… those books that everyone always recommends you read!
I love literature, but I would never claim to be a hardcore fan of any particular author, even Austen. (I know, crazy right!?) I never claim to be so ardently in love with any author, because alas I do not know everything about them and I have not read ALL of their works of literary art. I honestly feel like I am saving Austen’s letters because it saddens me to believe that once I have read them there will no longer be anything of hers to read.
So back to the topic at hand. I love Jane Eyre! I read it almost every year (around Christmas, not sure why), yet I don’t often “recommend” it to other readers unless I know they will enjoy the truly gothic motifs within its pages. That being said there has been many times where I have wanted to pick up the highly “recommended” novel by one of her talented sisters, you know the one I speak of… Wuthering Heights.
I found my latest copy when I was visiting my friends in Florida and thought this might be a great time to try again. And yes dear readers, I repeat TRY AGAIN. I have probably owned, and donated over four copies in my literary life. I decided to confess my woes on Instagram within the great Bookstagram community as it is always an interesting place to speak you mind. So I went about my liteary confession: that I have never and I mean NEVER gotten past the opening pages!
I received the usual great comments championing for the book and for me to try again! I was also glad to read those who told me they were in the same rocky boat and that they persevered. BUT I wanted to highlight some of my favourites: 
This is one of the reasons I love literature and how it can become part of our identities in ways we never knew possible! Reading this and knowing how important of a book it was for this reader made me want to try again.
I LOVE how she likened her need to continue reading to the mesmerizing act of watching a fire. (A trashcan one at that!) I also loved that they also told me the book which they can’t seem to finish themselves!
This one actually made me laugh out loud! I feel like Ann Bronte (published under Acton Bell) deserves much more recognition than she gets.
So I would love to know dearest readers, which books have been “recommended” to you where you found yourself unable to get through or even see what others saw within those pages? I would love to know in the comments below!
I wish you all the best and look forward to your thoughts!
xo
Honestly Austen
Postscript: I can’t end this letter without mentioning how much I loved the pseudonyms these authors used to initially publish their literary works: Acton Bell (Ann Bronte), Currer Bell (Charlotte Bronte) and Ellis Bell (Emily Bronte). Now those are some great names even though their true identies are much better!
