North and South [July 20, 2018]

[Jenna, I'd be free if not for Temper & Edgewalker]

Elizabeth Gaskell - North and South. July 20th.

[C.P.]

Might try and fit this one in...need to do a reread and watch the miniseries again.

[Em Lost In Books]

Spot.

[Ctgt]

Yep

[Narilka]

I'm in. This has been on my list for a while.

[Laura Tenfingers]

I'll be lurking, this is one of my favorite classics and my gateway book to Elizabeth Gaskell.

[Silvana]

The TV adaptation of this novel is quite good. The one with Richard Armitage in it.

[Sha]

doing~

[Laura Tenfingers]

Silvana wrote: "The TV adaptation of this novel is quite good. The one with Richard Armitage in it."

Agreed

[C.P.]

That's the miniseries I mentioned, Silvana. I love it.

[Silvana]

Great chemistry, yeah? 😆
I immediately read the book after I watched. I quite liked it. Hopefully you guys will enjoy it :)

[C.P.]

I remember liking the book as well. Hopefully I can fit in a reread. I'm definitely going to watch the miniseries again soon.

[Zaara]

I freaked a bit when I saw this thread zinging and thought I had missed a big portion this read....heh...I was all..."but wasn't it supposed to be July..."
In!
And so glad there is interest. Thought it would be just Hailee and I and late last year we thought we would have to BR it outside the group...bcuz the group wasn't reading Classics at the time...
Yanique.....you did us all good with this, gal!

[Em Lost In Books]

Silvana wrote: "Great chemistry, yeah? 😆
I immediately read the book after I watched. I quite liked it. Hopefully you guys will enjoy it :)"

Quite liked it and still two stars? 🤔

[Hailee]

Zaara wrote: "I freaked a bit when I saw this thread zinging and thought I had missed a big portion this read....heh...I was all..."but wasn't it supposed to be July..."
In!
And so glad there is interest. Thoug..."

Haha yeah I'm really pleased with how many people will be joining in with this one.

I have a feeling I will be starting this earlier than the 20th though. Given how slowly I tend to read though I expect I'll still be reading it by the 20th ;-)

[Hailee]

Silvana wrote: "The TV adaptation of this novel is quite good. The one with Richard Armitage in it."

This was the main reason I decided to read this. I haven't seen the adaptation for over a decade now but decided to hold off rewatching it until I had actually read the book. Can't wait till I get to rewatch it. I remember loving it as a teenager!!

[Silvana]

@Manju: yep 2 or 2.x star books included in my 'okay/quite liked it' list.

[C.P.]

What makes three stars?

[Em Lost In Books]

Am also curious now about your rating criteria.

[Zaara]

Hailee wrote: "This was the main reason I decided to read this. I haven't seen the adaptation for over a decad..."

I haven't seen the adaptation, Hailee. And tho' its a classic (and you usually learn something abt them just by osmosis) with this one, I'm going in totally blind. So everyone already knows the story, xept me...

I'll prolly do both, just like you.

EDIT: oh and I will not start early.

[Silvana]

Manju wrote: "Am also curious now about your rating criteria."

C.P. wrote: "What makes three stars?"

Oh dear, I don't want to derail this thread but in short my three star books are the ones which writing/story I like with some reservations/concerns on plotline/character/worldbuilding. Also, three-star books still have the possibility for me to reread and/or continue with the rest (if it's a first-in-series). The Alloy of Law is a recent example of it.

I checked my review on N&S and I mentioned I had trouble in adjusting with the writing since I am no longer used to reading classics (even though the story is interesting). Maybe if I read it during my Dickens and Austen period, I'd enjoy it more.

[Veronica]

I'd like to participate too. I've owned this book for a couple of years but have never managed to get to it.

[Zaara]

Veronica wrote: "I'd like to participate too. I've owned this book for a couple of years but have never managed to get to it."

:-)

[Veronica]

We're finally doing a BR together again, Miss Z. :-)

[Zaara]

Veronica wrote: "We're finally doing a BR together again, Miss Z. :-)"

I know, right? Do you know I'm totally enticing ppl to read this one saying..."But...you gotta come...Ron is in it...."
Just said this to Dani TODAY, I swear...

[Veronica]

LOL, no pressure, right? :-)

[Zaara]

Veronica wrote: "LOL, no pressure, right? :-)"

😂 there IS that...

[Choko]

I hope I could make it too☺

[Veronica]

Choko wrote: "I hope I could make it too☺"

I hope you can, Choko. :-)

[Zaara]

Choko wrote: "I hope I could make it too☺"

Do come Choc :-)

[Bea]

I stumbled across a cheap copy of this book today - and what do I see now, FBR has a BR for it :)
I don't know if I'll have time though, July is such a busy month for me...

[Hailee]

I'm starting this today so that I can take a steady pace and still be finished by the end of July :-)

[Zaara]

Hailee wrote: "I'm starting this today so that I can take a steady pace and still be finished by the end of July :-)"

Knight of 7Kingdoms BR is queued before this. So I can only start on 20th. Don't read toooo fast, @Hailee and finish before @Ron and I come. A confession.... I (cunningly) already read the first chapter just to get a taste of Gaskell's prose. It's quite straigtforward...not too heavy at all.
Please post some spoilers?

@Bea...😀 woop, do try and make it!

[Narilka]

I started early and read the first chapter. I'm getting Pride and Prejudice vibes so far.

[Zaara]

Get to this in a couple days. I have to finish this one before Aug 1 in any case.

[Hailee]

Zaara wrote: "Hailee wrote: "I'm starting this today so that I can take a steady pace and still be finished by the end of July :-)"

Knight of 7Kingdoms BR is queued before this. So I can only start on 20th. Don..."

I read the first 6 chapters on the first day and decided to lay it down as I could see myself reading it really quickly if I didn't. I might read a bit more today depending on how much of my other current reads I get through.

End of chapter 3 (view spoiler)[I can't quite put my finger on it but there is something I really don't like about Lennox so I'm glad Margaret turned him down (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 6 (view spoiler)[I'm kind of sad that they are leaving even though i know that we can't get to the good stuff 😉 until they do. (hide spoiler)]

[Hailee]

Narilka wrote: "I started early and read the first chapter. I'm getting Pride and Prejudice vibes so far."

I got those vibes too. Must be why I'm enjoying it so much and why I remember loving the bbc mini series (not that I remember what happens plot wise as it was over a decade ago since I watched it last)

[Veronica]

I read the first chapter. I didn't realize Margaret was only 18. I haven't seen the Richard Armitage tv version (though I will after I'm done with the book) but I've seen clips and the actress didn't seem like 18 to me. Not a biggie, just wasn't expecting her to be so young.

[Bea]

To the guys who have already started: would you say this is a tough classic to read or not? (considering language/vocabulary and density) I'm not a native speaker, so classics can be challenging for me...

[Hailee]

Bea wrote: "To the guys who have already started: would you say this is a tough classic to read or not? (considering language/vocabulary and density) I'm not a native speaker, so classics can be challenging fo..."

Not at all from what I've read so far. Density wise I put it on a par with any of Jane Austen's novels or Jane Eyre which I think are my favourite classics because they are so accessible.

[Bea]

Hailee wrote: "Bea wrote: "To the guys who have already started: would you say this is a tough classic to read or not? (considering language/vocabulary and density) I'm not a native speaker, so classics can be ch..."

That's definitely helpful, thank you :)
I read Jane Eyre earlier this year and didn't have any (major) problems with it. I tried to read Sense and Sensibility a few years ago but couldn't get into it (although maybe I was to young or it just wasn't the right Austen book for me)

[Hailee]

Bea wrote: "Hailee wrote: "Bea wrote: "To the guys who have already started: would you say this is a tough classic to read or not? (considering language/vocabulary and density) I'm not a native speaker, so cla..."

You're welcome Bea. If you coped with Jane Eyre then you should be fine with this I'm now 100 pages in and this is definately no more difficult than Jane Eyre is.

[Hailee]

I am just about to start chapter 11.

(view spoiler)[The Pride and Prejudice vibes are getting stronger. In fact chapter 11 is titled First impressions which was the original name of P&P. Gaskell must have been influence by it when writing North and South. (hide spoiler)]

[Bea]

Hailee wrote: "Bea wrote: "Hailee wrote: "Bea wrote: "To the guys who have already started: would you say this is a tough classic to read or not? (considering language/vocabulary and density) I'm not a native spe..."

I'm planning to start it in a few days when I'll hopefully have more time to read and concentrate :)

[Zaara]

Thru Chapter 13....Soft Breeze in a Sultry Place
@Bea...prose is surprisingly easy and story moves fast, altho' it deals with such little things...so much happens.

Such a relief after the hyperintensity of emotional overload in Wolfsong...I paused that at 60% for some of this...quiet and placid domesticity...small household scenes, all the dilemmas of a quiet pensive life...with deeply felt but stolidly unexpressed emotions...

Yea...Pride and Prejudice vibes but in this case (view spoiler)[all the pride is on her side and much of the prejudice on his. 😍 the scene where she is pouring tea and he is (very) unwillingly attracted to her but tells himself its only because she is an argumentative git and too uninformed of the true realities. (hide spoiler)]

I love how the Mother is immediately protective and watchfully suss....(view spoiler)[she's all "stay away from her, Son" and "hands offa him, Wench" even though these two have just met, hardly talk and seem to dislike/misunderstand each other...haha...mothers always know when the Doom is about to strike their young...😂 (hide spoiler)] wonder if this attitude would change? Also...the spoilt sister may be a complication.

The girl Bess is giving me strong (view spoiler)[Little Nell vibes....haha...never be called "Bess" in this era of literature... (hide spoiler)] I love the thick accent of her Da...
Clemming = Claiming?

Fave scene...Chapter 3...the bucolic country walks and the eating pears in the garden sitting on stones...oh and the sketching...

Lennox? Yeah...I haven't watched the serial, like Ron so I'm going in blind. Hailee, I hope he isn't (view spoiler)[another Wickham. (hide spoiler)]

Now the querulous Ma is sick...haha all the time she was cribbing that she hated the country air and wanted to go to a big city....which I'm all...be careful what you wish for...by the time you get it you may find that the peaches taste like Eucalyptus...

By the way, #smallrandom I love Eucalyptus trees and leaves and how they smell when they are crushed in your palm....like piney, leafy, resinous/woodsy scents more than the sweetish flowery ones.
And here is something to make the thread pretty + for Ron and Choc start sooooon, you two.
(view spoiler)[


(hide spoiler)]

[Hailee]

Read up to the end of chapter 24.

Zaara wrote: "Yea...Pride and Prejudice vibes but in this case..."

I agree about the (view spoiler)[role reversal. Although I really enjoying this I really hope Margaret stops being such a stuck up cow soon. I feel so sorry for Mr. Thornton and although Margeret does have her good points (caring for her family and the plight of the Higgin's family) Mr. Thornton hasn't really been around to witness those parts of her behaviours so I have to wonder what it is he actually sees in her? Ok so she doesn't love him, so she has every right to refuse but she is so prejudice against him that his proposal is insulting? That is just her snobbish side coming through in my opinion (hide spoiler)]


Zaara wrote: Lennox? Yeah...I haven't watched the serial, like Ron so I'm going in blind. Hailee, I hope he isn't..."

(view spoiler)[I remember nothing about the plot so I have no idea where everything is going. I was wondering that about Lennox myself actually. Even more so now that the plot of the novel seems to be following the lines of P&P so similarly in regards to Margaret's "relationships." I mean two rejected proposals, the second from the man that the reader knows she will eventually come to love... sounds familiar to me. (hide spoiler)]

[Narilka]

I'm also up to Chapter 13 and really enjoying this. It's been a nice break from my typical fantasy. Thanks for whoever suggested this buddy read :) Not a whole lot of comments, just enjoying the ride.

[Hailee]

Zaara I firgot to say I googled clemming and clem means 'to starve'

[Hailee]

Narilka wrote: "I'm also up to Chapter 13 and really enjoying this. It's been a nice break from my typical fantasy. Thanks for whoever suggested this buddy read :) Not a whole lot of comments, just enjoying the ride."

Glad you're enjoying it Narilka!!

[Veronica]

I'm just through the end of chapter five. Sorry for moving through this so slowly. I don't know what possessed me to attempt to read 4-5 books at once but I feel that I am failing greatly. Never again.

Anyway....

Margaret: (view spoiler)[She's being a bit of a snob about the people in this place they're moving to. "What in the world do manufacturers want with the classics, or literature, or the accomplishments of a gentleman?" (hide spoiler)]

Margaret's father: (view spoiler)[Yeah, I'd be more than little put out with him if I were his wife and he'd made this huge life decision and waited until practically the last minute to tell me. And then he foists the duty of informing her onto his daughter. And then he doesn't lift a finger to plan for the move...to even give a thought to getting a place to live...because he's "too busy" saying goodbye to his flock. Margaret needs to stop coddling him.

I do hope we find out what these doubts are that drove him to leave the church. He says they're not doubts about the church/religion itself so I'm really curious.

I'm also curious to know what brother Frederick took part in a mutiny. (hide spoiler)]

I know, I know. My modern sensibilities are butting heads with the norms for the time period. lol