The first book by Elizabeth Gaskell that I tried to read was "Cranford". I didn't get very far because I wasn't enjoying it. But then I read "North and South", and I thought it was great. I enjoyed reading about the differences between the countryside and industrial cities; I thought the struggle between the workers and the mill owners was very educational; and I found John Thornton to be one of the sexiest men in literature.
Totally agree that N&S is brilliant on audio, especially with all the dialect. Like you I am saving Wives & Daughters for last. I think you would enjoy her novella The Poor Clare, about nuns in 18th c. Antwerp. What's so wonderful about Gaskell is that she can write simple pastoral works (like Cranford and Cousin Phillis) AND industrial novels AND ghost stories--she is accessible in so many styles and therefore appeals to a wide range of readers.
It was so fun hearing your thoughts on Gaskell! I will be so curious what you think about Sylvia's Lovers - it's so hit or miss for readers but I love it so much. I loved everything you said about Mary Barton - I'm enjoying my reread so much! It would be lovely if you were able to be at the part 1 discussion on Sunday. Loving all your Victober content!
I love Gaskell! I've discovered her only last year but I trully love her. North and South was my first book of hers and it's still my favourite (Mr. Thornton makes my heart beat fast). After that I've read Cousin Phillis and Cranford on audiobook and Wives and Daughters on paper. I've also started Ruth on ebook but I've DNFed because I wanted to read a physical book of it. I have recently got one and a physical copy of Mary Barton so I hope to resume my journey with Gaskell before the end of the year.
Cranford was the first Elizabeth Gaskell book I attempted and it was a dnf for me. I really didn’t like it. I then tried North and South and WOW this would be one of my favourite classics out of many classic authors. Next I will try either Mary Barton or Wives and Daughters.
Great video! I agree North and South is the best place to start (it also happens to be my favorite Gaskell, so I might be biased haha). For a biography to pair with The Life of Charlotte Brontë, I highly recommend The Brontë Myth Lucasta Miller. It breaks down the misconceptions and inaccuracies found in previous biographies, and it's overall just a great read.
I love these type videos! I'm trying to read through Elizabeth Gaskell and I have Sylvia's Lovers and Wives and Daughters left of her novels and I'm hoping to read A Dark Night's Work sometime this Victober. As for Ruth, I love that one, but I think most people rank that one pretty low. Yes, same. I'm leaving Wives and Daughters for last. For short stories, Lois the Witch was my first sample of her writing and I loved it.
I definitely agree with you on Cranford. I didn’t like it and thought it was quite boring. Ruth is near the bottom as well. I would put Mary Barton as #3 on my Gaskell favorites list with Wives and Daughters #2 and my actual favorite Victorian novel, North and South #1. I love Elizabeth Gaskell’s writing style so very much. A nice and cozy blanket, reading by the fireplace with a cup of hot coffee, and one of her books, is MY “ heaven on earth”.😊
I'm so glad to hear you loved Mary Barton. I'm halfway through it. Sylvia's Lovers is very atmospheric and has a lot of twists and turns. I just read it in September and really enjoyed it. I was also disappointed by Cranford. I love Wives and Daughters, North and South, and Ruth. I think Ruth is her most overtly religious novel. It is sad, but redemptive in quite a lovely way. Wives and Daughters is my favorite, and I think Ruth is my second favorite.
Thanks for sharing this video; I really enjoyed it. I am looking at reading all her works, and debating whether to read in the order written, or to read from the "tops/must-read" first - in case I don't get to all her works. I'm actually very interested in reading Ruth based on your reaction to it. Do you have a video where you roughly rank all your classics & Victorian books (I say roughly since, for me, that would depend on many things - mood, season, etc...). I just scrolled through your video library - and you have A LOT of videos I want to watch! Glad I found your channel... I look forward to your future videos. Happy reading! Happy autumn!
I was so happy to hear your thoughts on the Gaskell novels you've read. I adored both North & South and Wives & Daughters so I've been debating about what to read next by her. Mary Barton is at the top of my list!
My favs are Wives and Daughters, Cranford, North and South. I was frustrated with Ruth and Mary Barton because they ended sad. I read Sylvias Lovers and can't even remember what it was about.
Although Sylvia’s Lovers is my lowest rated Gaskell I do think you might like it more Jennifer. It’s so hard to rank her novels, I think I could only do it on a reread of them all. At the moment I would say Wives and Daughter, Cranford and Mary Barton and then North and South and Ruth. I’ve also read an excellent biography of Elizabeth Gaskell by Jenny Uglow which I can highly recommend.
I have read Wives and Daughters, North and South, and Cranford. I am looking forward to Mary Barton and Sylvia's Lovers. I've also just picked up from the library "A House to Let" which is a collaborative novella written by Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins, Elizabeth Gaskell, and Adelaide Anne Procter.
I've only read North and South and one of her shorter works, Cousin Phillis. I like her writing but can't say I love it. I did like North and South more the second time that I read it but this is a rare instance where I prefer the adaptation.
I didn't care for Cranford the first time I rad it either, but then I did a buddy read this year and really enjoyed it. But I had read a lot of Gaskell since the first time I read it, so I might have just gotten more accustomed to her writing style. Absolutely agree with you about North and South! Lovely book!
I’m so glad to see someone else who did not enjoy Cranford! Me too! Her other writing is so much better. Ruth is pretty good, but yes it is very heavy.
I tried to get started with North & South because I heard it was a good place to get into her writing as a Austen fan. I didn’t get very far, but I do plan on giving it another chance because I’ve heard such good things about it.
Your Victober vids have been *such* a treat 😍 Never read any Gaskell (seen N&S 3 X thogh 💞) however now i *really* wanna read MB & SL! Re Austen i really hope i love P&P because NAbbey didn't make much of an impression though i liked Persuasion more (only read these 2). Maybe the adaptations are more for me..?🤷♀
What a lovely video, thank you. I totally agree with you as regards North and South as the best one to start with. I have read all of novels, and North and South and Wives and Daughters are by far my favorites, and her best works - in fact they are two of favorite Victorian novels. I cannot recommend Wives and Daughters enough, it depends on the days but I would say that it is my favorite of hers (and, considering how much I love N&S, the book and the 2004 adaptation, that says something): I have read it twice it's simply perfect. Mary Barton interested me as well as Cranford (this one is cosy and made my laugh), but I did not take to Ruth, and Sylvia's Lovers was just ok. I must admit that I'm not very interested in her biography of Charlotte Brontë, I would much rather read a modern and accurate one.
Can't wait for you to get to Sylvia's lovers! I'm 150 pages away from finishing it and so far I can confirm it's a real treat. I only read North & South before this, and although it was a 5*, I can't help but think it robbed Sylvia's by the popularity it deserved.
ooh, interesting, I'll definitely have to try Mary Barton - I wanted to love North and South for exactly the reasons you say (Austen with a little more going on), but found it weak on both the romance side, and then the commentary was... haphazard - There, but there are some odd choices. But the concept is great, and I'd love it to work - so I definitely need to check that one out
The ending really killed north and south for me. I felt it a bit weak. I would rate it a good book, but Jane Austen for me is better. I will check out Mary Barton
