The Brontë Sisters: The Brief Lives of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne

The biography begins with the Bronte's move to Haworth and follows the story of the three sisters, Charlotte, Emily, and Anne as well as the brother Branwell through childhood until the death of all four siblings. This biography reads much like a novel with brief stories about each sister taken from letters, diary entries, and fictional writings from the Brontes as well as from the people they encountered. The large amount of sources from different people in the Brontes' lives gives a more holistic approach that would be lacking if only reviewing diary entries. Reef also includes relevant historical context such as the Industrial Revolution and the Victorian social class structure. These historical overviews gives the reader not only insight into the lives of the Brontes but also shows sources of inspiration for their novels. Reef presents the biographical stories and historical context in a very simple language and layout similar to a young adult's novel.Because the biography is written as a novel about the Brontes (and particularly focused on Charlotte), the chapter titles are phrases and would be difficult to use if the reader is researching a specific topic or time period. Reef is a very credible author and all the sources are listed in the back of the book; however, there are no in-text citations.Therefore, the book is easy to read and credible but very difficult to use for research.This biography would be great for young adults who are interested in the Bronte novels and for adults who want biographical and historical information. This book is not suitable for in-depth research (which made the book a much easier and pleasant read).Reading this book on the Kindle is also difficult if you wish to see the references at any time.I would recommend this book as the first (or only) biography to read on the Brontes since it is an easy yet comprehensive story.

In reading other reviews, some have said that this is a book intended for children. I don't know if that is true or not, but it did not appear to be written in a way that 'spoke down' to a child's level. I found it to be a quick, easy read that provided general information about the Bronte sisters, which is what I was looking for, in order to determine whether or not I would be interested in purchasing and reading any of their books! So perhaps this particular book was not intended for adults(?), but I think that most adults would appreciate it-- as I did-- for the simple, basic information that it contained, and which can be used in order to make informed decisions about future reading choices!

I never could get into the Bronte sisters' actual works of fiction, but I had always heard that much of their fiction was based on their real life experiences, which is what led me to this book, which I really enjoyed for several reasons.First, it is an extremely fast read. If you wanted to, you could pound this out in a day. If you buy the Kindle version, the footnotes begin around 70% of the way through the book, so the last 30% of the book is not actual text.Second, it's an interesting look at the lives of the Bronte sisters, as well as their father, brother, and some of their friends. The women's books are, to some degree or another, vastly influenced by their experiences as middle-class women with little social standing. The author summarizes the books each sister wrote, along with their critical and popular reception. The book moves at a brisk pace, quoting just enough of the literature to be relevant and not over-sampling.I have found, on reading this book, that I have a greater appreciation for Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights now. I still don't really care for those books, but now that I see them in their political and social context, I understand them better. I would actually suggest this book to anyone who has to read any of the Bronte books for school - I wish I had had something like this when I was in high school. It is definitely easy to read and will probably give a reader of Bronte fiction a better understanding of the books themselves and the Bronte sisters' real goals in writing those novels.

This was interesting but not a great read. I don’t agree with those who say it’s written for children. A child would lose interest pretty quickly. It does give insight into the lives of the Brontes, so there’s that.

I have been a fan of all three sisters for some time, but was unfamiliar with their personal story. After reading this biography all their books take on another level of poignancy

All I wanted was a brief overview of the Bronte sisters and that is just what you get in Ms. Reef's book. While supposedly aimed at young readers, it never talks down to the reader and doesn't gloss over hard realities. I learned all I wished to know, and found the book engaging to read. I recommend it for all ages.

This is a very well written book about the Bronte sisters and their family. It is almost unremittingly sad. All six of the children (five girls and a boy) died before they were 40. Many of JANE EYRE's themes seem to come from Charlotte's past. I will read JANE EYRE again with a new appreciation for the story.

I didn't know anything about the Bronte sisters until reading this fascinating book. Not only did it give me detailed information about the Bronte family but also the views in society in which they lived. I recommend it!

Print is a good size hate books with tiny print

Never judge a book by its cover sums up this attempt at biography. It reads like a classroom composition and concentrates on negative supposition rather than documented fact.

totally ABSORBING READ.lOVED THIS BOOK!

My friend was pleased with this book.

A quick but interesting read.