I don't know -- I thought part of the point was how St. John was this upstanding missionary do-gooder, but really, as Maysa said, a joyless prig.
And while Rochester was, in fact, ready to commit bigamy, he was also trying to make everyone happy, within certain parameters. He wouldn't commit Bertha to an asylum, which I give him points for, and he knew Jane wouldn't live in "sin," as it were. Rochester was deeply flawed, but he was also kind and generous in his own way. Adele is an example, too. Many other men would have had nothing to do with her, or at least not had her in their home.
It was interesting-- I just read a novel that was a retelling of Jane Eyre set in 1929 Hollywood against the backdrop of films transitioning from silents to talkies. The trick here was that Jane was transformed to the male character and Mr. Rochester was female.
I had actually looked forward to the gender switch, especially given the setting, but unfortunately, this book played it poorly.
I probably haven't re-read it since my early 20s, but I read JE
obsessively
throughout my teens. St. John just...uhg. Got so tired of him that I'd often skip those parts.
Thinking about it now, Rochester's jerkiness showcased how Jane could stand up for herself. Which, honestly, I think was a big draw for me, her challenging this formidable grump.
I've always had a thing (chicken, egg?) for uh, challenging people. Not precisely healthy, but I'm well wary of it.
My poor copy is so tattered and worn, it is amazing it still is in one piece.
I fell in love with child Jane, and never fell out. Standing up to Aunt Reed, and to Brocklehurst? I wanted to cheer while hugging her and giving her tea.
I just picked up
Lord John and the Private Matter,
by Diana Gabaldon, and I realize I've lost a lot of the details about his appearances in the
Outlander
books (except for the main one). Has anyone else read them? Is that going to matter?
We interrupt your programming for this important message...
HOLP! Does anyone have a copy of or know really well
The Hundred Penny Box
by Sharon Bell Mathis? I want to do a write up on it for one of my classes, but can't find my copy and I need to confirm that it is a chapter book.
It does not appear to be divided into chapters, based on what I'm seeing online.
That's what I got, too. Dangit. Should have used it for realistic fiction. I'll do
Bud, Not Buddy
instead.
Is anyone here excited for DFW’s
Pale King?
Is Urban Fantasy the genre that usually has a cover with the female protagonist showing her back and usually sporting a tattoo and wearing leather or something badass-ish and holding a weapon?
According to io9, that phase is over. We've now moved on to the "tattooed man nipple"! Wheeeee!
