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Summary: Wives and Daughters - a woman's book
Review: 'Wives and Daughters' was this month's choice for our book club. We all commented that it took us a long time to read but everyone appreciated the fine writing and skilful characterisation. We found Molly a delight and Hyacinth one of the most delicious 'love to hate' characters. The men in our group thought this was a 'woman's book', well written but too slow and without enough action to interest them. We wanted to know why we call the author 'Mrs Gaskell', when we don't refer to 'Miss Austen', or 'Miss Bronte' We would recommend this as a good read.
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Summary: Simply enchanting...
Review: As one furthering an interest in Victorian novels, I thought the novel to be deeply enthralling. I found myself caring so much for the shy beauty, Molly Gibson, that I was impatient to get to the end --- yet I was enchanated by every word of the novel.There are so many elements to the novel outside of two young girls developing into womanhood in mid-Victorian society. Gaskell's attention to small details about everyday life and mannerisms is delightful. The characters are far from static and have the capacity to make you fully care (be it positively or otherwise) about them. I only wish a proper ending could have been writing, though perhaps one is not necessary.
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Summary: A tale well told...
Review: Enchanting books, full of romance, intrigues, and gossip. A wonderful example of an old English society and the partitions and biases built into each social class. I would suggest this as a great book to read, and a resource on social structure and etiquette for historians.
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Summary: One of the finest Victorian novels!
Review: Having spent years absorbed with the works of the Brontes' I was a latecomer in accepting anything by a Unitarian Preacher's Victorian wife who was better known by the settled name of Mrs. Gaskell. I'm glad I proved my prejudice so wrong. It is probably noteworthy for any serious reader to become acquainted with the socio-history of the time. While Jane Austen (admittedly, an earlier writer) takes on the more acerbic tones of character assasination and the Brontes are more brutal in their emotional exhaustion Gaskell is subtle in her astute observation of the minute aspects of social comings and goings.
The title, alone, is an intriguing insight into the sexual competition/tension. Children and their relationships with parents is definitely an underlying theme throughout the novel and offers a refreshing insight into the lack of predictability that might have been seen from earlier writers (eg, Austen, Burney etc) where heroine falls in love with hero (only eligible, upstanding and decent male in the plot). There are plenty of characthers in W&D that are true to form, ie having blemishes, imperfections etc.
The social significance of the novel should be underscored. There is a continuous reminder of the class struggle between 3 very different classes (and still excluding the working class). Differences between the sexes are emphasised and it could almost be seen as an early example of literary feminism. Molly Gipson's passion for learning (outside the traditional role) is an interesting take on the movement (and acceptance) of women within academic circles (ref, the BlueStockings). The scientific references would demonstrate the underlying Darwinian theories that would have been shaking Victorian society. Gossip was, as always, the brutal reminder of the petty lives that people lived and the strength of a bad reputation that could befall any 'lady'!
I guess I could go on but I would recommend any reader to take a further examination of this book before dismissing it as simply 'one of the classics'.......
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Summary: One of the best books I've read...
Review: I am a huge Jane Austen fan, and this book is the closest and best book to her writing that I have found- and believe me I have read a lot from this genre. I have to admit, I saw the television mini-series before I read the book, but once I started the book I finished in a matter of two or three days, and it is a long book! Especially when you know there is no ending! I really cannot praise this book enough, it is a sweet, simple story about the girl whose worth is overlooked, and of course discovered in time.
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Summary: An almost perfect novel...
Review: I confess that when I got the book I thought I had quite a daunting task ahead of me -- I didn't know it was going to be so thick! However, it was surprisingly easy reading, and I finished it in less than a week. The pace is slow, but not tiring. We really feel for poor dear Molly Gibson, who does her best for others without thinking too much about herself or her feelings. But good things come for those who deserve it, and no one deserves more a happy ending than Molly. It is very unfortunate, however, that Ms. Gaskell passed away before finishing the book. Of course we know that Molly and Roger are perfect for each other and should end up together -- most of the time the end in romantic novels is predictable enough; the getting there is the most important and often satisfying, and of that, we have been deprived. The last few chapters that Ms. Gaskell did write are very sweet, as Roger starts to realize his true feelings for Molly. The fact that Mr. Gibson (who, by the way, is a wonderful character) did not allow Roger to see Molly before leaving again for Africa was certainly a ploy to make the conclusion a little longer, and finish up in a final chapter that never came. And that is a real shame.
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Summary: Sweet and Witty, but overly long
Review: I just could not seem to finish this book! It was so long and covered, so much of nothing but a little bit of everything. Very sweet tale, with wit and good taste, I'd wager to say in the same vein of writing as Jane Austen. Yet Jane could tell her tale a bit quicker than this, for such a simple tale of English country life in the 1860's it is. Enjoyable and engrossing, the story is told around the doctors daughter, and the events that occur with her fathers remarriage to a rather shallow former governess and schoolteacher. Molly Gibson, the main character, is an upright citizen and honest soul, after her fathers example. Watch for the predictable love triangle between Molly and her new startlingly attractive stepsister, Cynthia. I was tired of the tedious overuse of the phrase, "tete a tete" but intrigued by several characters. Gaskells characters, such as Lady Harriet and the Sisters Browning, are fleshed out and their personalities pursued with familiarity. Don't you know someone just like Hamley of Hamley, today in 2001? Or maybe the new Mrs Gibson reminds of you of one of your friends? This is what you can look forward to: familiarity and the historicity of all sorts of little tidbits; how "the apple of his eye" was considered a vulgar term, for example. Please read if you are coming off of a Jane Austen high and are desperate; but see if you can find an abridged version, if one exists, for it is sorely needed! PS I got this book to read along with the PBS show currently running. The movie doesn't do it justice, but intrigued me enough to literally hunt for this book! Go for it!
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Summary: Wives and Daughters
Review: I loved this book. I didn't know until the end that it was unfinished by the author. But that made it that much more special.
If you like period pieces, you'll love this book!
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Summary: A wonderful, captivating book.
Review: I received this book for Christmas, along with two Jane Austen novels. I read Austen's novels first and I liked them. I have just finished Elizabeth Gaskell's, Wives and Daughters and I loved it! This book portrays the lives of Molly Gibson and her step-sister, Cynthia Kirkpatrick as they grow up in the town of Hollingford. I thouroughly enjoyed this marvelous book and I would recommend it to anyone, especially Jane Austen lovers, for I think they will enjoy Wives and Daughters more then any of Austen's books, as I have done.
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Summary: Yay Roger and Molly-Boo Mrs. Gibson and Cynthia!!
Review: I relished reading every single page of this book. Austen elements? Yes, but it did seem a lot more socially aware as well as more personable. Molly, predictably, was my favorite character, and she is the young woman I desire to be. Caring compassionate beautiful and intelligent. Roger, you and Molly deserve each other forever. The characters were complex and it will be a book I read again and again and again.
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