I love this!! Thank you endlessly for introducing me to Elizabeth Gaskell. I've read your top two with full intentions to read all the others. I think I'm going to pick up Sylvia's Lovers next year.
Let me add my tuppence to this conversation. I am very grateful to have found you and I started Wives and Daughters today and I am totally transported into the place and time. I didn’t realize what a brilliant, comfortable and addictive writer was Elizabeth Gaskell . Thank you for you excellent work for the reading community. What a breath of fresh air to have a person review books so well, so intelligently, that aren’t always YA! Thank you thank you....
Hi Kate, Just finished reading reading North and South. I think I feel as you did after reading it the first time. Enjoyed it, but not blown away by it! I do own Wives and Daughters and want to get to it and Cranford!! Sylvia Lovers sounds great. My TBR is growing! :)
One of my favourite things about North and South is how emotional it is. It also does all the things I feel Pride and Prejudice lacks, mainly the fact that we get to see the book from Thornton's perspective a lot. And the misunderstanding near the end of the book. She is really skilled how she reveals the truth of what happened to the reader while still making it interesting for Thornton to have to figure it out. I haven't read Wives and Daughters yet but I have seen the adaptation, and one thing I really like about it is the unrequited love theme that threads through it, and the difference of feeling between someone you fall for versus the person you will happily spend the rest of your life with: the intensity of the former and the feeling of coming home with the latter. Your video has made me even more excited to read the rest of Elizabeth Gaskell's novels!
I'm reading my first Elizabeth Gaskell, Wives and Daughters, at the moment and I'm loving it so much! And I'm happy to know there's so much more to look forward to, and to also now know where I could probably best go next. Thanks :)
I really need to read more Gaskell!! I absolutely love North and South (and now I want to watch the adaptation again...that train scene at the end is the best!). I have finally decided I do want to read Wives and Daughters. For so long I was held back because I just need closure and I know she passed before it was completely finished. But Katie (lifebetweenwords) talked me into it! haha. Now I just need to find a pretty copy of it. I have Cranford though so maybe I'll read that in the meantime. Thanks for this video!
It's often so hard to rank a favorite authors novels but you made it look easy Kate. I'm very happy that I loved Cranford so have so many treats to look forward to all the way up to Wives and Daughters which I also loved!
I absolutely had no idea about Elizabeth Gaskell till i ventured into reading more classics. One of her books that i absolutely enjoyed was North and South. Ordered second book of hers wives and daughters. So glad came across her work..😊 awesome review thank u.
Oh! Great comparison for Mary Barton - Bleak House meets Lady Audley - Yes! I need to re-read North and South as I read it soon after I watched the TV drama for the first time - and then all of Mrs Gaskell's other works - haha!
I adored North and South 😍 It was my first (and only at the moment) Elizabeth Gaskell and became one of my favorite novels. I wanted to try Wives and Daughters soon after but haven’t been able to invest myself just yet. We will see, I really do want to continue to give it a try. She wrote North and South so well, I hope I can experience that same craft in some of her other works. 😊
I LOVED Wives and Daughters until...the ‘ending’ - or lack thereof. 😢. As Elizabeth Gaskell died before finishing it. I was frustrated with not knowing her intentions with finishing the book. I absolutely LOVE North and South and mentioned to a friend two days ago that it is a book that upon finishing, feels like you’ve enjoyed this ‘literary feast’. Beautifully written and lovely story!! Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the other novels on this list. I started Mary Barton but stopped about half way through, I think I’ll go back and finish it! Thanks!!
Thanks for the heads up on whitch book might not end happy! I know only wanting happy enddings is childish, But When taken by surprise it will disrupt my sleep for days (sometimes weeks), when reading upsetting and depressing endings. It has stopped me from trying many new books 📚. Being randomly more tierd and moody for a week is not fair to my kids.
So far I’ve only read Crandord by her, and I LOVED it. I have Wives and Daughters to read and I’ve read the first couple of chapters. Knowing that it’s unfinished put me into a bit of a panic so I’ve put it down for now, but I’ll pick it up again soon. I also have it on audiobook, so I may try a chapter at a time.
I love Elizabeth Gaskell as well. North and South is such a wonderful story on many levels. I teach at a college and currently am offering extra credit for students who watch the mini-series and then write about "social justice", so well illustrated in the story. Especially clear is the negative impact to health at the mill, along with the healthcare received by Bessy on one hand and Mrs. Hale on the other. I especially love the character of Margaret Hale as a true social justice warrior in her gentle, yet strong way. She brought transformation to John Thorton, who became a more socially just person (even though he would have said his decision was for business purposes), as illustrated by him creating the cafeteria. As a sideline, I teach in allied health, not English literature and like to encourage reading the classics in whatever ways I can!
Sylvia's Lovers is the only Gaskell that I haven't picked up yet and it hurts me haha. Especially after hearing how much you enjoy it! I just finished Gaskell's spooky short story collection which unfortunately is my least favorite of her reads. Cranford is always just such a charming read. North and South is my absolute favorite book and I am in the midst of a re-read and I am loving every moment.
As part of the group read, I chose to listen to the audiobook of Wives and Daughters read by Prunella Scales. The narration was well done. It's broken up into three parts. The first part I was bored. By the second part I was getting interested. By the third part I fell in love with the novel and Molly and Roger and Doctor Gibbons. And then I reached the "non-ending" having forgotten that the author died before completing the novel. Thankfully the BBC adaptation (which was fantastic!) created a conclusion to the story. This was my first Gaskell novel, but it won't be my last!
Last year I read North and South and this year in Victober I’ve read Wives and daughters. I love the author and I want to read all her works! I think the next one is going to be My Lady Ludlow (because a friend has recommended it to me) and then I’m interested in Cousin Phillis.
I'm glad to hear that Mary Barton gets better in the 2nd half, because the depressing nature of the first half is making it hard for me to get through for me. More people have died in the first third of this book than in the vampire book I read for Halloween! Does anyone survive to the end? I fully admit to being afraid to pick up North and South, because people keep comparing it to Pride and Prejudice. If it doesn't live up to Elizabeth and Darcy, I will be really disappointed. I'd have probably picked it up right now, if it weren't for that. I adore P&P, so that's a lofty expectation to live up to for N&S.
I am so glad that people love Wives and Daughters - I don’t get it, but that’s ok. It is wonderful to hear people talking about Elizabeth Gaskell. I have read 3 of her novels, and so far, nothing comes close to North and South. I LOVE that book.
My friend just gave me Wives and Daughters about a week ago, hoping I can get to it relatively soon. Disappointed that I didn’t get to it for Victober, but oh well, it’ll happen eventually!
I wonder if Wives and Lovers is rather autobiographical. I just started North and South, my first Elizabeth Gaskell book, and it has an introduction with a short biography of Elizabeth Gaskell. I think it said her mother died young and that her father remarried. It might have even said that she had a step-sister. I can't remember exactly though. Enjoyed your ranking.
Aw, I just finished Ruth and absolutely loved it. So poignant, and funny at the same time--loved Sally, she was hilarious. Much better than North and South, in my opinion. (Agree with your #1--that's become one of my favorite novels, period.)
I love this!! Thank you endlessly for introducing me to Elizabeth Gaskell. I've read your top two with full intentions to read all the others. I think I'm going to pick up Sylvia's Lovers next year.
Let me add my tuppence to this conversation. I am very grateful to have found you and I started Wives and Daughters today and I am totally transported into the place and time. I didn’t realize what a brilliant, comfortable and addictive writer was Elizabeth Gaskell . Thank you for you excellent work for the reading community. What a breath of fresh air to have a person review books so well, so intelligently, that aren’t always YA! Thank you thank you....
Hi Kate,
Just finished reading reading North and South. I think I feel as you did after reading it the first time. Enjoyed it, but not blown away by it! I do own Wives and Daughters and want to get to it and Cranford!! Sylvia Lovers sounds great. My TBR is growing! :)
One of my favourite things about North and South is how emotional it is. It also does all the things I feel Pride and Prejudice lacks, mainly the fact that we get to see the book from Thornton's perspective a lot. And the misunderstanding near the end of the book. She is really skilled how she reveals the truth of what happened to the reader while still making it interesting for Thornton to have to figure it out. I haven't read Wives and Daughters yet but I have seen the adaptation, and one thing I really like about it is the unrequited love theme that threads through it, and the difference of feeling between someone you fall for versus the person you will happily spend the rest of your life with: the intensity of the former and the feeling of coming home with the latter.
Your video has made me even more excited to read the rest of Elizabeth Gaskell's novels!
watching old victober videos because i am already getting into the mood :)
That's what I'm doing for 2022😊
I'm reading my first Elizabeth Gaskell, Wives and Daughters, at the moment and I'm loving it so much! And I'm happy to know there's so much more to look forward to, and to also now know where I could probably best go next. Thanks :)
I really need to read more Gaskell!! I absolutely love North and South (and now I want to watch the adaptation again...that train scene at the end is the best!). I have finally decided I do want to read Wives and Daughters. For so long I was held back because I just need closure and I know she passed before it was completely finished. But Katie (lifebetweenwords) talked me into it! haha. Now I just need to find a pretty copy of it. I have Cranford though so maybe I'll read that in the meantime. Thanks for this video!
It's often so hard to rank a favorite authors novels but you made it look easy Kate. I'm very happy that I loved Cranford so have so many treats to look forward to all the way up to Wives and Daughters which I also loved!
I absolutely had no idea about Elizabeth Gaskell till i ventured into reading more classics. One of her books that i absolutely enjoyed was North and South. Ordered second book of hers wives and daughters. So glad came across her work..😊 awesome review thank u.
Oh! Great comparison for Mary Barton - Bleak House meets Lady Audley - Yes!
I need to re-read North and South as I read it soon after I watched the TV drama for the first time - and then all of Mrs Gaskell's other works - haha!
This is great Kate!! I've collected all of Gaskell's novels except Cranford. I love her writing and think she's my favorite Victorian author!
I adored North and South 😍
It was my first (and only at the moment) Elizabeth Gaskell and became one of my favorite novels. I wanted to try Wives and Daughters soon after but haven’t been able to invest myself just yet. We will see, I really do want to continue to give it a try. She wrote North and South so well, I hope I can experience that same craft in some of her other works. 😊
I LOVED Wives and Daughters until...the ‘ending’ - or lack thereof. 😢. As Elizabeth Gaskell died before finishing it. I was frustrated with not knowing her intentions with finishing the book. I absolutely LOVE North and South and mentioned to a friend two days ago that it is a book that upon finishing, feels like you’ve enjoyed this ‘literary feast’. Beautifully written and lovely story!! Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the other novels on this list. I started Mary Barton but stopped about half way through, I think I’ll go back and finish it! Thanks!!
Thanks for the heads up on whitch book might not end happy! I know only wanting happy enddings is childish, But When taken by surprise it will disrupt my sleep for days (sometimes weeks), when reading upsetting and depressing endings. It has stopped me from trying many new books 📚. Being randomly more tierd and moody for a week is not fair to my kids.
So far I’ve only read Crandord by her, and I LOVED it. I have Wives and Daughters to read and I’ve read the first couple of chapters. Knowing that it’s unfinished put me into a bit of a panic so I’ve put it down for now, but I’ll pick it up again soon. I also have it on audiobook, so I may try a chapter at a time.
Thank you for talking me into reading Elizabeth Gaskell. I just started reading “North and South.”
I love Elizabeth Gaskell as well. North and South is such a wonderful story on many levels. I teach at a college and currently am offering extra credit for students who watch the mini-series and then write about "social justice", so well illustrated in the story. Especially clear is the negative impact to health at the mill, along with the healthcare received by Bessy on one hand and Mrs. Hale on the other. I especially love the character of Margaret Hale as a true social justice warrior in her gentle, yet strong way. She brought transformation to John Thorton, who became a more socially just person (even though he would have said his decision was for business purposes), as illustrated by him creating the cafeteria. As a sideline, I teach in allied health, not English literature and like to encourage reading the classics in whatever ways I can!
Sylvia's Lovers is the only Gaskell that I haven't picked up yet and it hurts me haha. Especially after hearing how much you enjoy it!
I just finished Gaskell's spooky short story collection which unfortunately is my least favorite of her reads.
Cranford is always just such a charming read.
North and South is my absolute favorite book and I am in the midst of a re-read and I am loving every moment.
I’ve only read Wives and Daughters so far and LOVED it! I’m going to read them all now!
As part of the group read, I chose to listen to the audiobook of Wives and Daughters read by Prunella Scales. The narration was well done. It's broken up into three parts. The first part I was bored. By the second part I was getting interested. By the third part I fell in love with the novel and Molly and Roger and Doctor Gibbons. And then I reached the "non-ending" having forgotten that the author died before completing the novel. Thankfully the BBC adaptation (which was fantastic!) created a conclusion to the story. This was my first Gaskell novel, but it won't be my last!
wonderful video, I loved hearing your thoughts! I started reading North and South and stopped for no good reason 😅 really need to get back into it!
Last year I read North and South and this year in Victober I’ve read Wives and daughters. I love the author and I want to read all her works! I think the next one is going to be My Lady Ludlow (because a friend has recommended it to me) and then I’m interested in Cousin Phillis.
I'm glad to hear that Mary Barton gets better in the 2nd half, because the depressing nature of the first half is making it hard for me to get through for me. More people have died in the first third of this book than in the vampire book I read for Halloween! Does anyone survive to the end?
I fully admit to being afraid to pick up North and South, because people keep comparing it to Pride and Prejudice. If it doesn't live up to Elizabeth and Darcy, I will be really disappointed. I'd have probably picked it up right now, if it weren't for that. I adore P&P, so that's a lofty expectation to live up to for N&S.
I am so glad that people love Wives and Daughters - I don’t get it, but that’s ok. It is wonderful to hear people talking about Elizabeth Gaskell. I have read 3 of her novels, and so far, nothing comes close to North and South. I LOVE that book.
Just watched your first one and now I can't wait to begin "North and South."
Thank you for rereading this and giving your opinion here.
I really should read "Wives and Daughters" if I like "North and South" as opposed to going to "Mary Barton."
My friend just gave me Wives and Daughters about a week ago, hoping I can get to it relatively soon. Disappointed that I didn’t get to it for Victober, but oh well, it’ll happen eventually!
I wonder if Wives and Lovers is rather autobiographical. I just started North and South, my first Elizabeth Gaskell book, and it has an introduction with a short biography of Elizabeth Gaskell. I think it said her mother died young and that her father remarried. It might have even said that she had a step-sister. I can't remember exactly though. Enjoyed your ranking.
No Cranford section?
I included Cranford.
Aw, I just finished Ruth and absolutely loved it. So poignant, and funny at the same time--loved Sally, she was hilarious. Much better than North and South, in my opinion. (Agree with your #1--that's become one of my favorite novels, period.)
I want to reread Ruth next year!