Jane Eyre
Charlotte Brontë, 1847.
Before you read: A school with hardships and a gothic mystery. Better for older children and teens.
An orphan girl survives a cold aunt and a harsh charity school, then becomes a governess at Thornfield Hall. She falls for its moody owner, Mr. Rochester, but the house hides a secret. Jane keeps her self-respect at every step, which made her one of the first great independent heroines.
Public-domain text. First published in 1847; Charlotte Brontë died in 1855, so this text is in the public domain in the US, Canada, the EU and India. Summary and notes written by ViralScopeHub.