Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
The whole time I was reading this book, I felt like I was reading Austen. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves Jane Austen novels. It's very witty and romantic.
Rememberd this story roundly after reading it back in 2019. While I enjoyed it now I just didn't get as emotional involved as I had hoped this time around. But like most classics, I enjoy rereading from time to time. To see how my feelings and rating have changed since last time I've read them.
I absolutely loved this book, it's one of my favorite stories and I was so impressed on how the BBC drama stayed very close to this story.
She died?!?! Elizabeth Gaskell died before she finished this?! I seriously loved this book and every second of it, but I can't help feeling like all of my interest, devotion, and anticipation was wasted since Gaskell died before writing the very thing the entire book lead up to - Roger and Molly finally getting together! I'm heartbroken. That's why I rated this book only 3 stars.
Absolute delight!
Gaskell is surely becoming my favourite victorian author. Her prose is beautiful and characters are well thought out with realistic personalities.
North and South is always going to be my favourite but this one is not far behind.
Gaskell is surely becoming my favourite victorian author. Her prose is beautiful and characters are well thought out with realistic personalities.
North and South is always going to be my favourite but this one is not far behind.
We follow Molly Gibson's life for over 600 pages where next to nothing happens and is actually an unfinished story(which I didn't realize) because the author passed away before it was finished.
I didn't enjoy this as much as North and South, but the relationships between to 2 brothers and between Molly and her stepsister are probably the most interesting in this book.
The stepmother is annoying and it was nice that while Molly knew this from the beginning and tried her best to be accepting anyways her father eventually comes to see it as well.
Not sure I'll ever reread this one but I am glad I read it once.
I didn't enjoy this as much as North and South, but the relationships between to 2 brothers and between Molly and her stepsister are probably the most interesting in this book.
The stepmother is annoying and it was nice that while Molly knew this from the beginning and tried her best to be accepting anyways her father eventually comes to see it as well.
Not sure I'll ever reread this one but I am glad I read it once.
The main strength of this book is specificity of the relationships between the characters. What I found most striking, is the warm relationship between Molly and Cynthia. I appreciated that while Cynthia might be written off as a villian character in another author's hands, here, her real friendship with Molly grounds the character and keeps her from becoming one note. I think that the same can be said for Mrs. Gibson. Its also remarkable just how funny this book is, I found myself regularly giggling to myself at Gaskell's one liners!
I first encountered this book when I was teaching English and received a voucher for a free Barnes and Noble Classic. When making my selection, I considered this previously unknown title and was charmed by the first paragraphs (and with it's length, I was getting quite the return on my free title). I refused to read the back of the book, so imagine my horror when I stayed up late to finish it one night, only to realize it was unfinished and a cursory summary is given at the end ("This is how she told friends she might end it"). This had been a serialized story, and Gaskell died about one chapter or so away from the end.
All the same, I was intrigued to return to it about fifteen-plus years after that initial reading, now knowing the end would be abrupt. I let the expertly narrated audiobook be my accompaniment during school pickup, my commute, when folding laundry, and the like. It was a pleasant experience, but I felt a bit less sympathetic regarding Cynthia, and a little more critical of Roger.
All the same, I was intrigued to return to it about fifteen-plus years after that initial reading, now knowing the end would be abrupt. I let the expertly narrated audiobook be my accompaniment during school pickup, my commute, when folding laundry, and the like. It was a pleasant experience, but I felt a bit less sympathetic regarding Cynthia, and a little more critical of Roger.
I'm not sorry that invested so much time into reading this seemingly endless book, but I am sorry that it does, in fact, end and that the end comes before it's truly over. I can't be mad because how do you get mad at an author for dying before finishing writing... but I am left feeling a bit off because I didn't get the closure I would have liked (definitely need to watch the BBC series now... maybe that will help).
Aside from that, I really enjoyed the story. The characters are well-developed, and even though you don't like them all, you can understand why they act the way they do. It's fun watching Molly grow up and seeing how she deals with the changes in her life while staying true to who she is and maintaining her values. We may not have made it all the way to the satisfying end, but the journey was a good one nonetheless and absolutely worth it.
Aside from that, I really enjoyed the story. The characters are well-developed, and even though you don't like them all, you can understand why they act the way they do. It's fun watching Molly grow up and seeing how she deals with the changes in her life while staying true to who she is and maintaining her values. We may not have made it all the way to the satisfying end, but the journey was a good one nonetheless and absolutely worth it.
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated