A review by jcstokes95
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

challenging dark reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5


When it takes me a long time to read a book, it becomes harder to review. Because I can’t always remembers everything which has occurred. So, bear with, because a lot happens in this book. And by a lot I mean,
man does Gaskell just brutally kill every character, I know it’s olden times but they are seriously dropping like flies.
This book makes me grateful for the EPA. Your summary is this, Margaret Hale has her lovely, domestic life violently uprooted when her father expresses doubts in the church’s theology; he is ousted to work as a tutor in a Northern town, Milton. The theme of personal conscience v. societal obedience is continued as we learn about the strikes in Milton, the sometimes tyranny of the union (ugh), and Margaret’s brother’s mutiny aboard the high seas. The latter leads to a misunderstand between her and a local mill-owner who is smitten with her (but show no emotion externally) and leads her to tell *GASP* a lie to authority. (IS there something to be said about this theme and how when Margaret bucks authority with her lie to the police, she is then never punish by Thornton’s authority because off personal connection and privilege. Maybe, but if so, I don’t think Gaskell knows she’s saying it.) 

This book was a mixed bag for me, though I enjoyed a great deal of it. Gaskell loves high melodrama, and so do I. I love fainting and lying prostrate on the ground; I love reading Higgins talk about all the ways God did him wrong and isn’t allowed in his house. That stuff is quite fun and there is a lot of fun thoughtful shit here to chew on. It is not a traditional romance, and yet in some ways it’s the most traditional romance. Very odd and enjoyable in that way. I love Mr. Bell’s wit, and a lot of this is quite cleverly written. My underlining in here is crazy because the author has said so much, in great turns of phrase. And Gaskell certainly now how to fit a ton into one book, you get a lot of plot bang-for-your-buck here. 

However, I have three main gripes. First, and most important, I hate John Thornton. I think he is the worst romantic hero of all time. He shows ZERO growth by the end of the book. He makes not a single romantic gesture, and in fact, the major romantic gesture here is made by the woman. Which is interesting, but makes me wonder why the hell anyone would try to woo Thornton. An emotionally stunted, rude Libertarian who loves his mommy in a weirdly husband-like way. Related to this is my second gripe, we send WAY TOO MUCH TIME with Margaret thinking about the sinful, wicked lie she told. This debate doesn’t hold up to scrutiny. She seems to sometimes think it’s a moral failing, and mainly is ashamed Thornton knows, but also, no other possible choice could have been made. Reading about this for a hundred plus pages was unpleasant and repetitive. Gaskell could have used this time to turn up the heat on their chemistry, but it never comes through. The chemistry of the couple is entirely  based on Margaret’s guilt and Thornton’s jealously. Boring. 

Next gripe, I am left conflicted about the treatment of the poor here. Where they would not have had much accurate representation, this feels like very whack in terms of Margaret as savior. And poor Higgins family, particularly Bessy, as angelic. I think her time with the Higgins makes her “Mary Sue”-ness even more stark. I also think, with modern eyes, the time with the Higgins family really calls into question how “left” we can think of this book as now. I mean, certainly this book is left for the time and place it is written, but not really left by any current standard. Gaskell’s belief that if maters and workers just “talk it out” things will be less bitter is out of touch. For all the examining of authority-bucking here, Gaskell doesn’t always seem to understand the differences of economic power. 

However, she offers us a ton to talk about here in terms of authority, unionization/industrialization, nostalgia and the nature of good romance. 

(Also, this is my last book for POPSUGAR 2021, woohoo!!) 

[2021 Popsugar Reading Challenge #25 - A book published anonymously] 
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