Agnes Grey
by Anne Brontë
originally published in 1847
ebook, 221 pages
audiobook:
narrated by Emilia Fox
Audible Studios, 2008
6 hours and 27 minutes
Summary (from goodreads):
At age 19 Anne Brontë left home and worked as a governess for a few years before becoming a writer. Agnes Grey was an 1847 novel based on her experience as a governess. Bronte depicts the precarious position of a governess and how that can affect a young woman. Agnes was the daughter of a minister whose family was in financial difficulty. She has only a few choices for employment. Agnes experiences the difficulty of reining in spoiled children and how wealth can corrupt morals.
My thoughts:
Agnes Grey, the book I was dealt in the recent Classics Club spin, is a simple, straight-forward, and relatively short story based on the author's experience as a governess. Life as a governess was difficult for Agnes (Anne), whose family had recently fallen upon hard times. None of the women in this novel have a particularly easy time of it... a fact which made it easy for me to understand how Anne progressed from this story to The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, a book many consider to be the first feminist novel.
Agnes Grey is slightly predictable (nowhere near as exciting as 'Tenant'), and Agnes herself comes across as somewhat preachy and self-righteous, however this was still an enjoyable read overall. It also has one of the best closing lines I've come across:
"And now I think I have said sufficient."A note on the audio:
Agnes Grey was a read/listen combination for me, and my first experience listening to Emilia Fox. Her accent is lovely, though initially I thought she spoke too quickly. However, I settled in before the end of the first chapter and ended up enjoying her narration very much.
My rating:
I don't think life was easy for any women back then but I find it interesting that a family that's fallen on hard times would keep their governess.
ReplyDeleteKathy - I didn't write that clearly, but it was Agnes' family that fell on hard times and shipped her out to be a governess. You're right... no women had easy lives then.
DeleteI think this is a lovely book. I need to reread it. :)
ReplyDeleteJillian - I really liked it, too...made me want to reread Tenant of Wildfell Hall.
DeleteVicki - It takes a while to get used to the language, but it is a lovely story.
ReplyDeleteI am pleased to hear you enjoyed this, as I also have it on my Classics Club list. I am looking forward to read it, but it does sound like I should read The Tenant of Wildfel Hall first.
ReplyDeleteJessica - In some ways, I think it might be better to read Agnes Grey first, especially know that it's autobiographical. Then you'll be wowed by Tenant.
DeleteI've never read anything by Anne, and never heard of this title. Interesting that it is based on her years as a governess. And I love her last sentence!
ReplyDeleteRita - I only learned about this title from blogging friends who love classics. Don't think as many people read Anne as they do Charlotte and Emily.
DeleteI have never read Anne Brontë but I would like to.
ReplyDeleteThe predictability of this might be a bit of a negative for me.
I agree that is a great closing line.
Brian Joseph - It was predictable, but just as you would expect life to be under these circumstances. Overall, quite enjoyable!
DeleteI haven't done a classics club spin in quite a while since I've decided to focus on NOT paying attention to challenges lately. :)
ReplyDeleteRachel - I'm not doing challenges these days either, and worked hard to convince myself that the spin was really an 'event' ;-)
DeleteOh that is a great ending! I read this one a few years ago and unfortunately can't recall much of it. Glad you found it an enjoyable read!
ReplyDeleteIliana - I suspect that all I will remember about this in a few years is the happy ending and closing line :)
DeleteThat is a great closing line! I have seen Classics Club here and there. I should check it out. I love the spin idea. It might be the thing to get me to read the books that I want to read but shy away from.
ReplyDeleteToady - It's been nearly five years since I joined the Classics Club. The basic idea is to read 50 classics in 5 years and my goal is near...love the motivation the club provides!
DeleteNice choice!
ReplyDeleteNice choice!
ReplyDeleteHi, I am coming over from Classics Club. I read Agnes Grey this year it is indeed a straight, sometimes pious story.
ReplyDeleteNoirfifre - Thanks for visiting. Have you read anything else by Anne Bronte? I loved The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.
DeleteAgnes Gray is on my Classic Club list but maybe I should switch it to Tenants... sounds a bit preachy and I am not "into" that stuff these days.
ReplyDeleteMy Classic spin book was Little women
Anne - Tenant is a much better book in my opinion. After your experience with Little Women, you may very well find Agnes Grey to be overly preachy.
DeleteI read Tenant last year and Agnes is on my TBR Classics list - glad to see I have a treat ahead of me 😊
ReplyDeleteBrona - I'm still surprised readers don't seek out Anne's work as often as her sisters.
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