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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
A detailed review coming up soon but what stood out to me was the creation of full characters one could see clearly in the minds eye, even those based atleast a century and a half before my current understanding of human nature - just to see people have always been the same, it's the authors who weave them so expertly into a plot that you end up caring to see what they did next.
Molly Gibson, Roger Hamley, Cynthia Kirkpatrick and even to a great extent Dr Gibson - exemplary characters of their time, with distinct motivations, principles and behaviour.
Also the biggest joy for me was to see it was narrated by Prunella Scales, who does it so brilliantly, and is incidentally the life partner of my other very favourite narrator - Timothy West - what a combination of magnificent theatrical presence it must have been in their home!
Elizabeth Gaskell is slowly becoming my second favourite British Victorian author, after Austen, and followed by Anthony Trollope.
Molly Gibson, Roger Hamley, Cynthia Kirkpatrick and even to a great extent Dr Gibson - exemplary characters of their time, with distinct motivations, principles and behaviour.
Also the biggest joy for me was to see it was narrated by Prunella Scales, who does it so brilliantly, and is incidentally the life partner of my other very favourite narrator - Timothy West - what a combination of magnificent theatrical presence it must have been in their home!
Elizabeth Gaskell is slowly becoming my second favourite British Victorian author, after Austen, and followed by Anthony Trollope.
Wah, I completely forgot what this book was about, and had to go look through it again. It was a quick, enjoyable read -- just the kind of Victorian stuff about family drama that I enjoy. I know it's funny to be so positive when I was just complaining about the faux-Britishness of A College of Magics, but y'know, it's fine when you're reading things from the country and in that era. I just don't see the point of reproducing that sort of thing ad infinitum.
But I digress! It was fun, I liked Molly, her stepmother was annoying, etc. etc. Oh, I really loved Cynthia and wanted more about her relationship with Molly, and kind of wanted the whole book just to be about them adventuring about. Cynthia deserved better than the plot had to give her, but maybe that is true of all ladies in 19th century novels.
But I digress! It was fun, I liked Molly, her stepmother was annoying, etc. etc. Oh, I really loved Cynthia and wanted more about her relationship with Molly, and kind of wanted the whole book just to be about them adventuring about. Cynthia deserved better than the plot had to give her, but maybe that is true of all ladies in 19th century novels.
4.5/5. I fell in love with the fleshed-out characters and their relationships, especially when not only personal characteristics but also social standing were to be considered. I didn't give the book 5 stars mainly because of the heroine. Molly started out really promising, with her own little quirks and flaws, but towards the end of the novel she became too much of a Fanny Price, so I found it hard to truly sympathise with her.
I also liked Gaskell's language and humour. The novel left me with that bittersweet feeling of leaving a place and people whom I've grown to know and love, which is what I most wish for when reading fiction.
I also liked Gaskell's language and humour. The novel left me with that bittersweet feeling of leaving a place and people whom I've grown to know and love, which is what I most wish for when reading fiction.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book is just a good time from start to finish. It's very descriptive, but in a way that allows you so much fun, and opportunity to piece the characters together for yourself. There's a large cast of characters who all interact at one point or another, with the protagonist and you being the middlemen. If you like small-town, gossipy, Victorian novels, this is for you! It won't disappoint! (Just keep in mind that the author passed away before finishing the book~ That was quite upsetting upon my reading the ending haha)
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Well, that only took me 8 months to finish. I liked getting filled in on some details that clarified things in the movie for me a bit more.
¡Me ha gustado muchísimo! Tanto como para convertirse en mi libro preferido de la Gaskell junto con 'Norte y Sur'.
Si conocéis los libros de la autora, diría que esta obra tiene lo mejor de 'Cranford' con lo mejor de 'Norte y Sur', todo junto. Y se nota muchísimo la madurez de la autora en su maravillosa manera de escribir.
En fin, otra novela que pasa a mi sección de predilectos :)
Si conocéis los libros de la autora, diría que esta obra tiene lo mejor de 'Cranford' con lo mejor de 'Norte y Sur', todo junto. Y se nota muchísimo la madurez de la autora en su maravillosa manera de escribir.
En fin, otra novela que pasa a mi sección de predilectos :)
Character development is rich and realistic. Absolutely love Molly. What a beautiful heroine.
Brilliant insight and descriptions of the nuances of human nature, personalities, thoughts, perceptions, and reactions.
Only rating as a 4 star because I hadn’t known that Gaskell had died before finishing the book, and as I had seen the movie years ago, I was in shock when there was true ending to the book! Left me with a very unsatisfied feeling and now must watch the movie this coming week to alleviate this!
Also, 4 star because of my person struggle at sometimes following what was going on at times in the story due to a lack of my understanding of culture or the vocabulary used at the time.
So, really I’m the four star, or at least my experience of the book was, however this book is a five star.
Only rating as a 4 star because I hadn’t known that Gaskell had died before finishing the book, and as I had seen the movie years ago, I was in shock when there was true ending to the book! Left me with a very unsatisfied feeling and now must watch the movie this coming week to alleviate this!
Also, 4 star because of my person struggle at sometimes following what was going on at times in the story due to a lack of my understanding of culture or the vocabulary used at the time.
So, really I’m the four star, or at least my experience of the book was, however this book is a five star.
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No