WeBuzz
Reader discussion: North and South
Public reader discussion about North and South in the WeRead Catalog by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell.
Books on the Industrial Revolution
By weather-eagle5
I was always really bad at history, and honestly it was the one class I couldn’t stand in high school. Lately though I’ve been more and more curious about it, and I’m kind of stuck on the Industrial Revolution right now.
I’m mostly looking for the big-picture stuff about how it kicked off, plus things like older/period writing and even fiction that’s fairly accurate. I’d love anything similar to Neal Stephenson—where it feels like the author actually did research and it’s not just vibes.
If you’ve got recommendations, history textbooks are totally fine too. Also down for any discussion if that’s your thing.
North and South Chapter 34 Discussion- “False and True”
By Superuser
Margaret hasn’t really been holding it together great since her mom died—at least that’s how it feels. I’m also not sure if I totally saw Leonard’s end coming after Frederick pushed him off the platform, but now that it happened I can’t really say I’m surprised either.
And wow, the way she tells the inspector she wasn’t at the station… do you think that’s going to bite her later? Also, she kind of gets him to believe it, so I’m curious if she almost had *me* fooled too.
What would you even rate her swoon out of ten? Anything else you want to bring up?
North and South is a banger
By HiddenCat
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell is seriously so good. It feels like one of those thick, meaty books with a lot going on beneath the surface, and it honestly feels like it should get talked about more than it does. Every time I see it get described, it never really captures how good the writing and the whole story are.
Also, I’m pretty sure it’s the best love story in a classic. Like, it hits harder and feels more satisfying than the whole Elizabeth Bennet/Darcy thing, and way more than some of the famously bleak couples I can never get into (Heathcliff/Rochester/Rhett & Scarlett).
And I didn’t expect it, but the Bible references really matter here. There are a bunch of nods that are kind of obscure (like Vashti), and when you actually get what they’re pointing to, it makes the characters and the story make way more sense.
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Is "North and South" This Underrated??
By Lazy_Velvet39362
Hey, it’s me again for anyone who remembers 😄🙏
I’ve read *North and South* and I’ve also watched the mini-series twice in like 3 days (and I’m honestly tempted to go for a third, because why not?!). The other day I started thinking about those special/pretty editions, and now I’m stuck wondering something. I adore *Pride and Prejudice* and I’ve collected a bunch of different copies over the years, so I’m used to there being all sorts of versions.
But with *North and South*, I don’t really see any “special editions” at all. Like, I’ll look at Chiltern Classics or Folio (some of the pricier ones) and they don’t seem to have any Gaskell. Also… Folio got *so* expensive?? I swear my copy of *P&P* was £39 and now it’s £65?? Wtf 😭
So is this just one of those forgotten classics? Is it somehow not considered worthy of a special edition? Am I being dramatic (yes)? Because I absolutely would cave and buy a gorgeous one (I know, tragic timing for my wallet) 💔
Anyway, what do you think—have you run into any classic that basically only has normal editions?
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
By field-chance8064
Just wrapped up my first Elizabeth Gaskell book and I’m honestly obsessed. Thank you to whoever posted that random recommendation, because I never would’ve picked her up otherwise. I don’t really have anyone in my real life who wants to talk about stuff like this, so here are my scattered thoughts:
- I stayed up way too late trying to reach the ending, and when it finally happened it felt like the book just sprinted off a cliff. I was sitting there like… wait, THAT’S it? Why did we get these whole chunks going back to Helston and dealing with side characters and then the finale is basically a blur? I kept internally yelling “where’s the rest?”
- I really liked the whole strike/union/social justice discussion. It’s wild that people are still arguing about the same stuff now, like 150 years later. I went in expecting something kind of Austen-y and light, but I ended up enjoying how serious and pointed it got.
- Okay, the “who’s it gonna hurt next” vibe felt… suspicious. I feel like Gaskell could’ve made Mrs. Hale, Mr. Hale, Bessy (and maybe Boucher) make sense, but Mr. Bell felt way too convenient to me, and I kinda rolled my eyes.
- Mr. Hale leaving the church was a big deal in the story, but I wanted more talk about it—like what was going on in his head and why that choice mattered so much.
- Every time the Irish stuff came up I just kept thinking, “sorry, any Irish readers…”
- Also I just read Wuthering Heights, so my brain is already battered, and then this book throws those heavy-accent sections at you and it’s like trying to read in a second language again. Not gonna lie, it wasn’t as bad as Charlotte Brontë showing off with her French though.
- I gave up on the poems early on (like by chapter 20). I cannot make my brain work with poetry at the start of chapters. It just won’t cooperate.
Overall I loved it a ton, but I can’t bring myself to give it full 5 stars just because the ending felt so rushed/abrupt. I want to start another Gaskell book so badly, but I’m scared it’ll pull the same “and then suddenly it’s over” thing. Please don’t spoil it for me, but… am I doomed? Next on my list is Edith Wharton or E.M. Forster based on what I’ve got lined up.