Thursday, August 20, 2009

Booking Through Thursday 08.20.09


What’s the best book you’ve read recently?


Mine is an oldie. Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell. I read it so that I could watch the fabulous miniseries, which I also loved, but I ended up just adoring the book.

When seventeen-year-old Molly Gibson's widowed father remarries, her life is turned upside down by the arrival of her vain, manipulative stepmother. She also acquires an intriguing new stepsister, Cynthia, glamorous, sophisticated and irresistible to every man she meets. The two girls begin to confide in one another and Molly soon finds herself as a go-between in Cynthia's love affairs - but in doing so risks losing both her own reputation and the man she secretly loves. With its lively description of the gossiping community of Hollingford and its richly drawn female characters, Elizabeth Gaskell's last novel - considered to be her finest - demonstrates an intelligent and compassionate understanding of human relationships.

The only thing imperfect about it, is that there is no real ending. Mrs. Gaskell died before completing in, so that last chapter is missing. Oh, the humanity! It's easy to figure out, though.

4 comments:

JoAnn said...

Oh, I really want to read this! Cranford is near the top of my tbr pile, but hope to get to this one soon after.

Christy B said...

Cranford is one I want to read, too. North and South is another one. Wives and Daughters was my first Gaskell read and now I'm hooked!

Amy said...

Nice! I read this a few years ago and really enjoyed it.

Jenny said...

Oh how interesting that there's no real ending! That would probably bug me.