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rileyblundellwriter's review
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
samyukta_24's review
5.0
The sheer variety of Gaskell’s work is mind-blowing. I wouldn’t be able to choose a favorite from these selected short stories even if I wanted to. Each story took me back to a different time period, setting, culture, and feeling. The stories ranged from being satirically funny as in "Mr. Harrison’s confessions", to dark and oppressive as in "The doom of the Griffiths", to outright horrific as in "Lois the witch", to a really out of the blue fantasy story, "Curious, if true", ending with a tragic love story, "Cousin Phillis", which I feel was her masterpiece.
beccakatie's review
4.0
Cranford: I really enjoyed the episodic writing of this novel, and grew to love the characters as I progressed through reading. It was a really interesting presentation of age and growing older, and what the ladies might consider appropriate behaviour. You sympathised with the characters, and the struggles they go through, particularly Miss Matty.
Set against a backdrop of context for common perceptions and presentations of women and age, and particularly ageing women, where they would be dismissed and considered of lesser importance, Cranford is a refreshing change where the women stand in financial independence, rejecting marriage and supporting each other.
Set against a backdrop of context for common perceptions and presentations of women and age, and particularly ageing women, where they would be dismissed and considered of lesser importance, Cranford is a refreshing change where the women stand in financial independence, rejecting marriage and supporting each other.
erumkhan's review against another edition
3.0
"There is many a young cockerel that will stand upon a dunghill and crow about his father, by way of making his own plumage to shine." - Cousin Phillis
". . . she would have despised the modern idea of women being equal to men. Equal, indeed! she knew they were superior." - Cranford
". . . she would have despised the modern idea of women being equal to men. Equal, indeed! she knew they were superior." - Cranford
piper_sh's review against another edition
3.0
Cranford
I listened to this on audio and I think that was a mistake.
It was hard to follow at times considering that this is more episodic and doesn't really have a straight forward storyline.
The characters overall were likeable and the ending was heart warming.
I think I will give this another shoot in the future and read it rather than listen to it.
I listened to this on audio and I think that was a mistake.
It was hard to follow at times considering that this is more episodic and doesn't really have a straight forward storyline.
The characters overall were likeable and the ending was heart warming.
I think I will give this another shoot in the future and read it rather than listen to it.
flappermyrtle's review
4.0
This book was very different from North and South, the novel by Gaskell I had already read. I had seen the series that has been made of Cranford, which was great. The `Cranford` bit was wonderful, quite nice and touching. Most of the other short stories were too short after my taste - I'd have liked to know more about the character's background etc. This however does mean they were nice stories! I particularly liked the fact that Gaskells skill to write on a diverse set of people is displayed - I had not expected her to be as multifaceted as I found in this book. Particularly "Lois the Witch" was a stringent en impressive story, but if you look for various characters in various places and occupations any of the stories wil do really.
diana_raquel's review against another edition
4.5
"Death was as true and as common as poverty; yet people never spoke about that, loud out in the streets."
After finishing the BBC adaptation of North and South I decided to see other adaptations of Gaskell's works. Even if I loved the novel and the adaptation of North and South, I'm still forming my opinion on Gaskell as an author. So I figured that if I liked the adaptations, I would read the books. I started with the adaptation of Cranford and loved it. So, when I had the chance to buy the book, I discover this edition and decided to buy it because I knew that the BBC adaptation of Cranford actually mixed elements of the novel with elements of Mr. Harrison's Confessions (a short story in this book), and in seeing what the other short stories were I decided that it was the perfect opportunity to see Gaskell in different tones and genres.
Overall I really liked Cranford and the other short stories. They all brought something new to the table and helped me consolidate my opinion of Gaskell as an author. She's becoming one of my favorite classic authors. I have yet to discover a specific work that I don't like.
Cranford: Narrated by Mary Smith, a young woman who frequently visits the town of Cranford, this novel is a collection of satirical sketches (there's no real plot) that portray the changing small-town customs and values of mid-Victorian England society. Based on real-life experiences, this novel portrays people and customs that, at the time, were already becoming anachronisms. The characters are interesting and, at times, amusing. Even without a plot I really liked the narrative. It's a very well-written, feel-good story that I think would be perfect to start reading Gaskell.
One of the things that I liked in this novel was its themes. The narrative is about feminine independence and empowerment. The opening sentence unapologetically introduces this theme by declaring that Cranford is in the "possession of the Amazons". By "Amazons", the narrative means a group of single/widow women who make up the bulk of the small village's population. Because the majority of Cranford's population is female, the "Amazons" are the ones who control society. They're the ones who run things. This is meant to show that these women are as capable of running things just like men do. The narrative highlights their strength, resolve, intelligence, and emotional control (something that we also see in North and South). And the interesting thing is that these women end up creating a community that it's equal. They implement this system called “elegant economy” which is a system that basically has two rules: you don’t flaunt your wealth in public and you keep your complaints about your poverty behind closed doors. Through this system, the "Amazons" dictate that the treatment of each other is based on their actions and not on their individual class (a system based solely on the financial status of a person). Having said all of these I feel like I have to say that this novel doesn't want to send the message that women are better than men. It just wants to show that women are just as capable as men and that they shouldn't be underestimated.
I do recommend the 2007 BBC adaptation starring Judi Dench, Eileen Atkins, and Lisa Dillon. Unlike the novel, the tv show does have a consistent plot. As I said before, this novel isn't the only source but it's the main one. There are some things that got changed because the adaptation does have a plot but nothing that I would consider to be damaging to the novel or the tv show. I think of them as complementary to each other. I found the tv show to have a more lighthearted and nonsensical tone to it but I still love the novel and the adaptation.
Mr. Harrison's Confessions: Considered to be a prequel to Cranford (it's not a real prequel but there's a lot of similarities), this episodic novella follows the story of Dr. Harrison, a naive and young doctor, as he joins the medical practice of Mr. Morgan in a small country town in Victorian England. The arrival of the young and unmarried doctor catches the attention of a society that is controlled by widows and single women (sound familiar?). Beneath Dr. Harrison's naive accounts of his adventures, this novella portrays not only the customs of small-town Victorian England but also the medical practices of the time. This is a really funny novella. The romantic traps that are laid out for Harrison are hilarious, especially when he doesn't seem to get that a lot of these women are trying to get his attention. It's really entertaining. However, the intention of this novella is to show how some actions can be distorted to the point that misunderstandings flourish and, eventually, can ruin someone's life. As John Chapple writes in the introduction to this novella "small sayings [are] the seeds of great events". I really liked this novella. As I said, this is really entertaining and the characters are really well crafted.
This novella was also used as source material to the aforementioned tv show adaptation of Cranford. Actually, the main love story of the tv show is completely based on this novella. So, again, I do recommend the adaptation.
The Doom of the Griffiths: This short story, set in Wales, follows the story of a cursed family where a son becomes involved in an irreconcilable conflict with his father, stepmother, and her son. It's really interesting to see Gaskell in a more melancholic, melodramatic, gothic tone. Maybe because of the setting, the whole narrative has an ambiance of isolation and alienation that really helps to construct the gothic and melodramatic tone. However, the interesting thing about this short story is that although it starts focusing on a curse, this aspect is soon forgotten. The narrative becomes more human. We, as readers, get caught up in the human conflict that the narrative presents. This isn't a story about a curse, it's a story about a dysfunctional relationship between a son and a father. The characters aren't motivated by a so-called curse, they have very human motivations. It's a very compelling gothic short story that I loved.
Lois the Witch: Set in Salem, this novella follows the story of Lois, a young woman that is forced to cross the Atlantic to live with her uncle and his family in Salem. While she's in Salem she becomes involved in the famous Salem Witch Trials. This is a short yet poignant story. I think that it makes a great job when portraying the hysteria that was at the foundation of the Salem Witch Trials. But I also think that this narrative says something about humanity as a whole. People tend to fear what they don't know. From the start, Lois is seen as an outsider, someone that can't be trusted. The fatalistic society of Salem shows no mercy towards anyone whom they believe to be in "league with the devil". It doesn't matter if Lois is an actual witch, she's an outsider, she's different, so she's considered to be dangerous. In conclusion, she's guilty. This is a very interesting, heartwrenching, and spine-chilling novella about sex, power, and religion that I absolutely loved. It really shows the versatility of Gaskell as an author.
Curious, If True: Considered to be an example of metafiction, this short story follows a young Englishman's journey to France to research his Calvinist roots. Lost in a dark wood near Tours, he stumbles upon a mysterious château that works as the threshold to another realm of existence. The young Englishman crosses paths with fairy-tale characters that we all know like Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Red Riding Wood, etc. I didn't enjoy this short story as much as I enjoyed the other narratives. I think that the narrative is a little confusing. It can be very interesting and comical but it's confusing at times.
Six Weeks at Heppenheim: Set in Germany, this short story tells the love story between an innkeeper and his servant through the perspective of an English Oxford graduate who has inherited some money and decides to travel. Considered to be a trial run for Cousin Phillis, this short story does a great job when portraying the German countryside, and its customs. At first, the narrative seems to be set in a timeless idyllic town. However, the interesting thing is that the narrative is very unstable. The relationship between Fritz, the innkeeper, and Thekla, the servant, is very tense and difficult.
The story explores the qualities necessary to make a successful marriage. Humanity and compassion are two major requirements and in the narrative's view, Fritz has them. He's presented as a caring and human man and an integral member of the village community. The interesting thing about this is that Fritz is a reaction against the Victorian style of assertive masculinity. Maybe that's why I really liked his character. I think that my only problem with it is its length. I would love it if this was a novel.
Cousin Phillis: Considered to be Gaskell's crowning achievement in the short novel format and recognized as a prelude to Wives and Daughters, this short novel tells the story of Paul Manning, a young man who moves to the country and befriends his mother's family and his cousin Phillis Holman, who is confused by her own placement at the edge of adolescence. This is a tale about love and loss. It focuses on the inevitability of suffering that befalls on every young woman and on the consequences of industrialization on Northern England (one of the main focuses of North and South). I really liked this short novel. It's very touching and beautiful with amazing characters. It's another short novel that I think could be extended to a full novel.
Overall, I really loved these stories and I highly recommend them.
After finishing the BBC adaptation of North and South I decided to see other adaptations of Gaskell's works. Even if I loved the novel and the adaptation of North and South, I'm still forming my opinion on Gaskell as an author. So I figured that if I liked the adaptations, I would read the books. I started with the adaptation of Cranford and loved it. So, when I had the chance to buy the book, I discover this edition and decided to buy it because I knew that the BBC adaptation of Cranford actually mixed elements of the novel with elements of Mr. Harrison's Confessions (a short story in this book), and in seeing what the other short stories were I decided that it was the perfect opportunity to see Gaskell in different tones and genres.
Overall I really liked Cranford and the other short stories. They all brought something new to the table and helped me consolidate my opinion of Gaskell as an author. She's becoming one of my favorite classic authors. I have yet to discover a specific work that I don't like.
Cranford: Narrated by Mary Smith, a young woman who frequently visits the town of Cranford, this novel is a collection of satirical sketches (there's no real plot) that portray the changing small-town customs and values of mid-Victorian England society. Based on real-life experiences, this novel portrays people and customs that, at the time, were already becoming anachronisms. The characters are interesting and, at times, amusing. Even without a plot I really liked the narrative. It's a very well-written, feel-good story that I think would be perfect to start reading Gaskell.
One of the things that I liked in this novel was its themes. The narrative is about feminine independence and empowerment. The opening sentence unapologetically introduces this theme by declaring that Cranford is in the "possession of the Amazons". By "Amazons", the narrative means a group of single/widow women who make up the bulk of the small village's population. Because the majority of Cranford's population is female, the "Amazons" are the ones who control society. They're the ones who run things. This is meant to show that these women are as capable of running things just like men do. The narrative highlights their strength, resolve, intelligence, and emotional control (something that we also see in North and South). And the interesting thing is that these women end up creating a community that it's equal. They implement this system called “elegant economy” which is a system that basically has two rules: you don’t flaunt your wealth in public and you keep your complaints about your poverty behind closed doors. Through this system, the "Amazons" dictate that the treatment of each other is based on their actions and not on their individual class (a system based solely on the financial status of a person). Having said all of these I feel like I have to say that this novel doesn't want to send the message that women are better than men. It just wants to show that women are just as capable as men and that they shouldn't be underestimated.
I do recommend the 2007 BBC adaptation starring Judi Dench, Eileen Atkins, and Lisa Dillon. Unlike the novel, the tv show does have a consistent plot. As I said before, this novel isn't the only source but it's the main one. There are some things that got changed because the adaptation does have a plot but nothing that I would consider to be damaging to the novel or the tv show. I think of them as complementary to each other. I found the tv show to have a more lighthearted and nonsensical tone to it but I still love the novel and the adaptation.
Mr. Harrison's Confessions: Considered to be a prequel to Cranford (it's not a real prequel but there's a lot of similarities), this episodic novella follows the story of Dr. Harrison, a naive and young doctor, as he joins the medical practice of Mr. Morgan in a small country town in Victorian England. The arrival of the young and unmarried doctor catches the attention of a society that is controlled by widows and single women (sound familiar?). Beneath Dr. Harrison's naive accounts of his adventures, this novella portrays not only the customs of small-town Victorian England but also the medical practices of the time. This is a really funny novella. The romantic traps that are laid out for Harrison are hilarious, especially when he doesn't seem to get that a lot of these women are trying to get his attention. It's really entertaining. However, the intention of this novella is to show how some actions can be distorted to the point that misunderstandings flourish and, eventually, can ruin someone's life. As John Chapple writes in the introduction to this novella "small sayings [are] the seeds of great events". I really liked this novella. As I said, this is really entertaining and the characters are really well crafted.
This novella was also used as source material to the aforementioned tv show adaptation of Cranford. Actually, the main love story of the tv show is completely based on this novella. So, again, I do recommend the adaptation.
The Doom of the Griffiths: This short story, set in Wales, follows the story of a cursed family where a son becomes involved in an irreconcilable conflict with his father, stepmother, and her son. It's really interesting to see Gaskell in a more melancholic, melodramatic, gothic tone. Maybe because of the setting, the whole narrative has an ambiance of isolation and alienation that really helps to construct the gothic and melodramatic tone. However, the interesting thing about this short story is that although it starts focusing on a curse, this aspect is soon forgotten. The narrative becomes more human. We, as readers, get caught up in the human conflict that the narrative presents. This isn't a story about a curse, it's a story about a dysfunctional relationship between a son and a father. The characters aren't motivated by a so-called curse, they have very human motivations. It's a very compelling gothic short story that I loved.
Lois the Witch: Set in Salem, this novella follows the story of Lois, a young woman that is forced to cross the Atlantic to live with her uncle and his family in Salem. While she's in Salem she becomes involved in the famous Salem Witch Trials. This is a short yet poignant story. I think that it makes a great job when portraying the hysteria that was at the foundation of the Salem Witch Trials. But I also think that this narrative says something about humanity as a whole. People tend to fear what they don't know. From the start, Lois is seen as an outsider, someone that can't be trusted. The fatalistic society of Salem shows no mercy towards anyone whom they believe to be in "league with the devil". It doesn't matter if Lois is an actual witch, she's an outsider, she's different, so she's considered to be dangerous. In conclusion, she's guilty. This is a very interesting, heartwrenching, and spine-chilling novella about sex, power, and religion that I absolutely loved. It really shows the versatility of Gaskell as an author.
Curious, If True: Considered to be an example of metafiction, this short story follows a young Englishman's journey to France to research his Calvinist roots. Lost in a dark wood near Tours, he stumbles upon a mysterious château that works as the threshold to another realm of existence. The young Englishman crosses paths with fairy-tale characters that we all know like Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Red Riding Wood, etc. I didn't enjoy this short story as much as I enjoyed the other narratives. I think that the narrative is a little confusing. It can be very interesting and comical but it's confusing at times.
Six Weeks at Heppenheim: Set in Germany, this short story tells the love story between an innkeeper and his servant through the perspective of an English Oxford graduate who has inherited some money and decides to travel. Considered to be a trial run for Cousin Phillis, this short story does a great job when portraying the German countryside, and its customs. At first, the narrative seems to be set in a timeless idyllic town. However, the interesting thing is that the narrative is very unstable. The relationship between Fritz, the innkeeper, and Thekla, the servant, is very tense and difficult.
The story explores the qualities necessary to make a successful marriage. Humanity and compassion are two major requirements and in the narrative's view, Fritz has them. He's presented as a caring and human man and an integral member of the village community. The interesting thing about this is that Fritz is a reaction against the Victorian style of assertive masculinity. Maybe that's why I really liked his character. I think that my only problem with it is its length. I would love it if this was a novel.
Cousin Phillis: Considered to be Gaskell's crowning achievement in the short novel format and recognized as a prelude to Wives and Daughters, this short novel tells the story of Paul Manning, a young man who moves to the country and befriends his mother's family and his cousin Phillis Holman, who is confused by her own placement at the edge of adolescence. This is a tale about love and loss. It focuses on the inevitability of suffering that befalls on every young woman and on the consequences of industrialization on Northern England (one of the main focuses of North and South). I really liked this short novel. It's very touching and beautiful with amazing characters. It's another short novel that I think could be extended to a full novel.
Overall, I really loved these stories and I highly recommend them.
rotessaboggs's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
amandaquotidianbooks's review
3.0
So far I'm not a huge fan of Gaskell's shorter fiction. In my collection I liked Lois the Witch best, as frightening as that story was. I didn't like Mr Harrison's Confessions or Cousin Phillis. I liked Cranford, but generally don't get on well with episodic chapters that make up a novel. I missed an overarching plot in that one. I'll have to pay attention to Katie of books and things for future short fiction recommendations.
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