The Best Reader + review

The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte — Syrie James

This week I'd like to welcome Sharon from Sharon's Garden of Book Reviews as this week's Guest Reviewer! Sharon is so enthusiastic about my mission that I've decided to post this review on a completely random day — my birthday! Most Guest Reviews are on Wednesdays, but it is my birthday — so I figure I can do whatever I want (right?).

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The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte — Syrie James

From Amazon.com...

" "I have written about the joys of love. I have, in my secret heart, long dreamt of an intimate connection with a man; every Jane, I believe, deserves her Rochester."

Though poor, plain, and unconnected, Charlotte Bronte possesses a deeply passionate side which she reveals only in her writings—creating Jane Eyre and other novels that stand among literature's most beloved works. Living a secluded life in the wilds of Yorkshire with her sisters Emily and Anne, their drug-addicted brother, and an eccentric father who is going blind, Charlotte Bronte dreams of a real love story as fiery as the ones she creates. But it is in the pages of her diary where Charlotte exposes her deepest feelings and desires—and the truth about her life, its triumphs and shattering disappointments, her family, the inspiration behind her work, her scandalous secret passion for the man she can never have... and her intense, dramatic relationship with the man she comes to love, the enigmatic Arthur Bell Nicholls." The life of Victorian-era author Charlotte Bronte has always held an air of mystery around it. Well known for her beloved novel “Jane Eyre,” and for coming from a family of authors, Bronte’s personal life has been a fairly well-kept secret to all but the most enthusiastic of fans. Until now. Bestselling author Syrie James latest work, “The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte,” examines the life of Bronte detailed in diary form, and through the voice of Charlotte herself the reader learns of the hardships and triumphs of the Yorkshire author and her family. Growing up the daughter of a village pastor, Charlotte, her brother Branwell and sisters Emily and Anne often amused themselves by writing bits of poetry and imaginative stories. After her brother has several pieces of his poetry published, Charlotte comes up with an idea that perhaps she and her sisters could also have their own work out in the public eye. As lady authors were not common in those days, it is necessary for the Bronte’s to take on the masculine pen names of Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell. The sisters then self-publish a slender volume of poetry that meets with positive reviews and critical acclaim, despite the selling of only two books. Bolstered by their modest success, the three dive into writing novels, never dreaming that one day their works would be considered classics of English literature. Charlotte’s diary shows the sisters’ enthusiasm for their writing as they band together in their creativity as well as their father’s loving support. The diary also follows Charlotte’s ups and downs in the romance department as she tries to forget a former love. And things get quite lively when the new curator, Arthur Bell Nicholls, comes to town and sets in to set the townfolk and Charlotte on her ear. Syrie James presents the story of Charlotte Bronte in an engaging manner that brings the beloved author to life as never before. Although this is a work of fiction, James takes great pains to get every detail exactly as it was in Charlotte’s real life. Interweaving flashbacks to Charlotte’s childhood, James fills the readers in on the immense sadness the Bronte family faced. From the death of Charlotte’s mother when Charlotte was five, to the death of her two older sisters due to horrifying conditions at a school for daughters of clergy, to the devastating loss of her two younger sisters and her brother within an eight-month period, there was a shadow of woe on Charlotte. But there was also periods of great joy and love, rounding out Charlotte’s brief but creative life. This fascinating novel is a delight to read, and should send readers scurrying to discover James’ previous novel “The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen."
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Thank you SO much to Sharon from Sharon's Garden of Book Reviews. I've been meaning to read this and it sounds so great! Thank you for your enthusiasm and for spreading the word, to all of my past and future Guest Reviewers, I'm so glad I'm not in this fight alone. Make sure to stop by to visit Sharon and share some book love!

If you're interested in fighting the good fight — find out how here.

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The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte — Syrie James + review