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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
emotional
hopeful
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
I read my paperback along with listening to the audiobook of this one. I really enjoyed this story. The audiobook narrator was great at doing voices and accents.
medium-paced
Favorite quote:
“I wish I could tell you how lonely I am. How cold and harsh it is here. Everywhere there is conflict and unkindness. I think God has forsaken this place. I believe I have seen hell and it's white, it's snow-white.”
“I wish I could tell you how lonely I am. How cold and harsh it is here. Everywhere there is conflict and unkindness. I think God has forsaken this place. I believe I have seen hell and it's white, it's snow-white.”
First impressions are that I liked it, and I was surprised that I liked it. The main character, Margaret Hale, is displaced from her home village of Helstone to the manufacturing city of Milton. Here, she befriends some of the factory workers, as well as the more upperclass Mr Thornton and others. It is a romance novel, whilst also challenging peoples rights and other social issues. This mix lead to an interesting read.
Now, no spoilers I promise, but all I am going to say was that the ending ... oh I was so unsatisfied. Especially when I learnt that Gaskell originally published this in a magazine, so it was split into parts. When it was going into publish it as a novel, she went back and expanded on parts. The parts she did expand on seemed semi useless to the plot, whereas the ending could have been beefed out to better conclude the romantic tension that had built up over the course of the novel.
Overall I did enjoy the novel, it was just when I closed that back cover I said to myself, "is that it?"
Now, no spoilers I promise, but all I am going to say was that the ending ... oh I was so unsatisfied. Especially when I learnt that Gaskell originally published this in a magazine, so it was split into parts. When it was going into publish it as a novel, she went back and expanded on parts. The parts she did expand on seemed semi useless to the plot, whereas the ending could have been beefed out to better conclude the romantic tension that had built up over the course of the novel.
Overall I did enjoy the novel, it was just when I closed that back cover I said to myself, "is that it?"
slow-paced
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Pride and prejudice but with worker's rights and labor reform in the industrial Revolution. It was great- I loved it.
In it's most basic-ness, it's a story of the division between the North of England and the South of England during the industrial revolution. In the North, everyone is moving away from how things have been for centuries in England, instead of being born into riches, a man can come from nothing and make his own fortune. But, in the South, away from all the manufacturing, things are as they've always been. This division leaves the people of each place knowing not much about the other.
This book, a commentary on social conditions for the working class at the time, actually contains a love story between Margaret Hale and John Thornton. It's an industrial revolution version of Pride and Prejudice, if you will, but with the roles reversed. This time the female heroine is prideful and ignorant. But, through her trials and tribulations, she comes to an understanding about the people of both the North and South, (unlike anyone else in the book - much to her surprise).
Gaskell really got her point across. And she did every bit she could to tie it all together. I really, really liked the book and now plan to watch the BBC version of it. I would recommend that if you read it, read a version that has notes (I read the Wordsworth Classic version) as when you get into the book, especially when she moves to Milton and speaks with the locals, it needs interpreting. (How else would you know that when they say, "Hoo" they mean, "Her" or when they say "Mappen, they mean "Perhaps"?) The notes also helped with some passages as Gaskell used literary references aplenty.
This book, a commentary on social conditions for the working class at the time, actually contains a love story between Margaret Hale and John Thornton. It's an industrial revolution version of Pride and Prejudice, if you will, but with the roles reversed. This time the female heroine is prideful and ignorant. But, through her trials and tribulations, she comes to an understanding about the people of both the North and South, (unlike anyone else in the book - much to her surprise).
Gaskell really got her point across. And she did every bit she could to tie it all together. I really, really liked the book and now plan to watch the BBC version of it. I would recommend that if you read it, read a version that has notes (I read the Wordsworth Classic version) as when you get into the book, especially when she moves to Milton and speaks with the locals, it needs interpreting. (How else would you know that when they say, "Hoo" they mean, "Her" or when they say "Mappen, they mean "Perhaps"?) The notes also helped with some passages as Gaskell used literary references aplenty.
I feel as though I have a lot to say about this book, but I'm not sure if I will be able to marshal my thoughts effectively.
North and South fills an interesting niche in the literature of the time. The author closely examines two dichotomies: that of Northern England vs. Southern, and that of the masters of the manufacturing world vs. the 'hands,' or their employees.
In both cases, Gaskell seems to give a pretty fair accounting to each side. There are positives and negatives raised in each case, and yet on the whole she has quite a sympathetic view, a view which her characters come to adopt over the course of the novel. Mrs. Gaskell clearly has the talent that some people lack - the talent to view all individuals as human beings, taking in consideration their motivations and their good or bad qualities before forming an opinion of their character.
The main characters (Margaret Hale, John Thornton, Nicholas Higgins, Mr. Hale) get the best benefit of this, though, while some of the side characters (especially Edith and Dixon) are exposed to ridicule with less effort made to be understanding about their faults. (Personally, I wanted to climb in the book and slap Edith at a couple of points.)
Overall, I think the book is a really fascinating look at the world of a manufacturing town of its time period, and deserves recognition for its unbiased presentation of differences between North and South, and masters and men.*
* It should be duly noted that the Irish in no way benefit from this humanistic approach. Seriously, I was shocked to hear even sympathetic Margaret Hale describe one of her less gracious feelings as "Irish." She has less disdain for a superstitious English provincial who roasted a cat than for the Irish as a whole. I mean, REALLY.
Another note: I actually saw the BBC film adaptation a long while before reading the book. I can already tell you (having yet to rewatch it) that while the casting is excellent, there are at least two major scenes completely fabricated for the film version. I guess they didn't think the novel was entirely film-worthy, or something.
North and South fills an interesting niche in the literature of the time. The author closely examines two dichotomies: that of Northern England vs. Southern, and that of the masters of the manufacturing world vs. the 'hands,' or their employees.
In both cases, Gaskell seems to give a pretty fair accounting to each side. There are positives and negatives raised in each case, and yet on the whole she has quite a sympathetic view, a view which her characters come to adopt over the course of the novel. Mrs. Gaskell clearly has the talent that some people lack - the talent to view all individuals as human beings, taking in consideration their motivations and their good or bad qualities before forming an opinion of their character.
The main characters (Margaret Hale, John Thornton, Nicholas Higgins, Mr. Hale) get the best benefit of this, though, while some of the side characters (especially Edith and Dixon) are exposed to ridicule with less effort made to be understanding about their faults. (Personally, I wanted to climb in the book and slap Edith at a couple of points.)
Overall, I think the book is a really fascinating look at the world of a manufacturing town of its time period, and deserves recognition for its unbiased presentation of differences between North and South, and masters and men.*
* It should be duly noted that the Irish in no way benefit from this humanistic approach. Seriously, I was shocked to hear even sympathetic Margaret Hale describe one of her less gracious feelings as "Irish." She has less disdain for a superstitious English provincial who roasted a cat than for the Irish as a whole. I mean, REALLY.
Another note: I actually saw the BBC film adaptation a long while before reading the book. I can already tell you (having yet to rewatch it) that while the casting is excellent, there are at least two major scenes completely fabricated for the film version. I guess they didn't think the novel was entirely film-worthy, or something.