Jane Eyre is a classic romance novel originally published in 1847. Charlotte Brontë's second novel (yet first published) tells the tale of self-described plain and poor girl with no family or social connections. Her experiences through a harsh boarding school and subsequently as a governess at Thornfield Hall are artfully and absorbingly told. This story was an instant hit upon first publication and remains a favorite today. The illustrated edition includes color illustrations by Monro S. Orr.
I last read this book in my advanced level 5 years ago. It was so touching, looking at a poor orphan gal being mistreated and discriminated against by her auntie and cousins, locked up in the red room. At the end of it all she succeeds and gets married to the love of her life. Charlotte Bronte I love your novel, and am looking forward to reading more novels like this one. Cheers....!!!
My mother, Mary Pringle, was the model for Jane Eyre as a young girl. She appears twice in this edition. Monro Orr was a friend of her parents. I knew him myself when I was a boy when we came to the Island of Arran in Scotland on holiday. He was a lovely, rather quaint elderly man who lived in a tiny, tiny cottage with his wife. He called it 'Ben Varen Ye Less' as it stood behind a big house called Ben Varen (spelled Beinn Bharrain in the Gaelic). He had a lovely somewhat quavery Scottish accent. As much a character as many of his illustrations.
Thank you Peter for sharing your memories of Monro Orr! There is definitely a unique character to his illustrations. There have been many illustrated editions of this novel, but his stood out when I was choosing which one to use for the Girlebooks illustrated edition of Jane Eyre. It looks like he also illustrated Wuthering Heights--I should put out a Girlebooks edition of that too!
I last read this book in my advanced level 5 years ago. It was so touching, looking at a poor orphan gal being mistreated and discriminated against by her auntie and cousins, locked up in the red room. At the end of it all she succeeds and gets married to the love of her life. Charlotte Bronte I love your novel, and am looking forward to reading more novels like this one. Cheers....!!!
My mother, Mary Pringle, was the model for Jane Eyre as a young girl. She appears twice in this edition. Monro Orr was a friend of her parents. I knew him myself when I was a boy when we came to the Island of Arran in Scotland on holiday. He was a lovely, rather quaint elderly man who lived in a tiny, tiny cottage with his wife. He called it 'Ben Varen Ye Less' as it stood behind a big house called Ben Varen (spelled Beinn Bharrain in the Gaelic). He had a lovely somewhat quavery Scottish accent. As much a character as many of his illustrations.
Thank you Peter for sharing your memories of Monro Orr! There is definitely a unique character to his illustrations. There have been many illustrated editions of this novel, but his stood out when I was choosing which one to use for the Girlebooks illustrated edition of Jane Eyre. It looks like he also illustrated Wuthering Heights--I should put out a Girlebooks edition of that too!