Book Review: North and South, by Elizabeth Gaskell

[inverarity]

Northern manufacturers and southern agrarians in industrialized England.

Comments

[madeleinestjust]

I once had a mad crush on this novel - and yes, John Thornton! - but haven't read any of my multiple copies (ahem) in a while. Being a gruff northerner, I did initially want to slap Margaret upside the head (she is a complete snob, yet lacks Emma Woodhouse's credentials), not to mention her dithering parents, but by the end of the book, I was in complete admiration. The high death toll really does wonders for her outlook!

I tried some of Gaskell's other novels too - Wives and Daughters, Mary Barton, etc. - but I think N+S was her finest hour.

[silverflight8]

The thing that bothered me was the death toll. People were dropping like flies!

[asulon_bellanca]

Always thought about reading this one, might get to it at the library.