Review: The Brontës: Wild Genius on the Moors

The Brontës: Wild Genius on the Moors by Juliet Barker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"Are you trying to seduce me Mrs. Robinson?"
- Branwell Brontë, possibly(?)...

What a journey. Knowing next to nothing about the Brontes before reading this, I found this book extremely informative and interesting. It does go into very much detail. In fact, it took until page 99 for all three sisters to even be born. This book will also likely make you very mad at Mrs. Gaskell (who wrote Charlotte Bronte's first biography), since it points out all the biases and mistakes she included, and the reasons why.

I love how much detail we have of certain parts of their lives, obviously thanks to all the letters that have remained, and the author's (and others') patience in sorting them out and going through them all (apparently the author was curator and librarian of the Bronte museum, and it shows).

I loved reading about how Haworth parish refused to accept the deacon that was thrust upon them, and insisted on choosing their own.

The description of Charlotte by a classmate is interesting, especially how she had an Irish accent, despite never having set foot in Ireland (obviously she got it from her father).

It is truly fascinating to see how Charlotte and her brother took turns writing about their make-believe land and characters, and continued one set story over the years. Anne and Emily did the same, but unfortunately we don't have those writings anymore. Regardless, I had no idea.

Emily's defense of cats is excellent (coming from someone who tends to avoid cats whenever possible) (p.455)

"According to Charlotte, the distinctive quality of mediocrity is moderation, which is the antithesis of genius" (p. 489)

Charlotte's visit to a confessional (and subsequent confession) in Bruxelles is very interesting as well.

"George Smith had refused to accept any thanks for the pictures, so Charlotte had signed her letter, 'I am yours very thanklessly'" (p.766)

Also, seriously, the woman Branwell had an affair with (and drank himself to death over) was married and her name was Mrs. Robinson.

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