Again this is on that I listened to on Audible. And to my shame it is the first time I’ve read/listened to Anne Bronte. Up until this point Charlotte Bronte had always been my fave Bronte sister, and although she will always have a special place in my heart, she has now been surpassed by Anne.
Now before you start saying “Hey what about Emily,” I should say that I’m intrigued by Emily but couldn’t get on board with Wuthering Heights. I must admit that I’ve not read any of her poetry but that is something that I intend to correct one day.
Anyway back to Agnes Grey.
It’s only short, but it packs a punch. The story line is fairly straightforward - young girl wants to help the financial situation of her struggling family so goes out to work as a governess.
The power of this book is not in the story line but in the raw emotion that can only be said to thunder through the text. If you knew nothing about Anne Bronte you would have to conclude that she knew something of teaching entitled, privileged children. I was left wondering where the line between fiction and reality was because the scenes are vividly real.
Given how short this book is, it’s a perfect introduction to Anne Bronte’s work and like I say the story isn’t hard to follow but it needs to be read. I think this is the best example of what it would have been like to have been a governess in 19th century England. Anne’s work opens a door not only on that but also on the thoughts and feelings that she must have had in her experiences as a governess.
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