Fantasizing about romance, escape and literary greatness

The Washington Post reviews the screen adaptation of Caitlin Moran's How to Build a Girl.

Beanie Feldstein stars as Johanna Morrigan, a 16-year-old British high school student living in a council house with her affably chaotic working class family in Wolverhampton in the 1990s. Fantasizing about romance, escape and literary greatness, she worships at the altar of Sylvia Plath, Jo March and the Brontë sisters, whose pictures — along with other heroes and sheroes — adorn her crammed bedroom wall. (Ann Hornaday)

A columnist from The Irish Times recalls the last time she was in isolation.

The last time I was in isolation, I had the whooping cough. I must have been aged eight or nine, in Sister Consilio’s class and laid up for so long in April, May, June, I was worried I wouldn’t be “promoted” come July. [...]
So whooping cough gave me the greatest gift of my life – my love of reading. First it was The Grey Goose of Kilnevin,The Turf Cutter’s Donkey and anything else by Patricia Lynch. Then David Copperfield, so brutally wrenched away from his mother. Poor Pip in Great Expectations. And Jane Eyre – the heartbreak when Jane’s only friend Helen dies of consumption in Lowood School. (Dorothy Allen)

Maxima (Portugal) lists Jane Eyre as one of 10 books 'to devour' during lockdown.

3. Jane Eyre, de Charlotte Brontë
Publicada no século XIX por uma das irmãs Brontë, esta obra-prima da literatura inglesa trata-se, segundo se crê, de uma autobiografia ficcionada. Depois de uma infância severa e solitária, Jane Eyre torna-se preceptora em Thornfield Hall onde se apaixona pelo seu patrão, Mr. Rochester. Embora plenamente correspondida no seu amor, Jane enfrentará um dos seus segredos mais tenebrosos, levando-a a travar uma luta interior para se manter fiel às suas próprias convicções. Uma história intemporal sobre a força do querer de uma heroína em busca da igualdade e liberdade. (Vitória Amaral) (Translation)

Keighley News reports that the Brontë Hotel in Haworth will be demolished.

An application has been submitted to Bradford Council for the demolition of the Brontë Hotel, in Lees Lane, and the construction of six four-bedroom detached homes with integral garages. [...]
The statement says business has “diminished” for the 11-bedroom hotel over recent years and that the owners are “looking to retire and having considered all options the redevelopment of the site as proposed would financially be the most beneficial”.
But Gary and Jackie Bailey, who run the Bronte Hotel, say the housing option is just one of several under consideration as they look towards retirement.
And they stress that whilst the hotel is currently closed due to the lockdown, it will reopen when Government restrictions are lifted.
They have posted a statement on the hotel’s Facebook page, seeking to reassure customers.
“Some of you may have heard rumours that we have sold the Bronte – I can confirm no discussions have taken place with regards to selling the property,” the statement says.
“A planning application has been put in for six detached houses, by us as a family.
“We are simply putting a plan in place to retire in the next few years. As a family we have run the business for 35 years and it is coming to a time where we are too old to carry on.
“Building houses is just one of the options we are looking into, as well as looking at options like leasing or selling as a business etc.
“We would like to thank all our customers for your support over the years – we are still here and will keep you updated. We will hopefully see you all once the lockdown is over.” [...]
Worth Valley district councillor Rebecca Poulsen, who lives in Haworth, says the hotel is a “great amenity” – and a popular meeting venue for a lot of organisations – and would be missed.
“The planned houses look very much in keeping with the surroundings and would blend in well but my hope is the business could be sold as a going concern,” she added.
“The hotel is the only facility of its kind in that part of the village and it would be great if someone took it over and built on the success that has been achieved.” (Alistair Shand)

Haber 365 (Turkey) includes Jane Eyre 2011 on a list of best adaptations. Pangea (Italy) discusses duplicity in Jane Eyre and Mrs Dalloway.