This book is a great read, thus fulfilling the most important aspect of any novel. The heroine is beautiful and intelligent, the hero handsome and serious-minded, their first meeting unpropitious. She thinks he is rather beneath her. He thinks she is affected and a snob. Things don't improve any time soon… Jane Austin? No. Elizabeth Gaskell.

Mr Thornton (our hero) is the crie de coeur of Victorian moralists (and moralistic novelists) whose remedy for industrial strife and the alleviation of the terrible living and working conditions of many people was a 'change of heart' on the part of the factory owners. If they would see their workers as more than just mere 'hands' or items of labour expenditure, then they would treat them properly, with dignity, pay them well & etc. Thornton starts off as a fairly typical factory owner whose only interest in his workers is that of their being the material by which he can make profit. His view changes as the book progresses and I do not want to spoil the story by saying any more.

Margaret (our heroine) is given fairly strong characterisation and her hot temper and straightforward honesty are well drawn and save her from becoming just another beautiful heroine caught in a dreadful situation. She is a genuinely interesting character, realistically drawn. And here I have to say that, even though I am a dyed-in-the wool Dickens enthusiast, Elizabeth Gaskell has created a female character much in advance of The Master. His heroines are, for the most part, simply insufferable whiter-than-white, or blacker-than-black-but-white-underneath-it-all cardboard cut-outs. There are some marvellous creations of course, such as Miss Havisham, but they are very often so weird that she cannot possibly be seen as fully human.

North and South is a novel of the Two Englands, the pastoral, refined south, and the industrial, coarse north. The contrast between the two is well drawn, somewhat exaggerated, but exaggerated for the purpose of driving home how much a class difference there was between the peoples of either area. You really do feel the difference when the chapters bring you from one part (the rural) to the other (the built-up city). This is a novel attempting to come to terms with the Great Divide and to offer a way forward for the betterment of the working classes, but without revolution.

To say that many of the issues raised in this book in the area of 'industrial relations' are still relevant today is to say no more than that there are certain issues in 'industrial relations' which are perennial and long-lasting. One does not have to be a Marxist to know that an employer's aim is to make profits and that this is done by keeping costs down as much as possible and with little regard (if any) for workers. ('A company's first duty is towards its shareholders') And it is also true, everlastingly it seems, that a prolonged workers' strike will usually turn into a vicious internecine row between those who weaken and those who resolve to keep it going. These, and so many other thorny aspects of industrial life are at the core of this book. The 'solution' offered by Gaskelll (and also by Dickens) of a 'change of heart' by the bosses is of course wildly naïve. But short of preaching revolution, what other option was at hand? Even today with our complex industrial-relations machinery for settling disputes, our 'welfare state', and our more enlightened attitude towards workers' rights', we still have our ugly confrontations. It says something about Gaskell's awareness of her age that these issues intrude into what could have been just another Jane Austin heroine landing a good catch. Well, OK. There is a little of the Jane Austins about this novel. But there's a lot of the Stan Barstows too. A true classic and has lost little, if anything, of its relevance to our humankind in the 145 years that have passed since it was written. ( )

Beneath Gaskell's social, moral and industrial blathering, beats the heart of a powerful romance; or at least, beat the hearts of two of the most romantic characters I have encountered in a while.

Margaret Hale is at first arrogant and patronising, but matures into a wilful, noble heroine who must bear an almost gothic period of mourning in an incredibly brief time. Arriving from the indolent, gentle South, after her rather pathetic father suffers a crisis of confidence, Margaret immediately forms a prejudice against the hectic and polluted 'North', with its 'dark satanic mills', and professes an active hatred for the scruffy, uncouth plebs who dwell there. The fact that she is merely the daughter of 'gentleman' without means doesn't seem to alter her perspective. As one character says, 'she seems to have a notion of giving herself airs; I can't think why'.

But Margaret is young, and sheltered from reality, and the daughter of a delicate lady who married beneath her 'station'; if it is possible to endure the first few chapters in the mellow Hampshire village of 'Helstone', the reward comes when Margaret is toppled from her self-styled pedestal, by circumstance and familial bonds, and grows almost beyond recognition from a shallow, snobbish girl into a humble, generous, if shattered, woman. I went from feeling irritation to admiration, and finally finding Margaret - as is Mrs Gaskell's intention, no doubt - worthy of Mr Thornton's love.

Which leads me onto a hero who, in strength, pride, passion and sheer devotion, is more than a match for any Rochester or Darcy. John Thornton. I fell so much in love with the self-made master from 'Milton' (or Manchester) that the chapter where he visits the ailing Mrs Hale with a gift of fresh fruit, soon after Margaret's rejection of his heartfelt proposal, almost had me snivelling on the bus to work! He is absolutely fascinating, almost 'two chaps in one body', as Higgins describes him - the strong, silent millowner facing striking workers with grim determination, but also the loving son, who pulled himself and his family up after the suicide of his father, to make a name and a fortune for himself, yet who isn't too proud to seek a cultured polish to his lacking education and deal with the 'common man' as an equal. The charged dialogue - and silent gestures - between Mr Thornton and Margaret are far more erotic than any love scene (and these two only manage one kiss in the whole book!) John Thornton is now one of my favourite literary heroes, but it's because of his love for Margaret - from their first proper meeting, when he watches with rapt attention how she fidgets with a loose bracelet, to the brave, almost painful moment when he declares how he feels. These two are drawn, and belong, together, which is the true mark of soulmates in fiction.

The only failing I found with this novel is the ending - for me, the climax is to be found early on in chapter 24, after which the tension slowly dissipates among grand speeches and prolonged misunderstandings. Although I could appreciate Margaret's love for her brother, and the gloomy landscape Mrs Gaskell paints of 'Darkshire' (or Lancashire), all that really holds this story together is the attraction of opposites between Margaret and John. I enjoyed reading every scene with him, and found Margaret an inspiring Victorian heroine (once she grew up), but the thrill was in the chase. I was gripped through every chapter, abandoning another book to concentrate on this story, and savouring both historical fact and dramatic device - only to disappointed by the standard 'reversal of fortune' in the final pages. Why must a strong hero be brought down before the heroine is permitted to return his love? Wouldn't the union of two equal partners, in status and personality, be more exciting than the powerful woman stooping to raise up her man? I can understand why Gaskell and other female authors might have been tempted to redress certain social inequalities of the Victorian era in their writing, but John Thornton deserves more than the same old treatment. The long-awaited resolution between John and Margaret makes me wish that someone would write a sequel, however lacking, for this novel, but their playful words also seem rushed. Mrs Gaskell was apparently under pressure to complete her story, and I share what must have been her frustration at the result.

Engrossing, educational, evocative; witty in places (especially droll Mr Bell), and bitter in parts, 'North and South' is a novel of changing moods and times. Recommended. ( )

I just read this book for the first time, and truly enjoyed it. I never had to read this in school, and felt bad that I didn't even know the story. I am so glad I took the time to read this- it was such a wonderful story and piece of literature- I am looking forward to reading the rest of her books. ( )

I waited sometime after reading this book to figure out what I thought of it, but I'm still not sure. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it either. I think I was subconsciously comparing it to Wives and Daughters, which was my first Gaskell read - and so far, my favorite.

North and South started out good enough. With the moving to Milton, the early interaction with Thornton. The subtle arguments between Margaret and Thornton were thoroughly entertaining.

I found that I was comparing Margaret and Thornton to Elizabeth and Darcy, but minus the witty dialogue.

I remember thinking when the riot hit, "Oh! This is getting good!" However, I felt myself getting bored soon after, only picking up when Frederick came home and then dying again soon after.

The dialogue by certain characters made me want to bash my head against the desk. It was excruciating to try to read. I get that they have a thick accent, but egads! And in the second half of the book I felt Margaret became thoroughly irritating, and I can't fathom why.

I'm sad that I didn't love this book, after all the positive, glowing reviews I've heard. Perhaps that's what did me in? I did like it, but it's by far not Gaskell's best work.

I look forward to watching the mini-series, which I feel will be more enjoyable. ( )

All right, I just finished rereading this because I'm leading the discussion for book club this month. I originally gave it 4 stars, but I'm bumping it to 5. I really LOVE this book. It's similar to Pride & Prejudice, where the man is in love with the woman and the woman slowly, slowly comes around. But this book dealt with more important issues than romance, like social classes and the difference between employment and those who idle away their time because they're rich.

Mr. Thornton is strong, yet tender inside, and completely passionate about Margaret Hale. I haven't read P&P in a while, but I don't think we ever really got to feel what Mr. Darcy was feeling for Elizabeth. Gaskell really does a good job of switching the viewpoints so we can feel how much Mr. Thornton loves Miss Hale. I may not have enjoyed Margaret Hale as much as Elizabeth Bennett, but she was still very strong and took care of things in the family when none of them were strong.

Definitely a must read. And I actually decided to buy it - which is rare for me. (unless I find the book for $1 used) A romance I will continue to read over the years. ( )