Jeff's Reviews > The Brontës

I've read many books on the Brontes, but this weighty tome has sat on my shelf for years. Now is the time!

Great book, overall. This is definitely THE book for the diehard Bronte enthusiast. It is extremely detailed, and extensive. The author does a fantastic job of recreating the world of the Brontes. Unfortunately, we don't know many details about the Brontes' lives, but the world in which they lived can be revealed through newspaper accounts, diary and journal entries, letters, etc. This book goes a long way in bringing that world to life.

There is also extended discussion of the writing of all the Bronte authors: father Patrick, brother Branwell, and the famous three sisters. In this book there is a tremendous amount of insight gained into the juevenilia of the four siblings; long explorations into their imaginary world of Gondal. Much of this was brand new information to me.

For those who are fans of Emily or Anne Bronte, be prepared for mild disapppointment. We know much more about Charlotte Bronte than about any of her siblings, and this comes out in the book through much more space being devoted to Charlotte than the others. This is not a flaw, just an unavoidable necessity due to the nature of the surviving documentary evidence.

The first few chapters delve into the birth and life of Patrick Bronte, the father and patriarch of this famous family. I greatly enjoyed learning so much about him and the early years of the Brontes. Most of this information was new to me.

One of the best things about this books is the meticulous documentation. Everything is noted with an extensive list of end notes. For anyone seriously studying the Brontes, for those wanting to become experts on Bronteana, this is an indespesable resource. Basically the entire history of Bronte research is referenced in these pages.

Bottom line, this is a very long, indepth, detailed book, that can at times become tedious; however, as far as I know, there is no better book on the entire Bronte family. Highly recommended especially for the SERIOUS Bronte student or enthusiast.