Just beautiful. I began reading this book with a few preconceived notions--I had previously seen a rather dismal movie adaptation of the story and found the heroine to be dull and overly solemn.

Imagine my delight when I found that Jane is really a full-blooded, passionate woman with a deep longing for excitement and challenge. Who hasn't been in her shoes? Most of us haven't been a governess, but we've all looked into the distance and wondered, "What else is there?"

Harold Bloom once said that we should read for ourselves--that is, to find a part of ourselves written down on a page which resonates in our souls. At least for me, this was one of those books.