Shirley

By: Charlotte Brontë

Narrated by: Anna Bentinck

Length: 25 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

Set in the industrialising England of the Napoleonic wars, a period of bad harvests, Luddite riots, and economic unrest, Shirley is the story of two contrasting heroines and the men they love. One is the shy Caroline Helstone, trapped in the oppressive atmosphere of a Yorkshire rectory, whose life represents the plight of single women in the 19th century. The other is the vivacious Shirley Keeldar, who inherits a local estate and whose wealth liberates her from convention.

(P)2007 Isis Publishing Ltd.

Excellent ! , just excellent !

This is an example of why good literature endures. Shirley is timeless. In this time of the “me too “ movement, mindset , it is good to be reminded of what is in the depths and heights of women and men’s hearts . Not to mention the author s intelligence ,beauty ,skill and ability to communicate her art

more than delightful

Beautiful story set in a time history remembers dark and horrific. Here we see lives touched on the other side. People who also struggle in their own ways. I would give the narrator 10 stars.

How a Virgin Writes a Romance

While I will admit that, nearing the end of this story nowhere else was as interesting to spend time, there were several times during which I rolled my eyes with the interminable philosophizing. Other times my eyes went a a-rolling due to the raptures given in journal form of what was purported to be a manly man. I know of no man who would have gone on to that extent. It was painfully obvious that this was written by someone whose romantic experiences were mainly limited to flights of fancy. Nevertheless, if your fancies are given to such flights , I suspect you would love this book. Bronte does have a gift for shining a fearless light on the foibles of man (and woman)kind and this produces some brilliant moments of humor. If you are a feminist, you would probably not pick up this book anyway, but if you do, you had better take a Valium or a good nap before consuming it!

Good storyline, but too long

I really like the main characters in this book, and I liked the basic storyline and plot. When I first started listening, I almost gave up and exchanged it. The first 2-3 hours only featured men, politics, and trade. And there were so many men, it was very hard to distinguish who was who. The story got much better with the addition of Caroline. The book was very long. I would have liked more time spent on the main characters and how their relationships progressed and how their lives turned out. Too much description and focus on minor characters for my taste. And I don’t see why the book is named Shirley, because she wasn’t the sole main character. She wasn’t even introduced for several hours. Having said all that, I did really like the main characters, and the way the book addresses you as “dear reader” and invites you to listen in on a conversation or look over someone’s shoulder. But because it was so long and nothing very astounding happened, I probably wouldn’t recommend it.

Amazing and Deeply Radical Book

This book is shocking in its exploration of female relationships. Charlotte Bronte did not set this book in her own time. For her, it would be what we call a "historical novel." She set it in Regency England - the Jane Austen era, which was also Napoleon's era, Charlotte Bronte depicts the class warfare, dangerous violence, and precarious economic situation of Britain as it quickly industrialized while fighting wars on the Continent and America. The financial and class disruptions and divides made life extremely difficult for non-wealthy everyday women and men. Women without wealth had very few prospects of economic independence, even of survival, and had no power at all. To maintain self respect and carve out some sort of life beyond subsistence took tremendous strength and self control. The two heroines of this book, Caroline and Shirley, both intelligent and imaginative, are of opposite temperaments and opposite economic circumstances. Yet they become passionate friends. The romantic attraction between the two is masked at first by Caroline's long standing love for the one man who, as the book unfolds, seems likely to marry Shirley. Shirley reminds me of Austen's Emma: wealthy, beautiful, self confident, and commanding. Shirley, unlike Emma, is not burdened with a hypochondriac father. Shirley has the luxury of forcusing her energies outward, insisting upon engaging with the wider world, and intent on claiming and exercising what worldly power outside her immediate family that she can. She speaks sometimes as a male would, role plays as a soldier/ captain, and plans adventures and journeys for herself and Caroline. Shirley flat out tells Caroline she loves her; Caroline tells Shirley that they share affection. How this is all resolved is somewhat unsatisfactory, as such complicated and ambiguous relationships frequently prove to be. The economic and social issues are also complicated, and perhaps more satisfactorily resolved in this book than in real life at the time. In all, Bronte's book is unique among those of her contemporaries. I found it fascinating in every way. And, as in her other books, Charlotte Bronte's writing has passages that flow straight into the heart with lyrical poetry.

Not my favorite CB novel.

I found it heard to follow at times. I enjoyed Jane Eyre and Villette much better.

Bronte Heaven

Although it's not as spectacular as Jane Eyre and not as psychologically compelling as Villette, Shirley still gives you 20 some hours of Brontë heaven. Bronte is one of our greatest writers ever to have lived. She writes from and about the soul.

Must read!

I've read Shirley 4 times now- each time picking up on new things and appreciating it a new light. This is the first time I've listened to it and I was not disappointed. I don't love the forced French accents- but I understand they served a purpose and they were well done. It just hadn't synched totally with what I had imagined reading the book outright. That being said- it's a fabulous book- less macabre and gothic than Jane Eyre (another of my favorites) and the book covers an often overlooked aspect of English history- the Luddite rebellion. I love this book so much- a must read for and Austen, Bronte, or Gaskell fan.

Narration 5 star! Story needs editor

Charlotte Brontë gets away with the story because her writing is so exquisite however I think a good editor would've improved it. Characters are introduced that have nothing to do with the story and (unlike Dickens) aren't colorful enough to enhance the story. The plot is in but that's OK, I love a good character driven story but even that was spread a bit in because there were just too many to care about.
Anna Bentinck could not have been better. There were times when I found it difficult to believe this was a one person project.
What I found very interesting was the character of Shirley. Way ahead of her time. In more ways than one she is a remarkable character unlike any other I can think of in this time of writing. It's hard to imagine Bronte writing her with such subtleties of and likeness to a woman of our century. Shirley's character is worth the read by herself.
If you're a fan of the classics like man this is worth your time.

Nice story

I really liked the story. It's both traditional and original at the same time. The narrator was very slow and I thought a bit more passion would have suited better at times. I doubt that the characters were supposed
to be almost bored when declaring eternal love. Other than that, everything was great.