Jane Eyre

I did not expect to like this book QUITE this much. Although very firmly a Victorian novel, with all the morals, customs, religiosity, language, and tone that comes along with that, it reads shockingly modern and progressive. Don't get me wrong - I love the overwrought descriptions and emotions, sometimes bordering on ridiculousness, that come with the genre, I was just surprised that we could also have something that felt so fresh.

I loved Jane's character - you're never really quite sure what she is going to do or how she is going to show up in a scene - whether she will be meek and humble, or fiery and sarcastic. And the plot was quite a ride! At the end, I found myself tearing up at Charlotte Brontë's description of love....she really was quite a talented writer. I also feel like this book spoke to me with where I'm at in my life right now. For much of the novel, Jane doesn't really know what she wants - torn between many possible outcomes, just trying to live according to her morals and make herself useful. The novel really makes us care for these characters, flawed as they all are.