Jane Eyre

De: Charlotte Brontë

Narrado por: Joanie Labove

"Jane Eyre: An Autobiography" by Charlotte Brontë is a novel written in the early 19th century, specifically during the Victorian era. The story centers around Jane Eyre, an orphaned girl who faces hardship and oppression while growing up in the unkind household of her aunt, Mrs. Reed. The narrative unfolds her struggles against social class constraints and personal adversities as she searches for love, belonging, and independence. The opening of the novel introduces us to Jane Eyre's bleak existence at Gateshead Hall, where she lives with her aunt and cousins. As a child, Jane is mistreated by her relatives, particularly her cousin John Reed, who bullies her relentlessly. Following a confrontation with John, Jane is punished by being locked in the "red-room," a place associated with fear and isolation, which deepens her feelings of alienation and resentment. This initial section sets the tone for Jane's journey as it highlights her passionate spirit and desire for justice, laying the groundwork for her development and the challenges she will face in her quest for a place where she truly belongs

©2020 Charlotte Brontë (P)2024 Charlotte Brontë

Superb voice performance

The narrator’s voice adds colour to the story. She brought out the beauty and spirit of Jane Erye. Great performance.

A superbly narrated version of a timeless story

It takes a lot for me to write a review, but this audiobook warrants it. I am quite averse to fiction audiobooks. I normally listen only to nonfiction audiobooks for the sole reason of horrendous narration. Far too many narrators overact and tend to adopt outlandishly eccentric voices for different characters. What's more, many of them speak with odd, unfitting tones. Speaking with some cartoonish voice during what is supposed to be a serious and emotionally charged scene is enough to ruin a novel and waste a monthly credit.

But Joanie Labove gives one of the best narrations I've ever heard. She is absolutely fantastic. Every scene and every character felt so natural, and she varies the voices just subtly enough to distinguish but not over the top to where it becomes like a bad radio drama. No disrespect to Thandiwe Newton who has one of the more popular narrations of JE and admittedly sounds good, but Labove takes the cake for me. The biggest flaw in a bad audiobook is when the narrator becomes the focus. Narrators like Ray Dotrice in the A Song of Ice and Fire series put on such an over-the-top performance that you can't do anything but cringe at his childish voices. Joanie disappears into the background, and all you hear is the novel itself. If you're having trouble deciding which Jane Eyre audiobook version to get, PLEASE get this one. I cannot recommend it enough.

Excellent reading

Well paced so you don't miss a word. Articulate. And with good emotion and character. She conveys the spirit of each character very well.