Comments | ambergold: North and South, Spooks

ambergold

North and South, Spooks

Sep 15, 2006 23:01

Velp, I finished North and South. Three days. Not a record for me but sooner than I was expecting. I admit I stayed up until about 3:00 last night reading it madly, and then read the last couple of chapters this afternoon after I got home from school. There are few books I care enough about to stay up late for, but every now and again a book ( Read more... )

icon recommendations, brit tv-spooks, north and south

Comments 20

lady_jane_grey_ September 16 2006, 15:32:10 UTC

Um, wasn't "I Capture the Castle" in the 1930's? :P

I've been meaning to read "Villette" for a while! I've got like 3 copies because I love anything Bronte, lol! So many books, so little time *sigh*

lady_jane_grey_ September 16 2006, 15:35:37 UTC

By the way, don't ever read "By a Lady" by Amanda Elyot. It might look interesting, but . . . no!

ambergold September 16 2006, 18:29:13 UTC

*Makes a note of that* And yes, I know that I Capture the Castle was written much later, but it's in the same general genre so I just added it on at the end. lol. Oh, Villette is so lovely...do be patient though. The romance doesn't come in until halfway through the book, when it really starts gettting fabulous, but trust me it's worth it.

mstallulahbelle September 16 2006, 19:36:34 UTC

Ah, you finished North & South! Margaret Hale is a favorite character of mine (thus my default avatar), I also think greatly of Elizabeth Bennet, but Margaret had something a bit more to her.

This was also a book I couldn't put down. Rarely do you see characters go through these human experiences in story that reflect so much of real life struggle/experience. Gaskell has my respect for her clever writing. She entertained but made us think & feel.

Margaret Hale is probably one of the few characters I've ever felt some kinship with. I was raised in the South and at the age of 19 moved to the North. Everything was alien to me and went through a lot of crap for many years. Now I've integrated both places within myself.

shmarollynn September 16 2006, 20:09:15 UTC

The similarities between those two scenes and in fact the two books, by the way, is incredible, he he.

Oh, definitely! I've often wondered if Gaskell was a fan of P&P, and N&S was her version of fanfic. :P They're both wonderful books, although P&P and Elizabeth & Darcy will always be my one true love.

If you have a region-free DVD player, I'd totally loan you my copy of N&S. It's Region 2, hence the need for a region-free player. ;)

ambergold September 16 2006, 20:40:03 UTC

Afraid I don't, but thanks for the thought:D Ah well. It will arrive soon enough from Netflix. And then I plan on doing a whole post quoting from both to show how similar some of the scenes and lines are. It's really funny actually-both are so lovely and if this was Gaskell's admiring homage to P&P then I whole-heartedly support it. And yet they ARE so similar. I think the movie is even more so to the book, especially in the proposal scene. But, yes...P&P and Elizabeth/Darcy will always be my one true love as well. Although Thornton and Margaret are quite lovely-they're somehow-softer. But I still prefer the others. Darcy, *squee* Sexiest literary character alive.

shmarollynn September 16 2006, 20:50:22 UTC

Darcy, *squee* Sexiest literary character alive.

Heck yeah!! :D

I look forward to your N&S/P&P comparison. It will probably be a super long post!

ambergold September 16 2006, 20:58:25 UTC

Oh, it will...:D I think I am going to much enjoy it, especially as I plan on doing a picspam as well. ;)

Thread 6

ingenu0us September 16 2006, 21:44:42 UTC

First of all, I really enjoyed reading this post. :)

I love North & South - which I have probably already stated numurous times - but I thought I'd just say it again. I agree with everything, and I love the little bits that reflect P&P's storyline and characters, though N&S has more political/social backbone to it. I love your taste in books! I must really start reading more again - lately I've just been too tired. (And I think I shall re-read my copy of N&S soon, too.)

Spooks! I've never seen it, but I'd like to - though I've heard it's good, it's probably also because of Matthew Macfadyen and Keeley Hawes that my interest is peaked. As far as them both leaving, I wouldn't be surprised if it was for personal reasons, and just wanting a change, especially with them raising a young family and Macfadyen's succes with P&P 2005. But that's just vague speculation. (I'm pretty sure they have two young children.)

sunsetsylvia September 16 2006, 22:44:28 UTC

Oh! I love N&S and P&P, but to descibe N&S with more "political backbone" seems a bit unfair to me, as it was IMO not the intention of Jane Austen.
It is true, both stories are very similar, but VERY different, too.
What P&P "lacks" in social critique (working milieu etc.) it has much in ahead in satire and wit. But then again, Elizabeth Gaskell did not thrive for THAT.
If I had to choose one, it would be P&P, but I am thankful that I haven't. ;)

ingenu0us September 17 2006, 18:23:47 UTC

Oh, for sure. I just meant that N&S has more politics (etc.) than P&P, but that doesn't lessen Austen's work at all. She's my favourite author (or one of them) and P&P is my favourite book. Besides, Austen does comment on society, just a different... well, a different issue.