From the Bookshelf of Never too Late to Read Classics…

North and South

Elizabeth Gaskell

Start date: September 15, 2015

Finish date: October 14, 2015

Why we're reading this: Came in second in the Poll
Recommended by Member Judy
[close] Came in second in the Poll
Recommended by Member Judy

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Feb 16, 2015 Sara rated it really liked it

Shelves: classics

Elizabeth Gaskell apparently understood both sides of life in her times...the very poor and the very rich. She spans the two classes with finesse and makes one think soundly about the responsibilities each has to the other. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and very much liked both Margaret Hale and Mr. Thornton. I especially liked the way Margaret saw beyond her own privileged experiences to the struggles and humanity of those around her. She did not spend any of her time mourning the loss of her ...more

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Jan 12, 2015 Christine PNW rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: vintage-women

I love this book. It is awesome like Austen and better than Bronte.

Read for Back to the Classics 2015.

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Mar 16, 2022 Anu rated it liked it

Shelves: classics, world, feminism

After reading through five hundred pages of fine print, you'd think that the story regarding our love-birds Margaret and Mr. Thornton would be fleshed out better. Their relationship hurtles forward in the last two pages and the book just... ends.

Elizabeth Gaskell's work is often brought up when one is discussing Jane Austen. The former is seen as giving her readers a working class view of the Regency/Victorian eras compared to the latter's more elitist portrayal. However, any other points of co After reading through five hundred pages of fine print, you'd think that the story regarding our love-birds Margaret and Mr. Thornton would be fleshed out better. Their relationship hurtles forward in the last two pages and the book just... ends.

Elizabeth Gaskell's work is often brought up when one is discussing Jane Austen. The former is seen as giving her readers a working class view of the Regency/Victorian eras compared to the latter's more elitist portrayal. However, any other points of comparison between these two authors is unjust. Yes, the main characters are female but Margaret of North and South has no depth unlike any Austenian protagonist. She's insufferable, holier-than-thou and extremely naïve. And no, the young age of our heroine cannot explain away her unpleasantness.

"Let them insult my maiden pride as they will - I walk pure before God!" - Sheesh!

Talking about one-dimensional characters, Mr. Thornton is portrayed as a love-sick brute - a big old softie inside that gruff exterior. Lines such as "He dreaded lest he should go forwards to meet her, with his arms held out in mute entreaty that she would come and nestle there" are incongruous to the powerful, level-headed businessman that he is the very next second.

The only character that I enjoyed in this book is Mr. Bell who is conveniently introduced right in the end when the plot deemed it necessary that Margaret should somehow get a large inheritance for being such a good girl. As a stereotypical flamboyant bachelor, Mr. Bell gives the readers the few, but much needed, laughs in this otherwise dreary tale. And let's not get into the numerous deaths in this book - by the end of the book I'm surprised Margaret wasn't carted off to an asylum in hysterics. Every time the plot needed to move forward, someone dies almost as if Margaret was being followed by the Grim Reaper.

Apart from the somewhat absurd characters, I did like the portrayal of poor working class men and women of the times. Also, the clash between working class ideals and struggles and that of the rich masters was excellent. I was able to learn a lot about the struggles of non-landed folk, immigrants and poor women from this book. To me, if the storyline between Margaret and Mr. Thornton was removed, it would be a 5-star book. ...more

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Jun 19, 2015 Julie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: classics, favorites, romance, reviewed

It was perfect. *sheds tear*

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EDITED to add a longer review (27/07/2015):
This is the story of fallen gentry teaching capitalists how to be nicer... capitalists...

But I'm being (mostly) facetious! Honestly, this is just... this is in the running for being one of the best books I read this year. I often give out 5-star ratings on a lark, but this one was well-deserved. I really really loved Margaret and Mr. Thornton so much.

Okay but because I'm essentially a bitter person, I have some complaints:
( ...more

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