As far as she could see, her life was ordained to be lonely, and she must subdue her nature to her life, and, if possible, bring the two into harmony. When she could employ herself in fiction, all was comparatively well. The characters were her companions in the quiet hours, which she spent utterly alone, unable often to stir out of doors for many days together.

Elizabeth Gaskell took inspiration from letters sent by Charlotte to Ellen Nussey to write this biography of her friend. The first edition was published in 1857 to popular acclaim, and remains the most significant study of the famous author. Charlotte was the eldest of the three Brontë sisters and whose novels became classics of English literature such as Jane Eyre and Villette. This captivating biography takes the reader from Charlotte’s early childhood with her sisters, explores her writings, her marriage and her tragic death.