Bronte or Austen ?

[herethereeverywhere]

Just that really. Just had a debate with my sister regarding them both (all Brontes vs Jane Austen ). I said that although I do love P&P and Persuasion for me it's the Brontes every time. DSis thinks you can't beat Austen for escapism though. Apologies if this has been done on here before but DSis and I have decided to bow down to the mumsnet vote

[BOFingSanta]

Austen every time for me. I love them all.

[BOFingSanta]

(except Mansfield Park)

[herethereeverywhere]

It's pretty evenly split then I agree with the pp who said it depends on your mood. With the weather being rainy and windy and it getting dark earlier I am definitely more in a Bronte mood.

[HoratiaLovesBabyJesus]

Don't read George Eliot. Trust me, you'll never get those hours back.

[elkiedee]

Why do you have to make an either/or choice? And the Brontes are 3 different people. I loved Anne's The Tenant of Wildfell Hall but was disappointed by Agnes Grey.

[GreenandwhitePenguin]

Another one for Austen here. Love the mickey-taking of the Gothic horror novels in Northanger Abbey. Of all the Bronte works I prefer the ones penned by Anne. What a shame they all died before their genius was appreciated.

[standsonshiftingsands]

Hardy for me. If I'm pushed, I'd go for Brontes.

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Austen
Austen
Austen
Austen
Austen

Forget wittering about on the moors. Give me sparkling conversation and little bits of ivory any day.

[Chubfuddler]

Austen all the way. If wuthering heights was written now it would attract venom on MN a la twilight. Jane eyre is if anything even more fucked up.

[hattymattie]

Bronte for me - Austen is too mannered - I like all that passion.

Love Austen on the telly though - especially with ole Col' (intelligent me)

[Chubfuddler]

I also thought this was a baby name thread

[Yorky]

Austen, any time.

I have to be feeling virtuous to attempt a Bronte, although I like Tenant when I get into it - I relate to him better than her though

Hardy? He's the literary equivalent of music to slit your wrists by.

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

I can cope with Hardy but Geoge E makes me want to shred up the books and THEN slit my wrists - soooooooooo tedious.

[PretzelTime]

I must be immature because I don't get Austen. Haven't managed to finish any book by her other than Northanger Abbey.

Wuthering Heights - A bunch of terribly rude people being unfriendly with each other. Didn't finish it either.

Jane Eyre was a great read though.

[SantasComingEarlyHisSackIsFull]

Austen. I have read them all several times over, but can't be doing with all the wailing and gnashing of teeth with the Brontes. Agree with BOF, Mansfield park is grim: Fanny is such a wet lettuce.

Thackery/Vanity Fair is another good one for me. Would I do ok with Anna Karenina next, d'ya think?

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

I find myself liking Henry Crawford more and more with each re-read. Fanny would have been much more fun if she'd had at least a quick shag with him. :)
Edmund is such a prig.

[KindleMum]

Austen, definitely.Every time I re-read her books I wish she'd lived longer and written more.

Only Bronte book I'd give shelfroom to is the Tenant of Wildfell Hall.

[1605]

Austen by a long mile.

If you think she's akin to chick-lit, you're misreading. They're funny, frightening and viciously observant.

Brontes. Angst. Boring. Also, the heroes are so misogynistic. In Austen the women are cleverer than the men, which we all know to be true .

[PretzelTime]

Hmmm maybe I should try Austen again since you all love her writing so much.

Which book would you recommend?

[MrsJohnDeere]

Austen

[StiffyByng]

Oh, Vanity Fair is superb.

[Beamur]

Difficult to say - in some ways to go chronologically would make sense, but I would suggest you read Sense and Sensibility first or maybe Pride and Prejudice - but P&P is probably the best one, so I'd leave that for a bit later.
I've recently re-read them all and still love them.

[MrsJohnDeere]

P&P or Emma or S&S

So hard to pick

[1605]

Persuasion makes me cry, every time. I re-read recently and the on-the-shelf heroine is, erm, 26 . Then again life expectancy for women was only 42 at the time.

[GreenandwhitePenguin]

Anyone else read Sanditon by Jane Austen and 'another lady'? I think it is high time for a reread of that one.