Walking with Anne Brontë

Insights and Reflections: An Anthology

Non-Fiction - Womens
404 Pages
Reviewed on 05/11/2024
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    Book Review

Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite

Walking With Anne Brontë, Insights and Reflections: An Anthology by Tim Whittome is a book combining the works of a dozen writers and artists in an in-depth exploration of the novelist, poet, and youngest member of the famed literary Brontë family, Anne. The inclusions range in length, tone, and tenor, from mixed media artist George Kear's artwork, the cover of which was inspired by Anne's own work, to Catherine Rayner's Death in Paradise, an assessment that looks at Anne's life under Charlotte's control, facing societal constraints, hardships endured as a governess, the possibility of love, and her final resting place, as it was decided by Charlotte, which remains controversial. In I Am Gilbert, Tim Whittome discusses The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, scrutinizing Gilbert's growth and development, showing him as flawed but redeemable due to Anne Brontë's skillful portrayal.

Walking With Anne Brontë offers not just a fresh perspective but, for many, a first look at the life and work of Anne. The essays, art, poems, and insights are arranged by part and Tim Whittome does an excellent job in what can be easily described as a labor of love that is meant to, and most certainly does, provide the recognition that Anne deserves. The standout to me is the essay An Erring Spirit? by Emmeline Burdett, a discussion on Calvinist doctrine and its influence on Anne Brontë's upbringing, fostering her deep sense of sinfulness and heightened spiritual distress, but her later exposure to Universal Salvation offered hope and shaped her literary themes of redemption. The writing of each piece is excellent, often academic but never inaccessible, and the photography and artwork go a long way in helping a reader connect the dots. Overall, this is a fantastic book with much to offer and will be roundly embraced by lovers of literature.