North and South

When we 21st century readers try to read Victorian classics, we often find the pace too laborious for our shrunken-by-social-media attention spans. This is coupled with the facts that these tomes are often incredibly lengthy - North and South weighs in at 448 pages of small type in the Wordsworth edition, and takes over 18 hours to listen to in the Audible edition, beautifully read by Juliet Stevenson. It doesn’t come as a shock to hear that the original novel was serialised over 20 weekly episodes in ‘Household Words’, the Dickens-edited journal. Victorian serialisation, I think, led to a bit of indiscipline on the part of the writers, as they were paid per instalment and therefore had every inducement to spin out their yarns (in the authorial cotton mills, as it were!). Apparently, Dickens of all people called upon Gaskell to be more concise and said that he found the story “wearisome to the last degree”.So, my first criticism of the book is the same that many have levelled as ‘The Last Jedi’ - it’s at least 25% too long. There are many sluggish passages which involve the heroine reflecting with some melancholy on the increasingly miserable events taking place in her life. These could have been comfortably edited or even excised altogether, because the events themselves create a sufficient impression on the reader.The other problem with the book is that it is just a little sub-par when compared with the dazzling comedies of manners produced by Austen who was so skilled at creating un-self-aware characters, blocking plot points, and the long-suffering, well-meaning, blundering and pining heroines who had to negotiate their way through them. Dickens, as well, totally trumps Gaskell when it comes sentiment, pathos and truly endearing comic characters. They both have mots justes and memorable turns of phrase that Gaskell never seems to touch.Nevertheless, the protagonist of North and South, Margaret Hale, is better drawn than many. You always root for her and are drawn to her cause, even though she has her weaknesses and doesn’t always get things right. Her humility and desire to do the right thing by people around her are genuinely touching and you come away from the book with a great desire to love your neighbours and those less fortunate than yourself.Margaret’s suitors, Henry Lennox and John Thornton, are well-drawn, awkward individuals who are a little bit too similar in my view, because they both have this choleric, sardonic kind of mindset - it’s like having, sort of, two Darcies in one novel. I also didn’t like the fact that you hardly ever get any scenes where the two men can duke it out (in some way) over Margaret - that would have been genuinely thrilling and would have given us an idea of which was the better match. You don’t get anything like the clear Wickham/Darcy duality seen in Pride and Prejudice, or the switch in perceptions that is so common in Austen.People kind of remain as they are throughout the novel - nobody really surprises or changes that much. There aren’t any significant twists, so the drama and plot propulsion has to come from (mostly negative) ex machina incidents, and a flurry of deaths which I suppose is justifiable in a Victorian context, but just feels a bit too contrived.So, on my second time of reading, I’m actually downgrading the novel to 3 stars, because I really think it does fall short in several glaring areas. Still, I was actually fist-pumping towards the end as - FINALLY - things start to come to a satisfying denouement, and I was left with a desire for a sequel. A shorter, wittier, less contrived, more surprising and equally character-led follow-up - but I don’t think there is one, sadly.

If you liked Pride and Prejudice, you might well like this story which was published 42 years later (in 1855) and which considers many of the same themes, although it is set in the cotton mill town of Milton (based on Manchester). Once we get over the rather slow start, we become fond of the heroine - the amiable, high-spirited, energetic Margaret. Accepting her role as a relatively poor member of society, she does what she can to help her old parents (in their 50s) and to act as companion to her wealthy and empty-headed cousin, Edith. She ends up leaving London and the south to live in Milton, in the north, when her father's conscience no longer permits him to earn a living in the church. In Milton she meets cotton mill owners and workers, and finds herself torn when they oppose each other in a strike. She finds it difficult to like John Thornton, the young mill owner, who is quickly drawn to her. I won't tell you anymore about what happens there. Elizabeth Gaskell is marvellous at depicting difficult characters - such as Mr Bell, the well-meaning but irritating academic and John Thornton's overbearing mother. Mrs Gaskell also excels in drawing those embarrassing moments when decent people misunderstand each other and get on each other's nerves. There is much that is entertaining; and there are many insights which put Mrs G centuries ahead of her time. She shows what happens when owners and workers get to know each other and collaborate. And she says: "God has made us so that we must be mutually dependent...The most proudly independent man depends on those around him for their insensible influence on his character - his life."

This is a very well-written book, which holds your interest from page to page. The characters are well thought out, and you can't help but like them (most of them). It's a good story, & well worth reading, not just once, but like 'an old friend'. I read it last year, & it surprised me. I will read it again this summer, & no doubt it will surprise me again. I would recommend this book, yes.

It's a paperback and even after the first read the cover shows some signs of wear (the cover's black coating wears off to reveal white card beneath). But still a great and cost effective way to enjoy a good story.The story itself was really great. Saw the BBC TV series first before readingthis but the plot is the same and you get a bit more detail on the characters in the book.

I can only add my recommendation of this book. I'm ashamed to say that I only read it after seeing the miniseries, not being aware of it before. It is a much underrated gem of a book. As someone who lives near Manchester, and is descended from cotton mill workers, I can really appreciate the story. As for the romance between John and Margaret, I loved it and much prefer their characters to Darcy and Elizabeth in "Price and Prejudice".In fact I think the main reason I personally love this book so much is actually down to the character of John Thornton himself who, for me, is simply the most wonderful period drama hero of all time. For me he definitely beats Darcy hands down. He is passionate, honest, kind, loyal and hard-working. Who wouldn't want to be loved by a man like that, and his steadfast love for Margaret is just wonderful and heart-warming.