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North and South

Elizabeth Gaskell

Start date: May 1, 2018

Finish date: May 31, 2018

Why we're reading this: Revisit the Shelf, May 2018

Previous Group Reads
Revisit the Shelf Reread, June 2015
Old School Classic Grou…more
[close] Revisit the Shelf, May 2018

Previous Group Reads
Revisit the Shelf Reread, June 2015
Old School Classic Group Read, May 2012

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Jan 10, 2015 Teri-K rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: z-own-kindle, romance-clean, zz-2023-my-book-club, 1800s, classic, zz-2023-bought, great-to-re-read, z-permanent-bookshelf, romance-thoughtful, amazingly-wonderful

This is one of my favorite books of all time; every time I read it I fall more deeply in love with it. Gaskell's ability to craft an engaging story, create characters we really know and care about, have them change and grow as we watch, while showing us deep truths about humanity and society, is unparalleled. Margaret Hale and Jonathan Thornton are wonderful and it's a pleasure to watch them navigate very difficult times. They're surrounded by folks who each have their own strengths and weakness ...more

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Jun 22, 2013 Franky rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: the-hard-challenge, literary

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This is one review where I feel full spoilers are necessary , so **spoilers ahead.**

Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South , both a romance and a social novel, has several focuses: the social divide and ideologies between those from the industrial North (Milton) and the rural South (Helstone) in England, the relationship and clashing between the workers and the masters of the mill factories in the North, the Hale family attempting to adapt to their new surroundings in Milton, and the building roman This is one review where I feel full spoilers are necessary , so **spoilers ahead.**

Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South , both a romance and a social novel, has several focuses: the social divide and ideologies between those from the industrial North (Milton) and the rural South (Helstone) in England, the relationship and clashing between the workers and the masters of the mill factories in the North, the Hale family attempting to adapt to their new surroundings in Milton, and the building romance between Margaret Hale and mill manufacturer John Thornton.

After Margaret’s father leaves the Church after having doubts about its morality, the Hales pick up and leave their home in Helstone and go to the industrial town of Milton. The family has a difficult time adapting to their new settings so far from country life. Mr. Hale finds work as a tutor, and this is where Margaret first hears of John Thornton, owner of the mills. Margaret and Thornton, as you might imagine, are at odds quite often due to their conflicting views. Margaret tries to learn more about what the North is about, and, during this time, copes with several family tragedies, all the while trying to understand her emotions.

Admittedly, I saw the North and South BBC miniseries (2004) awhile back, so maybe this has biased my opinion. I think this is a case where the series is better than the book. The film edits down much of the superfluous melodrama to the right amount where there is a steady character progression but we aren’t beaten over the head. The miniseries also handled the Thornton/Margaret romance with the right amount of emotional pull to make it powerful and moving, doing so in a succinct way that went in line with the plot; here, in the book, the romance gets a little overblown, with moments of characters bursting into spontaneous fits of weeping that go on for pages. Margaret, although an independent and headstrong character, acts too much like a stubborn princess too often; this is handled also better in the film.

For all the inner monologue from Thornton and Margaret, all the excessive details that encumber page after page, all which lead up to their ultimate courtship—misunderstandings, he said, she said, family conflicts, personal pride, stubbornness, etc— the ending is quite abrupt. Very abrupt. I mean really, really abrupt. In fact, I had to look back at the last few pages to see if I missed or overlooked something. I thought I might be reading an abridged version of the novel. Maybe my edition had a page or so torn out at the end… No, that was the ending alright. Apparently, Gaskell was writing the novel in a serialized format (a la Dickens), so she evidently needed to finish the novel, and fast. The ending really leaves open many questions unanswered: What were Thornton and Margaret thinking when they made that decision? What happened as a result of their courtship? How did each family react? The ending feels quite rushed. Margaret struggles internally with every single decision, and it is a long drawn out process to make a decision, so it seemed rather odd how that the novel could just end at the snap of a finger.

Still, I’m glad I read North and South as it has its good points. It is equally good to see that Gaskell’s works are gaining popularity (any friend of Charles Dickens should, you know). North and South manages to eloquently capture the essence of faith and trust amid personal crisis, which is experienced quite often in the novel. Also, the story exposes the nature of personal biases about others, which is examined with opposing views from those in both regions. Furthermore, Gaskell’s characters in North and South are far from stereotypes, especially Margaret and Thornton, who must do some self-examining to have a transformation and new outlook.
3.5 stars
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