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North and South (Revised)
North and South (Revised) | Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell
With an Introduction and Notes by Dr Patsy Stoneman, University of Hull. Set in the mid-19th century, and written from the author's first-hand experience, North and South follows the story of the heroine's movement from the tranquil but moribund ways of southern England to the vital but turbulent north. Elizabeth Gaskell's skilful narrative uses an unusual love story to show how personal and public lives were woven together in a newly industrial society. This is a tale of hard-won triumphs - of rational thought over prejudice and of humane care over blind deference to the market. Readers in the twenty-first century will find themselves absorbed as this Victorian novel traces the origins of problems and possibilities which are still challenging a hundred and fifty years later: the complex relationships, public and private, between men and women of different classes.
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yinesr
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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“But the future must be met, however stern and iron it be” Elizabeth Gaskell

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rubyslippersreads
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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I don‘t know anything about this book except that it involves three favorite Litten authors, Jane Austen, Mrs. Gaskell, and Charlotte Brontë. And it‘s free for #Kindle today. #ebook #kindlefreebie

lil1inblue I'm intrigued! Thanks for sharing! 9mo
ElizaMarie Thanks for posting this. It sounds right up my alley. I just “bought“ it. 9mo
Deblovestoread This sounds fun! Thanks for sharing 💜 9mo
kspenmoll Thanks, checking this out now. 8mo
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TracyReadsBooks
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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#Two4Tuesday

1. We last moved in 2003. Just completed a renovation of our home so we can lively here comfortably for another 20+ years. 🤞

2. Tagged book for a classic where a character moves. Billy Summers by Stephen King for a more recent one.

@TheSpineView

TheSpineView Great book choice! Thanks for playing! 9mo
20 likes1 comment
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mjtwo
North and South: Easyread Edition | Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell
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Pickpick

14-23 Dec 23 (audiobook)
I enjoyed this far more than expected, having never really heard of Gaskell and expecting a poor man‘s version of Austen. The depiction of class in 19th century England and the emergent union movement were very interesting and distinguished this text from most of the 19th century romance I have read. It is far from perfect but I am pleased I took the time to listen. Juliet Stevenson is a wonderful narrator.

dabbe I loved reading her CRANFORD this year. I'll have to read this one, too! 💙❄️💙 11mo
mjtwo Will definitely give that a read, @dabbe 11mo
dabbe @mjtwo 🤩😍🤗 11mo
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CrowCAH
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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Watched the BBC adaptation of North and South with the book club girls @VioletCavalier @hkapusta @WonderingGypsy . It‘s a fairly good adaptation of the novel; after all it is a four hour miniseries!

DGRachel I love it so much. 💖 11mo
CrowCAH @DGRachel both are super enjoyable! 11mo
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GinaKButler
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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rubyslippersreads Great cover! 12mo
batsy I loved it! 12mo
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KristiAhlers
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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Pickpick

This was my first time reading this author and it won't be my last. I loved how she touched on the classes and brought to life Victorian industrial Era. Will be in the top 10 of favorite reads this year.

dabbe The #pemberlittens read CRANFORD back in May and loved it, too! They also read NORTH AND SOUTH a while back and loved that as well. 😍 1y
LeeRHarry I recommend checking out the miniseries - it‘s fab 😊 1y
curiouserandcurioser @KristiAhlers what @LeeRHarry said!! Love the miniseries:) 1y
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batsy Great book and agree that the miniseries is also pretty brilliant! 1y
Crinoline_Laphroaig Miniseries 😍 1y
KristiAhlers I'm definitely going to go and find this miniseries!
1y
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andrew61
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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Bit of retail therapy in the heat of an afternoon in Lincoln moving our youngest out of uni for the last time. It is such a beautiful city and even though a little hard to get to well worth a visit . I will miss popping over especially when you get to rummage in a 2nd hand book shop in the site of a mediaeval synagogue. This was halfway up the aptly called Steep Hill which is quite a climb to the cathedral in the afternoon sun.

TrishB Looks fab 😁 1y
Tamra How wonderful! 1y
LeahBergen A green Virago! ❤️ 1y
Centique Wow what a beautiful bookshop 😍 1y
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Vansa
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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#Ihavequestions getting around to these fun prompts posted earlier that I didn't do then!Margaret Hale,Clary and Polly Cazalet,And RIchard from the Cazalet CHronicles,Coram,Lyra,Iorek from His Dark Materials,Katherine from Barbara Trapido's works,Janie from THeir Eyes,Poppy Carew,VI Warshawski,Grace Makutsi,Ursula,Tambudzai,AKuany,Salima and CHerifa,Olanna,Fanny...this is ending up being a list of fictional characters I want to meet

Bookwormjillk Lol I would love to see VI and Grace solving a mystery together 2y
Vansa @Bookwormjillk that would be incredible!! 2y
RaeLovesToRead Sounds great!! 2y
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Ellen_C
North and South: Easyread Edition | Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell
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Pickpick

1850s novel set in industrialized northern England, a combo of romance and exposure of social injustices. https://cannonballread.com/2023/02/north-and-south-elcicco/

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GinaKButler
North and South: Easyread Edition | Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell
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Book haul (right after my unread book post 🙈)! These new Harper Muse Classics are gorgeous!

staci.reads Oh, I've been SO tempted by that Gatsby every time I see it! 😍 2y
GinaKButler @staci.reads It‘s even prettier in person. I‘m probably going to pick up Jane Eyre and Little Women, too. 2y
CoverToCoverGirl Beautiful! I love your copy of 2y
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janeycanuck
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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Pickpick

Oof… way overdue in recording this one in Litsy…

I both enjoyed this more and less than I expected... The story line left me somewhat lacking in places - sorry, the union stuff was really boring - but the story moved faster than I expected it would. I think I'll try more Gaskell.

KristiAhlers It‘s my goal to get this one read this year. 2y
AvidReader25 This one felt like Pride and Prejudice with unions and factories. 🤣 2y
janeycanuck @AvidReader25 Yes! You nailed it 😂 2y
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Aimeesue
North and South: Easyread Edition | Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell
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Book sorting rescues - a Folio edition of the tagged Gaskell and Memoirs of the Early Italian Painters from 1875. Not that I'm super interested in Italian Painters, but it's such a lovely little thing.
#folio

IndoorDame Such great finds! 2y
jlhammar Gorgeous! I‘m hoping to read at least one Gaskell in 2023. I own three (Cranford, Wives & Daughters and North & South) and haven‘t tried any yet. 2y
Aimeesue @IndoorDame I am extremely fortunate to live in a pretty affluent, well read area where a lot of the older citizens are downsizing. We get a lot of great donations. We also get a lot of garbage - today there were SEVEN books about vitamins. Who needs that many vitamin reference books?? 😂 2y
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Aimeesue @jlhammar I've only read Cranford and North & South. Cranord was more fun! 2y
LeahBergen I have this Folio edition, too. Nice score! 2y
Aimeesue @LeahBergen They're so lovely! At this point, I have too many for my shelves, so I only bring home the ones I capture in the wild. Happily, the Folios are abundant around here. 😁 2y
LeahBergen I‘m the same. I don‘t buy them new! (edited) 2y
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Leniverse
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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📖 North and South (Gaskell), The Neverending Story, Nimona
✍️ Garth Nix
📺 Nikita, The Neverending Story
🎤 Nirvana
🎶 Not About Love (Fiona Apple), Nobody Loves You Like I Do (Madrugada), Nosferatu (Blue Oyster Cult)

#ManicMonday #LetterN @CBee

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IndoorDame
North and South: Easyread Edition | Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell
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Pickpick

I read a free kindle version of this while listening to the audio read by Juliet Stevenson who does a fabulous job of making each member of the large cast of characters sound distinct without resorting to doing “voices”. The pictured cover is not on either of the editions I read from, but as I quite dislike both of those cover images I‘m imagining they had the cover from my favorite paperback edition 😉

This was my #doublespin back in April ⬇️

IndoorDame When the #pemberlittens were finishing up their #chapteraday read of it, but I abandoned it then. Neither the print or the audio managed to hold my interest. I‘m not sure if it was the listening and reading simultaneously that made the difference, or if it was just a case of #rightbookrighttime but this time I loved it! It was a slow read, and it ended somewhat abruptly, but I loved seeing the characters grow and change. 2y
vivastory Not sure if you listen to podcasts often but there was a recent Backlisted episode on this 2y
IndoorDame @vivastory neat, I‘ll check it out. Thanks! 2y
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Maria514626 The BBC miniseries is fantastic! https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0417349/ 2y
TheAromaofBooks I'm so glad you enjoyed this one, as I did NOT 😂 I would not have made it through without the I-can-at-least-read-one-chapter-a-day incentive LOL So many people absolutely love this one, but it just wasn't the right fit for me. 2y
IndoorDame @TheAromaofBooks totally understand as even the I-can-at-least-read-one-chapter-a-day incentive didn‘t work for me back in April 😂, but this time was a different experience. Go figure 🤷🏻‍♀️ 2y
rubyslippersreads @Maria514626 Richard Armitage! 😍 2y
Maria514626 @rubyslippersreads Where are my smelling salts? 😆 (We need a swoon emoji.) 2y
rubyslippersreads @Maria514626 We certainly do. 😁 2y
batsy The TV series is totally brilliant. @rubyslippersreads @Maria514626 I just watched it for the first time recently and am joining the swooning 😆 2y
Maria514626 @batsy 😆😆😆 2y
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Abailliekaras
North and South: Easyread Edition | Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this classic, I‘ve been meaning to read it for years so glad we did it for book club. I was completely immersed. Margaret Hale is a great character, a strong woman who manages to transcend the domestic sphere & address social & issues of the times. Gaskell had travelled so this gives the book more scope than, say Austen. Too long at times but social & industrial history still relevant today. The romance felt true. A great read.

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Graywacke
North and South: Easyread Edition | Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell
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Mehso-so

So, this was all a morality tale? Middle class well- educated but impoverished Margaret Hale sees both sides of Marx and Engel‘s Manchester and … finds a dumb strike-leader/factory worker and respectable attractive factory owner who just needs to understand his workers better. Got that? Also she matures, and religion is good, and fortune spins, and other stuff happens. For me this represents the paternal contradictions of the 19th century.

Graywacke The painting is titled Our Town by Laurence Stephen Lowry, 1943. The town is Manchester. 2y
Ruthiella A much loved novel that I did not love either. Gaskell seems to really want the reader to love and admire Margaret and I pretty much found her to be insufferable. 2y
BarbaraBB I had been planning on reading this one later this year but now I‘m not so sure anymore. 2y
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Graywacke @Ruthiella i can see that. Ms. perfect and morally superior can be really irritating. I think Gaskell wrote her as an ideal model 18-yr-old. 2y
Graywacke @BarbaraBB it‘s such a classic it‘s definitely worth reading. It‘s a little slow, but Gaskell knows her topics. It‘s the subtext and paternalism (to the poor and to the reader) that bothered me. 2y
AnnR @Graywacke - Nice summary. I really liked this novel when I read it once upon a time during my Gaskell phase. If I read it now, from a more mature pov, I suspect my opinion would be different. Margaret's “perfection“ and contradictions, would totally irritate me. 2y
DivineDiana Haven‘t read the book ... yet. But I did enjoy the movie. 🙂 2y
Graywacke @Ann_Reads i was mildly amused by Margaret herself. The presentation of her always acting immature, sometimes disastrously, but still actually appropriately was a but tough for me. 2y
Graywacke @DivineDiana I‘m interested in a movie version. 2y
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Graywacke
North and South: Easyread Edition | Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell
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Started this Sunday, part of a Victorian theme on LibraryThing. I basically missed all the Victorian novels, so filling in. I‘ll try to pick through it in little pieces over the next two months (in between other things).

BarbaraBB This is also one I‘ve been meaning to read. 3y
Graywacke @BarbaraBB you can always join the group read 🙂 (although I think I‘m the only one who has started) 3y
39 likes2 comments
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StolenBookmobile
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell

Update: I never got to it. Sunshine, a nap, and my kids dominated the day. Ah well…..I‘ll try again in October. I‘ll be starting this today for the Dewey's 24 hour readathon. I'm not sure i filled out the form correctly.....but gonna have fun anyway haha.
#readathon #Dewey's24HourReadathon

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nanuska_153
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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Panpan

I'm giving this a Pan but it could be a generous So-So.The only reason why I didn't bail on this one is because I was doing chalter a day with #Pemberlittens. I didn't connect with any of the characters, Thornton's love comes from nowhere and it's so intensely exagerated that sometimes is even funny, Margaret's love seem to come from nowhere,even when we have "access to her thoughts" through the narrative they are never mentioned ⬇️

nanuska_153 Although I'm very interested in social rights and the difference between classes I didn't appreciate the fact that we hear all the arguments against the strikes and the workers, but although the characters seem to change their ideas we don't see why or hear any debate so I don't know how anybody reading it at the time could get any ideas in favour of workers rights.⬇️ 3y
nanuska_153 Sorry I couldn't keep up with chapter a day! A family visit to introduce the baby and organise the wedding took up all my time! 😔 Thanks to @MicrobeMom for hosting! 3y
Libby1 I agree! 3y
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truthinfiction I do agree with your review despite liking the book and developing a massive crush on John Thornton. The discussions were a little hard to follow. The end particularly fizzled out. 3y
Ruthiella Those memes you were able to post while reading were priceless! 😂 I would also only give it a generous so so for similar reasons. 3y
eeclayton I wholeheartedly agree. Your posts were much more enjoyable than the book 😁 3y
nanuska_153 @truthinfiction He was too intense for me without much reason for it to develop a crush, which is a pity cause I had heard of many people with a crush on him and there's nothing that I enjoy more than a literary crush 3y
nanuska_153 @Ruthiella @eeclayton Aww thanks! ♥️ The fact that I couldn't take the book too seriously made it an easy target for memes 😅 3y
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LitStephanie
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
Pickpick

I loved this story about a family who moves from a farming community to an industrial city and the culture shock that ensues. Sometimes it is really cringey reading about the imperious "masters" (factory owners) and their free market, anti-union rhetoric, and the patronizing descriptions of the hands are disgusting. But I also appreciate the historical snapshot of peoples' attitudes, and there is character development here. Both Margaret and ⏬

LitStephanie her new friends in Milton learn about the others' perspective and lose some of their prejudices. I also loved the portrayal of family tensions and loyalty and the themes of overcoming old ways of thinking to make way for love and friendship. #pemberlittens 3y
batsy Lovely review! I agree, I enjoyed the book for a lot of those same reasons. 3y
LitStephanie @batsy thanks! I love that Gaskell writes about the non-idle classes, i.e. most people. 3y
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Crinoline_Laphroaig
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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Pickpick

I'm doing the good Auntie thing today. Picking up from Dental Surgery and watching over. So getting caught up on my Litsy Reviews.

Thanks for hosting at @MicrobeMom. I always have fun with #PemberLittens. This was my 2nd reading. It's the favorite book of a Library friend of mine so I read it few years ago. This time I did audio. Enjoyable but still love Jane more.

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MicrobeMom
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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#pemberlittens me me! 🙋‍♀️🙋‍♀️

batsy A little bit since I finished, yes 😆 3y
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MicrobeMom
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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Mehso-so

#pemberlittens I was so happy to do this buddy read, but I am not sure so would have finished it it I was required to read more than a chapter a day. I loved that this was grittier than a Jane Austen novel and really delved into conflicts between the upper class and the working class. I also loved Mr. Thornton‘s transformation and the moments of feminism. However, I did find big chunks of this novel boring and unnecessary. I agree with others👇

MicrobeMom that Gaskell used the death of characters to move the plot along. I also found there was little to no humor in this book which I find very different from Austen‘s novels. Lastly, I found Margaret a disappointing protagonist. Just when I felt she was going to come into her own and live up the feminist ideal she does not. I felt this in several places in the book. I am happy I read this and did enjoy doing the chapter a day report! 3y
sprainedbrain Great review, and THANK YOU so much for hosting! ❤️ 3y
Julsmarshall Great review and you were a wonderful host! 3y
eeclayton My thoughts exactly. Thanks for hosting ❤️ 3y
LitStephanie Thank you for hosting and all your memes that made me laugh and brightened my day! 3y
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MicrobeMom
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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#pemberlittens #chapter52NS Finally!! In our last chapter Margaret and Mr. Lennox spend lots of time talking properties and not marriage much to Edith‘s chagrin. The next day Mr. Lennox, Mr. Thornton, & Margaret are to meet but Mr. Lennox never shows. Margaret is forced to meet with John alone. She tries ineloquently to explain that she want to give him some of her money to stay in business. This quickly devolves into again ineloquent 👇👇

MicrobeMom Professions of love. They will marry and live happily ever after. I am happy and sad to have finished this book. I will post my review tomorrow! 3y
Julsmarshall 😍 3y
CrowCAH Finally!!! OMG I waited till the last page to get a HEA for those two! ❤️ 3y
sprainedbrain ❤️ 3y
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mklong
North and South: Easyread Edition | Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell
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Pickpick

While I didn‘t warm up to any of the characters enough for this to be a favorite, I‘m glad that I finally got around to reading this classic. I had fun reading along with my fellow #Pemberlittens and huge thanks to @MicrobeMom for leading the read along!

MicrobeMom Yay! This was so fun! Glad you enjoyed. 3y
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eeclayton
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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Mehso-so

I didn't hate it, but didn't like it either. Most of the characters are ego-centered or weak, and/or die. I found the romance unconvincing. The ending was rather abrupt, too. The themes explored are important and interesting, but that's all I can list on the positive side.
Reading with the #Pemberlittens added a lot to the enjoyment factor for me. Thanks for hosting @MicrobeMom and a shoutout to @nanuska_153 for your hilarious posts 😂

MicrobeMom Thanks for your review!! 3y
nanuska_153 Thanks so much! It's a pity I couldn't keep it up! 3y
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AnneCecilie
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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Pickpick

I‘m so glad I read this with the #PemberLittens. Reading this a chapter a day, increased my enjoyed of this.

About the North and South of England which is between industry and farmers. About masters and workers. About the new world and the old.

Margaret grew on me and Edith annoyed me.

I loved your daily summaries and memes @MicrobeMom so thanks for tagging me.

@sprainedbrain

LitStephanie I also really like the contrast between old world farming country and the new industrialized country. 3y
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MicrobeMom
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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#pemberlittens #Chapter51NS Mr. Thornton is visiting London to settle the loss of his business and to sublet his factory and home. Mr. Lennox gets him an invite to dinner at Edith‘s. Margaret wishes not to attend but is forced by Edith. While Margaret is checking John out, he is doing an excellent job of avoiding her. It is clear that he has lost everything, but he tells Margaret that all his men want to for him again. He knows this will 👇👇

MicrobeMom please her and it does. After dinner, Margaret makes plans to meet with Mr. Lennox to discuss thing Milton. I have know doubt Margaret is going to do some grand gesture for John. I cannot wait to finish tomorrow. 3y
CrowCAH Gosh, yes she will help him out in some way. She has such a large giving heart! 3y
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Palimpsest
North and South: Easyread Edition | Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell
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Pickpick

I finished this a couple of weeks ago, but forgot to post about it. I enjoyed this story as an audiobook; Margaret moving from a quaint town in the South to trying to adjust to an industrial town where a strike takes place. I read that this book was initially serialized and Gaskell had wanted the book to be longer, but had to cut it short by two episodes. I would like to see what she intended as I feel that the romance portion was cut short.

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mollyrotondo
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I‘m so glad I finally read this classic. I had steered clear of it but thank you #pemberlittens and @MicrobeMom for picking this one and leading a great discussion these past two months. This was an excellent book giving me insight into the industrial revolution in England and the parallels between country living and city dwelling. Very detailed and pretty depressing. Very different style from Austen but she was writing later than Austen

MicrobeMom Great review! So glad you enjoyed! 3y
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Julsmarshall
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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Pickpick

First #buddyread with #PemberLittens was so fun! Lovely to read so slowly, a chapter a day and, while it was strange at first, I enjoyed the pace and the time it gave me to think through the themes. A grittier world than Austen‘s, but the push/pull between industry/class, city/rural, business owner/worker, individual/community is riveting. Mr. Thornton is a great hero because he is so invested in the relationship. @MicrobeMom @sprainedbrain

MicrobeMom Great review and I am glad you enjoyed it!! I can‘t wait to see how it ends. 3y
sprainedbrain Lovely review! 3y
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TheAromaofBooks
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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Mehso-so

Well, I went ahead and finished this one yesterday - I got behind on the chapter-a-day schedule when I was sick over the weekend and then had no idea where I was supposed to be, so I just went for the gold! 😂 I'm glad to have read this one, but can't particularly say I enjoyed it. I found Margaret to be sanctimonious and boring. Gaskell's only method for forwarding the plot was killing off another character so that we could watch Margaret be ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) sad and strong and her eyes shimmer with unshed tears. She's surrounded by child-adults who seem incapable of doing anything besides wringing their hands and sighing over how they wish things were different. Thornton is the only one with any kind of actual character development and that's covered in about five pages towards the end. The book could have been a lot more interesting if we'd actually spent time on Thornton learning to ⬇ 3y
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) appreciate his workers and setting up programs for them, but that happens off-page for the most part because we're busy watching Margaret be sad about 79th person in her life who has died in the last year. I can see why people are fond of this one, but I would have bailed if I'd been trying to get through more than a chapter a day. I didn't find the romance particularly believable (or interesting) especially on Thornton's part and the ⬇ 3y
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) long swaths of nothing happening except for people having feelings took up way too much of the book for my personal tastes.

However, really enjoyed reading this with the #PemberLittens - I'm reading books I wouldn't otherwise pick up and it's been fun to explore some classics I've avoided!!

@sprainedbrain @MicrobeMom - thanks for hosting the readalong!!
3y
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MicrobeMom Great review! I agree with many points. I have enjoyed this read despite the flaws and I look forward to finishing it In two days! Thanks for participating! 3y
Daisey I agree with so many of the points you made here. I just kept wanting more, and you're right that some of what I wanted did happen with Thornton but it was off the page and that was frustrating to me. I wanted to see theose changes and that growth to bring the two of them together actually occuring in the story. 3y
sprainedbrain Love this review! 3y
TheAromaofBooks @MicrobeMom @sprainedbrain - I may have been a bit harsh in this review 😂 I didn't hate it, I just felt like it lacked forward motion a LOT! 3y
TheAromaofBooks @Daisey - I think that's really part of the issue - maybe Gaskell didn't feel comfortable delving too deeply into the masculine psyche or something, but I think this book would have been significantly more interesting if it had focused more on the changes Thornton made both inwardly and outwardly. He changes more than anyone else in the book, but it's somewhat hard to see because it's almost entirely off-page. 3y
eeclayton Couldn't agree more. I too would have bailed if it wasn't for the #Pemberlittens 3y
nanuska_153 "Because we are busy watching Margaret be sad about the 79th person in her life who has died" ?? 100% agree with your review. I don't know what's more unbelievable, Thornton's exaggerated love, or Margaret love that's so sudden that it could happen the same way in page 10 instead of 350 3y
TheAromaofBooks @nanuska_153 - I was so confused that he literally just fell in love with her as soon as he saw her and then is obsessed with her even though she hates pretty much everything about him... until she doesn't?!?!!? And it was like every time the author needed something to happen, the only thing she could think of to do was to kill somebody off!! 😂 I see why people like this one, but it was not for me! 3y
nanuska_153 @TheAromaofBooks The fact that the author kept killing people was hilarious. Margaret's love is so nonsensical that I was surprised Thornton understood she was in love cause she offered money, I thought she was just being nice for once xD Thornton was so intense it ended up being funny, I didn't enjoy the book, but him angrily delivering delicious fruit will be forever in my memory as one of the funniest moments in literature. 3y
TheAromaofBooks @nanuska_153 - Oh my gosh, the fruit scene was THE BEST. And honestly, I've been in a similar situation before... I gotta do something nice, but I don't have to be happy about it 😂 3y
71 likes13 comments
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MicrobeMom
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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#pemberlittens #Chapter50NS Trade is bad in Milton and John‘s business has not recovered since the strike. His bet on the Irish workers ended up being disastrous. John‘s brother-in-law wants him to dump his borrowed money into some speculation scheme. After a dramatic talks with Mrs. Thornton he decides not too and is forces to give up his business. While he is offer a few positions, he is waiting for the right one. He also finds👇👇

MicrobeMom out that the speculation scheme made his brother-in-law a very rich man. During all of this, because he was forced to borrow money, Margaret somehow becomes his landlord through the properties she inherited from Mr. Bell. Also, Higgins reveals that Fred was in Milton at the time of Mrs. Hale‘s death. John is comforted that Margaret never did anything improper. He now regains his respect of her. I have 8 pages left and It is killing me! (edited) 3y
Julsmarshall It was killing me too, @MicrobeMom and so I finished it this morning! I haven‘t participated in a buddy read before-are we supposed to tag everyone (anyone?) in our review? 3y
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MicrobeMom @Julsmarshall I am trying to be patient. Feel free to tag whoever you like. I tag everyone in my daily posts because I volunteered to give each chapter a summary. I would love any tags to see people‘s thoughts on the book and the chapter a day experience. I think @sprainedbrain would also like a tag because she organized it all! Thanks for participating! (edited) 3y
CrowCAH Yeah I didn‘t quite get how Mr Thornton became a tenant of Margaret‘s, but it was an interesting juxtaposition for their roles of “master” and “hand.” 3y
Crinoline_Laphroaig @Julsmarshall I usually find things other reviews by using the #PemberLittens tag. I go through it every so often for reviews 3y
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LitStephanie
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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Chapter 53? I know we are past this chapter, but this quote just slayed me: "If my tones, or modes of thought, are what you dislike, will you do me the justice to tell me so, and so give me the chance of learning to please you?" ??? Because that's how love and respect work. #pemberlittens

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MicrobeMom
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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#pemberlittens #chapter49NS Margaret has inherited a substantial sum from Mr. Bell. Henry Lennox is helping her sort it out. She is still upset Mr. Thornton does not know her truth. The family travels to the sea where Margaret grieves and is able to come to some resolutions. Henry is finding her more attractive and amiable. The family is hopeful. Upon their return, Margaret has decided to take matters into her own hands👇👇

MicrobeMom and start living her own life. Go get it Margaret! It is about time. Love the feminism! This was a very important chapter for Margaret! 3y
LitStephanie Hahaha, exactly! And also, wouldn't ten years younger be about 11? To Lennox's credit, he did propose before she gained her fortune, although he did think she should be really grateful about it. 😆 3y
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MicrobeMom @LitStephanie yes he did. He is not horrible but he was shocked by their poverty in Helstone. I can I my image what he would have thought of Milton. But to be fair I do genuine think he has some affection for Margaret. I just don‘t like him. 😂😂 3y
CrowCAH I‘m with you @MicrobeMom I don‘t like Henry Lennox. But he does kinda have a brotherly affection for her. He is helping her with her finances and not taking advantage of the funds. 3y
MicrobeMom @CrowCAH yes you are right Mr. Lennox is trying and doesn‘t want Margaret unless he wants him. I am hiding his harshly for the sake of a funny meme. 😊 3y
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review
DebinHawaii
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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Pickpick

I must be honest, this is a reluctant pick because I admire Elizabeth Gaskell‘s quite modern writing for 1854 about the classes, gender roles, & the rural life vs industrialization, but I slogged through this one, got behind & then did 3 chapters a day to catch up & finally finished it to get it off my plate. I‘m glad I read it, but found almost every character tedious (occasionally even John Thornton who was the best of the lot). I‘ll forever ⬇️

DebinHawaii …think of it as a mostly depressing novel where almost every character is either annoying, dies or is annoying & then dies. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Read with the #PemberLittens 3y
rubyslippersreads Have you seen the BBC miniseries? I watched it before reading the book. I think being able to picture Richard Armitage as Mr. Thornton vastly enhanced my enjoyment of the book. 😂 3y
DebinHawaii @rubyslippersreads I have not but I may try it! 😉 3y
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sprainedbrain I‘m with @rubyslippersreads about watching Thornton helping. This was a rare instance where I maybe liked the miniseries more than the book. 😬 3y
Julsmarshall I agree with you all the way around! And I agree with @rubyslippersreads that Richard Armitage is a wonderful Mr. Thornton and with @sprainedbrain that the miniseries is more enjoyable than the book. 3y
LitStephanie 🤣🤣your review is so funny. Annoying people who then die, haha! 3y
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MicrobeMom
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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#pemberlittens #Chapter48NS So Margaret is attending Mrs. Shaw‘s dinners which are not boring but Margaret is still depressed. She is still not thrilled with Mr. Lennox. Mr. Bell is to visit and he has not been feeling well. There is more talk of Spain, Edith is again insensitive and self-centered. Margaret feels bad. Mr. Bell never shows up because he is dying. She travels to Oxford to find he has died and returns to London. Poor Margaret.

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sprainedbrain
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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Stolen from JA Universe on the evil Facebook… but I laughed, #PemberLittens. 😂

Zamyah Cranford by Gaskell is really fun too. Wrote my Masters thesis using North and South, Cranford, and Mary Barton 3y
zezeki I just saw this post after one my friends called me to say she just got engaged. 😂😂 3y
MicrobeMom 😂😂 love this! 3y
sprainedbrain @lirahlu I will make sure Cranford is on our list to vote next round! 😃 3y
sprainedbrain @zezeki presumably your friend wants to get married. 😂 3y
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MicrobeMom
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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#pemberlittens #Chapter47NS Dixon returns with gossip from Milton. Fanny Thornton‘s wedding was too over the top. Edith mentions Mr. Bell wanting to take Margaret to Spain to visit Fred. Dixon is worried about being converted to a Catholic. Edith is annoying and self-centered making everything about her. Margaret wants Mr. Bell to visit Milton to explain all to John. Mr. Lennox visits often but there is nothing between him and Margaret.

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MicrobeMom
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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#pemberlittens #Chapter46NS Margaret and Mr. Bell travel to Helstone where she finds it much changed. Susan is now in school and the Vicar and his new wife are awful. They have made many changes to the house and to the school. Margaret is depressed and confesses her lie to the police to Mr. Bell. She wishes for him to tell John the truth. After a fitful night, she feels better for her confession. She turns down the vicar‘s invite for dinner.

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MicrobeMom
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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#pemberlittens #Chapter43NS Mr. Bell has it in his mind to visit Helstone. After a meeting with Henry Lennox in which Margaret learn there is no hope for a defense for Fred, Mr. Bell proposes they visit Helstone together. Margaret is very excited to do so and they secure permission from Mrs. Shaw.

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MicrobeMom
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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#pemberlittens #Chapter44NS Margaret is now at Harley St. Every night she is left alone and she is bored by the monotony of each day. Mr. Bell visits and finds out Fred was in Milton when Mrs. Hale died. Henry Lennox arrives and Mr. Bell senses tension between him and Margaret. When they both leave they talk of Mr. Hale and Lennox puts him down for leaving his position. Mr. Bell is not having it. Henry is very arrogant.

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MicrobeMom
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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#pemberlittens #chapter43 It is decided that Margaret will return to London. Mr. Bell writes her a letter explaining her father‘s burial in Oxford, she will get an allowance from him, and Cpt. Lennox and John are there. Margaret goes about Milton saying goodbye to Mary, Mrs. Thornton who is now having tender feelings, John who stupidly does not profess his love again, and finally Higgins. Higgins is kind and she gives him Mr. Hale‘s bible.

Julsmarshall Every day it gets harder for me to not just finish the book. Anyone else? 3y
Crinoline_Laphroaig @Julsmarshall I'm determined to stay the course. 3y
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CrowCAH Giving the Bible was a nice touch. 3y
LitStephanie @Julsmarshall I have usually been a couple of days behind, but when I catch up, I always want to keep reading! 3y
MicrobeMom @Julsmarshall omg yes it has been hard! 3y
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review
Daisey
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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Pickpick

I went ahead and finished this ahead of schedule because I kept losing track of the right chapter and my library borrow was expiring. Overall, it‘s a low pick for me. I just didn‘t get caught up enough in or care enough about any of the characters‘ stories and the ending felt abrupt. I can see that it had important things to say, but I just kept wanting something more.

#PemberLittens #audiobook #1001books

janeycanuck I haven‘t finished yet but am feeling very much the same. 3y
Daisey @janeycanuck Yes, I was continually waiting to like the characters more and feel they had grown in a way that made me want them together. That never completely happened. 3y
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MicrobeMom
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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#pemberlittens #chapter42 NS I am so behind! So quickly, Margaret is too depressed to get off the couch. Mr. Bell loses his appetites, quickly regains it, and wants to take Margaret to Oxford. Mrs. Shaw doesn‘t want to travel to Milton, hates when she gets there, and displaces Mr. Bell at the Hale home. Mr. Thornton arrives and take Mr. Bell to his house. They discuss Frederick and John begins to realize a few things.

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LitStephanie
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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Chapter 42. I love Mr. Bell, and I hate how the movie implies he wants to marry Margaret. This is a good Mr. Bell quote about how eating together makes people have a little more understanding of each other. If I could have you all over, I'd share my roasted eggplant and tomato soup with you. 🙂 #pemberlittens

Chrissyreadit Can you share the recipe? 3y
LitStephanie @Chrissyreadit I wish I could, but I don't see it online, at least not yet. It is in the current print magazine Forks Over Knives i 3y
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LitStephanie
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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Chapter 38. Mrs. Thornton takes "a savage pleasure in the idea of speaking her mind" to Margaret, then is so undone by Margaret's thoughtful hospitality (so unlike Mrs. Thornton's hospitality the first time Margaret visited her) that "it became impossible to utter the speech so easy of arrangement with no one to address it to." We've all been there, Mrs. T! She draws up her meanness, though, and still manages to insult Margaret. #pemberlittens

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staci.reads
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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Pickpick

I ended up reading through to the end of this one today ahead of schedule. It's another one that I've meant to read for years but had never gotten to. Glad to have finally tackled it through our group read. #Pemberlittens

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MicrobeMom
North and South | Elizabeth Gaskell
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#pemberlittens #Chapter41NS Mr. Hale has not been feeling well but goes to a Oxford to visit Mr. Bell. Margaret stays home and finds some time to grieve all that has happened in the last year. She is beginning to enjoy things again. While in Oxford, Mr.Bell says she will care for Margaret is Mr. Hale dies. The Mr. Hale dies in his sleep! Mr. Bell travels to Milton and sees Mr. Thornton. He tells hime the news and they discuss what will 👇👇

MicrobeMom happen to Margaret. Mr. Thornton is concerned. When Mr. Bell arrives, Margaret knows why. 😢 3y
CrowCAH At this point I was like everyone keeps dying! It was too much. 3y
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LitStephanie @CrowCAH yes, it is so sad. Poor Margaret! But everyone died young back then. Death was much more present in young peoples' lives than now, I think. 3y
Julsmarshall Both of her parents died so young! Margaret has had such a sad life. (edited) 3y
TheAromaofBooks @CrowCAH - I felt the same way! I could NOT believe that she killed off Margaret's dad as well! 3y
CrowCAH @LitStephanie yeah perhaps death was more common. Still there‘s going to be one more death in the book. 3y
CrowCAH @TheAromaofBooks I know, right?! Like let her have some “pleasant” time in her life, instead of all this grief. 3y
TheAromaofBooks @CrowCAH - I didn't realize I was going to need a death sheet for this one like I did for Wuthering Heights! 😂 3y
CrowCAH @TheAromaofBooks 😆 oh my, same! 3y
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