Recently I decided to challenge my reading with a classic. I chose one that’s been on my to-read list for a while—North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. Written in 1854, Gaskell’s novel focuses on Victorian England in the midst of the industrial revolution. The heroine Margaret Hale moves with her family from a quiet country life in southern England to the busy factory-town Milton in the north. Margaret’s life changes completely when she befriends the workers of Milton and meets the formidable mill-owner Mr. Thornton.
I loved this book because of its heroine and her unconventional (for the time) independence coupled with her desire to help the workers of Milton. And check out the excellent BBC mini-series adaption starring Richard Armitage!
Margaret Hale’s peaceful life in the English countryside changes when her father leaves the Church of England in a crisis of conscience. Relocating to the industrial town of Milton, Margaret involves herself in the struggle of the working class and meets the stern Mr. Thornton.
Margaret Hale’s peaceful life in the English countryside changes when her father leaves the Church of England in a crisis of conscience. Relocating to the industrial town of Milton, Margaret involves herself in the struggle of the working class and meets the stern Mr. Thornton.