The Classics Spin #17 ... The Spin Number Announced!

The number for the latest Classics Spin has been announced. The number is 3 which corresponds to Shirley by Charlotte Brontë on my list. Unfortunately, it was not the result I was hoping for, but at least it is a book from my own shelves and I don't have to go looking for a copy at the library; hence no reason for delay.

I loved Jane Eyre by the same author but with Shirley I've had a number of false starts, never making it past the first
five chapters. So, it's back to the beginning again. Hopefully I'll manage to read the whole book and write a review by the deadline of April 30th.


Synopsis - from the back cover

The Shirley of the title is a woman of independent means; her friend Caroline is not. Both struggle with what a woman's role is and can be. Their male counterparts - Louis, the powerless tutor, and Robert, his cloth-manufacturing brother - also stand at odds to society's expectations.

The novel is set in a period of social and political ferment, featuring class disenfranchisement, the drama of Luddite machine-breaking, and the divisive effects of the Napoleonic Wars. But Charlotte Brontë's particular strength lies in exploring the hidden psychological drama of love, loss and the quest for identity. Personal and public agitation are brought together against the dramatic backdrop of her native Yorkshire. As always, Brontë challenges convention, exploring the limitations of social justice whilst telling not one but two love stories.

There are a lot of mixed reviews about this book. Have you read it? Are you happy with the result of the spin?
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4 comments:

  1. *ೃ༄ Jillian10 March, 2018 22:52

    Hi! I follow Lauren -- a big fan of Bronte. She wrote a post recently that pumped me up to read Shirley. Hopefully it helps. :)

    https://bookishbyron.wordpress.com/2018/03/02/the-bronte-novels/

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    1. Yvonne11 March, 2018 08:23

      Thanks for the link, Jillian. Laurens's post and her review of Shirley (https://bookishbyron.wordpress.com/2017/08/16/shirley-a-review/)are very encouraging and have cleared my mind of negative thoughts.

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  2. Helen11 March, 2018 08:27

    I read Shirley a few years ago and although it's not one of my favourite Bronte novels I did find a lot to like about it. I hope you have better luck with it this time.

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    Replies
    1. Yvonne11 March, 2018 20:01

      I'm determined to finish it this time, Helen!

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