The book is a tribute to Victorian ideals such as relying on yourself for success and honesty and integrity in personal behavior.

The book starts with the protagonist, William Crimsworth, having just graduated from college, turning down an offer proffered by his relatives of a secure and comfortable career in the ministry. Instead he decides to become a businessman and applies to his older brother, Edward, for a position in Edwards's firm. The request is granted but Edward treats William in a highly critical and even brutish manner until he dismisses him after three months of labor as a clerk.Following the advice of another businessman (and ultimately lifelong friend, Mr. Hunsden, William goes to Belgium where he finds employment initially in a school for boys, then later in the girl's school next door. The first establishment is run by Mr. Pelet who encourages William to develop a romantic relationship with the proprietress of the girl's facility, Mme. Zoraide Reuter, who is older than Crimsworth but still of marriageable age.William considers the idea but ultimately rejects it when he discovers that M. Pelet and Mme Reuter are clandestine lovers.

At this point the real plot begins as a new pupil enters Crimsworth's class at the girl's academy. Frances Henri is a fellow teacher, but is quite young and teaches lace mending rather than an academic subject.Slowly the teacher-pupil relationship develops into love and the conflict in the story arises from the jealousy of Mme Reuter and her efforts to end the relationship. The boy--meets--girl, boy--loses--girl, boy--regains--girl theme plays out to a satisfying ending in which good is rewarded and evil is punished, or at least denied success.

One drawback to the book for some people is the fact that a large part of the conversations are written in French, and while the level is rather simple, readers who do not have some knowledge of this language may have difficulty. I was generally able to understand the conversations based on my two years of college French taken a long time ago, but at a critical moment in the book (when William proposes to Frances) I had to go to an Internet translation service to decipher what was being said.

All in all, The Professor is well worth reading. It provides insights into Victorian values as well as a more complete view of the writing skills of a major English writer. I have rated it at three stars but wish I could give it 3.5.


... Read more

Product Description
This Charlotte Bronte classic is brought to vibrant life by artist John M. Burns. His sympathetic treatment of Jane Eyre's life during the 19th century will delight any reader with its strong emotions and wonderfully rich atmosphere. Travel back to a time of grand Victorian mansions contrasted with the severest poverty and immerse yourself in this love story. It is presented in full colour graphic novel format wonderfully illustrated by legendary artist John M. Burns. It meets UK curriculum requirements. Teachers notes/study guides for KS2/KS3 available. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Bad Art!!
I don't know!! I expected something great and beautiful but this book isn't worth it! Jane Eyre would have been much better represented then this!! I thought I am going to see water color manga but this!! This is ugly!

Bronte's classic brought to life
Having never read this novel in its entirety, it was an absolute delight for me to read it in this graphic novel. Granted that some of us may never pick up the original to savour its literary nuances, this comic gives us a taste of what we are missing. The gorgeously painted panels convey very nicely the social mores of Bronte's literary world.

A true successor to the old "Classics Illustrated" comics of yesteryear.

This comic is available in several versions (simple or advanced english)and is a boon to all readers, comics or otherwise.

Jane Eyre Murdered
What a sad excuse for a classic novel. It does not even deserve the title "Jane Eyre". One of my favorite books, Jane Eyre has amazingly heartrending scenes. All the climactic parts of the book which make your heart twist into knots are condensed to one frame and reduced to nothing more than a quick vignette. If you at all liked Jane Eyre and want a book with some hint of a plot, don't bother with this. There are plenty better graphic novels out there.

Good Read and Graphics
I bought this book as a birthday gift for my sister.My sister is a big fan of Jane Eyre.She could not wait to read it and check out the graphics.It was a good purchase.

Good
I felt it chould have been a lot better. I whould have like it in hardback. There are options of having this in org text, which is what I got or a more simple text. It kept true to the story and was very well done. I felt the art work chould have been better. ... Read more

Product Description
HarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.'I am no bird; and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being with an independent will.'Bronte's infamous Gothic novel tells the story of orphan Jane, a child of unfortunate circumstances. Raised and treated badly by her aunt and cousins and eventually sent away to a cruel boarding school, it is not until Jane becomes a governess at Thornfield that she finds happiness. Meek, measured, but determined, Jane soon falls in love with her brooding and stormy master, Mr Rochester, but it is not long before strange and unnerving events occur in the house and Jane is forced to leave Thornfield to pursue her future. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (911)

Helped me cruise through my workouts!
Wow!This woman can write a book that keeps you interested from the beginning.I was very impressed!To write with an ability to perfectly and mysteriously capture each characters personality.It is awesome, just read it!

Dame Darcy: Jane Eyre
Trying to get your kids to read real books? Get them this one. It's Fabulous!

$0.89 Kindle Edition
I'm going to rate the quality of the Kindle Edition since this seems to be the only place to do so.I won't go into the story since there's a perfectly good sysnopsis on the description page and several well written reivews on the work itself.The kindle edition was good to say the least.I did find a few spelling errors that were annoying, but none more so than the heroine, Jane, repeatedly being referred to as 'Janet' throughout the entire novel; I find this to be unacceptable.I do not know if this occurs in the print-versions as this was my first encounter with the story.Had there been less (or no) spelling errors as well as the correct name reference to the main character, I would have given it 5 stars on content alone---although it still creeps me out that 19 year olds and 40 year olds so frequently ended up marrying in that day and age, but I just had to put it out of my mind when reading.Otherwise it was a good read and I look forward to reading more works by the Bronte sisters.

A true classic. This Kindle edition leaves some things to be desired.
What can I say about this work that has not already been said in the many reviews that came before? It is truly one of the greats of English literature, and re-reading it as an adult is a pleasure that reaps even more rewards than when I read it as a girl.

My only warning is for those who are reading it in the Kindle edition. The good points are that it is nicely formatted and almost free of spelling errors. The negatives are that it has no Table of Contents, linked or otherwise; and although it claims to be illustrated, no illustrations were included in the version I read.

For pure reading pleasure, this novel has few equals. For formatting, you might be able to find better.

my favorite book
This book is the best book I have ever read and the only book that have enjoyed reading over and over again. I believe everyone should experience this great read about the life of Jane Eyre. ... Read more

Product Description
Full of acute observations, pithy character sketches, and passionate convictions, the letters of Charlotte Brontë are our most direct source of information about the lives of the Brontës and our closest approach to the author of Jane Eyre. In them Charlotte writes of life at Haworth Parsonage, her experiences at a Belgian school, and her intense feelings for the Belgian schoolteacher, M. Heger. She endures the agony of the death of her siblings, and enjoys the success as a writer that brings her into contact with the London literary scene. Vivid and intimate, her letters give fresh insight into the novels, and into the development of her distinct literary style. The only available edition, this selection is derived from Margaret Smith's three-volume edition of Brontë's complete letters. In addition to Smith's Editor's Preface, the edition includes a critical introduction by Janet Gezari, who looks at the relationship between Brontë's letters and her fiction and how the letters add to the debate about her literary persona and the split between her public and her private life. ... Read more

Product Description
Brontë's romantic heroine Lucy Snowe, a penniless governess attempting to begin life anew in France, is an exceptional example of a great writer transforming her life into art. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

I liked the Professor better, but this is fascinating.
I might be strange in that I liked The Professor better. It was subtle and more realistic to me than this book with its somewhat silly characters. Lucy Snowe is however very realistic and perhaps like a lot of women in her day, as far as being very proper and feeling very alone. This is a book, where no one ends up with who they should be with and if they do, they should not want to be with that person. Dr. John, should not want the silly little wife he ends up with and Lucy is too forgiving of M. Paul, the silly little French man.

In most novels, Lucy in the end, would end up with Dr. John. Charlotte Bronte throws us for a loop and no one ends up with the correct marriage or person in their life. Yes, Dr. John is happy in the end, but what doctor wants such a silly young idiot in his life. Why does Lucy put up with such abuse from M. Paul? M. Paul is the most fascinating character. He likes Lucy and acts like a little tantrum throwing boy to get his way. He's the funniest of the characters and Lucy is clueless for so long concerning him. Her ignorance of his character and his need for attention from her, for far too long, had me wanting some comic relief from Lucy. You get the comic relief from Dr. John when M. Paul calls Lucy a little cat, a coquette, etc.

I ended up wanting more of this comic relief from other characters, since Lucy is too severe upon herself. Lucy is serious to a fault and it hampers the novel. There is no real ending and it's left vague. However, compared to the lame novels of today with their 8th grade writing level, this is a treat worth reading.

Teaching and learning
The heroine of this lesser known of Charlotte Bronte's novels is called Lucy Snowe, which means "light" and "cold". Thrown upon her own resources at the tender age of 14, Lucy sets out for France and, by the skin of her teeth, lands a job at a girls' school in Villete. As her name suggests, Lucy holds herself aloof from all the usual interests of young women. Coincidence and improbability playsmajor roles in the plot of this novel, and if the reader is intolerant of such, the book will not satisfy. Rich in symbolism, Villette serves as a metaphor for the lives of women in Victorian Europe. Particularly striking is the mystery of the spectral nun who appears in garret and garden cloister. For the modern reader, Villette suffers from too much "sermonizing." It's possible, however, to balance the religiosity with the humor invested in relatively minor characters, such as the proto-feminist Ginevra Fanshawe, who "has suffered less than any" other woman in Lucy's world. Ginevra is refreshingly, sometimes comedically, unrestricted by the conventions of her society. It requires but little imagination to hear the voice of Charlotte herself, who indeed lived much of her life in similar circumstances, in the thoughts and soliloquies of Lucy. In the end, Lucy's defensive remoteness is breached, but the reader is left to decide exactly how her story plays out.

Villette: C. Bronte's "dark horse" (4 1/2 stars)...
Lucy Snowe is on her own.She has no money, no family, and nowhere to go.In an effort to escape her painful past, she flees England.In the vessel to France, she meets a young woman who tells her about a boarding school in a town called Villette.And that is where Lucy ends up, becoming a teacher after a rather short time working as a servant.She meets some rather interesting characters, including Madame Beck, an eccentric woman who, for some strange reason, searches through Lucy's belongings and moves about quietly in the night.She also gets to know the girl she met at the boat, Miss Ginevra Fanshawe, better.Miss Fanshawe is a self-absorbed, spoiled flirt.Lucy is not amused with the way Ginevra uses people, especially a secret admirer that she calls "Isidore."Lucy also meets the young and dashing Englishman Dr. John.His presence and other occurrences bring back past grievances for Lucy.She has been through some terrible things.Will she have new things to overcome in Villette?

This is the first time I read Charlotte Bronte's final novel.Jane Eyre is one of my all-time favorite novels, which begs the question: what took me so long to read this one?I have always meant to read it, but for some reason was never compelled to do so until now.And I'm so glad I did.Villette has Bronte's signature autobiographical storytelling style (addressing the reader) and keen eye for twists and suspense.There are some similarities with Jane Eyre.Lucy Snowe, like Jane, goes through many things and has to make it on her own.Lucy, like Jane, is also a teacher.But there are also things that are unique in this story.The characters are well developed and compelling, and the narrative kept me turning the pages.The dialogue in this book is not quite as wordy or as theatrical as the ones between Jane and Mr. Rochester -- something you might like or dislike.Also, the conclusion is subject to the reader's interpretation.It's rather vague, definitely not as straight forward and final as Jane Eyre.The ending might be an acquiring taste for some.I for one love these types of endings.They are thought provoking and let you fill in the blanks.The one bad thing about this book is the French dialogue.I don't understand a word of French, and I'm lost whenever the characters talk to each other in French.I should have gotten an edition that includes the translations.Other than that, I enjoyed this book.First published in 1853, Villette is a beautiful piece of classic fiction that should have been as popular as Jane Eyre.Emily Bronte used to be my favorite out of the two authors (couldn't keep Wuthering Heights out of my mind for a long time), but I think that Charlotte has now taken that spot.Read this if you haven't taken the plunge.

A Great book on character development
In my view a five star book is one that touches your heart and leaves you better off as a human being. For me, Charlotte Bronte's Villette is just such a book.

It doesn't start out that way. The novel is divided into three parts which I might label, despair, hope and fulfillment.The story is told in the first person by the book's protagonist, Lucy Snowe. At the start Lucy is 14 years old and, bereft of parents, is living in 19th century England with her godmother, Mrs. Bretton and her 16-year-old son, John Graham, a good-hearted, fun loving boy. Into this household comes 7-year-old Polly whose mother has just died and whose father is arranging to move to Europe. Polly takes to the antics of John Graham but largely ignores the kind efforts of the bland Lucy. This beginning sets the tone for Lucy as a retiring introvert with low self-esteem and expectations from life.

The arrangement soon breaks up as Polly and her father leave and Lucy sets out to begin her working life. She finds a job taking care of a disabled woman and appears ready to settle for (she says) 30 years of living a marginal life.But fate intervenes when the woman dies and Lucy sets out again to find a means of support. She decides to go to France and on the way over meets a young girl who attends a school for girls in Villette and who, accordingly, suggests that Lucy seek employment there. Arriving at night, and in one of the many unrealistic coincidences that pervade the book, Lucy finds the school run by Mrs. Beck, a capable but prying women.Initially Lucy is employed to take care of Mrs. Beck's three small children but she soon is given the job of English teacher. The year progresses, but Lucy's negative worldview dominates. She criticizes the other teachers, and in particular the professor of literature, M. Paul. The novel reaches an initial climax at the end of the first part (Chapter 15,The Long Vacation) when left alone at the school for the summer Lucy becomes very despondent and, wandering out into a storm goes to a Catholic church, "confesses" to a priest and then going out collapses on the street.In another coincidence, she is found by the priest and a doctor just happens to be nearby.

Part two begins with Lucy waking up in seemingly familiar surroundings. She discovers that the doctor who rescued her is not other that John Graham, now in the ten years that have elapsed since she first lived with him has become "Dr. John" and has moved to Villette with his mother. Lucy stays with Mrs. Bretton and Dr. John for some time until she recovers physically. But she also begins to evolve psychologically. She finds comfort in the friendship these two people offer her, but her happiness is still a result of the actions of others. Upon recovery she returns to the school and begins to receive a series of letters from Dr. John. She treasures these letters and they become her only source of happiness.

At this point Polly and her father, now improbably a count, re-enter the story and Dr. John meets her by rescuing her from a fire at a theatre performance which he and Lucy attended. The inevitable happens and Polly and Dr. John fall in love. But here Lucy shows her continuing growth. She realizes that her happiness and fulfillment is not to be found with Dr. John and she puts away his letters.

As the story progresses through parts 2 and 3 it comes to focus on the evolving relationship between Lucy and Professor Paul.A number of circumstances develop, including the conflict between Lucy's Protestantism and the Roman Catholicism of M. Paul and the French people.Mysteries abound and things are never what they seem. As the book moves toward its climax relationships are settled and finally a bittersweet ending occurs.

I found the character development of Lucy and M. Paul in particular, and the evolution of their relationship, to be the most outstanding aspects of this book and the reason why, in the end, I gave it five stars. Bronte herself is said to have stated that she thought Villette to be her best work. Whether you will agree or not, it is certainly worth reading. Just do not give up on what seems at first to be a dull and uninspiring book featuring a dull and uninspiring main character. Finally I would say that one person gave this book a poor rating (one star) because "the plot turns on improbable circumstances."But Bronte was not especially concerned with plot in this novel; she was concerned with character development and in showing how a women in Victorian times could evolve. That is the meaning and greatness of the book, not the plot.

French translations not included
This is a very good story with compelling characters. However it is difficult to get the full effect of the story if you aren't familiar with French and your edition doesn't have translations provided in the footnotes. ... Read more

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A rollicking adventure from the Brontës’ imagined kingdom of Verdopolis, The Secret is a novel of intrigue, duplicity, and all-conquering love.

Arthur, the Marquis of Douro, his beautiful wife, Marion, and their infant son lead a happy and carefree existence in the city of Verdopolis—until a chance encounter brings the youthful Marchioness’ childhood governess back into their lives. The meeting proves to be the catalyst for an increasingly tortuous series of events involving blackmail, imposture, and shocking revelations regarding the birth of the young Marchioness. Will the Marquis ever forgive his wife her secret? English novelist Charlotte Brontë (1816–1855) is best remembered for her perennially popular novel, Jane Eyre. ... Read more

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Little-Known But Great
What can I say? All three Bronte sisters were geniuses. This volume contains a few of Charlotte's little-known works about the imaginary kingdom of Verdopolis. This isn't a fantasy, though. It's pretty much, for her time, realistic fiction set in a made-up place that isn't too unlike the England Charlotte knew. This slim volume includes a wide range of works, from novellas to short stories, and there's even a very short play in there. I highly recommend this not only to devoted Bronte fans, but just readers in general. ... Read more

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Five classic masterpieces showcase the beauty and passionate imagination of these two extraordinary nineteenth-century novelists.Includes Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Shirley, Villette, and The Professor. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Bronte Deluxe edition


i wasvery pleased with this deluxe edition.

i love bronte works and this is a beautiful

collector's edition. it is reasonably priced

and looks likea more expensive edition. if

you are a collector, you should be pleased with

this edition.

The Complete Novels of the Bronte Sisters.
I am so pleased to have the Bronte sisters novels again and am pleased with this purchase.

Not so complete
How could they not include Anne? It's almost as if they just threw in Emily just because Wuthering Heights happens to be so popular.They should have either put all of the sisters' works in or Charlotte's alone. The glass is half empty.

great buy
great investment in well written novels and recommend it to be a good addition to everyone library

Such beautifully woven paragraghs
After reading classic novels on and off in school until I got out of college and in my own free time, I have to say Charlotte Bronte's writing style is the most intricately and splendidly crafted masterpiece. Her sister is quite talented as well. It's a great deal to have this collection that you can pick up and just start reading one of the shorter stories, or go over some of the most powerfully written sentences in Jane Eyre. ... Read more

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Elizabeth Gaskell's The Life of Charlotte Bronte (1857) is a pioneering biography of one great Victorian woman novelist by another. Gaskell was a friend of Bronte's and, having been invited to write the official life, determined to both tell the truth and honor her friend. This edition collates all three previous editions, as well as the manuscript, offering fuller information about the process of writing and a more detailed explanation of the text than any previous edition. ... Read more

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'I am only just returned to a sense of the real world about me, for I have been reading Villette, a still more wonderful book than Jane Eyre.' George Eliot Lucy Snowe, in flight from an unhappy past, leaves England and finds work as a teacher in Madame Beck's school in 'Villette'. Strongly drawn to the fiery autocratic schoolmaster Monsieur Paul Emanuel, Lucy is compelled by Madame Beck's jealous interference to assert her right to love and be loved. Based in part on Charlotte Bronte's experience in Brussels ten years earlier, Villette (1853) is a cogent and dramatic exploration of a woman's response to the challenge of a constricting social environment. Its deployment of imagery comparable in power to that of Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights, and its use of comedyDSironic or exuberantDSin the service of an ultimately sombre vision, make Villette especially appealing to the modern reader. ... Read more

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New Favorite
This book is one of my new favorites. The story unfolds beautifully. I couldn't put it down! ... Read more

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The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Brussels (Belgium); British; Women teachers; ... Read more

Customer Reviews (61)

A masterpiece of character study
I loved this novel. Obsessive reader as I am, I feel simply obligated to consume all kinds of reviews and discussions after finishing a book that left me in awe and baffled. This time I even ventured into the territory of critical analyses and interpretations. Many things came up during my quest to find out what people think of the heroine of Villetteand the book as a whole - that this is a novel about a woman who fights to attain her independence, that Lucy Snowe is a liar, that almost all characters in the book - M. Paul, Pauline, Ginevre, Dr John - are representations of different sides of Lucy's (possibly schizophrenic) personality, that Villette is just a more depressing rehash of Jane Eyre, some other stuff that I don't even have a mental capacity to fully understand and reproduce here.

But I am a simple person, for me Villette is a story of a woman who was severely traumatized by deaths of her family at a young age and who, being introverted by nature, under the pressure of her misfortunes closes herself to the outside world completely. Lucy's whole life purpose is to guard herself from possible heartbreaks, to create a facade of serenity and unfeeling. But the strength of her passionate nature, her vivid internal life are such that suppressing them is impossible. The entire book is Lucy's never ending struggle to keep up her walls, not to let anyone in, not to feel, not to hope, not to love, not to get attached, not to reveal her true self in its clever, opinionated, passionate, desiring, jealous, petty glory. Does the heroine attain her freedom in the end? Does she escape a prison of her self-imposed loneliness? Yes, she does, but not for long. The person who sees and loves Lucy the way she is, who helps her not only financially, but psychologically, is given and taken away. And once again, Lucy is guarded and telling us her story, never allowing herself and us to see the true extent of her despair, unhappiness, and loneliness. But even what is hinted at is heartbreaking.

I loved this novel, loved it in spite of the numerous contrived coincidences, untranslated French dialog and sparse plot. Villette is a study of a woman's complex inner world and as such it is remarkable.

However there is another (sort of voyeuristic) reason why the book affected me so much. It is claimed to be heavily autobiographical and I find myself intrigued by Charlotte Brontë. I want to know this woman. How much of the book was real? Did the extent of Charlotte's loneliness and desire to be loved matched Lucy's? Was M. Heger, her real life professor, just like M. Paul? Did he awaken her soul, played with her and then discarded her when the affair interfered with his married life? Was M. Heger's wife as manipulative as Madame Beck? Did Charlotte ever regret refusing several marriage proposals to instead pine over men utterly unattainable? Did she blame herself for her inability to be happy? Why didn't she allow Lucy her happy ending? Did she think financial security was the maximum a woman like her could ever hope for and love was impossible?

I am off to try to find at least some answers to these questions...

Ugh - I don't speak French
I don't speak French... and as such I was unable to fully enjoy large portions of this book.It is a long tale of Lucy from childhood visiting with her Godmother through her life as a teacher and her ever proud determination to be dependant on no-one.Her friends weave in and out of her life and Bronte has an almost musical way with weaving the English Language - the problem is that there is so much French, and so many important conversations are had in French that I really felt like I was missing out on huge parts of the book.

If you don't speak French, be sure to search for a version of the book that is fully translated into English.The book, though tediously slow, is well worth the read for fans of the Bronte Sisters.

Charlotte Bronte's last book
For anyone interested in Charlotte Bronte herself, this title is a must.It is the mosst autobiographical of her books and the most emotionally revealing.It depicts her as a woman of strong likes and dislikes with feelings of inadequacy and inferiority.She accepts with equanimity that a man she is very attracted to would choose someone more attractive than herself.The harsh owner of the girls boarding school in Brussels where she teaches is based on the wife of the owner of the school Bronte actually taught at, but a male teacher in the book, with whom the book's protagonist later falls in love is based on Constantin Heger, owner of the boarding school.Toward the end the book becomes over-emotive and at one point the protagonist is under the spell of opium

Soul Searching
"Villette" was Charlotte Bronte's final novel, and while it covers some familiar territory, it doesn't quite live up to the standards of her masterpiece "Jane Eyre", or even the much more cohesive "Shirley".The narrator is yet again a rather plain ordinary woman without many prospects, who must rely upon teaching to make her way in the world, chancing to become a teacher at an established school in France.Yet the narrator, Lucy Snowe, lacks charisma and too often rambles away from the story at hand, making "Villette" a slow-paced read with too little payoff in the end.

The story begins with Lucy Snowe living with her godmother, Mrs. Bretton, her son John Graham, and their young visitor, Paulina Home.Lucy details their lives and the relationship between Graham and Polly, before quickly moving on to her time as a companion to a sickly woman.From there, the narrative jumps to her spontaneous trip overseas and her immediate luck in finding a post within Madame Beck's pensionnat, where she eventually becomes an English teacher.Lucy then spends much of her time chronicling the life of the school and the characters that reside there, especially Madame Beck and M. Paul Emanuel.As the novel progresses, Lucy finds herself reunited with her godmother and John Graham, and even Paulina Home as a young lady, for the novel covers at least ten years within Lucy Snowe's life, before wrapping up in a somewhat ambiguous manner.

The main trouble with "Villette" lies with its narrator: Lucy Snowe is an extremely faint shadow of Jane Eyre, her retiring nature making her seem weak and a pushover, rather than being a pleasant and noble characteristic.She allows others to walk all over her and doesn't speak her mind, and the man she falls in love with is such a study in contradictions that readers may have difficulty liking him and rooting for them to be together in the end.The story is poorly paced, spending a huge amount of time on what seem like tangential stories and details, and skipping other details that might enhance the main character's likability.All in all, "Villette" is a credit to Charlotte Bronte, a profound examination of one woman's conscience and character, flaws and faults included.

Different, but for a reason
I came to "Villette" after having read and fallen in love with "Jane Eyre".When I first began reading "Villete" I knew that I should expect a long exposition leading to a thrilling climax.While the climax did not begin until about page 400, I was not disappointed.Lucy Snowe, while eccentric, speaks to feelings of loneliness that can be extrapolated far beyond this novel.I also found it gratifying that the relationship between Lucy and M. Paul - if rather sudden in its appearance - seemed of a deeper and more genuine sort than that between Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester."Villette" is not the sweeping romance with a happy ending like "Jane Eyre".I was somewhat disappointed with the ending until, shortly after completing the book, I was perusing a biography of Charlotte Bronte from my college's library and discovered just how intensely personal the story of "Villette" was.In fact, the biography used excerpts from "Villette" to illuminate the relationship between Charlotte Bronte and M. Heger, a schoolmaster in Brussels.Now I appreciate how insightful "Villette" is for anyone wishing to get to know Charlotte Bronte better.

P.S. Get an edition with notes that translate the French phrases.You'll lose whole chunks of dialogue without the notes unless you can read French. ... Read more

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Charlotte Brontë's final masterpiece powerfully portrays a woman struggling to reconcile love, jealousy, and a fierce desire for independence.

Having fled a harrowing past in England, Lucy Snowe begins a new life teaching at a boarding school in the great capital of a foreign country. There, as she tries to achieve independence from both outer necessity and inward grief, she finds that her feelings for a worldly doctor and a dictatorial professor threaten her hard-won self-possession. Published in 1853, Charlotte Bronte's last novel was written in the wake of her grief at the death of her siblings. It has a dramatic force comparable to that of her other masterpiece, Jane Eyre, as well as a striking modernity of psychological insight and a revolutionary understanding of human loneliness. ... Read more

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An ingenious, highly imaginative early novella, The Spell—a remarkable tale of love and jealousy, rivalry and thwarted ambition—is a testimony to Charlotte Brontë's craft as a writer. Foreword by Nicola Barker.

When the infant Marquis of Almeida is pronounced dead, the kingdoms of Wellingtonsland and Angria are deprived of their heir. Anxious to secure the nations' future security, King Zamorna's advisers entreat him to name his successor—and when Zamorna himself succumbs to a mysterious, life-threatening sickness, the need becomes more urgent still. Yet Zamorna remains strangely unperturbed. Confusion turns to political intrigue as those closest to him wonder exactly what it is he knows and who, precisely, are the mysterious characters surrounding him. ... Read more

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Shirley is Charlotte Bront:e e's only historical noveland her most topical one.Written at a time of socialunrest, it is set during the period of the NapoleonicWars, when economichardship led to riots in thewoollen district of Yorkshire.A mill-owner, RobertMoore, is determined to introduce new machinery despitefierce opposition from his workers; he ignores theirsuffering, and puts his own life at risk .Robert seesmarriage to the wealthy Shirley Keeldar as the solutionto his difficulties, but he loves his cousin Caroline.She suffers misery and frustration, and Shirley has herown ideas about the man she will choose to marry. Thefriendship between the two women, and the contrastbetween their situations, is at the heart of thiscompelling novel, which is suffused with Bront":'s deepyearning for an earlier time. ... Read more

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This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

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In 1834, Charlotte Brontë, together with her brother Branwell, created the imaginary kingdom of Angria, about which she was to write prolifically for the next five years. The five "novelettes" in this volume are the last of her Angrian tales. Written from the viewpoint of the cynical, gossipy Charles Townshend, they offer an ironic portrait of the intrigues, scandals, and passions of an aristocratic beau monde. With their varied cast of characters, the stories provide a fascinating glimpse into the mind and creative processes of the young writer who was to become one of the world’s greatest novelists. ... Read more

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aradish and an egg
"I opened this little [book], and, sir, I did not hesitate. No, I tasted. The change was wrought quickly. In five minutes I, who had been the most miserable wretch under that heaven, sat a rational happy man, soothed to peace of mind, to rest of body, capable of creating sweet thoughts, of tasting bliss, of dropping those fetters of anguish which had restrained me, and floating away with light brain and soaring soul into the fairest regions imagination can disclose."

Frenetique? Indeed. Reread chapter 23 of Jane Eyre. This is that Charlotte Bronte: vivid, charming, disjointed, and funny. "Stancliffe's Hotel" is hilarious, the gray pearl at the center of this collection, but each of the tales has its charms.

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