Agnes Grey

I have read all the novels written by Emily and Charlotte Brontë, and enjoyed them very much. But I wasn't sure what to expect with Agnes Grey, as Anne Brontë is the sister that you never seem to hear about. I assumed that perhaps her writing didn't match the quality of her sisters' writing.Well, I was wrong on that assumption. As a novel, Agnes Grey is wholly delightful. It follows the story of Agnes, a young lady who decides to work as a governess to help her impoverished family. She soon finds that the life of a governess isn't quite as satisfying as she had imagined! The first children she has to teach are absolute hellions, and after that she moves on to teach a group of teenage snobs who treat her like she is a lesser form of life--as many servants were treated in those times. I will reveal that Agnes does find happiness in the end of the novel, but not before she endures several years of loneliness and misery.I was often very surprised at the realism in this book. Apparently critics at the time it was written were quite shocked by it. Anne Brontë does not shy away from descriptions that many of her contemporary novelists would avoid. For example, the descriptions of the beastly behaviours of the Bloomfield children, or the complaints of Lady Ashby of her husband's gambling and "opera women" do not seem tame enough to be found in an early Victorian novel. Of course to a modern reader these elements make the book all the more interesting, for they provide a clear picture of what life was like for women in the mid 1800s.It IS different than the novels of Emily and Charlotte--namely, it is shorter, and simpler, and easier to read. But this would be a plus for many readers. I read it over several days, but a quick reader with time to spare could easily read it in one day.I would highly recommend Agnes Grey to readers who have loved the novels of the elder Brontës. And for readers who have never read a novel by a member of this celebrated family, I would recommend this one first as it is undoubtedly the easiest. If you like Agnes Grey, then I would recommend moving onto the more challenging Jane Eyre (by Charlotte) or Wuthering Heights (by Emily). I would only recommend Shirley and Villette (by Charlotte) to more serious readers, as they are the more challenging and complex novels of the group.

Note that this book is literally tiny and the font is pretty small. It is pretty though.If you're a fan of the Brontës the story itself is charming and engaging -- an indictment of the so-called superior class from the eyes of Anne/Agnes, a governess in limbo between her employers and their servants.

“Reading is my favourite occupation, when I have leisure for it and books to read.”I say “Reading is my favourite occupation.” No further discussion.Don’t we love books with our main protagonists as avid readers?I find this young woman quite strong willed and providing as is her nature that can be felt or seen throughout the book.When I talk about the classic short book Agnes Grey by Anne Brontë, I want to talk about how liberating it is to read about a coming of age story that is quite different from all the other similar modern stories.Agnes becomes a governess for well to do families when her family goes into heavy debts after convincing her parents and siblings. It is the story of her struggles looking after spoilt, cruel kids and families with obnoxious family members.The most outstanding moments would be the times Agnes speaks her mind quite frankly despite the misogynistic environment she was working in.There are so many quotable lines that would be enough for me to go for years and years to come that would motivate me to be who I am. Thank you, Agnes.The writing has a strong voice. It deals with various societal issues on what is acceptable and what is looked down upon for no valid reasons till today.This short book is a breath of fresh air for me.Definitely worth it.

C'est le premier roman de Anne Bronte que je souhaitais lire depuis longtemps et que j'avais découvert en audio. Je voulais un livre papier pour pouvoir le relire. C'est l'histoire d'une jeune fille contrainte de travailler pour aider sa famille. Nous vivons les évènements avec elle et découvrons ses exploits ou échecs d'une gouvernante qui n'a pas une vie facile. Très bien écrite pour un premier roman qui est court et se lis facilement. Je recommande à ceux qui aiment les classiques.

I was very eager to read "Agnes Grey" after greatly enjoying "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall", which now stands very high in my list of great Victorian novels. Agnes Grey is a very different book - for one thing it is very short at well under 200 pages, and the story is deceptively simple. Agnes, who narrates her own story, is, like the author herself, a youngest child of a clergyman: when her father loses his already modest fortune and sinks into depression Agnes decides to earn her own living as a governess (as Anne also did for several years), and the book is the story of her dealings with the two families she works for before finally finding true love, (I hope nobody will think this is a "spoiler" - the hero does not appear until quite late in the tale, and it fairly obvious what will happen almost as soon as he is mentioned.)So far as plot goes this book is a disappointment when compared with "Wildfell Hall", for that has a far more exciting story. And Agnes is not terribly appealing as a heroine: though kind-hearted and intelligent she is perhaps overly pious, timid, and emotional. However, I think it would be very wrong to assume that Anne means us to admire Agnes as uncritically as their seeming similarities might lead us to think.Anne Brontë is a very subtle writer, worthy to be compared with Jane Austen. There is something of the same detachment from her characters: both are sympathetic to their characters, but not afraid to let their heroines' faults be seen, nor to smile at them when they get events out of proportion. Brontë does this very cleverly, because she never comments or judges directly as Jane Austen sometimes does, but only through things other characters say or do. As in Jane Austen's Mansfield Park, the counter-point to a sometimes dull heroine is an engaging other woman: although Agnes disapproves of her strongly, and is sometimes persecuted by her, Rosalie Murray (the eldest of her charges), is so vivacious and mischievous that, even if we disapprove of her actions, it is very hard not to like her.Although this book was written 160 years ago I found its ideas still relevant. One of the major themes of the book is the great difficulty a teacher is in when he or she is given responsibility for, but not authority over, children in his or her care. I think many teachers or social workers would probably identify with that predicament. Another passage that I found very thought-provoking was one which discusses how people who are "bad influences" really do influence us even when we are on guard against them.Overall, though I could perhaps only give this book three stars for my enjoyment of the tale, it is well worth four stars for the quality of the writing and the ideas expressed in the book, and I will certainly read the book again and expect to find more than I got on the first reading.When buying classics, I usually go for one of the editions with a critical introduction and notes. In this case although one or two of the notes high-lighting links with Anne's own life were interesting, I am not sure they were really worth the extra cost.