bookish_5280 's review for:

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

2.25

fast-paced

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Pride and Prejudice with too much melodrama and obscene amounts of death set in the industrial revolution. Despite the ridiculously over the top emotions, still somehow managed to be boring. I would agree with Dickens that this is not Gaskell's strongest writing, either, although it does get much better as the book nears the end (esp chapter 46, with the longing memories fo Helstone). Just not my favorite, although the fact that it elicited such a variety of reaction in the members of my book club made for a fascinating discussion. Worth reading for the context, I guess.