Haha! I doubt I’ll do a better job than you. This was an absolutely brilliant ramble. I really enjoyed it. Gaskell’x writing is so descriptive and all of her characters felt so alive. 😍 Thank you for reading this with me, Jack! I truly had the best time.
I am meaning to get round to Elizabeth Gaskell’s books. I liked some of her short stories in Gothic Tales but found others a bit dull. I can see her characters being really believable and interesting. Glad to hear a lot of stuff happens. Great review. 😊📚
I still haven’t read any Gaskell - I must try some of her work this year. From what you’ve said her writing style sounds more my style than Austen. Great review matey 👍🏻💜
Loved N&S when I finally read it a couple years ago! And of course love that there's a Richard Armitage loving a Margaret in some alternate universe of adaptations... 😍
I love North and South but found it a bit too sentimental last time I read it. Cranford is so funny and witty, but there is less of a sense of humour in N&S. I do like that she is more conscious of class in her writings.
Hi Fatiqah! I’m hoping to have one up tomorrow - I’ve missed a week as life things have been super busy but hoping for a little update video out tomorrow. Thanks so much for asking!
This sounds really interesting, it's funny how my brain goes straight to the North and South tv mini-series from 1985, but that's the American Civil War 😊 I'm really curious to read this novel, especially since the divide between north and south in almost every country I know is such a big subject. We think it's so specific to our history, but sadly it's how human nature evolved, pointing out the differences rather than the similarities. Sorry, I'm rambling 🤣 I guess it's a risk you have to take when you put out rambling reviews, you get us going and then we're off 😆 Joke apart, thank you for this review, it's going straight onto my wishlist ❣ Alexandra🌷
Ramble away!😂 This is the place for it. Yes it is such a common issue all over isn’t it? A sad facet of human nature indeed. I really hope you enjoy it Alexandra if you get around to it. ❤️
Rambling is fine with me--there's so much going on in this book, you could talk forever. I just finished my 3rd reading of N&S and for me it gets better with each reading. This time I listened to Juliet Stevenson on audiobook, which helped with the dialect. And of course I'd recommend the miniseries with Richard Armitage. The very last ending bit is changed, but still fits. You may know that Gaskell had this serialized in Dickens' magazine Household Words. The ending is abrupt because Dickens told her it was getting too long, so she had to bring the story to a close. Imagine Dickens, of all people, telling ANYONE their book was too long! There is an excellent biography of Gaskell by Jenny Uglow, which includes discussion of all her major works. Oh! And Katie of Books and Things did a video with her partner (now her spouse) discussing N&S. See? Gaskell makes me ramble, too!!
I am so excited to get into more of her work and thank you so much for the bio recommendation - once I’ve read all her books I will definitely get to that. I also partly listened to the Juliet Stevenson audio - I love her narrating classics, particularly Austen. Marvellous. I did not know this was also serialised, it felt far more cohesive than Cranford! Though I also loved Cranford. Dickens saying that is ridiculous! I will be heading over to watch Katie’s video - she is wonderful! Thank you for all the recommendations!
I read this some years ago and wasn't too keen on it. However, I think it was, at least partially, a case of wrong book at the wrong time, so I'm definitely planning on rereading it and will do so this coming Victober if it's selected as the group read or the one for the Zoom discussion with Kate and Emily. I still doubt it'll beat Wives and Daughters though 😂😂
I love your rambling reviews. They actually make more sense to me and I feel like I am getting a first reaction verses a review that has been written and polished. And I will be adding North and South to my pile of possibilities. Coming from the States I love the descriptions given of the English countryside and learning a little more about history so to speak in regards to the different classes etc.
