Not a fan of this and really don’t recommend it, there are far better books out there and with my research and theory involved, shame to say as I was looking forward to reading this

While the 'The Brontë Family: Sibling Rivalry and a Burial in Paradise' by Catherine Rayner takes the reader through the lives of the Brontë, this book is less of a biography and more of a detailed psychological analysis of each member of the Brontë family, from their parents to the writers themselves. The book examines the early influences on each of their lives, the earliest losses and even the birth order, and how those continued to impact the relationships between the siblings all their lives. Balancing modern studies with historical context, we get a much more accurate view of each of them from birth to death.

There is a special focus on the youngest Brontë, Anne. Even though I have yet to read any of the siblings' works, I have long been aware that Anne Brontë is only relatively recently getting the attention she deserves in the literary world. Reading the book, I was a bit surprised to find out that this wasn't by chance, but may have been orchestrated by her very own sister! It was shocking to me to find out that even on her death bed, and beyond, her life was being dictated by her family.

While the displayed events and analysis puts a special focus on the strained relationship between Charlotte and Anne, I didn't think it was done with cruelty. Yes, there is much to blame Charlotte for, but the author does a good job also bringing up reasons and excuses for the behaviour. Something I, as someone being introduced to the Brontës for the first time, really appreciated.

All in all, this is an enlightening read that I recommend to anyone interested to learn more about the authors behind the books. Just from paragraphs and snippets shared in this book, one can see the influences impacting every word. I am now more excited than ever to read their novels!

This is a psychological study of the Brontes, which goes into forensic detail about how their family history, birth order, and sibling rivalry affected them. Catherine Raynor studies the myths surrounding them and explores why Anne’s work has been overshadowed by Charlotte’s and Emily’s. Being the youngest, I found the insights about birth order extremely interesting and I could identify with how this position in the family affected Anne.

However, Jane Eyre is one of my favourite novels and it’s unfortunately hard to like Charlotte after reading this book! Still, Raynor’s work is fascinating to any lover of the Brontes.

I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I do not give out low star ratings with pleasure or frequency but I am deeply disappointed by this book. It seems abundantly clear to me that the author is trying to pass off their college thesis as a fully formed book and it just didn’t work for me. The psychological theories regarding sibling rivalry, maternal deprivation, nature vs nurture, etc seemed deeply irrelevant to what the modern reader would be looking for in a biography of their beloved historical authors. It seemed like the writer just wanted to expound on these theories and make the lives of the Brontë family fit into them as opposed to giving a fully rounded account of the family that happened to include some of these psychological theories.

I was hoping to find a different perspective on the Bronte siblings.Unfortunately, this did not happen.
I found the author too consistently negative towards every aspect of the sisters lives.

Jane Eyre is my absolute favorite book. I admire the work of all of the Brontes, and I often wonder what else they might have produced had they not died so young. This book is packed with information, some of it new to me and presented from a viewpoint I hadn't considered previously. The only drawback to this book is that it reads very much like a dissertation. It is interesting, but not particularly engaging (unless you are a Bronte fan, and most readers of this book will be Bronte fans, I expect). I enjoyed this book overall, but it is not one I will read again.

I found this book to be disappointing, the author relies upon presentism heavily and applies modern day psychological analysis in a way that I don’t think is useful. It is well researched and the author clearly believes in what she’s saying but it didn’t quite work for me and so I personally wouldn’t recommend it.

This was such an interesting read. I have loved all the books I have read by the Bronte's, and so it was so interesting to read a book that looked at the relationship between the siblings who I already loved and others that I didn't know at all and how this affected their lives.
It was well written with a lot of information that was really engaging and didn't feel heavy at any point. I really enjoyed it and will look for more by the author

This is quite an interesting take on the Bronte family and their relationships. The author uses psychological research, her own experiences and other sources to present her case, mainly that Charlotte was domineering and overshadowed the rest, particularly Anne, who she feels is under appreciated as a person in her own right, and underrated as an author. The argument stands up, but I have issues with the presentation of the book. It reads like an essay or a college dissertation; the author's voice is too strong and it feels like a personal attack on Charlotte (although possibly justified). It is repetitive and a bit too long. She brings modern day thinking and attitudes to bear on her analysis, which is not always relevant. However, it is always good to read more about the enigma that is the Bronte family.

This is a terrific companion piece for anyone interested in the people who produced such wonderful books and poems. The analysis is careful, measured, informed and respectful but does not shy away from offering opinions which some may consider confronting or controversial. The analysis of birth order and childhood experiences is fascinating and gives scope for further consideration of their influence on the works of the Brontes. I particularly enjoyed the analysis of Anne Brontë as the youngest child.