Jane Eyre

Jane Eyre is one of those books that I do not love, but I recognize its beauty and value. When I first read it back in high school or college (I can't remember which one), I did not care for it much. I remember liking the characters of Jane and Rochester, but the reading experience was tedious.

Now that I have read the book a second time, I can't say that my opinion has much changed. Reading this book took me forever (by my standards). It is very dense. Often, the extensive description of setting and the tediously long dialogue were too much for me. I had to keep putting the book down. I did not stop reading it, though, because I was enjoying the character of Jane. I like how she is practical and strong-willed. I like how uncompromising she is with her desires. At the same time, sometimes I got frustrated with her inability to be a bit more flexible. I also like Mr. Rochester. I have always preferred male characters like him who are rough around the edges. I like the build up of their romance. And the mysterious Mrs. Rochester is intriguing and adds a bit of a Gothic flare to the book that I appreciate.

The part of the story after Jane leaves Thornfield Hall was so boring for me to read. I found it especially tedious and slow. I do not like the character of St. John, no matter how moral and dutiful he is. I felt like that whole section of the book could have been skipped.

Overall, I like the story and the main characters. I recognize the value of the book and its themes. I do not, however, enjoy the read. It is slow and often dull. It's not my favorite classic, it still deserves a high rating.