Shirley

To a reader who had no knowledge of Charlotte Brontë, other than as the author of Jane Eyre, the beginning of this book would present a challenge. Such a reader would be surprised at the depth of the story and its seeming disregard of all romantic notions. Instead of introducing us to some pretty, sweet heroine, we are faced with the dangers of mob violence and the harshness of the main hero, the miller, Robert Moore. Politics also makes an entrance in the first few chapters, and the reader will find that the political and religious differences between the characters play an important role in the story. This is not to say that Shirley is not a romantic story. There are passages of such longing and despair, and even of the hope of love, that actually made me weep. The romance in this story is not petty or superficial. For those who feel that the object of their love is out of reach or is uncaring, there is utter heartbreak and the danger of wasting away. None of this feels contrived, however. Both the women and the men suffer almost equally, which feels more true to life. Another focus of this book is the oppression of women. There are many characters, both male and female, that object to the idea of women taking an active role in the public world. Women were confined to the home, and they were thought not to possess the mental capacity for business or politics. The two heroines, Caroline Helstone, the niece of a misogynistic rector, and Shirley Keeldar, the independent owner of substantial property, both, in their own separate ways, rebel against the restrictions that society has put on them. Caroline, rather than waste away in her uncle's rectory, quietly strives for some purpose in life, and determines to become a governess. Shirley, due to her more elevated place in society, forces the men around her, including Caroline's uncle and her tenant, Robert Moore, to take her seriously as a participant in the defense of her property, which includes the besieged mill run by Moore. She also rejects several suitable offers of marriage, declaring her intent to marry only for love. This book definitely does not focus on any one character. Shirley herself isn't introduced until about halfway into the book, and Caroline, Robert, and other principal characters go missing for chapters at a time. The result is a deeply felt story about a certain place in a volatile time, with all of the uncertainty and danger that the characters faced. There is no lack of character development; indeed, one gets to understand all of them. I recommend this book to any fan of nineteenth century literature, or to any history buff who is interested in learning about the personal side of the economic crisis in England during the Napoleonic Wars.

O.k. So, this isn't a perfectly constructed book. During the writing of this novel, Charlotte Bronte had her entire family dying around her so I can hardly blame her for different parts of the book having different tones. DONT LET THE FIRST CHAPTERS PUT YOU OFF! They're a little dry --> but it flourishes as it bounds along. <br /> <br />The main oddity to the novel is the fact that the people that are set up in the very beginning, are not alluded to again [e.g. the vicars], and the people that we get to know and love in the middle of the book [Caroline and Robert] are not necessarily the focus at the end of the book. There are also strong characters that are set up in some chapters and not really developed into a storyline later on, e.g. Mr Yorke. <br /> <br />The story is wrriten similar to a George Eliot's style -->so if you like her plots etc, then you'll probably really enjoy this. Think Middlemarch meets Daniel Deronda. <br /> <br />HOWEVER, caveats aside - the book is fantastic. You don't get to read prose like Charlotte's everyday. Honestly, that woman could be having the worst writing day of her life and still leave all the modern writers for dead. She really captures characters and lanscapes in a way that is truly beautiful. Shirley the girl is wonderful, and you won't be able to help falling in love with her. She really is a memorable [and very progressive] character. <br /> <br />Bronte warns at the start that the book is not romantic in nature, but I beg to disagree. The story revolves around Robert - a struggling mill owner, Caroline, a young girl who lives with her disinterested uncle, and Shirley, a rich, strong-willed, beautiful heiress. In the mix is also Shirley's ex-governess and Robert's intellectual brother, Louis Moore. The story is set around the time of the industrial revolution in England [earlt 1800s] and deals with the difficulties faced by the different sets of society during the time. <br /> <br />I've got a few quotes that I loved: <br /> <br />"the minds of the girls [caroline and shirley] being toned in harmony often chimed very sweetly together" <br /> <br />"[Mrs Sympson]...had been brought up on a narrow system of views, starved on a few prejudices - a mere handful of bitter herbs; a few preferences, soaked till their natural flavour was extracted, and with no seasoning added in the cooking; some excellent principles, made up in a stiff crust of bigotry difficult to digest" <br /> <br />Can't get much better than that imo :)

While I loved this book, there were some things I didn't like, but none that mean it doesn't deserve five stars. This is my favourite Charlotte Bronte book. i believe there is too much focus on Jane Eyre, or perhaps even Villette. There are a few coincidences in this story, especially one, which I can't mention without giving away part of the story. However these are common in CB, Villette being overun with them, and Jane Eyre ending up on the doorstep of her long lost cousins. Shirley is more believable. Another comment it the long speeches the characters often make. Apart from these though, this is one of my most loved books. It has been neglected, I feel, by the fact that the first 50 pages are very difficult to read, after that though, the story becomes apparent, and it's worth it. Something strange is that the heroine of the title doesn't appear, and is not mentioned until page 200, although she fairly dominates the rest of the book. Perhaps 'Shirley and Caroline' would have been a more appropriate title