I read an abridged version at 10 & the unabridged version at 12. Remember after the wedding fell through, when Rochester tries to persuade her to run off with him by reminding her that she's poor, plain, & insignificant [gee, thanks!], so who would see, or know, or care? Her whole "*I* will see, *I* wil know, *I* will care" was a very powerful & formative message for a young girl [or a not-so-young one, for that matter].