The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte

By: Syrie James

Narrated by: Bianca Amato

From Syrie James, the best-selling author of The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen, comes a novel that captures the passionate heart and restless soul of Charlotte Brontë—the author who gave the world Jane Eyre while longing for a soulmate.

©2009 Syrie James (P)2009 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

“James makes sense of the events of Charlotte’s life, tells a story that captures the language and feel of the times, and keeps the novel moving at a fast pace … a captivating and entertaining read.” ( Feathered Quill Book Reviews)

I fell in love with the Bronte sisters.

I have read the reviews by others who had difficulties with the author's retelling of Charlotte's story because of the inaccuracies. If I were a Bronte scholar - If I were even a Victorian Literature scholar - I might feel the same and therefore deduct a star. However, this book was my introduction to the Bronte sisters. I had never read any of their works or any biographies about them. And this book made me fall in love with them. That fact alone makes me feel it is worthy of 4 stars. And because of this book I have already read Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre is up next, so 4 stars may be stingy.

Bianca Amato's voice was beautiful. I do not know whether the accent was correct, but as a modern day American it sounded right to my ear. I found her voicing of the sisters to be strong and unique, which seemed to be the right choice for their characters.

A happy surprise

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this audiobook to any friend who is interested In the lives of the Brontë sisters and who likes period stories.

What did you like best about this story?

The story included sickness, tragedy, and death. It was about personal development, relationships, literature, and ambition. The story was also about love among family members and friends, as well as romantic love. I liked the portrayal of the time, the conditions, and the struggles of the period. I liked that Charlotte's character was a strong woman who thought for herself and made decisions based on her values rather than societal values. I loved the bond between the sisters. I also found it interesting that even though the story of occurred in a completely different era, the experience of falling in love has similarities when compared to the present day. The story was very engaging and kept me interested throughout.

Very engaging

It was an uneven beginning, I was very interested in the development of the female characters but struggled at first with the narration - almost giving up several times. But I am really glad I stuck with it, and Ms. Amato settled down in some of her exaggerations. I did often wonder how it would be different (better) with a different narrator, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the learning more about the life of the Brontes. I absolutely would recommend.

Biography

Well-written biography of Charlotte Bronte's. The terrible conditions of Haworth, Bronte's home town, are glossed over, but many of the main events of the author's life are recounted realistically in this easy to read book. I recommend it highly for those who wish to gain more understanding of Charlotte Bronte's personal life.

Man, what a good book

What made the experience of listening to The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte the most enjoyable?

I enjoyed it immensely! Even if you aren't into the Bronte's books, this is good on it's own.