One of my favorite books is Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte (or Anne Brontë). I used to like Jane Eyre but now I prefer Agnes Grey.
Agnes Grey was first published in 1847 by Thomas Cautley Newby in London. It was punished under the pseudonym Acton Bell and was included in a three-volume set with Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights.
There are many editions of Agnes Grey and many of them are really bad but I'm only going to list the ones that I think are worth checking out. These are all English editions.
I don't really like this cover, I prefer they crop a little to the left and leave out that back scene. Cover art is The Governess by Richard Redgrave. This artwork is also used on some Jane Eyre book covers which I guess because it being a painting of a governess.
Extras: Biographical Notice of Ellis and Acton Bell by Charlotte Bronte, endnotes
For the cover art, I don't like the repetition of the painting but in terms of text, I like this edition because they made minor text corrections which I thought is a good idea as there were mistakes in the original text. I own this edition which I always read when I do a re-read. The painting is Interior by Vilhelm Hammershøi.
Extras: Biographical note, introduction, endnotes
This edition has various extras that help you understand the book. I would recommend this for first time readers. As for the cover, not quite sure I like it. The art is Girl at the Fountain by William Morris Hunt.
Extras: Introduction, biography, endnotes
This edition has red spines which I like a lot and the cover is wonderful as it depicts a scene toward the end of the book. Cover illustration is by Júlia Sardá.
Extras: None
This edition includes Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte and Agnes Grey. This has deckle edges which some people dislike because it looks like the pages' edges are chopped up. This is large paperback at about 6.20 inches wide and 9.20 inches high, spine is 1.6 inches wide.
There are three paintings on the cover, back and spine that I assumed represents the three Bronte sister. I think the one on the back cover is Anne, the spine is Charlotte and the cover is Emily - it's strange but somehow I can see them as these ladies. The cover painting is by Henry Tanworth Wells, the spine painting is by Sir William Beechey and the back painting is by John Robert Dicksee.
Extras: None
This includes Agnes Grey and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. On the cover is the painting of the three Bronte sisters by Patrick Branwell Bronte cropped around Anne. There is a pattern of gray dots on the image which you can't really see. This edition is hardcover but it's not as wide as regular hardcovers as the width is a little over 5 inches.
Extras: Dark red ribbon bookmark
This is pretty small at a little over 4 inches wide by 6 inches high. Maybe some people will find the text too small for reading. They have blue ribbon bookmark, gold edges on the pages and they are well designed. I really would get this edition if it's larger. As for the cover artist, I couldn't find who painted it as I don't own the book. I searched online but the painting seems to be only used for this cover and nowhere else.
Extras: Introduction, blue ribbon bookmark
Have you ever read Agnes Grey? Do you prefer the other Bronte sisters' works instead?
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