Anne Bronte is without a doubt one of the most tragically underrated writers of all time. Overshadowed by her sisters, Emily and Charlotte, and their moody, asshole male protagonists, Anne's debut novel was far more grounded and realistic than her sisters', and betrayed her humble, religious upbringing in a way that would grow to be quite off putting for an increasingly secular audience. Agnes Grey is everything that Jane Eyre would have been had it been based on reality; humble and unremarkable. Perhaps that's why it has faded into obscurity, despite enjoying relative popularity when it was first published. As much as I love Anne, even I could understand why it isn't as popular nowadays.

Largely autobiographical, Agnes Grey tells the story of the titular character's foray into the rough and tumble world of employment as a governess. Filled with high hopes and optimism, Agnes slowly realizes that the life of a governess is not at all what she thought. Faced with wild, spoiled children, enabling parents, and frankly, a glaring lack of experience, Agnes struggles through two separate jobs, learning how to endure all manner of disappointments without betraying her emotions.

I have heard it said that Agnes is a rather boring heroine, and at face value I have to agree. She isn't very reactive or emotional, but I think that it is very telling about who Anne was herself. In the beginning, Agnes struggles with her frustration but is able to temper it. She swallows all of her negative emotions and turns inward, allowing herself to fade into the background. She still has all of these stormy emotions underneath, but she learns early on that she cannot allow herself to be the servant of her emotions. She must keep them at bay. It is a lesson that Anne, more than her siblings, perfected. She alone was able to retain employment as a governess, up until her brother Branwell messed it up for everyone. Branwell was a reckless drunk, Emily was a gloomy poet, and Charlotte was a desperate and love-sick over a married man. Anne was whatever she needed to be.

While I agree with the general consensus that Anne's grand opus is without a doubt The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, I think that Agnes Grey is a necessary read for any fan of the Brontes, because it is the most telling of what their life experiences consisted of. Charlotte never got to marry her married lover (whose wife was, unfortunately, not insane and locked in an attic). Emily's real life was never as exciting and broody as Cathy and Heathcliff's. Branwell never got sober. But Anne definitely took a lot of shit from people who thought they were better than her in exchange for money. And really, isn't that easier to relate to than star-crossed lovers and Cinderella stories? Not nearly as fun, but definitely more relatable.