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Showing posts with label Wuthering Heights. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wuthering Heights. Show all posts

Sunday, September 27, 2026

Sunday, September 27, 2026 12:46 pm by M. in , , , , , ,    No comments
The book list of Rory Gilmore still appears in the news from time to time. Woman's World makes a list including:
‘Jane Eyre’ 
“How about some Charlotte Brontë?” It’s no secret that Rory is a big fan of Charlotte Brontë, as showcased in several episodes of the series, and one of her preferred books is Jane Eyre. Rory frequently mentions the author and the 1847 novel is the perfect comforting read for fall. The author is discussed in a Season 1 episode when Dean asks how he can repay her for bringing him cookies and she responds by asking him to read Brontë. While she doesn’t specifically mention Jane Eyre, it is later seen in the spinoff series, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life and it should be on your fall TBR (to be read list). (Julianne MacNeill)
The novel also appears in the Mental Floss list of Autumn reads:
Jane Eyre // Charlotte Brontë
Charlotte Brontë’s classic tale of romance, long-buried secrets, and one headstrong woman’s coming-of-age odyssey is steeped in both Gothic atmosphere and biting social commentary. It tells the story of a headstrong young woman’s journey from an orphanage to a governess post at Thornfield Hall, the domain of the mysterious Mr. Rochester. While the book has a reputation as a romance, in truth it is more of a dark look at the social expectations and struggles that characterized Victorian England. With its sprawling country houses, rainy weather, hidden rooms, and themes of growth, decay, and transformation, it’s a classic autumn read for a reason. (Eden Gordon)
Another Brontë novel is on the Autumn list of Clara (Spain):
Cumbres Borrascosas by Emily Brontë
Los protagonistas están unidos por un amor intenso y complicado que queda marcado por los celos, el orgullo, las diferencias sociales y el resentimiento, y cuando Catherine decide casarse con otro hombre, Heathcliff se marcha y, años después, regresa dispuesto a vengarse. 'Cumbres borrascosas' es un perfecto libro para leer este otoño. (Melissa González) (Translation)
The Indian Express mentions some dishes in English novels:
Seed Cake, Jane Eyre
In Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, a small seed cake and tea become a memorable moment of comfort for Jane during her difficult years at Lowood. The modest treat stands in contrast to the hunger and poor food associated with the school, making the simple act of sharing food especially meaningful. (Aanya Mehta)
For this writer in DailyWire, Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights is hard to forget:
Most of us have already (thankfully) forgotten about the BDSM atrocity that besieged us in February in the form of “Wuthering Heights,” and while Nolan’s “Odyssey” was a decent standalone film, it did little justice (at least in my view) to Homer’s original creation. (Liza Libes)
But for Vogue Spain is one of the films of the year:
 “Una historia de amor y venganza”, se anunció a finales de septiembre de 2024. Cumbres borrascosas es un clásico de la literatura, una de las obras maestras de Emily Brontë. Y eso puede ser bueno o no tanto, pues todos los ojos estarán puestos sobre una historia de sobra conocida por todos. ¿Y sobre qué trata esto? A saber: la tempestuosa Catherine Earnshaw y el vengativo Heathcliff viven un romance apasionado mientras conviven en un lugar conocido como el título de todo esto, Cumbres borrascosas. Y, bueno, en el libro ese amor nunca pasaba de una mera obsesión. Y hay a quien no le ha gustado nada esta película, pero otros la consideran una obra maestra. (Alberto Sisí Sánchez) (Translation)
The film is now on the Canal+ (France) catalogue. Télé-Loisirs reviews the film:
Avec Emerald Fennell, rien n’est sage ni subtil. Costumes majestueux, décors fantasmagoriques, brume, crachin et tempêtes sur la lande anglaise : le film impose une esthétique grandiloquente, parfois à la limite du grotesque. La réalisatrice insuffle à l’ensemble un ton très pop, étonnamment drôle par moments. Sensuel, excessif, filmé avec un point de vue féminin assumé, Hurlevent divisera forcément. Cette relecture courageuse et moderne conserve pourtant toute la violence du roman. Emily Brontë aurait adoré ! (Hélène Lisle) (Translation)

Elle (France) lists several alternative Wuthering Heights adaptations. 

Verbotene Liebe, Ausgrenzung, Rassismus – Emily Brontës Weltklassiker „Sturmhöhe“ steckt voller Themen von hoher Aktualität. Eindrucksvoll zeigt das Franz-Joseph Diekens Inszenierung am Altonaer Theater.
Im Zentrum steht die obsessive Liebe zwischen Catherine (Linda Stockfleth) und Heathcliff (Celio-Silvestre Tamele) – eine toxische Beziehung, zerstörerisch wie eine Naturgewalt. Obwohl Linda Stockfleth ihre unberechenbare Catherine allzu schrill und einförmig hysterisch anlegt, überzeugt das Zusammenspiel des Ensembles. (Brigitte Scholz) (Translation)
Maria Shriver's Sunday Paper features Fall, Leaves, Fall by Emily Brontë. The David Austin's Emily Brontë Rose makes an appearance in this Times article. The last episode of the Behind the Glass fourth season podcast is already available:
For the final episode of series 4, Sam and Mia are joined by historian, author and content creator Dr Rebecca Marks! Rebecca holds a Master's in Art History and a PhD in English Romantic Literature. She’s currently writing a book on Gothic art and literature with Penguin, which will be released at the end of 2027.
What came before Thornfield Hall and Wuthering Heights? We hope you're in the mood for ghosts and goblins as we dive into what makes a Gothic novel, writers who may have inspired the Brontës and why Patrick had the equivilent of movie posters on his wall...
One of the events (if not the event) of the Brontë season is already available. Courtesy of the British Library Publishing:
by Emily Brontë
British Library Publishing
ISBN: 9780712369015
September 17, 2026

Wuthering Heights First Edition Facsimile (1847) in a two-volume edition, with Poems by Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell (1846)
Step into the wild, windswept world of the Yorkshire moors with this exquisite first edition facsimile of Wuthering Heights, faithfully reproduced from the British Library’s original 1847 copy of Emily Brontë’s enduring masterpiece.
Published under the pseudonym Ellis Bell, Wuthering Heights is one of the most powerful and unconventional novels in English literature — a haunting tale of passion, obsession and revenge that has captivated readers for nearly two centuries. This sumptuous facsimile captures the novel as it was first presented to Victorian readers, preserving the typography, layout and character of the historic two-volume edition.
Housed in a luxurious foiled cloth-bound clamshell presentation box, this collector’s set brings together:
  • A two-volume first edition facsimile of Wuthering Heights (1847), with covers typical of the era
  • A first edition facsimile of Emily Brontë’s own copy of Poems (1846), the ground-breaking poetry collection she published alongside her sisters Charlotte and Anne, prior to the success of Wuthering Heights, reproduced with handwritten notes and signed and dated by her on the title page. Emily’s copy was rebound by a later owner and bears the date of 1864 on the spine. As this edition is intended to be a faithful facsimile, we have reproduced the book exactly as it survives today, including this historical peculiarity.
  • Facsimile looseleaf pages from Emily’s two manuscript poetry notebooks (also held in the Library collections) that show earlier versions of a couple of poems that appear in Poems.
  • The set is completed with an introductory booklet by two lead curators at the British Library.
Brontë fans will now be able to own facsimile first editions of the two creative works Emily published during her short life – in effect her complete works – presented together in a gorgeous box with gold foil details. Each element has been created directly from the originals held in the British Library’s collections, ensuring exceptional fidelity to the source material.
An essential acquisition for Brontë enthusiasts, collectors of classic literature, scholars, and lovers of fine bookmaking, this facsimile set is as striking on the shelf as it is moving to read.

Friday, September 25, 2026

Friday, September 25, 2026 7:37 am by Cristina in , , , , , , ,    No comments
The Telegraph and Argus reports that the Old School Room in Haworth has just been given a 'facelift'.
The Old School Room in Haworth, whose original section was constructed in 1832 by the Rev. Patrick Brontë, has had five windows on its north-facing wall replaced as part of essential restoration work.
Averil Kenyon, chairman of The Brontë Spirit, the charity that maintains the building, said: "The south wall windows were replaced back in 2012, and it has taken us 14 years to raise sufficient funds to undertake the restoration of the north-facing windows.
"We’re delighted with the result because the new windows have been designed to match the style of the windows that were originally part of the building."
The project cost £24,000 and was supported by grants from the Bernard Sunley Foundation and The Pilgrim Trust. (Harry Williams)
Chester Nub News announces a stage adaptation of Jane Eyre to be performed at Storyhouse starting November 10.
A powerful new stage adaptation of Charlotte Brontë's classic Jane Eyre arrives at Storyhouse this autumn.
Directed by Lily Dyble, Jane Eyre will run at the Chester venue from Tuesday 10 November to Saturday 21 November. [...]
"Charlotte Brontë's revolutionary masterpiece Jane Eyre remains as potent today as it did when it was written in 1847, said Storyhouse creative director Suzie Henderson.
"This dynamic and imaginative new stage adaptation promises to present it in visceral and powerful fashion.
"I'm delighted to be able to reveal such an exciting cast of talented actors who are working with Lily Dyble in the rehearsal room to bring her thrilling storytelling vision to life for our audiences here at Chester."
The role of Jane will be played by Olivia Marcus, while Gabriel Akuwudike will appear as Edward Rochester. The cast also includes Oscar Adams, Aamira Challenger, Millie Faraway, Andrea Gatchalian, Kate Kordel, Robyn Rose-Li and Leo Wan.
Jane Eyre is a Storyhouse, Mercury Theatre Colchester, and Rose Theatre co-production, in association with Northern Stage, supported by a grant from the Royal Theatrical Support Trust (RTST).
The production is based on Sally Cookson, Mike Akers and the original company's acclaimed adaptation of Charlotte Brontë's groundbreaking novel.
Set designer is Anna Yates, costume designer is Khadija Raza, lighting design is by Lucia Sanches Roldan, and Joseff Harris is sound designer and composer. Movement director is Natasha Harrison, Fight director is Rachid Sabitri and intimacy director is Haruka Kuroda. Casting is by Helena Palmer. (Dherran Titherington)
Broadway World reports the cast of this production too.

For The Guardian, musicals seem to be a new thing. Reviewing a stage adaptation of Three Men in a Boat:
The 135-minute show is punctuated by eight musical numbers and, though it is now almost obligatory for classic literature to be sung and danced (the most recent victim Jane Eyre), this is a logical candidate. (Mark Lawson)
The fact that a theatre critic makes that comment and doesn't even know Jane Eyre. The Musical is new to London but not actually new (the first production in Toronto was exactly 30 years ago), so hardly 'most recent' shows quite a degree of ignorance. Many musicals have been written in 30 years.

The Standard reviews the new film adaptation of Sense and Sensibility, reminding us of reviews of Joe Wright's take on Pride and Prejudice twenty years ago:
Things are moody and at times almost Brontë-esque thanks to Arnaud Potier’s autumnal cinematography and the rolling, rain-lashed hills. (Hannah Pettit)
El País (in Catalan) reviews the novel Mons on trobar-te by Berta Creus.
Aïllada al poble diminut de les muntanyes pirinenques on ella i en Sebastià van anar a raure, en bona part perquè era el lloc on vivia un amic comú —que a l’inici de la novel·la es converteix en la nova parella de la protagonista—, la Jara sembla una reencarnació del Heathcliff de Cims borrascosos (una de les citacions que encapçalen la novel·la és d’Emily Brontë), com si perseguint-lo i invocant-lo en tot moment tingués també la prerrogativa de fer-lo present: inquieta i nerviosa, el busca pels paisatges que recorrien o al riu on es banyaven, acariciant els guants de llana que li havia regalat, o en les tres ratlles horitzontals —“una de ben recta que separa el cel gris clar del mar gris fosc, i una de desdibuixada que separa el mar gris fosc del prat mig gris”— de la fotografia que hi ha penjada al menjador. (Ponç Puigdevall) (Translation)
Rissi Writes posts about Jane Eyre 2006. The Brussels Brontë Blog features Lilia Hassaine's JE.

Thursday, September 24, 2026

Thursday, September 24, 2026 8:16 am by Cristina in , , , ,    No comments
Today marks the 178th anniversary of the death of Branwell Brontë.

According to Deadline, the new microdrama of Wuthering Heights will 'Premiere at America’s First Microdrama Festival' in October.
Alza Festival, which is run by vets of Tribeca and TikTok, kicks off its first edition with a wealth of content from the buzzy new medium [...]
The same is the case for the vertical Wuthering Heights, set on a present-day American ranch, which premieres Sunday. (Max Goldbart)
The grudge against Emerald Fennell and her take on Wuthering Heights never dies. Reviewing the new adaptation of Sense and Sensibilty, Tatler says, 'Emerald Fennell, take note: Sense and Sensibility has a romanticism that Wuthering Heights might envy'.
Oakley’s film is beautiful, too, shot in a naturally diluted light reminiscent of Joe Wright’s 2005 Pride and Prejudice, with its soft skies and washed-out greens. In this respect, it feels more Brontë than Austen. Marianne does have a great deal of Cathy about her. There is a heightened romanticism here that Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights might well envy. (Dora Davies-Evitt)
University of Virginia Today wonders, 'Are women-authored novels having a moment?'
If Hollywood is the measure, classic novels written by women are all the rage. 
In the coming months, “House of the Dragon” actor Emma Corrin will star as Lizzie Bennet in a Netflix adaptation of  “Pride and Prejudice,” Daisy Edgar-Jones will headline a new “Sense and Sensibility” movie, and Aimee Lou Wood will play the titular character in a television adaptation of “Jane Eyre.” Earlier this year, director Emerald Fennell’s version of “Wuthering Heights” grossed more than $240 million at the box office. [...]
Austen, in particular, may be the most widely adapted writer in English after William Shakespeare. Though she and other authors like the Brontë sisters lived relatively short, geographically confined lives, their work has been reimagined across the world, from California to India.
“But their minds were so expansive,” [Cristina Richieri Griffin, an assistant professor in the English department at the University of Virginia] said. “I love the idea that their writing planted seeds that eventually sprang into work that didn’t exist for almost 200 years after they were writing their novels.” (Alice Berry)

Wednesday, September 23, 2026

Tomorrow will mark the 178th anniversary of Branwell Bronté's death and The Telegraph and Argus takes a look at recent and forthcoming talks about him.
Talks exploring the life and legacy of Branwell Brontë are taking place at the Brontë Parsonage and Brontë Birthplace.
The events aim to shed light on the often-overlooked brother of the famous Brontë sisters, who made his mark as both an artist and poet but whose life was ultimately overshadowed by personal struggles.
On September 22, the Brontë Birthplace hosted an online talk titled Sibling Rivalry: Unpacking the Art of Branwell Brontë, led by guest speaker Dr Maebh O’Regan.
The talk explored Branwell’s artistic output, focusing on his creative process.
Branwell’s most well-known work is The Brontë Sisters Portrait, also known as The Pillar Portrait, painted in 1834.
Though the piece has received negative criticism, it remains one of the most popular works in the British National Portrait Gallery.
Later in the week, the Brontë Parsonage will present an in-person and online talk on September 24, titled Grief and Loss in the Writing of Branwell Brontë.
Led by Brontë scholar Rose Gant, the talk will begin at 2pm at the Parsonage, with a Zoom session offered at 7.30pm.
A spokesman for the Brontë Parsonage said: "Like his siblings, Branwell suffered a series of losses throughout his lifetime, attending the deathbed of his mother, his aunt and his close friend William Weightman.
"Branwell drew on these losses as inspiration for his writing, capturing his experiences in both his letters and poetry.
"This talk will explore these writings, looking at both the inspirations and how Branwell captures his experiences of grief." (Amelia Short)
The Telegraph features 'The battle to save Brontë country from England’s biggest wind farm'.
As bleak as it is beautiful, the windswept landscape of the South Pennines and its surrounding settlements in West Yorkshire fuelled the imagination of the Brontë sisters as they wrote their works in the mid-19th century.
“In the hill-country silence, their poetry comes by lines and stanzas into my mind,” wrote Charlotte Brontë, reflecting on the moorland after the deaths of her sisters, Anne and Emily.
Yet residents warn the setting that inspired the Brontës could be lost forever to England’s largest onshore wind farm. [...]
“It’s not just a local moor,” explains Nick MacKinnon, who lives in the small village of Stanbury. “It’s internationally designated twice, and it’s internationally famous as the Brontë moor. [...]
As for the wind farm’s ramifications for tourism, Calderdale Energy Park said: “Our assessment work to date concludes that Top Withens and its Brontë associations would remain intact, with no harm to its heritage significance.”
Yet Rebecca Yorke, director of the Brontë Society, is not convinced.
“You can’t separate the Brontës’ work and the influence on them from the landscape itself,” she says. “The two are completely entwined.”
Despite having seen visitor numbers increase by 20pc, in part because of the release of Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights, Yorke believes the tourism related to the literary heritage would be affected if the project went ahead, given the landscape would be “forever changed”.
“Wuthering Heights is full of references to wildlife, particularly birds, such as lapwings and skylarks, which are around today. And there are also several mentions of peat in the novel,” she says
“The Brontës themselves were well aware of the nature which made up the moors.”
Yorke points to the final line of Wuthering Heights in which Lockwood, seemingly untouched by the turbulence he has witnessed, ponders the “quiet earth” of Brontë country.
“If Calderdale Energy Park is not stopped, then the ‘quiet’ of this unique and special place will be shattered by the industrial hum of turbines, and the ‘earth’ replaced by tons of concrete,” she says. (Robert White)
The fact that Calderdale Energy Park is wilfully misunderstanding what 'landscape' means and the very real fears of local residents (and not just local residents) for the area says it all, really. We sincerely hope the plans will fall through, and the sooner the better.

Indie Boulevard features Amanda Fagan, whose new song ‘Forever Yearn’ 'takes its heart from Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights'.
The couple in the song burn with feeling, however let their pride stand between them. Years pass. Only then do the lyrical protagonists see what they’ve lost, and by that point, the door is already closed. What remains is longing that never fades and hunger with nowhere left to go.
Amanda Fagan treats this story with lightness, allowing the sadness to come through naturally. “Forever Yearn” is a minor tragedy concerning timing and stubbornness, in that two lives can easily drift apart when neither of the individuals is willing to yield first.
The song takes a classic story of ruined passion and turns it into a personal and up-to-date account, one that deals with the cost of delaying too long in saying what is important. (Layla Moore)
Several news outlets published the obituary of the actress June Wyndham Davies (1929-2026), who appeared in 1953 in a regional production of Wuthering Heights:
She moved on to the Theatre Royal, Horsham, where her roles included Catherine Earnshaw in Wuthering Heights (1953), with Michael Caine as her brother Hindley. (Anthony Hayward in The Guardian)

Tuesday, September 22, 2026

In The Telegraph and Argus, Brontë Parsonage Museum director, Rebecca Yorke, discusses the proposed West Yorkshire tourism levy.
Rebecca Yorke, director of the Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth, said: "We have not consulted our local accommodation partners or our visitors about the possible introduction of an overnight visitor levy, but understand why there might be concerns.
"The current economic climate continues to put pressure on the budgets of businesses and visitors alike and many tourist destinations have already been impacted by increased costs, e.g. the price of fuel and car parking charges."
She stressed the need for transparency if a levy is introduced.
Ms Yorke said: "While the introduction of a tourism levy will bring us in line with many European destinations, we believe it's important that its purpose is clearly communicated and articulates how the income generated by it will be used." (Amelia Short)
Awards Watch reviews the new film adaptation of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility while reminding readers of the fact that:
Just this year, Emerald Fennell crafted her own spin on Emily Brontë’s “Wuthering Heights,” and Christopher Nolan struck box office gold with his version of “The Odyssey,” proving there is always new material to mine, even if it makes literary purists uneasy. (Sophia Ciminello)
Southern Living lists '23 Books To Read When You Want To Cozy Up On A Rainy Day' including
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
A gothic story of longing set between two neighboring estates in a bleak northern England setting, Wuthering Heights follows multiple generations of love stories between destructive characters and passionate romantic tangles. Obsessive love, social class, and even a few ghostly hauntings come into play in this page-turner that feels like one endless rainy day. (Arabella Hau)
Vanguardia (Mexico) also includes Wuthering Heights on an autumn reading list.

Stroud Times recommends going to see the local production of Underdog. The Other Other Brontë Sister. A contributor to Kumparan discusses 'Why Jane [Eyre] Chooses Self-Respect Over a Comfortable Life'.

Finally, the podcast The Book Club discusses Jane Eyre:
The Real Love Story Behind Jane Eyre Was Much Darker 
Join Dominic Sandbrook and Tabitha Syrett as they delve into the fascinating story behind the writing of Jane Eyre, the world it was born of, and the novel itself.

Monday, September 21, 2026

Monday, September 21, 2026 7:10 am by Cristina in , , , ,    No comments
A reviewer from NTDaily compares Practical Magic 2 unfavourably with respect to Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights.
It is not that every film needs a blockbuster budget to justify its worth, but other mid-budget films released this year, such as “Wuthering Heights" or even “The Sheep Detectives,” do not have these same visual problems. This is despite both films having comparable budgets and similar amounts of CGI to “Practical Magic 2.” (Riley Morgan)
A contributor to The Conversation mentions Wide Sargasso Sea in an article about The Other Bennet Sister and new perspectives in reading classic novels. Librotea (in Spanish) lists Jane Eyre among other books in which love wins. Autumn poems on AnneBrontë.org.

Sunday, September 20, 2026

Sunday, September 20, 2026 10:54 am by Cristina in , , , ,    No comments
A columnist from Stylist says she grew up 
studying Jane Eyre in school and being drawn to characters who are always unapologetic and tenacious, some characters come into your life to teach you lessons – that you should take up more space or challenge the rules a little. (Harriet Curzon)
A contributor to Norfolk Daily News writes about The Professor.
Many critics cite Brontë’s noticeable personal prejudices throughout the story as well as a plot lacking intensity and depth as reasons to consider this the lesser of her four novels. They may be right on one level, but others note that Brontë cleverly used a male narrator to point out and address areas in which women weren’t treated as they should have been, most noticeably in the workforce and in terms of their pay.
Whether you see the story’s flaws or prefer to see its good points, “The Professor” deserves a read by anyone wanting another glimpse into the mind of the woman who gave us “Jane Eyre.” (Tammy Marshall)
HuffPost highlights the fact that Ella Bruccoleri hadn't read any Jane Austen prior to playing Mary Bennet in The Other Bennet Sister.
“It’s mad, isn’t it? But I’m from North Yorkshire, and I just thought Jane Austen wasn’t a writer for me. She was more for posh southern people. I used to read loads of Brontë because that was the world I was from,” the actor said. (Amy Glover)
For some reason, Hartford Courant has parents describe their kids as if they were books.
“Like a great character in a romance novel, Evelyn plays a leading role in life. Her fierce independence, passion for life, and intense love for family makes her a modern Jane Eyre.” (Chris John Amorosino)

The Brontë Sisters UK explores her personal collection of Wuthering Heights editions.

Saturday, September 19, 2026

Saturday, September 19, 2026 11:00 am by Cristina in , ,    No comments
The New York Times features a dating app for bookish people: Readme.
Readme isn’t the first dating app for book lovers, but its release comes at a time when the fetish for literary culture and all things bookish has reached a fever pitch. Celebrities like Solange Knowles, Kaia Gerber and Dua Lipa herself have started virtual book clubs and libraries. Film adaptations of literary classics like “Wuthering Heights” and “The Odyssey” are some of the biggest talkers of the year. One New York City bookseller, McNally Jackson, hosts sexy singles events, while another sends its regulars out into the streets in branded caps that simply say “Books” on the front. (Gina Cherelus)
BBC highlighted one of the events that were part of last night's Culture Night in Belfast.
There was a "living jukebox" in Royal Avenue, a wrestling corner at Grand Central Station and Kate Bush fans got the chance to strut their stuff at nearby Saltwater Square for a "Wuthering Heights extravaganza".
Carrie Davenport/Culture Night Belfast A number of people playing violins at Culture Night Belfast in 2025. There is a woman at the front with long brown hair and a dark blouse, playing a violin.Carrie Davenport/Culture Night Belfast
Culture Night Belfast returned last year after a four-year hiatus
The Kitsch Sisters, who seek to empower women through "creativity, connection and community" hosted "Cathy's Call" which they described as a "flashmob, immersive dance".
"When people turn up, they must be wearing red, it is essential," Aoife McAteer told BBC Radio Ulster's the Ticket.
"You don't have to be a dancer, you don't have to have any rhythm, you don't have to come with a big group of people, just arrive.
"Arrive dressed in red, at seven o'clock [in the evening] and we have a choreographer there called Lauren, who is going to take everybody through the steps." (Ross McKee)

Friday, September 18, 2026

Love Horror reviews Wuthering Heights: The House of the Damned.
Heathcliff and Catherine’s doomed romance has always carried more than a hint of the macabre, but Wuthering Heights: The House of the Damned is taking that darkness much further. The new British horror reworking of Emily Brontë’s classic novel transforms Catherine into a vengeful ghost and Heathcliff into a man prepared to kill in order to bring her back.
Directed by Rebecca J Matthews, the film will be released to own next month through Signature Entertainment, offering a supernatural reinterpretation of one of literature’s most famously destructive relationships.
The story begins after Catherine’s death, with her spirit haunting the halls of Wuthering Heights and terrorising those who remain there. Heathcliff, consumed by grief and obsession, becomes convinced that her continued presence depends on bloodshed and begins carrying out sacrifices in the hope that Catherine might eventually possess a living body.
That arrangement is disrupted by the arrival of Mr Lockwood, a new tenant at a neighbouring property whose curiosity draws him into the increasingly dangerous affairs of the house. As his health deteriorates and his grip on reality begins to falter, Lockwood encounters Catherine’s tortured apparition while gradually discovering just how far Heathcliff is willing to go.
Liana Failla wrote the screenplay, drawing on Brontë’s 1847 novel while pushing the material firmly into supernatural horror. Rather than treating Catherine’s presence as an ambiguous gothic element, the film makes her ghost central to the action, with Heathcliff’s grief transformed into a murderous devotion.
Filming took place in Brechin, Scotland, giving the production a suitably remote backdrop for its reimagining of the isolated Yorkshire estate.
The project joins a long line of screen adaptations inspired by Wuthering Heights, although its emphasis on possession, sacrifice and explicitly supernatural violence takes the material in a markedly different direction from the more traditional romantic and period-drama interpretations.  The House of the Damned recasts Catherine and Heathcliff’s relationship as something much more dangerous, turning romantic obsession into the engine for a full gothic horror story. (Emily Bennett)
A columnist from The Guardian wonders, 'Why stop at Wuthering Heights: House of the Damned? Bring on Mrs Dalloway’s Rampage!'
In which case, you really have to applaud whoever came up with the idea of Wuthering Heights: The House of the Damned. Available on digital platforms in three short weeks (on 19 October in fact), it is a remake of Emily Brontë’s classic novel, only scarier. In the film, as far as I am able to tell, Cathy has died and her ghost starts haunting Heathcliff to the point that he starts murdering everyone. Is it any good? All signs point to not really, especially since the trailer contains a shot where Cathy seems to become a zombie so that she can punch through a window and strangle someone to death. But will I watch it? Oh God, try to stop me.
You can see what’s happening here, can’t you? Emerald Fennell made a Wuthering Heights film this year and it was wildly successful, currently the 19th biggest film of 2026. But Wuthering Heights was published 179 years ago, so anyone can do whatever they want with it. Fennell’s film proved this all too well, with its rubbing and squishing and skin-coloured rooms. But it also means that someone else can hop on the back of it and turn it into a hammy horror about a zombie in a bridal gown. It’s not like the Brontës are around to sue, is it? (Stuart Heritage)
A sad case of 'Wisdom has been chasing you, but you've always been faster' in another article of The Guardian, though. 
Rain came in with the wind and I got absolutely drenched on the final approach to Haworth. But soon after, I was entering Bradford’s prettiest township and thinking about coffee and cake. The walk officially ends at Penistone Hill country park, but after taking walking therapy a few years ago, I am no longer a completist – and was satisfied with my walk and mini achievement. I bowed out on Haworth high street, without so much as a glance at the Brontë Parsonage Museum. (Chris Moss)
Are we really supposed to cheer that on now?

For The Sun, Haworth is 'the most autumnal English destination EVER'
Cobbled streets, vintage shops, pubs with roaring fires all surrounded by rolling countryside hills – you’ll find it all in this Yorkshire village.
There’s no better time to visit than autumn, as the whole village gets a seasonal overhaul with huge shop displays and twinkling lights for the dark evenings.
The West Yorkshire village called Haworth has absolutely everything associated with autumn from cobbled streets to charming cottages and cosy cafes. [...]
The town has literature connections too as it was home of the Brontë sisters, who between them wrote books like Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre.
Yorkshire.com explained: “Home of the famous Brontë sisters, Haworth is an undisputed literary mecca, attracting visitors from all around the world." (Alice Penwill)
A contributor to The Conversation discusses why 'the places we love in books can never quite be found in real life'.
From the Brontës' Haworth to Jane Austen's Bath, Wordsworth's Lake District and Thomas Hardy's Dorset, literary places continue to exert a powerful hold over readers.
Literary tourism appears to be enjoying renewed popularity, from visits inspired by classic novels to the TikTok trend of turning books into travel itineraries. But what exactly are literary tourists hoping to find when they get there? The answer is more complicated than it might seem.
Haworth, Bath and Dorset all exist, obviously. They can be found on a map and visited. But the Brontë moors, Austen's Bath, Wordsworth's Lakes and Hardy's Wessex are also literary reimaginings of those places. They may never have existed in quite the form readers imagine.
Our fascination with literary places has a long history. Literary geography, which combines physical geography with literary studies, emerged in the late 19th century as the novel grew in popularity and, in many ways, developed alongside literary tourism.
In 1899, William Lyon Phelps created his Literary Map of England, marking locations associated with authors and literary works. A few years later, William Sharp's Literary Geography (1904) mapped regions such as "Dickens land," "the Brontë country" and the literary geography of the English lakes.
These early literary maps invited readers to see where fictional and geographical worlds appeared to overlap. More than a century later, readers are still seeking those points of intersection. [...]
When visitors reach Haworth, Grasmere or Dorset, they are not encountering those places for the first time. They have already visited them in their imagination. Their version of the landscape has been assembled from books, films, photographs, places they have visited and other cultural references. When they arrive, they compare the physical location with that imagined one. [...]
At Haworth, visitors move through domestic spaces associated with the Brontë family while simultaneously encountering the imaginative worlds of Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights.
The Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth derives much of its power from bringing biography, landscape, family tragedy and fiction together in one place. [...]
From the earliest maps of Dickens land and Brontë country to today’s literary pilgrimages, the goal has remained remarkably consistent: to find the point at which real and fictional worlds collide. Literary geography suggests that this point may never quite be reachable. Perhaps that is precisely why readers keep looking for it. (Rebecca Hutcheon)
A couple of sites are wondering why CNN shone the spotlight on the fact that Jane Eyre is now mandatory reading for Chinese teenagers. According to China Daily, CNN is 'Reading too much into a reading list'.
There was a time when putting Jane Eyre on a school reading list would have been regarded as a fairly ordinary educational decision. A teacher might have thought that young readers could benefit from encountering a spirited orphan, a brooding gentleman, a Gothic mansion and a complex moral journey. CNN, however, has discovered that the matter may be considerably more sinister. The appearance of Charlotte Brontë's novel on a Chinese reading list, it suggests, is evidence of something called ideology.
This is an impressive burden to place on a book. A novel that has survived Victorian moralists, modern feminists, postcolonial critics, film directors, television producers and generations of adolescent readers must now also survive the investigative imagination of cable news.
According to CNN, the Chinese authorities see Jane Eyre as a corrective to the superficial romantic fantasies of the social-media age. That interpretation is not especially difficult to understand. The novel does, after all, present a young woman who values dignity, independence and moral self-respect more than money or social position. Jane refuses to become Rochester's mistress even though she loves him. She rejects St John's proposal because it offers duty without affection. Her famous declaration — "I care for myself" — is hardly a ringing endorsement of passive obedience.
Yet CNN appears determined to treat the inclusion of an extracurricular classic as a coded ideological communique. One begins to wonder whether every alteration to a school reading list must now be examined for signs of a change in the authority's philosophical weather. If a book is added, it is a signal. If a book is removed, it is another signal. If a book remains where it was, perhaps that is the most ominous signal of all.
There is, of course, a legitimate discussion to be had about Jane Eyre. The novel was published in London in 1847, and its treatment of Bertha Mason, the "mad woman in the attic", has rightly attracted criticism. Its depiction of colonialism, race and imperial wealth deserves scrutiny. Rochester's conduct, too, may strike contemporary readers as less than an ideal model of romantic behaviour. But literary criticism requires a modest acquaintance with history. Brontë was writing in the nineteenth century, not drafting a relationship guide for the year 2026. To read an old novel critically is sensible; to demand that it conform entirely to present-day moral vocabulary is to confuse literature with an updated terms-of-service agreement.
A classic's value does not depend on its being ideologically spotless. Jane Eyre has generated a vast critical literature, inspired countless adaptations for stage and screen, and remained influential across cultures for nearly two centuries. Its endurance is not proof that every idea in it is beyond question. It is proof that the novel contains enough artistic power, psychological complexity and unresolved contradiction to keep readers arguing. [...]
A reading list is usually a reading list. Sometimes a book is chosen because it is good, sometimes because it is available, and occasionally because someone has actually read it. That last possibility may be less dramatic than ideological intrigue, but it is probably worth considering. (Li Yang)
And from Global Times (also a Chinese newspaper):
In the fall semester of 2026, the British literary classic Jane Eyre was included in the ninth-grade Chinese language curriculum as part of the "whole-book reading" list. CNN reported on the news, but described China's textbooks as being "tightly curated by the state," claiming that the inclusion of such a British romantic classic was "surprising."
But what is so "surprising" about Jane Eyre being included in Chinese middle school curriculum?
Thornfield Hall, Rochester, the secret in the attic, and Jane Eyre herself - a petite woman of plain appearance who refuses to yield to fate - have long been part of the shared literary memory of generations of Chinese readers. As early as 1917, "A Sketch of Western Women Novelists" published in Women's Magazine, a magazine founded in Shanghai in 1915, introduced Charlotte Brontë and Jane Eyre. In July 1925, Zhou Shoujuan's translation Chong Guang Ji is believed to be the earliest Chinese translation of the novel. In 1979, the film Jane Eyre was released in China. In 1980, the Shanghai Translation Publishing House published Zhu Qingying's translation, with an initial print run of about 270,000 copies.
How could it be "surprising" that a work read in China for over a century - given its immense popularity - has become part of the required reading list for Chinese students? Is it that CNN's understanding of China is too outdated, or that it simply refuses to take off its colored glasses?
The Chinese Ministry of Education has clearly stated that Chinese language textbooks include "a wide range of classical and contemporary works from both China and abroad." Many foreign literary classics such as Resurrection, One Hundred Years of Solitude, Hamlet, and To the Skylark have already been included in Chinese language textbooks. CNN's reporters may not even be aware that former US president Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address has also been included in the People's Education Press high school elective curriculum.
What is even more puzzling is that in its report, CNN specifically interviewed several Chinese parents and scholars who opposed the inclusion of Jane Eyre, citing concerns that the book might "teach girls in class that their brain should being wrongly ruled by love." While questioning whether it helps adolescents develop "healthy values," it made no mention of the broad public appreciation for the novel in China. When quoting coverage from the Beijing Daily, CNN also selectively omitted student reflections from a Jane Eyre reading session - insights that touched on core themes of love, respect, growth, and emotional resonance with remarkable precision.
Great literature transcends language, nationality, and time. The enduring resonance of Jane Eyre among Chinese readers is a testament to the success of cultural exchange between China and the world. The CNN report, which repeatedly emphasized "surprise," does not appear to be an attempt to challenge stereotypes about China, but rather to reinforce them under a different guise.
To be quite honest, we weren't expecting to see Jane Eyre embroiled in international politics, but that's the Brontës' incessantly busy afterlife for you.

Church Times reviews Susan Dunne's book Charlotte Brontë and Elizabeth Gaskell: Their lives, friendship and writings.
Part III is the most original in the book. Entitled “The Unlucky Book” (1855-60), its chapters chart the story of Elizabeth’s research for The Life of Charlotte Brontë and the several libel cases that followed its too hasty publication. Vivid vignettes abound, as when Elizabeth and Catherine Winkworth travel to Haworth by train to find the parsonage still deep in mourning and both clergymen breaking down in tears, and when the biographer enlists the help of her daughters and some of her many visitors in copying Brontë letters. Her rash comments on Lydia Robinson, Branwell Brontë’s femme fatale (literally), and Cowan Bridge School got her into even more trouble than had Mary Barton and Ruth. Changes were made in a later edition, and Elizabeth swore never to write another biography.
Religion shaped these writers’ lives but is ignored here. The book contains many typos and is printed on inferior paper. Nevertheless, it remains a page-turner. (Dr Michael Wheeler)
The Telegraph and Argus celebrates the fact that the Brontë Birthplace welcomed 'over 100 open day visitors'.
Located in Thornton, Bradford, the birthplace of the famous literary family welcomed more than 100 visitors during a special open day held on Sunday, September 13, as part of a scheme of free heritage open days.
The exhibition, titled From Butcher's Shop to Birthplace: The Story of the Brontë Birthplace, focused on the building’s transformation after the Brontë family left Thornton.
Thomas Haigh, vice chair of the Brontë Birthplace, said: "Visitors loved the exhibition, and it was really nice to see the Brontë Birthplace attracting new audiences who aren't necessarily Brontë fans.
"One visitor said the exhibition was so informative, and it was a wonderful experience to learn about the butcher’s shop as well as the Brontës history.
"The building is so iconic because it is the birthplace of the famous Brontë authors."
The Brontës lived in Thornton for five years before moving to Haworth.
The exhibition traced the building’s later life, including its time as a butcher’s shop run by Reg Lovette for more than 40 years.
Mr Haigh said the highlight of the day was their VIP guests Barbara, the daughter of Mr Lovette and her husband Alan.
"Barbara was there throughout the day sharing more memories and greeting visitors as they came to learn more about one of Thornton's Master Butchers." (Amelia Short)

Thursday, September 17, 2026

Thursday, September 17, 2026 7:51 am by Cristina in , , , , , , , ,    No comments
The Guardian has an obituary for Bonnie Greer:
Bonnie Greer was a joiner. She was on the board of everything, from the Women’s prize for fiction to the British Museum, she was president of the Brontë society – she got stuck in. (Zoe Williams)
There's also an obituary in The Telegraph and Argus:
Role in the Brontë Society
A lifelong admirer of literature, Greer brought a fresh perspective to the organisation, which is dedicated to preserving the legacy of sisters Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë and operates the famous Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth.
During her presidency, Greer championed efforts to broaden the appeal of the Brontës’ work and attract more diverse audiences.
She argued that the Brontës belonged to the world rather than a narrow literary elite and wanted the society to connect with younger people and communities across Yorkshire, including Bradford’s large and varied population.
After several months of internal disagreements, she resigned as president in June 2015. (Amelia Short)
Many sites are also reporting that Jane Eyre is now mandatory reading for teenagers in China. From CNN:
When teenagers went back to school in China earlier this month, one book on their new mandatory reading list stood out: the 19th century English novel “Jane Eyre.”
The literary classic, originally considered a trailblazing tale of female empowerment, might seem a surprising choice in a country where textbooks are tightly curated by the state to ensure ideological conformity.
But Beijing sees another message in Charlotte Brontë’s work –– the value of finding true love.
The story presents a counterbalance to the “superficial notions about appearance and wealth” of the social media age, according to the state-run Beijing Daily newspaper.
In recent years, online novels and micro dramas featuring outlandish plots of wealth flaunting, wronged lovers, brooding billionaires and ill-fated mistresses plotting revenge have become mainstream entertainment. And that’s attracted the attention of China’s censors.
In June, the broadcasting regulator launched a campaign to crack down on “harmful and lowbrow” content seen as promoting “distorted” views on relationships and marriage.
But reading the story of Jane Eyre –– an orphan girl who finds her independence while suffering a series of hardships and eventually falls in love with her wealthy employer –– will help China’s 14-year-olds “develop sounder values,” said Beijing Daily.
“When children are first beginning to experience romantic feelings and are still naive and inexperienced, it is a crucial stage for developing a healthy character,” it said.
The coming-of-age story has been wildly popular in China since it first arrived in the country in 1925 and has been translated, published and adapted into theatre and screen productions countless times. A British film even made its way to Chinese theatres in 1979, following the country’s turbulent Cultural Revolution.
Jane Eyre –– who famously says to her future husband “do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong” –– has long been seen as an anti-repression heroine by the working class in China. And the book has long been accepted by China’s ruling communist party.
But its inclusion in the curriculum is striking at a time when other forms of feminist discussion and activism have increasingly come under scrutiny in China.
And some parents have questioned whether modern day Chinese youths who have been raised in a relatively comfortable environment, could understand or relate to the deep and complicated love story portrayed in the novel.
One parent said that her son had asked whether reading Jane Eyre was “teaching girls in (his) class that their brain should being wrongly ruled by love.”
The parent, writing on social media platform Xiaohongshu, said that her son couldn’t understand why Jane chooses to marry a man who was blind, and the whole thing looked like a bad deal.
Qin Shiwen, a recent Chinese literature graduate in Beijing told CNN that including a classic like Jane Eyre into primary education “is very necessary.”
“China’s basic education system places a heavy emphasis on academic knowledge and high achievement, but very, very little focus on love or character development,” said Shiwen.
But the book, first published in 1847, has in recent years been criticized for its treatment of a character Brontë often describes as a ‘mad woman.”
“The more I think about it, the more problematic I find it,” said Yan Hairong, a sociology scholar at Beijing’s Tsinghua University, pointing to the portrayal of the “mad woman in the attic” and the book’s “underlying themes of colonialism.”
Yan has doubts whether the novel will help Chinese teenagers build up healthy values, saying some students may just absorb it “without critically examining the problematic ideas embedded within it.”
“I have some concerns about teaching the novel at the middle-school level, particularly if it is presented as a textbook or as an example of profound romantic love,” Yan told CNN. (Sylvie Zhuang)
Also reported by BGNES:
Beijing, however, sees a message about the importance of true love in the novel. According to the state-run Beijing Daily newspaper, the book offers a counterbalance to the “superficial notions about appearance and wealth” that have become widespread in the social media age.
In recent years, online novels and short dramas featuring plots about flaunting wealth, unrequited love, billionaires and revenge have become popular entertainment. In June, China’s regulator launched a campaign against “harmful and lowbrow” content, including material portraying “distorted” views of marriage and relationships.
According to Beijing Daily, the story of Jane Eyre – an orphan who goes through a series of hardships, asserts her independence and falls in love with her wealthy employer – could help 14-year-old students develop “sounder values.”
“When children are first beginning to experience romantic feelings and are still naive and inexperienced, it is a crucial stage for developing a healthy character,” the publication said.
The novel has been popular in China since 1925 and has been translated, published and adapted for the stage and screen many times. Jane Eyre has long been seen in the country as a heroine who stands against oppression, and the novel has also been accepted by China’s ruling Communist Party. Its inclusion in the curriculum, however, comes at a time when feminist debate and activism in China have come under increased scrutiny.
The Guardian never misses a chance to put down Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights. Reviewing Charli xcx's Music, Fashion, Film tour:
a windswept soundtrack that more or less saved the otherwise dreadful Wuthering Heights (Adrian Horton)
The Nerd Daily has a Q&A with writer Hannah Mathewson:
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
The [book] that made you want to become an author: Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë (Elise Dumpleton)
Collider has selected and ranked 'The 8 Greatest Gothic Horror Books of the Last 25 Years' and one of them is Virginia Feito's Victorian Psycho, described 
 like a cross between Jane Eyre and an especially nasty slasher movie. (Luc Haasbroek)
Fairy Powered Productions reviews Conn Artists' take on Jane Eyre as seen at Windsor Theatre Royal.

Tuesday, September 15, 2026

Tuesday, September 15, 2026 7:15 am by Cristina in , ,    No comments
According to Comic Book, Wuthering Heights: House of the Damned ' Is Already Doing 3 Things Better' than Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights:
With a recently released trailer for Wuthering Heights: House of the Damned, director Becca Hirani (the Elevator) posits a different spin on the story, one that is leaning into gothic horror in three key ways, setting it on track to embrace the spirit of the novel, rather than distort it. 
3. Cathy’s Ghost Has Agency in This Version of Wuthering Heights
When Mr. Lockwood, a new tenant of Thrushcross Grange, arrives at Wuthering Heights, he soon finds etchings under a windowsill. The etchings spell out the name Catherine Earnshaw and then Catherine Linton. While investigating, Mr. Lockwood comes face to face with a ghost who breaks through the window pane, slamming him against the wall by gripping his throat. 
The ghost of Cathy is absent from Fennell’s adaptation along with many that came before it, but is present in the trailer for Wuthering Heights: House of the Damned. The element is distinctively horror, especially in the way Hirani uses it. Here, the ghost is not passive or something belonging in the house, but rather a spirit acting against Mr. Lockwood. 
It amps up the danger Mr. Lockwood is in, a danger that was previously relegated to the characters still alive. Audiences know to be wary of Mr. Heathcliff, but it is an adaptational twist to give Cathy back this capacity for violence from beyond the grave. 
In the novel, Brontë leaves Cathy’s ghost ambiguous. The presence is felt through knocking and a repeated cry heard through the window, along with rumors spread about town, but it isn’t something that’s able to harm Mr. Lockwood in the way Hirani’s does. 
2. Violence that Can’t be Romanticized in House of the Damned
Hirani’s Wuthering Heights from the get go is off to a better start with the inclusion of Cathy’s brother Hindley. Fennell’s adaptation erased the character completely, choosing to give his abusive traits to Cathy’s father. But with Hindley in the narrative — as long as he isn’t suddenly the perfect brother — the violence in the film is no longer solely romantic. The visual symbols of violence in Hirani’s Wuthering Heights: House of the Damned are not a noose or handcuffs trying to erotic but rather smashed glass, a sharp knife, and bloody eyes. 
The romance of Cathy and Heathcliff is present but it is framed completely differently. No longer the greatest love story ever told, it is now “the most harrowing romance of all time”. The film’s synopsis paints Heathcliff as obsessed in the wake of Cathy’s death and from her influence “turning murderous on all who dwell there.” It’s a shift from Heathcliff’s revenge plot in the book, inflicted there on the resulting children of the Earnshaw and Linton families. Instead, it is more immediate. Heathcliff, with the aid of Cathy’s ghost, is likely going after those who currently dwell in the house rather than a future generation.
1.  Wuthering Heights as Haunted House Narrative
At its core, Wuthering Heights is a story of a haunted house, and Hirani’s visuals reflect this. The house looks unassuming from the outside, but inside, every room is cast in shadow. The characters have to resort to candlelight and even then, much is still obscured from view. 
The frame narrator Mr. Lockwood isn’t supposed to be there. He’s renting out the sister property Thrushcross Grange, depicted as lighter and a pleasant place to live, but his own niceties have brought him to Wuthering Heights, wanting to know his neighbors. It is Mr. Lockwood then who should be most primed to escape. Yet, as the trailer shows him painfully looking in the mirror as his reflection is replaced with Cathy’s, not even him can do that. He is stuck at Wuthering Heights, much like the Earnshaws. 
With the emphasis placed on Cathy’s ghost, it raises the question if Wuthering Heights will be depicted as haunted prior to Cathy’s death. As mentioned before, the exterior shot of the estate looks rather normal. There are no overgrown branches or broken windows, but rather it is the inside and Cathy’s influence there that places it as haunted. The violence may have existed before her death but the physical markers don’t appear until after it. (Archie Wagner)
Meanwhile, Uno (Argentina) recommends watching Andrea Arnold's take on the novel.

Billboard shares the 5 best moments from Charli XCX's Music, Fashion, Film Tour in New York.
“Dying for You,” from Charli’s Wuthering Heights soundtrack released earlier this year, was a much-appreciated “Oh right, this song” selection from a set that already feels historically underappreciated. (Andrew Unterberger)
The new novel by André Aciman has been published first in Spanish. It's a compilation of four novellas, and one of them, Habitación frente al mar, begins with a solid
Wuthering Heights
reference:
André Aciman
Translated by Julia Osuna Aguilar
Ediciones Alfaguara
September 2026

En estas cuatro novelas cortas, André Aciman explora las incertidumbres, los deseos y los equívocos del amor. En «El caballero del Perú», unos amigos conocen en un hotel de la costa amalfitana a un misterioso huésped cuya presencia lo cambia todo. «Habitación frente al mar» narra el diálogo entre dos desconocidos que se encuentran en un juicio y comienzan una relación ambigua. «Mariana» reimagina un célebre relato del siglo XVII sobre la pasión entre una monja y un aristócrata inconstante. En «Polizones», un correo inesperado revela a Julian la existencia de una vida y un amor secretos que ignoraba por completo.
Sutil, melancólico y profundamente conmovedor, Idilio ilumina ese espacio incierto donde conviven el amor, el recuerdo y la esperanza. Una celebración de los encuentros que nos transforman y de las emociones que persisten mucho después de que todo haya terminado.
El Norte de Castilla (Spain) has the relevant information
Un abogado, una psicóloga y una larga espera para saber si son elegidos para formar parte de un jurado popular. No se conocen de nada, pero un ejemplar de 'Cumbres borrascosas' les sirve para romper el hielo. Comienzan a hablar para matar el tiempo y descubren todo aquello que tienen en común. En ambos casos, una pareja con la que llevan años y cuya relación muestra claros síntomas de erosión. Así que, encontrarse con alguien con quien estás cómodo y que te invita a hablar y a escuchar es quizá lo mejor que te puede suceder cuando no te queda otro remedio que esperar durante largas horas (días) hasta que otros tomen la decisión. 'Habitación frente al mar' es uno de los cuatro relatos que forman parte de 'Idilio', volumen en el que André Aciman describe otras tantas historias de amores imposibles y relaciones que se afianzan.  (Victor Vela) (Translation)

Monday, September 14, 2026

Monday, September 14, 2026 12:30 am by M. in , , ,    No comments
JoCa is a Mexican-Spanish artist who has released a series of paintings with the name, Echoes of Haworth. According to artist_container:
JoCa — a Mexican-Spanish artist born in 1984, whose practice explores identity, technology, and contemporary digital environments — has created Echoes of Haworth, a collection of 22 works spanning oil paintings and resin cameo sculptures, built around the figures of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë.
Curated by Rafael Pérez y Pérez, with management by Paulina Villarreal, the series is the most extensive project JoCa has undertaken to date: ten months of production, 25 original pieces of which only 22 are on display, and a monumental sculpture that will remain unseen until 2027.
It all began with an intimate gesture — rereading Wuthering Heights at 40, having first read it as a teenager — which led to research into Charlotte and Anne, and eventually became an exploration of gender, anonymity, and identity: themes already present in his earlier work, alongside classical portraiture pushed into abstract, hyperreal territory tied to mental health.
The works will be exhibited from September 17 to September 19 at the Galería Errante in México D.F.:
En Echoes of Haworth, JoCa establece un diálogo entre la tradición clásica del retrato y una visión contemporánea de la pintura. Sus figuras parten de lo reconocible para ser sometidas a un proceso de transformación: pinceladas vigorosas, capas superpuestas, desplazamientos y alteraciones de la imagen fracturan los rostros y generan una sensación simultánea de inquietud, movimiento y vulnerabilidad.
La serie encuentra su punto de partida en Charlotte, Emily y Anne Brontë, tres figuras fundamentales de la literatura del siglo XIX, y en el universo que construyeron desde Haworth, en West Yorkshire. En medio de los solitarios páramos ingleses y de las restricciones sociales de la época victoriana surgieron obras que trascenderían su tiempo, entre ellas Jane Eyre, Cumbres borrascosas y Agnes Grey.
Más allá de una representación literal de las escritoras o de sus personajes, JoCa recupera su historia para reflexionar sobre la construcción de la identidad y las estructuras que históricamente han determinado quién puede ser visto y quién puede ser escuchado.
Charlotte, Emily y Anne Brontë publicaron inicialmente bajo los seudónimos masculinos Currer, Ellis y Acton Bell, respectivamente. Este gesto, nacido de las convenciones de su época, se convierte dentro de la exposición en un punto de partida para abordar la tensión entre identidad y representación, entre aquello que una persona es y aquello que el entorno le permite mostrar.
En las obras, esta tensión se manifiesta mediante la fragmentación de los rostros. La imagen permanece reconocible, pero sus rasgos aparecen desplazados y parcialmente clausurados. JoCa no busca únicamente reproducir una apariencia física, sino capturar la sensación de una presencia: aquello que permanece detrás del rostro aun cuando la imagen comienza a desvanecerse.
Los marcos dorados forman parte fundamental de esta construcción simbólica. Más que delimitar las pinturas, actúan como una especie de jaula: una representación de las rígidas estructuras sociales de la Inglaterra del siglo XIX. Frente a ellas, las distorsiones y alteraciones de las figuras sugieren un espíritu que se resiste a permanecer contenido dentro del lienzo, del género o de su propia época.
La referencia a las Brontë se extiende también a la atmósfera emocional de la serie. Los ecos de Cumbres borrascosas, Jane Eyre y Agnes Grey aparecen en una pintura atravesada por conceptos como aislamiento, pérdida, opresión, deseo, crecimiento y resistencia. JoCa traslada esa intensidad literaria al lenguaje pictórico y convierte el retrato en un territorio donde conviven belleza y turbulencia.
La exposición invita así a reconsiderar los límites de la representación naturalista. Cada obra oscila entre presencia y desaparición, entre reconocimiento y distorsión, proponiendo una reflexión sobre la fragilidad de la memoria y sobre nuestra manera de percibir a los demás.
En Echoes of Haworth, el retrato deja de funcionar únicamente como registro de una apariencia para convertirse en una exploración de la identidad. La figura es reconocible y, simultáneamente, parece escapar de sí misma.
De esta manera, JoCa construye un homenaje contemporáneo al espíritu indomable de las hermanas Brontë y a la capacidad de una voz para trascender las estructuras que buscan contenerla. (Rafael Pérez y Pérez)

Via El Economista. 

Sunday, September 13, 2026

Sunday, September 13, 2026 12:59 pm by M. in , ,    No comments
Crisis Magazine thinks that Jane Eyre is a novel Catholics should read. It's like an Elizabeth Rigby revival in the 21st century:
These questions came to mind when I received an email from a young man who argued that Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë, was an immoral book which Catholics should not read. His argument was rooted in the immoral actions of Edward Rochester, a brooding and Byronic presence in the novel with whom Jane Eyre becomes involved romantically. I’ll let my correspondent state his case:
We see Edward Rochester breaking his wedding vows, poisoning the marital union by his rejection of giving up his life for his wife. He would have been content to continue his infatuation with Jane Eyre had she not discovered he was married; even after she knows this, Edward pleads with her to stay and be with him even though he cannot legally marry her…Edward clearly disregards his marital vow and is indifferent to the moral demand of the value-response his wife merits; he completely disregards the entire sphere of values to pursue his desire for union with Jane. In doing this, he poisons his affection towards Jane.
This is all very true, but the presence of a wicked and prideful character does not make the novel wicked and prideful. On the contrary, the novel exposes Rochester’s prideful wickedness, his neglect of his insane wife, and his deceitfulness. It also shows how his moral relativism has harmful and destructive consequences.
Charlotte Brontë’s classic novel is a great example of what might be called the art of darkness, which paradoxically sheds light on the presence of goodness, truth, and beauty. What, then, is the art of darkness and how does it show us goodness and truth? (...)
Having shown the difference between the art of darkness and the dark arts, there is no denying that Jane Eyre is very much the former. It is a Christian novel written by a devoutly Christian novelist. (Joseph Pearce)
The Star lists some of the Derbyshire places that will open to visitors on Heritage Open Days: 
Literary fans should visit North Lees Hall in Hathersage, believed to be the inspiration for Thornfield Hall, the home of Mr Rochester, in Charlotte Brontë’s novel Jane Eyre. The 16th century hall will be open to the public on September 20, from 11am until 3pm. (Gary Bolton)
A bit late, but Belfast Live announces their own Most Wuthering Heights Day:
Next Friday, September 18 at 7pm, Belfast will host its first mass participatory dance inspired by Kate Bush's iconic Wuthering Heights, as Kitsch Sisters bring Cathy's Call to Culture Night in Belfast. (Lauren Harte)

BookClub's AI thinks that Jane Eyre will turn you into a lifelong reader. The same AI thinks that Jasper Fforde's The Eyre Affair is good for a rainy day. Whatever.

Saturday, September 12, 2026

A columnist from The Chosun Daily has been to Haworth.
The Brontë sisters’ father was the parish priest of Howarth [sic]. The museum is a renovated parsonage where the sisters lived. Traces of the sisters remain everywhere, including the fireplace used by Emily Brontë and the dress of her elder sister Charlotte, who wrote *Jane Eyre*.
After leaving the parsonage, I began a trek across the moor—the wild, open landscape that inspired *Wuthering Heights*. Top Withens, the ruined farmhouse said to have influenced the novel, sits atop a hill approximately 430 meters above sea level.
Walking for about an hour and a half across the moor, where only the wind’s whisper could be heard, I reached the desolate scene: two trees standing beside a crumbling stone house at the hill’s summit. Sitting on the roof of the abandoned house and looking down, I saw vast plains dotted with purple heather flowers swaying in the wind—a serene yet beautiful sight. I realized that the author, having grown up in such scenery, could depict a love that is both tranquil and ferocious. Facing the strong wind, I quietly recited Catherine’s famous line expressing her passion for Heathcliff: “I am Heathcliff!” (Kwak Ah-ram)
Still quite near, The Telegraph and Argus interviews the owners of Wuthering Delights, a café near the Brontë Birthplace in Thornton.

1428 Elm thinks that 'Wuthering Heights: The House of the Damned promises a more faithful and horrific version'.
Conversely, the trailer for Wuthering Heights: House of the Damned does a pretty solid job of selling it as being just as faithful of an adaptation as many of the others have been over the past century. There’s Catherine’s ghost, a look at Cathy (meaning that the story will at least dabble in the decades-spanning material), and even looks to be taking significant inspiration from the latter pieces of the book that rarely see any play in cinematic versions. Notably, the film has even cast Sky Cheema, a non-white actor, in the role of Heathcliff, which was famously played by the very white Jacob Elordi most recently, inciting a great deal of controversy.
All in all, this is a fun riff on the idea and is just as valid as any number of the countless other adaptations over the years, in theory. My hope is that Hirani and co. keep their heads up and resist the urge to just turn it into a hack-and-slash feature with Wuthering Heights cosplay, instead embracing the story’s actual text in meaningful ways. To their credit, the trailer looks like much more of the latter rather than the former, so I’m more than down to check it out. (William Jones)
Woman's World has writer Min Jin Lee (of Pachinko fame) recommend several books.
A book Min Jin Lee would give to her younger self: 
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. Originally published in 1847, this novel has become one of the most-read books of all time. It’s the story of every chapter of Jane Eyre’s life, from her harsh upbringing as an orphan to her position as governess for a young French girl at Thornfield estate, where she meets and falls in love with the charming Mr. Rochester. It’s a powerful tale of love, classism, religion and feminism.
What Min Jin Lee says about this book: “[I] recall reading this in [my] 20s, but [I] should have read it in [my] teens and then revisited it in [my] 30s.” (Carissa Mosness)
Book Club Chat has a Q&A with writer Carly Hillman.
What are some of your favorite novels?
This is such a tough question, because I feel like it is constantly changing depending on the season, my mood, where I am… But God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë will always be on my list, for sentimental reasons: I read both in high school, and they were two of the first novels that unlocked my love of devouring and discussing books with others. (Heather Caliendo)
Black Hills Pioneer features a local 11-year-old girl who has just read Jane Eyre.
She awarded the literary classic 5 stars, and high praise — the only thing she disliked about the book was “that the story had to end! I wish it could have gone on forever,” [she] said. 
She felt picking up the Brontë novel also boosted her vocabulary. 
“One thing I like about this book is that it’s a older book and has older words to learn, so you can learn what they mean,” [she] said.
The Tab lists '15 guaranteed signs in a university student’s room that he’s a total f***boy' and apparently one of them is this one:
9. Performative male book
He has one whole book – a copy of Wuthering Heights he bought for his GCSEs (because he thought it was the same as Jane Eyre). The book is displayed prominently opposite the door, to demonstrate what an erudite feminist he is. (Claudia Cox)
Finally, a new episode of the Behind the Glass podcast has been released:
 S4 E7: With... Ruth Rossington
Mia and Sam chat to their colleague Ruth on this episode! Ruth is part of the Visitor Experience team at the Museum and has previously worked as a journalist and London tour guide!
We look at the progression of photography in the nineteenth century and discuss the mysterious backstory of one particular item in the collection...
A recently published Wuthering Heights French retelling:
by Claudine Galea
L'Arche Éditeur (Des Écrits pour la Parole)
ISBN: 9782381980997
February 2026
Des fleurs plus brillantes plus féroces que la rose poussent sur la plus
noire des landes. Je suis la plus noire des landes tu es la plus noire de
mes fleurs. Viens Cathy approche n’aie pas peur.
Romance hantée par ses propres personnages, Hurlevent carcasse est un récit choral, qui amplifie le livre d’Emily Brontë pour faire retentir sa puissante modernité. Ouvrage majeur de la littérature du XIXe siècle, écrit sous pseudonyme masculin, Les Hauts de Hurvelent s’est imposé comme texte canonique sur la passion amoureuse, la vengeance et la folie, un roman furieux et cruel.
Claudine Galea plonge dans cette matière, entrelace des voix dans un corps-à-corps effréné et aiguise à l’os le récit d’amour fusionnel et de haine fatale. Explorant toutes les formes de domination à l’oeuvre, elle révèle le fondement colonial de cette histoire de passion, de mépris de classe et de haine de soi, au sein d’une société victorienne en pleine expansion capitaliste.