Charlotte Bronte�fs Jane Erye is a breathtaking story of mystery, love and betrayal. Jane Erye, told with admirable detail, describes how a girl named Jane Erye, encounters these follies and overcomes them during her life�fs journeys. This romance novel, combined with sorrow and sympathy, touches the innermost souls of its audience and gives a sense of involvement.

In England, in the 1800�fs, Jane, then ten years old, lives under the custody of her rich Aunt Reed, who dislikes her intensely. Jane hates her Aunt and her cousins so much that she has severe temper outbursts, which eventually leads her to the Lowood charity boarding school. Life there improves and after eight years, Jane becomes a teacher, though she still longs of friendship and love. Now at the age of eighteen she seeks independence and becomes a governess at Thornfield Hall, owned by Mr.Rochester, to teach his ward Adela. Jane believes she has found what she�fs been looking for all her life, until she learns of the shocking secret in the attic.

Jane Erye is an exciting and suspenseful novel, for the pace varies so it suits the story. The pace works with the plot to create perfection, which is almost impossible to set down. The climax is thrilling and emotional. Jane Erye, being the main protagonist, lacked the love and friendship a ten-year-old needs to develop. Due to the hatred her Aunt felt for her, Jane found ways to avoid her and escape from reality. This escape was reading literature, which benefits her later. But without love and friendship, Jane lives in a melancholy state and is desperately lonely. As the plot continues, we as the audience become Jane and feel what she feel. Jane is well-rounded character, in which anyone could relate to. She is a young lady who has strong moral senses, who accepts her flaws but worries of how people perceive her. She is very strong willed, which anyone could not help but admire.

The second protagonist is Edward Rochester, who is also a skillfully well-rounded character. Mr. Rochester is a rich owner of Thornfield Hall, where Jane became a governess, who is a cynical and unhappy man, at first. Like Jane he also searches for love and friendship. Once the story continues, Edward becomes gentle and gladdened. Like Jane, Mr. Rochester becomes a man in with respect and admiration is due.

The third protagonist is St. John Rivers. He is less rounded, which matches his personality intensely. He is a clergyman who lives with his two sisters in a house called Marsh End. He is also a character that is conflicted between love and friendship. He is a hard man, and is cold towards everyone.

These characters are presented in an excellent well-written way, that brings the characters alive, and appeal to your senses. If they feel in a certain way, you feel that way when reading. The characters are very developed in order to create vivid pictures in the minds of the readers. If the author felt different feelings towards one of the characters, she portrayed that feeling flawlessly. The characters are very realistic, or true to life, for they all consist of qualities in which we all contain and can relate to. By relating their feelings, we feel exactly what they feel. I, personally, enjoy all the characters. I can relate to most of them, and this expands my appreciation for the author�fs talent. Charlotte Bronte is a perfectionist when it came to making the plot and characters come alive and affect you so intensely. The author�fs style is unique and stimulating.

By: Mika Mokko