Audiobook Review: Jane Eyre

Book Description

Orphaned into the household of her Aunt Reed at Gateshead, subject to the cruel regime at Lowood charity school, Jane Eyre nonetheless emerges unbroken in spirit and integrity.

She takes up the post of governess at Thornfield, falls in love with Mr. Rochester, and discovers the impediment to their lawful marriage in a story that transcends melodrama to portray a woman's passionate search for a wider and richer life than Victorian society traditionally allowed.

With a heroine full of yearning, the dangerous secrets she encounters, and the choices she finally makes, Charlotte Bronte's innovative and enduring romantic novel continues to engage and provoke readers ...
(Description from Goodreads)

Genre: Classics, Romance, Gothic Romance

Series: No

Quick Synopsis

Jane takes a position as governess at Thornfield and finds both love and a mystery that will tear her apart.

Review

Liked
• For a novel that is over 100 years old, Jane Eyre reads almost like a modern book. I guess that's why it's a classic.
• Jane is a well-developed character. She lays her own strengths and weaknesses out for the reader to create a very detailed picture. Although she is from a different time, I noticed many things that Jane and I had in common, and it added a nice sense of connection.
• The romance between Jane and Mr. Rochester is epic. The relationship is slow to build but explosive when they confess their feelings for one another. The obstacles in their path are many but by the Happily Ever After, you just know that it was meant to be. After all, it's a little bit of magic that facilitates their reunion.
• Even though he's a bit Alpha, I like Mr. Rochester because he does bend for Jane.

Liked Less
• Although the book as a whole isn't dated, there are some elements that are. For example, there are long soliloquies, sometimes religious ones, that bored me. Also, I found the denigration of any other nation besides England to be pretty unintentionally comical.
• Parts of the book dragged a little. I think this is more a difference in style between when the book was written and now rather than a lack of writing skill.

Audiobook Notes

• Clarity - 5/5 - Words and names were very easy to understand, even with differing accents.
• Differentiation Between Characters - 4/5 - It was fairly easy to tell the difference between characters speaking in conversations. There were a couple rare moments of confusion.
• Sound Levels - 4/5 - I only had to adjust the volume once or twice because the sound levels were too different i.e. suddenly too loud or too quiet.
• Overall Performance - 3.5/5 - Good voice acting. Sometimes it sounded like the narrator almost flubbed a word/line. She recovered and didn't actually make a mistake but I don't know why this wasn't re-recorded.
• Audio Version Recommended? Yes

Note: this is the Brilliance Audio recording of Jane Eyre with Susan Ericksen as narrator.

Rating

King of Swords
A very enjoyable read with a couple of minor issues. Recommended.

Disclosure: I purchased this book.

Buy the audiobook at: Audible