This book was slow and wordy. It is considered ro be a classic but I found it hard to read because of the archaic terms, old slang and foreign phrases that were not translated. It goes to show just how different the literary styles were in the early 1800s.
The plot was ponderous and never really came to much of a romantic conclusion. It was a let down after the anticipation that Margaret and John would finally declare their love for one another.
It was told from a Christian World View perspective. Mr. Hale was a vicar but had a crisis of faith and gave up his position, making it hard on his family. I came to respect the hardworking mill folks more than the upper class common people. You would think they would have had more compassion on the workers because most came from reduced circumstances themselves.
This is probably one time I enjoyed the adaptation more than the book.
*i borrowed this ebook from Prime Reading. All opinions are my own.* ( )

(4.5 / 5)

I've seen the BBC mini-series of this book several times in the past. I even watched it once with my husband, who appreciated the way that both sides of the labor dispute are presented--both the good and the bad of unions. While I've had moderate success in enjoyment of classics in my recent reading, I decided it was time to read the book that inspired a mini-series I love. I'm so glad I did.

One of the things that was great about reading the book is that, as is usually the case with books that are made into movies, mini-series, TV shows, etc., the characters were able to have more depth. We get to read about their thought processes, the reasons behind their actions, which are more difficult to put across on screen. In the case of Thornton, it gave me a lot more insight into his feelings for Margaret. I really appreciated the way he treated her on her dad's behalf, considering that he saw her as far too good for him and his dirty northern town. And sadly, she didn't do anything to dispel that feeling.

That is the crux of this story, though, as both sides--the northerners and the southerners--tend to make assumptions about the other, sometimes only due to a cultural difference. Other times due to a shortcoming on someone's behalf, or simply a bad day.

Unfortunately, I disliked Margaret more by the end of the book than I expected to. While some of the misconceptions are unfounded, she really was quite haughty and seemed even heartless at times, at least in regard to Thornton. As has been the case in the past when I read a book that I have already watched a screen version of, I can't really say for sure if Higgins would have become such a favorite character of mine as he did, if I hadn't first seen the mini-series, but I still really liked him in the book. One of my biggest frustrations was that Mr. Hale's reason for leaving the church is never really expounded upon. I found myself wanting to be able to have my own opinion about how good or bad of a decision it was to uproot his family, but I suppose Gaskell didn't think it was an important aspect to the story.

I do get why some don't care for the story. Some compare it to Pride and Prejudice in both positive and negative ways, though I haven't read it, so I can't comment. While I do sometimes want to sit both Thornton and Margaret down and tell them to stop being stupid and proud, I still quite enjoyed the book and recommend it for any who enjoys romance from this period, and for fans of the mini-series. ( )

This is one of the greatest books ever...EVER! ( )

This book gets compared to Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice a lot, and there is a similar romantic subplot, but overall there is more substance to North & South. N & S is really about workers rights. The romance is thrown in there so that the people of Ms. Gaskell's day would be more inclined to read it. She was more concerned with making her readers think about hard issues, and maybe even changing a readers opinion for the better.
I found N & S to be an easier read than P & P, even though the subject matter is heavier. It's written in a more conversational way and you also get to read from the viewpoint of many different characters.
The ending felt rushed but I think I remember reading somewhere that this was originally published in weekly installments in a magazine so I guess something regarding that could have effected her in needing to hurry up and finish. ( )

If you are looking for an escape to a story where the main character reluctantly falls in love with the dark and handsome mill owner, Mr Thornton, who is good in his heart and madly in love with the protagonist - this is for you! It runs like a darker Pride and Prejudice, as Austen herself inspired Gaskell (the author) and arguably better. It also has a fantastic backdrop of 19th century England and the rise of industrial capitalism. Gaskell writes from multiple povs. The themes are so relevant and the characters so relatable, I highly recommend this piece. Side note*Watch the BBC mini series with Richard Armitage as Mr Thornton. ( )