Too long, boring - Rated 
This is the first Elizabeth Gaskell book I've ever read and unfortunately not very impressed. The overall subject seems to be the love story in our heroine's life, however, book tries to give so many other mesages that it is not fun or focused anymore. There are social issues, emerging new worker-master dynamics in the victorian time, continues questioning of death and beyond... Within all this it is impossible to get a true taste of a social, phylosophical or romance novel.
Although I like the period books very much, I could barely finish this one.
The perfect love story - Rated 
North and South is my favourite book and I think that it's not known enough. Many people had compared Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen with the Gaskell's book, but, in truth, they are very different.
I prefer N&S to P&P because the love between Margaret and Mr Thornton has more passion than the love between Elizabeth and Darcy.
Austen is a genius and I love her novels but she gave us only borders and shadings, Gaskell gave us a picture completed.
I'm very attracted by the idea that a man of power, self-control, strong, firm, could fall so desperately in love with a woman and could become fragile like a child, "she thought she had seen the gleam of unshed tears in his eyes", said Margaret after Mr Thornton's proposal and her vehement refusal.
There are social themes, but I found them interesting too and not boring.
I don't like to call it a social novel, for me it's, first of all, a Romance with a social commentary in the background.
North and South deserves more readers from my point of view and I highly recommended it!
Passion and strife in Victorian times - Rated
I loved the BBC adaptation but waited a while before reading the book so it would be fresh. And having just finished this book, what a great story! Political strife, supressed passion, women's rights, class conflict. The fact that Margaret Hale is a strong woman with her own mind (albeit misguided at times) made this story much more believable and enjoyable for me. Despite some bits that might be a little drier to read, I couldn't put it down once I got past the first few chapters. Bear with it! I think it helped having a picture of Richard Armitage in my head as Mr Thornton, as you don't really get an idea of how he looks from the story. However, I'm now watching the BBC adaptation again and have noticed that some really key parts of the story are changed from the book and remove some of the more subtle parts of the story. Plus they seem to make Mr Thornton a much less likeable character than in the book. So I thoroughly recommend this book. A much more exciting and believable story than many of the other Victorian novels I've read - or never managed to finish reading!
The worst book I have ever read - Rated 
I had to read this book for my A levels and studying a book in such depth usually makes me appreciate it more but this book is incredibly boring. She copies Dickens a lot in this novel and not much seems to happen. I'm suprised it has survived this long in western literature.
My favourite book! - Rated
I have to thank my English literature course for introducing me to such an awe-inspiring tale that crosses the social chasm with characters that transcend class. This review is much the same as the one I wrote for the BBC adaptation (which I also thoroughly recommend), but whether you read or watch this beautiful tale first, I am sure that you will enjoy it either way. This book is filled with the social commentary that applies to today's society as much as it applied to earlier times. Gaskell writes a completely captivating narration with such believable characters who you will cherish till the moving conclusion. I started this book simply intending to read a few chapters for homework but lo and behold, I finished it in the early hours of the morning 3 days after! The story is one of....no...I don't want to say anymore. Trust me. Just go and buy it!!! Read it because I guarantee that you won't regret it!
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