Liked but didn't love it.
FULL REVIEW: https://abookandateacup.blogspot.com/2017/03/review-agnes-grey.html
Liked but didn't love it.
FULL REVIEW: https://abookandateacup.blogspot.com/2017/03/review-agnes-grey.html
Agnes Grey decides to become a governess when her father encounters money troubles. She is passionate and determined but gets stuck with families who‘s morals she judges and isn‘t treated the kindest. An interesting insight in to what it was like to be a governess in the 19th century, with issues of class and morality as well as other things, with a sprinkling of a lovely love story towards the end. (Cont. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻)
#12Booksof2023
@Andrew65
April: AGNES GREY by Anne Bronte. I loved reading this with the #hashtagbrigade led by the indomitable @BarkingMadRead. Agnes and her difficulties in 19th century England has stayed with me throughout the year. 💙
Anne‘s love story in Agnes Grey is the flip side of Emily‘s in Wuthering Heights! Agnes and Weston make such a sedate and prudent pair they are very nearly wallpaper boring. No sturm and drang aside from a parting with a beloved terrier. That‘s as dramatic as it gets.
Lots of upper crust snark, as per usual, but I did feel a tad sorry for the impudent charges of Agnes‘ because how could they be anything but horrid with little genuine autonomy?
As I said previously I don't doubt Anne Bronte went through hardships as a Governess or in her personal life, but I think this would have served better as a straightforward memoir than a work of fiction.
There was nothing much going on throughout the novel, but it also felt very rushed at the same time. There were long passages that could be summarized in a few sentences and too many unpleasant characters to make this read enjoyable.
I don't doubt Anne Bronte's experiences as a governess were difficult but this book drags on so much. Thankfully I only have 5 chapters left of this.
Chapter 2 gave me so many concerns. Seven-year-old child torturing animals is never a good sign. His father doing the same thing when he was young??? also not a great sign😱
#Book2book
Woohoo! #Bookmail is the best mail. Thank you @dabbe these arrived today! Nice treat on a dreary Saturday. Thank you @AllDebooks for organizing!
#Book2Book @ALLDEBOOKS
Open to all who signed up using the form in #AllDeBook's original post. 🤗
@LiteraryinLawrence, @Soubhiville, @Cuilin, @TheBookHippie, @Lizpixie, @Clwojick, @Chrissyreadit, @BookwormAHN, @CSeydel, @julieclair, @Catsandbooks, @bcncookbookclub, @TheAromaofBooks, @Tineke, @Bookish_Gal, @KateReadsYA
It‘s the story of a girl who goes out to be a governess because her father didn‘t invest his money well and they became poor. It was a fictional expose on what it was really like to be a governess. Spoiled kids, parents that don‘t help and just blame, away from home, little recognition by society in general. It turned into a subtle love story, and I enjoyed that. I definitely wasn‘t as impressed in writing style as Charlotte and Emily.
Late review but enjoyed this #pemberlittens buddy read. Agnes was a frustrating character and never stood up for herself. But also being a governess is a shit job when entitled rich parents just blame you for their spoiled kids behavior 🙄 So much sympathy for her and I'm so glad she got her happy ending
Thanks @BarkingMadRead as always for the great hashtags and commentary
My first BC with the #pemberlittens. I enjoyed it, and of course, adored the group! I loved TENANT AT WF HALL more, mostly because Agatha wasn't as assertive as I would have liked. What can you do as a governess in the early 1800s except be abused a lot, by both parents and students. As much as I love Jane Eyre, Anne's novel gave a truer picture of how difficult life was for a governess--without the crazy lady in the attic! ⬇️
I found this classic to be a very enjoyable, though not especially memorable, read. The best part of reading the book was following along with @BarkingMadRun and seeing the commentary from the #PemberLittens!
#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
Well, I was hoping to love this, or at least like it, because Anne is my favorite (least disliked?) Brontë sister, based on reading The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. That didn‘t happen. I found Agnes obnoxious in her malaise. She just sits around all the time, wishing her charges would be less awful but never doing anything about anything. The ending saved this from a pan. Thanks to @BarkingMadRead for the hashtags that saved the day! #PemberLittens
A lesser know Brontë sister for me
Young female of impoverished circumstances becomes governess ✔️
Father married above station so girl children extremely well educated ✔️
Batshit crazy first wife locked in the attic ❌
angst riddled wealthy landowner moping around moors ❌
Absolute mayhem with charges in different households because parents couldn‘t care less about parenting ✔️✔️✔️ ( teacher peeps times have not changed )
I really enjoyed this novel! Thank you #Pemberlittens and @BarkingMadRead for the chapter-a-day readalong. I liked Tenant at Wildfell Hall more, but I found this one a refreshing change from the bleakness of Villette.
My first time through this Bronte book. I think the #chapteraday format with the #Pemberlittens works well for it, as I like Agnes but her timidity at times drove me crazy. I definitely would not have wanted to be a governess! 😱 slow to get there, even for a short book, but the ending made me happy. 🐶❤️
Thanks to @BarkingMadRead for the great hosting & fabulous hashtags! 😆
I'm glad I re-read this. On second reading, I noticed Anne's social commentary much more, and as a teacher, I also picked up on her observations on parenting and what a nightmare governessing might have been.
Thanks for hosting @BarkingMadRead and thanks for the #pemberlittens #hashtagbrigade for all the posts and comments. I love reading with you all ❤️
I thought this was a good mix of humorous sketches, a satisfying ending for our heroine, mixed with some real social commentary that has relevance even now, but was probably quite biting at the time it was written. #pemberlittens
While I did like this one, I think I preferred The Tenant of Wildfell Hall more. Agnes presents as a bit timid MC, but she has some strength of conviction. As a governess, she sees her share of terrors as charges, but that also does not diminish her internal resolve to do good. This was a fun chapter-a-day read, and my guys were happy to oblige my reading time! Pictured are #Zeke #Xander #SebastianKitty #CatsOfLitsy #Pemberlittens #HashtagBrigade
I enjoyed reading this one with the #pemberlittens #hashtagbrigade! Not sure I would have liked it nearly as much otherwise 😂 Agnes is a sweet, relatably awkward character, but the whole book is full of awful people and dropped threads. I‘m glad she gets her happy ending!
Chapter 24: I don‘t know who I‘m happier to see! #snaporweston #thesetwoneedhelp #pemberlittens
Chapter 23: Rosalie is unhappy and Agnes makes a break for it! #rosaliegavemescarlettoharavibes #ikindoffeelbadforher #andalsoherhusband #runagnesrun #pemberlittens
#BookReport
Finished both Agnes Grey #PemberLittens and Trespasses
Currently reading Spring Cannot Be Cancelled and Glory
Chapter 22: Agnes visits Rosalie and hangs with the rooks #whatahorridhuman #isitpossiblethatshesworse #nowestontobefound #pemberlittens
Finished this chapter a day reading a little early.
I liked this story about Agnes deciding to work as a governess and get a feeling of what that was like. Rosalie was quite the character
#PemberLittens
@BarkingMadRead
Chapter 21: Agnes can‘t stop thinking about Weston #timetomoveon #Rosalieisback #talksmoreaboutherpoodlethanherbaby #timeforavisit #possiblyawestonsighting #fingerscrossed #pemberlittens
Chapter 20: Agnes says goodbye to Weston #DarcyLizzieVibes #pooragnes #pemberlittens
Chapter 19: Agnes and her mother decide to open a school #thatletterfromhergrandfather #whataboutweston #pooragnes #pemberlittens
Chapter 18: Rosalie is married and gone #hallelujah #nowmatildaisthefocus #mrsmurrayisthenewvillain #westonisallaboutrosalie #butbluebells #agnesdefendsherself #butwillhelisten #pooragnes #RIPmrgrey #pemberlittens
Chapter 17: #nowords #rosalieisamonster #soconniving #somean #socruel #iguessifoundsomewordsafterall #pooragnes #thehitskeepcoming #pemberlittens
Chapter 16: Rosalie wants one more conquest before her assumed engagement….. #westonisntfallingforit #rosalieisdetermined #whatcouldgowrong #shortchapter #pemberlittens
#WeeklyForecast
I‘m finally caught up on Agnes Grey and want to continue reading that #PemberLittens
I want to continue reading Spring Cannot Be Cancelled
I want to finish Trespasses and start Glory. I think these books are the last ones I‘ll read of the Women‘s Prize Longlist before the shortlist is announced on the 26th.
Chapter 15: what a spoiled brat! #dontstealweston #youdontevenwanthim #horriblehuman #hopingwestonseesthroughher #staytuned #pemberlittens
Chapter 14: #ihavenowords #rosalieisanightmare #whatswiththeserosygirlsanyway #icanteven #howcouldthispossiblygowrong #staytuned #pemberlittens
Chapter 13: Agnes and Weston have a moment…. #sosweet #thosemurraygirlsthough #staytuned #pemberlittens
Chapter 12: Agnes has feelings! #notannoyed #totallyshocked #agnestalkstoweston #nancyisatrickybird #matildaiscranky #allagnesseesare ☀️ 🌈 ❤️ #pemberlittens
That‘s a lot more exclamation points than I would expect from a Brontë. #PemberLittens @BarkingMadRead
Chapter 11: Hatfield is an awful human. #thatsallihavetosayaboutthat #westonthough #everyoneloveshim #also #themurraygirlskindasuck #notnewinfo #justnewwaystosuck #pemberlittens
#EasterOMC - Challenge 14
All of the above are on my tbr list this month. I've managed to read 3 over the Easter weekend, the ones with eggs.
I'll tag all the others in the comments.
This has been an enjoyable and motivating event. Thank you so much for hosting @Clwojick @LadyKatrina x
Chapter 10: Agnes likes the new curate, but the Murray girls are all about Harry #theycanhavehim #invisibleagnes #willwestonbeherguy #staytuned #pemberlittens
I'm Not Great at chapter-a-day, but have been inspired by #pemberlittens to pick up Agnes Grey, and will probably finish today.
Found this gorgeous Faber & Faber YA edition on Borrowbox. Perfect Sunday afternoon reading as I play catch up with #Pemberlittens
Also ticks my #EasterOMC challenge 12 box - favourite thing about Easter is definitely spring flowers. I find them extra beautiful and colourful after a drab, grey winter. Nature getting back to business as usual.
@BarkingMadRead @Clwojick @LadyKatrina
The new curate has arrived 🤣🤣🤣 I wonder if Agnes‘ impression of him with match Miss Murray‘s #AwesomeApril readathon #pemberlittens
Chapter 9: Matilda is my people #mouthlikeatrucker #MissMurrayissofickle #justpickone #grumpynewcuratealert #staytuned #pemberlittens
#WeeklyForecast
I hope to finish Under a White Sky #SheSaid and now that I have a physical copy of Agnes Grey to catch up a lot bit #PemberLittens
I‘m just about to start The Bandit Queens. After that I hope to get to The Red Tree, Saga vol 10 and get a good start on Children of Paradise.
I hope to have more luck with these longlisted books from the Women‘s Prize.