kneubeck

Agnes Grey is the touching story of a young girl who decides to enter the world as a governess, but whose bright illusions of acceptance, freedom and friendship are gradually destroyed.
Drawing on her own experienc, Anne Bronte charts the developement of gentle Agnes and sympathetically depicts the harsh treatment she receives along the way. Leaving her idyllic home and close-knit family, Agnes arrives at the Bloomfields' residence, inside whose walls reign cruelty and neglect. Although faced with tyrannical children and over-indulgent parents, the generosity of spirit and warm candour learnt from her own family nerver desert her. Agnes also remains firm in the Murray household, where she is used by the two disdainful young daughters for their own deceitful ends and where her chances of happiness are almost spoiled for her.
A deeply moving account, Agnes Grey seriously discusses the contempt and inhumanity shown towards the poor though educated women of the Victorian age, whose only resource was to become a governess. (Penguin Popular Classics)

Agnes Grey becomes a governess to help her family and thinks that every family is as loving and caring as her own. She couldn't be more wrong. The children she has to take care for are little Joffrey-monsters, who love to torture animals just for the heck of it. And their parents are totally ok with it.

The next family she works for has two daughters that Agnes has to educate and they are spoiled little brats who use Agnes' love for the curate to have fun. Rosalie, the oldest, flirts with Mr Weston for her own amusement, even though she knows that Agnes has feelings for him. Rosalie reminded me of Scarlett O'Hara, my least favorite character ever.

The story was based on Anne Bronte's own experience as a governess and that is noticable from the first page. All in all it is a very touching story and I suffered through it till the last page because I felt so sorry for Agnes.