I think we need a new term for books like this: it's more of a graphic biography than a graphic novel. As such, we don't have a story with an arc or pacing; rather, this is a series of vignettes of Charlotte Bronte's younger years. Each scene is derived from Charlotte's letters/musings as well as the thoughts of her contemporaries who interacted with her. As such, it is a bit jarring and things jump around quite a bit. At heart, though, the authors/illustrators seek to highlight the experiences that produced the Bronte sisters' novels, with an emphasis on the sister for whom we have the most surviving information.

The sisters' (and brother's) personalities do come out nicely: Charlotte and her flights of fancy, Emily's down-to-earth pragmatism and intense privacy, and youngest Anne's biddability. They were a family of characters, to be sure, and the story of their family is one of continued tragedy, only some of which is covered here but goes well beyond their gothic-feeling novels.

Fans of Jane Eyre will recognize many scenes from Charlotte's life. Although it was Emily who was most interested in the reality of those around them, all three would write based on their experiences. It makes for an interesting biography because quite a bit of their life experiences can be assumed from each of their stories. We can see Charlotte's life's progression, from the unfortunate youth at the boarding school in whose care cost two of her sisters' lives, to the fanciful crush on a Belgian professor, to eventually dropping her more fanciful stories and concentrating on a more grounded story. Frustration with a dead-end life, lack of means, her gender, and endless occupations featuring soulless and frustrating teaching/governess work also feature here strongly.

At the end of the book, the author notes where she took inspiration from for certain scenes - be they letters to Charlotte's good friends, musings from her father in later years, or from the books themselves. And although the emphasis is on Charlotte, her two surviving sisters and brother also are nicely developed.

In all, a nice biography full of black and white drawings, more in the lines of vignettes rather than a cohesive story. The inspiration for many of Jane Eyre's scenes are very recognizable here. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

A wonderful graphic novel introducing the Brontë's life. I've learned a lot about the author of Jane Eyre and the lives of the three Brontë's girl ! A must-read for all Brontë's fan and the format makes it a very easy and fast read! Would recommend it.

A great introduction to the life of Charlotte Bronte and her famous siblings. I hope this book will encourage kids to be interested in either reading her writing or remembering her story when they encounter Jane Eyre later in life.

A wonderful little introduction to Charlotte and the other Brontës for young readers with a thoughtful introduction by Alison Bechdel that highlights not only Brontë/Jane Eyre's continued relevance in the contemporary, but also the importance of images in Jane Eyre and its place, accordingly, in graphic history.

Thank you to Disney-Hyperion and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was an enjoyable graphic novel read, but it didn't wow me. At times it felt a little repetitious with Charlotte and her sisters constantly going back and forth to schools and complaining about how much they hate it. This would be a good gift for anyone who loves the Bronte sisters as this really isn't just about Charlotte Bronte pre-Jane Eyre.

I feel. bad reviewing without having read the book but I’ve spoken to Netgalley reps multiple times about this book and the problems I keep having downloading it. How hard is it to upload the correct file out of all the ones they’ve incorrectly uploaded (twice now)?

I tried to download it but unfortunately it is not working and I am unable to find the will not give feedback option at the moment.

I really enjoy learning about Bronte's life before Jane Eyre. However, the format of the book made it impossible to read since it was unable to make it bigger and the font was chaotic and the letters were all over the place and very small. So I could only read 20 pages and then had to stop because I could not see anymore.

Nomini Charlotte Brontë e subito tutti saltano su con Jane Eyre*.

Ma Jane Eyre è stato un punto di svolta: Charlotte aveva già scritto un romanzo (rifiutato), aveva vissuto in un collegio, perso la madre e due sorelle, studiato all'estero e conosciuto il grande amore.

Jane Eyre le garantisce la fama (in un certo senso, visto che venne pubblicato sotto pseudonimo), e l'accesso a una società letteraria che lei, giovano donna di carattere, tagliata fuori dal mondo se non per libri e giornali, intrappolata nel vicariato del padre con un fratello interamente dedito alla propria distruzione bramava da sempre - molto più della mite Anne o della selvatica Emily, che esordiscono insieme a lei con Agnes Grey e Cime tempestose.

Trent'anni di vita precedono la nascita di Edward Rochester, di Adèle, di Blanche Ingram: e questi trent'anni sono raccontati con precisione, intelligenza, delicatezza in questa bellissima biografia a fumetti, che ritrae con umanità e garbo il mondo curioso e fantastico, la vita difficile ma ricca di affetto di Charlotte e della sua famiglia.

Imperdibile  per un fan, ma splendida occasione anche per chi non lo è di conoscere più a fondo una personalità complessa, troppo a lungo strangolata dallo stereotipato ritratto di Elizabeth Gaskell.

*Che, nel caso leggeste questo blog per la prima volta, dico ridico e ribadisco essere il mio romanzo preferito. Cioè, ne ho quattro copie cartacee, una digitale e due in audiolibro. E io non compro doppi.

This text is another engaging title from Disney/Hyperion. The pairing of illustrations with classic literature makes this an accessible title, and one I would gladly use with a wide range of ages.

Charlotte Bronte before Jane Eyre is ripe for reading and it’s a book I would readily buy as a reader and educator.

It is so difficult to separate my thoughts on this graphic novel from my complete, and utter dislike of Charlotte Brontë, and my detestation of Jane Eyre, but I'm going to do my best.

From a characterisation point of view, 'Charlotte Brontë before Jane Eyre' perfectly captures the excessive melodrama of Charlotte Brontë. It was a melodrama that seeped into every moment of her prose and is one of the reasons I dislike her so much - but was perfectly realised in this graphic novel. While it annoyed me, it was true to character, so is not exactly something I can criticise it for. So basically, Charlotte is still the worst, which makes 'Charlotte Brontë before Jane Eyre' a brilliant graphic novel. It was easy to read, full of facts about Jane's life, and managed to build a character consistent with both the historical facts and her voice as a writer. It's definitely a good biographical introduction to Charlotte Brontë for young readers.

Brief graphic novel exploring the life of Charlotte Bronte before the publication of Jane Eyre. There's nothing new in terms of content, although there are times it seems like Fawkes might be drawing from Valente's excellent fantasy novel on the same topic (The Glass Town Game). The art was largely rough sketch pencil drawings, which accompanied the sometimes bleak realities of Bronte's life very well.

Once the review copy issues are resolved or the title returns here, I will be glad to write a critique.

Grateful to Glynnis Fawkes, Disney Hyperion and NetGalley for the chance to review.