Jane Roberts

Advantages: Brillantly written, interesting story, thought-provoking.
Disadvantages: It's not Wuthering Heights!

...favourite books of all time, and it certainly deserves to be on the Big Read final. Jane Eyre is one of the books everyone needs to experience in their lives. It’s wonderfully written, had a great, a happy ending and a real lesson in it. Charlotte received better press for Jane Eyre, than either of her sisters. Emily received awful press, and Wuthering Heights was classes as the “worst book ever written”. Again, I think this is because Emily sort of broke the rules, and Charlotte stuck to them. So, give it a go, and appreciate it for what it is. I loved it. It’s still no Wuthering Heights, though! Pick up your copy from Amazon for £1.50. © Matt Roberts 2003. [Bronte Fact: Emily Bronte had completed her second novel before her death, and after her death her publisher wrote to Charlotte, and asked her to forward... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: absorbing storyline
Disadvantages: none

...I have to start this review by saying this is one of the best books I have read in a while, and it was one of those books that I was quite disappointed when I had finished it because I was enjoying it so much! 'Husbands and Other Lovers' is the second book written by Jane Elizabeth Varley. Her first had a similar title - 'Wives and Lovers' - and in both of these books she deals very well, in my opinion, with the complexities of modern day relationships. Some might think of this type of book as 'chick lit' but I think it's more substantial than that, although I would definitely say that it is a book for women. In this book we meet two brothers - James and Robert Agnew - and the women in their lives! James is married to Susannah, and although on the surface they might appear to have a very successful marriage, things are not what... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: a classic
Disadvantages: quite long for 1st timers

...After being shuffled from reletive to reletive and school to school, the orphaned Jane Eyre finally receives a position as governess for Adele, the daughter of a rich gentleman, Mr. Rochester. However, she soon discovers that she is working in a dark, mysterious mansion with many old secrets. Who is Adele's mother? And why does Jane hear moaning from the attic at night? After Mr. Rochester displays extreme interest in the woman Blanche, Jane realizes she loves him. And after much turmoil and patience, when Jane and Mr. Rochester are to be married, a mysterious man brings to light the truth--Mr. Rochester already has a wife. Jane goes away, planning never to see him again, until she hears about the terrible fire that burned Mr. Rochester's house to the ground. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - -... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful