I just finished Agnes Grey and loved it. My favorite line: " Yes, at least, they could not deprive me of that: I could think of him day and night; and I could feel that he was worthy to be thought of." How many men are worthy to be thought of? This was a great read.
Jeannie Smith I just finished reading Agnes Grey as well. I absolutely loved the story. Most of all, I loved Agnes’ approach to being a governess. With the Bloomfields, she wants to discipline the children. While staying with the Murrays, she develops an amiable relationship with Rosalie.
Yes! Agnes Grey is absolutely an underrated gem of a book! It does a terrific job of examining the complicated role of governesses in Victorian society. And I still vividly remember the scene with the chicks that you described despite having read the book years ago at this point. Perhaps a reread is in order! :)
It’s such a powerful scene, isn’t it? It’s one of the ones that first springs to mind when I think about Agnes Grey. I’d like to do a video about governesses in fiction at some point: the various depictions are fascinating!
Agnes Grey is one of my favorite books and I am surprised that it is so underrated. It is a beautifully written love story in which after seemingly all hope is gone, Agnes and Weston's love blossoms resulting in an affectionate marriage and family. It also has many life lessons for the reader to ponder like sticking to moral principles and the superiority of marrying for love and not money. Some parts are hard to read like those about the juvenile delinquents Agnes had to raise, but even those situations probably mirrored real life experiences of governesses.
I have recently purchased lots of classic books on your recommendations, started with Agnes Grey. Oh my god am absolutely loving it, why is this book not well known, it’s a brilliant little gem. Beautifully written.
I'm going by memory here, but if I recall correctly, George Moore the noted Irish critic referred to Agnes Grey as being "as beautiful as a muslin dress". I agree that it is highly underrated and is a magnificent love story which also promotes moral virtues. Thank you for featuring this fine novel. I like how Agnes' experience contrasts with that of Lady Ashby. Agnes waited patiently with hope against hope for a good man (Mr. Weston). Rosalie rushed at the first chance to get out of the house by marrying Ashby and later said to Agnes, "I hate that man" when he was riding by. Agnes married for the right reason and had a satisfying life and wonderful relationship with the love of her life.
You are really right about the importance of the first lines of the book. I remember I found that phrase great when I read it. Agnes Grey is a well written pleasant first novel. We all know that The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is a very well constructed master piece
Agnes Gray was also my first Bronte novel! I wrote on it for my senior seminar course--you're right there's not a ton of scholarship on it. My essay ended up being on how Thomas Ashby and Rosalie were reflective of how the Bloomfield children would turn out since Agnes Gray failed to impress good morals on them.
Of course putting a creature out of its misery is morally far better than torturing it. Speaking as a vet here. We have to do this a lot. I was blown away by Agnes Grey, especially the part about the chicks, i almost stood up and cheered for her. Seriously, sometimes you have to do unpleasant things to spare another creature unbearable suffering. It is not fun, it can be soul-crushing (especially if you have to euthanize your own beloved pet), but the other option is NOT doing anything and watching a living being suffer until it finally dies in pain. That, for me, is not a option. And reading that in a Victorian book was mindblowing. Anne is SO much better than her sisters. I love her books. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall left me speechless.
I’ve read Agnes Grey two times and I really like it. Through the book I thought I really got a glimpse into the reality of live as a governess and what women’s roles were. And I always thought of Agnes as a kind of role model, for sticking to your beliefs and goals. I’ve never read wuthering heights because I’m afraid I won’t like it 🙈
Wuthering Heights is VERY, VERY different to Agnes Grey, but I think it’s just as good. Have you read Jane Eyre? If not, I’d read that next and that should ease you into Wuthering Heights!
I just finished it! It was my first of Anne's work, ashamed as I am to admit it, and I absolutely loved it. She is certainly one of my favorite characters in a novel; her mannerisms, the way she knows when to speak and when not to speak in certain situations, and just her overall view of the world and it's people. I am not a religious person, but find the character as a prime example of what a person should be; not particularly religious, if not suitable for oneself, but kind and respectful despite the seemingly unnecessary nastiness of the world around us. She is certainly what I strive to be. Very strange that I read Leskov's, "Lady Macbeth of Mstensk," directly before this. Two female leads, two completely different characters. Very interesting, though. Long live Agnes and Edward Weston!
Agnes Grey is really an underrated book. I liked so much the way Anne wrote about virtue in Agnes. I had read Jane Eyre before I started reading Agnes Grey and I could do some comparisons indeed.
I read "Agnes Grey" long ago, in Spanish, so I might have lost many subtleties "in translation". This book is less colourful than "Wuthering Heights" or "Jane Eyre". It is like a happy ending governess' diary, but I liked it like that. Anne Bronte displayed her ability for observation of the human nature in "the tennant...". It is remarkable that the youngest daughter of a rural curate could have written that novel.
Reading Agnes Grey at the moment. I studied English Literature at university and at that time Anne hardly got a mention, But she writes beautifully with a deft touch and sense of irony that is rarely found in Charlotte's novels.
Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre were my first Bronte reads (and still two of my all time favorites). I'm currently reading The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, but definitely Agnes Gray will be my next read. Love your channel! You go into such depth with each book and I learn so much.
How are you finding The Tenant of Wildfell Hall? Whilst I love Agnes Grey, I think *Tenant* really showcases Anne’s incredible and innate writing talent. I’d be interested to know what you think about *Agnes* in comparison!
I love so much the Penguin Classics! 😍😍😍 But I'm not English and I don't have an high English grade and so I can't read the Penguin Classics books, it could very difficult for me, but I can try, not? 😃
I definitely think you can try! Have you tried reading translations first so that you can understand the story and then reading the original English? That might be one way to get an authentic experience but still know what’s going on. Best of luck! And don’t put too much pressure on yourself - the books will wait until you’re ready to read them. :)
lucythereader Thank you very much for the support! I needed it right now! I'll follow your advice! 😃😊 And no, I have never read the translated book first and then the one in the original language... I'm going to do this as soon as possible! 👍😃
@lucythereader I have been watching your videos for such a long time, and this is the first time I'm commenting - I think. I wanted to recommend to you a book that I recently read that is all Bronte inspired. It's called The Madwoman Upstairs by Catherine Lowell. I think you should definitely check it out!
Hi! Thank you so much for the recommendation - The Madwoman Upstairs sounds brilliant and I’ll definitely have to read it during our reading of Jane Eyre. Thank you again!
So, having read none, alas (Middlemarch and Hardy, 30 yr's ago!) and for Vicktober IMA read The Picture of Dorian Gray and Tess of the d'Urbervilles (and watch the film), again, but ... I'd like a Bronte, as well. Decisions, decisions lol ...
I'm quite late here, but I read somewhere that Agnes Grey is considered Jane Eyre's "little sister", but I believe according to the story of Villette, Lucy Snow seems rather more fitting and close to Agnes.
That’s such a great comparison! I hadn’t even thought of that but now I want to look at animal cruelty in all of the Brontës’ books and how it reflects on our views of the characters. They include it so often!
I read the book on your recommendation. I like the book but not as mush as other Bronte books , I don’t like how she is so judgemental, she thinks that she has the best character and nature , she finds little good in people other than her family or her love interest. She goes to the extent of saying that Mr. Weston is the only person she thinks is better than herself. I guess everyone has their taste and I don’t want to offend anyone.
I don’t think it’s too controversial to say Anne loved William Weightman, her poem from April 1844 “A Reminiscence” is certainly about Weightman, and betrays her feelings very keenly.
The Bronte girls weren't "religious"....they were Christians:with all the passions and faults of humanity that endear them to so many people worldwide!
Is it only me or does anyone else feels like this book is a drawn-out complaint by someone who is a bit self-righteous. Considering those were Agnes' first interactions with the world, and the fact that she was quite inexperienced (and perhaps incompetent) at the job, the way she described her misery as if it was all other people's doing, just completely rubbed me the wrong way. Oh wells... Maybe it's just me
No there wasn't, because the boy was determined to kill and torture them, he knew where there nest was (they were too young to simply "set free"), and the uncle was on the boy's side. So the chicks were lost. If she had let them live, the boy and the uncle would just have tortured them there and then, or come back later to do it.
![A babysitter's nightmare | Agnes Grey by Anne Brontë | Book Review [CC]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/KpeVQ4s6at0/mqdefault.jpg)
I just finished Agnes Grey and loved it. My favorite line: " Yes, at least, they could not deprive me of that: I could think of him day and night; and I could feel that he was worthy to be thought of." How many men are worthy to be thought of? This was a great read.
Jeannie Smith
I just finished reading Agnes Grey as well. I absolutely loved the story. Most of all, I loved Agnes’ approach to being a governess. With the Bloomfields, she wants to discipline the children. While staying with the Murrays, she develops an amiable relationship with Rosalie.
“How many men are worthy to be thought of?” bit grim.
Loved Agnes grey. So underrated. Anne’s writing I love more than the other sisters it’s beautiful
Yes! Agnes Grey is absolutely an underrated gem of a book! It does a terrific job of examining the complicated role of governesses in Victorian society. And I still vividly remember the scene with the chicks that you described despite having read the book years ago at this point. Perhaps a reread is in order! :)
It’s such a powerful scene, isn’t it? It’s one of the ones that first springs to mind when I think about Agnes Grey. I’d like to do a video about governesses in fiction at some point: the various depictions are fascinating!
Agnes Grey is one of my favorite books and I am surprised that it is so underrated. It is a beautifully written love story in which after seemingly all hope is gone, Agnes and Weston's love blossoms resulting in an affectionate marriage and family. It also has many life lessons for the reader to ponder like sticking to moral principles and the superiority of marrying for love and not money. Some parts are hard to read like those about the juvenile delinquents Agnes had to raise, but even those situations probably mirrored real life experiences of governesses.
I have recently purchased lots of classic books on your recommendations, started with Agnes Grey. Oh my god am absolutely loving it, why is this book not well known, it’s a brilliant little gem. Beautifully written.
I'm going by memory here, but if I recall correctly, George Moore the noted Irish critic referred to Agnes Grey as being "as beautiful as a muslin dress". I agree that it is highly underrated and is a magnificent love story which also promotes moral virtues. Thank you for featuring this fine novel.
I like how Agnes' experience contrasts with that of Lady Ashby. Agnes waited patiently with hope against hope for a good man (Mr. Weston). Rosalie rushed at the first chance to get out of the house by marrying Ashby and later said to Agnes, "I hate that man" when he was riding by. Agnes married for the right reason and had a satisfying life and wonderful relationship with the love of her life.
You are really right about the importance of the first lines of the book. I remember I found that phrase great when I read it. Agnes Grey is a well written pleasant first novel. We all know that The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is a very well constructed master piece
Agnes Gray was also my first Bronte novel! I wrote on it for my senior seminar course--you're right there's not a ton of scholarship on it. My essay ended up being on how Thomas Ashby and Rosalie were reflective of how the Bloomfield children would turn out since Agnes Gray failed to impress good morals on them.
That’s such an interesting take! I hadn’t thought about that before but I can definitely see it. I’d love to hear more about it!
Should I read it before Jane Ere?
Of course putting a creature out of its misery is morally far better than torturing it. Speaking as a vet here. We have to do this a lot.
I was blown away by Agnes Grey, especially the part about the chicks, i almost stood up and cheered for her. Seriously, sometimes you have to do unpleasant things to spare another creature unbearable suffering. It is not fun, it can be soul-crushing (especially if you have to euthanize your own beloved pet), but the other option is NOT doing anything and watching a living being suffer until it finally dies in pain. That, for me, is not a option. And reading that in a Victorian book was mindblowing.
Anne is SO much better than her sisters. I love her books. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall left me speechless.
I’ve read Agnes Grey two times and I really like it. Through the book I thought I really got a glimpse into the reality of live as a governess and what women’s roles were. And I always thought of Agnes as a kind of role model, for sticking to your beliefs and goals. I’ve never read wuthering heights because I’m afraid I won’t like it 🙈
Wuthering Heights is VERY, VERY different to Agnes Grey, but I think it’s just as good. Have you read Jane Eyre? If not, I’d read that next and that should ease you into Wuthering Heights!
I've thought about rereading it soon - it's next on the shelf. So maybe doing a little Bronte-Readathon for myself :)
I am currently listening to Agnes Grey on audiobook read by the amazing Emilia Fox. I haven't read it before and I am loving it!
Wow, I bet that’s amazing! I’m not a *huge* fan of audiobooks but maybe I shall have to check this out. I’m so glad you’re loving it!
I love Anne, she is an amazing writer! Great video, thank you🌼
I just finished it! It was my first of Anne's work, ashamed as I am to admit it, and I absolutely loved it. She is certainly one of my favorite characters in a novel; her mannerisms, the way she knows when to speak and when not to speak in certain situations, and just her overall view of the world and it's people. I am not a religious person, but find the character as a prime example of what a person should be; not particularly religious, if not suitable for oneself, but kind and respectful despite the seemingly unnecessary nastiness of the world around us. She is certainly what I strive to be.
Very strange that I read Leskov's, "Lady Macbeth of Mstensk," directly before this. Two female leads, two completely different characters. Very interesting, though.
Long live Agnes and Edward Weston!
Agnes Grey is really an underrated book. I liked so much the way Anne wrote about virtue in Agnes. I had read Jane Eyre before I started reading Agnes Grey and I could do some comparisons indeed.
I read "Agnes Grey" long ago, in Spanish, so I might have lost many subtleties "in translation".
This book is less colourful than "Wuthering Heights" or "Jane Eyre". It is like a happy ending governess' diary, but I liked it like that.
Anne Bronte displayed her ability for observation of the human nature in "the tennant...". It is remarkable that the youngest daughter of a rural curate could have written that novel.
Omg thank you so much for the video, Anne definitely needs more recognition!!!
Reading Agnes Grey at the moment. I studied English Literature at university and at that time Anne hardly got a mention, But she writes beautifully with a deft touch and sense of irony that is rarely found in Charlotte's novels.
Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre were my first Bronte reads (and still two of my all time favorites). I'm currently reading The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, but definitely Agnes Gray will be my next read. Love your channel! You go into such depth with each book and I learn so much.
How are you finding The Tenant of Wildfell Hall? Whilst I love Agnes Grey, I think *Tenant* really showcases Anne’s incredible and innate writing talent. I’d be interested to know what you think about *Agnes* in comparison!
I'm Brazilian and I'm loving your video but your accent is so beautiful haha. Nice UA-cam channel !!!
Thank you for uploading videos continuously (unlike many book youtubers) !❤️
I try my best! Glad you enjoy my videos. :)
I love so much the Penguin Classics! 😍😍😍 But I'm not English and I don't have an high English grade and so I can't read the Penguin Classics books, it could very difficult for me, but I can try, not? 😃
I definitely think you can try! Have you tried reading translations first so that you can understand the story and then reading the original English? That might be one way to get an authentic experience but still know what’s going on. Best of luck! And don’t put too much pressure on yourself - the books will wait until you’re ready to read them. :)
lucythereader Thank you very much for the support! I needed it right now! I'll follow your advice! 😃😊 And no, I have never read the translated book first and then the one in the original language... I'm going to do this as soon as possible! 👍😃
It is an underrated novel because Charlotte Brontë made it so.
@lucythereader I have been watching your videos for such a long time, and this is the first time I'm commenting - I think. I wanted to recommend to you a book that I recently read that is all Bronte inspired. It's called The Madwoman Upstairs by Catherine Lowell. I think you should definitely check it out!
Hi! Thank you so much for the recommendation - The Madwoman Upstairs sounds brilliant and I’ll definitely have to read it during our reading of Jane Eyre. Thank you again!
I just finished it 5 minutes ago and was waiting to watch this video hahah
I have to admit I had a hard time getting into Agnes Grey and couldn't finish it, but I will definitely give it another go in the future.
This is interesting! Do you think there’s a particular reason why you had a hard time getting into it?
I could not wait for it to end, I think many overrate it. It can not be compared to Jane Eyre or at least not with Wuthering heights.
Really great review.Thanks.
I LOVE THIS BOOK
So, having read none, alas (Middlemarch and Hardy, 30 yr's ago!) and for Vicktober IMA read The Picture of Dorian Gray and Tess of the d'Urbervilles (and watch the film), again, but ... I'd like a Bronte, as well. Decisions, decisions lol ...
I would love to have met her
I'm quite late here, but I read somewhere that Agnes Grey is considered Jane Eyre's "little sister", but I believe according to the story of Villette, Lucy Snow seems rather more fitting and close to Agnes.
I've never read this book yet, but now I need to...
I hope you enjoy it if you do!
Subscribed!! I’m obsessed
I recall Heathcliff telling Cathy he was thinking of killing some chicks he'd found on the Moor as a way to get back at her for some slight.
That’s such a great comparison! I hadn’t even thought of that but now I want to look at animal cruelty in all of the Brontës’ books and how it reflects on our views of the characters. They include it so often!
I literally just finished this book now. While at some points I did find it dull, I mostly enjoyed it. It s a great story
I read the book on your recommendation. I like the book but not as mush as other Bronte books , I don’t like how she is so judgemental, she thinks that she has the best character and nature , she finds little good in people other than her family or her love interest. She goes to the extent of saying that Mr. Weston is the only person she thinks is better than herself. I guess everyone has their taste and I don’t want to offend anyone.
You sound pretty judgemental yourself.
I haven't read their books but why you don't love them? Just a question
I kinda hate classics because they’re aren’t very readable to me but this was a great book for someone not too keen on classics
Do you write fiction?
I don’t think it’s too controversial to say Anne loved William Weightman, her poem from April 1844 “A Reminiscence” is certainly about Weightman, and betrays her feelings very keenly.
The Bronte girls weren't "religious"....they were Christians:with all the passions and faults of humanity that endear them to so many people worldwide!
a little bit irrelevant but I am trying to click on the affiliate links and they won' t open! does anyone else have the same problem?
They seem to be working for me - sorry! I’ll see what I can do!
don't worry about it! I 'll check the links from one of your previous videos! Thanks though!
Awesome
Thank you!
Very beautiful..
I just finished the book and I have all the same opinions
Is it only me or does anyone else feels like this book is a drawn-out complaint by someone who is a bit self-righteous. Considering those were Agnes' first interactions with the world, and the fact that she was quite inexperienced (and perhaps incompetent) at the job, the way she described her misery as if it was all other people's doing, just completely rubbed me the wrong way. Oh wells... Maybe it's just me
What about letting the chicks free? In my mind both actions are immoral if there's a peaceful solution.
No there wasn't, because the boy was determined to kill and torture them, he knew where there nest was (they were too young to simply "set free"), and the uncle was on the boy's side. So the chicks were lost. If she had let them live, the boy and the uncle would just have tortured them there and then, or come back later to do it.
I just finished the book and I have all the same opinions