Reading Favorites Through the Years: "Jane Eyre"

I read Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte for the first time when I was 12 or 13. I had seen the BBC mini-series with Timothy Dalton and was utterly swept up by this Gothic tale of forbidden love. I then re-read this novel multiple times and my perspective on the plot and the characters kept changing throughout the years.

At 13, the book was mostly a beautiful love story to me. A dark and brooding Rochester, a man with a complicate past and a self-proclaimed sinner in need of redemption, falls hard for a pure, innocent, but also gritty and passionate, governess Jane Eyre. Appalling as they were, I did not care much for the scenes at Lowood, the charitable institution where Jane was raised and educated. I also found the section on Jane's flight from Thornfield and her interactions with newly found cousins quite tedious. I read the book for the romantic story line only.

Reading this book in my mid-twenties, I was surprised how much I enjoyed the entire novel, not just the romance aspect of it. I really took my time and savored Jane's friendship with Helen Burns. I also surprisingly quite liked the scenes that included St. John Rivers. The discussion of duty versus following one's heart as well as the importance of close family ties was something I found relevant and interesting in my mid-twenties.

The last noticeable shift in my perspective on this novel occurred two years ago, when I re-read Jane Eyre yet again in July of 2016. I was shocked to discover that Edward Rochester was not the great romantic hero I used to imagine him to be. Yes, it is unfortunate that he was stuck with an insane wife. But this is not an excuse to wallow in self-pity and be callous towards others. He acted selfishly towards Jane. His entire plot to deceive her was utterly devious. I was also appalled by his treatment of his ward (and likely illegitimate daughter) Adele. I even felt sorry for his mentally ill wife whom he treated more like an animal than a human being (yes, I understand — such were the times). Finally, I found Bronte's characters — aside from Rochester who is utterly gray — to be too black and white. I am not by any means saying that I hated the book on this final re-read. On the contrary, I really appreciated the complexity of issues and the depth of the moral conflict presented by Charlotte Bronte.

Overall, as my personal life experiences changed and became more complex, I discovered new depths and perspectives in this classic novel. My appreciation of it not only changed, but grew and I look forward to seeing what new discoveries are in store for as I continue to re-read some of my beloved stories.

"Tess of the Road" by Rachel Hartman

Tess of the Road is the third book by Rachel Hartman that I've read so far. It is set in the same world as Seraphina and Shadow Scale, but you do not necessarily have to have read those two books in order to read this new one. In fact, it is not marketed as Seraphina No. 3.

Rachel Hartman to me is an author who creates a unique world with strong female characters, but also someone who is not afraid to introduce difficult subjects into a fantasy novel targeting young readers. In this book, she deals with such themes as teen pregnancy, sexual education (or the perils of having none), dogmatic conservative upbringing and rebellion against it, suicidal tendencies, depression, grief, date rape, abandonment, and coming to terms with your own sexuality and body image. She also more broadly deals with the issue of female empowerment and breaking down gender biases.

The main character of the novel is a seventeen-year-old Tess, who by all accounts (or at lease according to her mother) is a sinner with no prospects of a future and definitely no way of getting to Heaven. Unlike her twin sister Jeanne or her famous half-sister and half-dragon Seraphina, Tess is a troublemaker. At 6, she is curious about where kids come from. At 13, she starts sneaking out of the house to attend public lectures on philosophy, fauna and geology. At 14, she gets pregnant and has a child out of wedlock...

By the standards of Goredd, the medieval-like country Tess lives in, she is utterly and hopelessly ruined. But her mighty downfall does not end there. At 17, driven by grief and despair, she makes a spectacle of herself at her twin sister's wedding, thus losing any prospects of a respectable future. Her family resolves to send her to a nunnery.

Tess, however, is not ready to dedicate her life to a Saint she is not even sure she believes in. Instead, she runs away and embarks on a quest for mysterious World Serpents, whose very existence is denied by the wisest human and dragon scholars.  Tess does not travel alone. She is joined on her quest by a childhood friend Pathka, who is a quigutl, a subspecies of a dragon that is looked down upon by humans and dragons alike.

On the road, Tess realizes many things about her past. Every day she resolves to keep walking on and living on. She faces her demons and slowly, painfully begins to heal. Thus, Tess is not just on a quest for mysterious creatures, she is also on the road to self-discovery and self-love.

Tess of the Road is a wonderful book about coming to terms with who you are, getting rid of harmful labels and guilt, and rediscovering joy, hope and trust in beings surrounding you. I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars. It ends in such a way that a sequel is highly likely. It is hard to say if or when the next installment will come into being, but I for one would definitely pick it up.

I received an advanced review copy of this novel from NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review. The official publication date is February 27, 2018.

"The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula Le Guin

The bookclub I am a member of chose this novel in memory of Ursula Le Guin, who recently passed away. I had never read anything by her and was very curious.

When I started reading this book I was not sure I would like it. Even though the world was undoubtedly very intricate and well developed, I found the motives of characters confusing and unclear. Genli Ai is a human representative of a coalition of planets who arrives on the new planet called Winter to make the first contact with its inhabitants and possibly down the road have them join the coalition. He interacts with various political and spiritual leaders, makes friends, learns about the various practices and cultures and gets caught in the middle of an international dispute.

I became completely vested in the novel once the story moved further along. I loved Winter, the planet where the book is set. Just as Genly Ai gradually assimilates and feels at home on Winter and among its androgynous inhabitants, so I got more and more attached to this world and the characters.

My absolute favorite part of the book was Genly and Therem’s trip over Ice. Not only do they overcome incredible odds of surviving the trek in such brutal conditions, they also finally learn to trust each other and become united in purpose. I also enjoyed the various myths and stories scattered throughout the book that added more depth and complexity to the fictional world of Winter. I definitely recommend this book. This was my first experience with Ursula Le Guin's books, and this novel was a good place to start for me. 4 out of 5 stars.