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

[TheOriginalSteamingNit]

Brontes

[ummlilia]

Brontes, definitely..they transport me back to my angst-ridden,northern , childhood..

[Grumpla]

Brontes.

[EugenesAxeChoppedDownANiceTree]

I read Sanditon - it was shit IMO. The other lady got far too obsessed with unreality... even more than Jane did, and it seemed the whole thing was entirely far fetched.

[bimblebee]

Brontes every time for me, but then again I like my fiction to be quite dark and gritty!

[snowtunesgirl]

Austen. Though I may be biased as I has Head Girl of Austen House in my secondary school.

I just find the Brontes so humourless. FGS, just get off that bloody moor etc, have a drink or a dance and lighten up!

[AphraBehn]

Austen for me.

I spent last weekend in Bath and was unfeasibly excited to go down the Gravel Walk.

I then went from the Pump Room, down Milsom Street to Edgar Buildings. All that was missing was a walk along Beechen Cliff and a pleasant young man to tell me about muslin.

[notnowImreading]

Love all of Austen and only some Brontes, but there are times when only Jane Eyre will do. I don't like Wuthering Heights, though - much too much badness flying around there. My mum came up with an interesting interpretation a few days ago, saying that 'young women are terrifying' in Bronte novels and turn the world upside down for everyone. Hadn't thought of it that way before - always identified with the young women rather than stepping back and judging them a bit.

[mixedmamameansbusiness]

I would firstly like to say that this has been done before, but I am fairly certain that we never tire of this debate... It genuinely bought a smile to my face. Every single time I see my cousin we spend an inordinate amount of time discussing this very issue.

Now onto the subject at hand. For just a fluffy Sunday afternoon with. Box of chocolates it would be Austen all of the time, particularly Persuasion followed probably by arching every available adaptation.

I have only read Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre but Wuthering Heights rates as one of my all time favourite classics.

I think I haven't been able to actually decide.

[louisianablue2000]

I like both, but I've probably reread Austen more. I like my nineteenth century female novelists though, I love Eliott and Gaskell as well. Just realised today I'm now older than Austen was when she died. That's a sobering thought!

[SminkoPinko]

I think it is an error to lump the Brontes together. I love Charlotte Bronte- esp Jane Eyre and Villette. Two of my favourite books ever. Charlotte is the only great literary Bronte in my view. Emily was a precursor to Jilly Cooper but her characters are even less likable and Anne's work is just dull. Charlotte alone is worthy of comparison with the equally great though very different Jane Austen.

[KatyTheCleaningLady]

Totally Austen. She writes realistically, with humour. Bronte sisters (Anne excepted to some extent) write goofy romanticism full of hysteria and silliness.

And the "heros'" are invariably jerks. I mean, really.

[Hoophopes]

Anne Bronte is my favourite of the Brontes.

[WoTmania]

Hmmm, preferred Brontes when I was younger and hated Austen - re-read the Austen books in my twenties and really enjoy them (except Mansfield Park).
Depends on my mood and what I want to read at that particular moment.