Will I love Shirley?

Ok, first: Wade through the long opening scenes about the curates. Stick with the book and you'll be rewarded. Written in 1849, Charlotte Bronte's 'Shirley' is particularly timely in 2025 as we deal with AI. 'Shirley' is about the Industrial Revolution and how it affects one small town. The novel is also notable for progressive views about women - progressive for the mid-19th century, that is. And, finally, it's often assumed that the two main female characters are based on the author's then-recently-deceased sisters Emily and Anne. After reading 'Shirley,' I concur.

I feel I got to know and better… show more.