North and South

This review is about the book and mini-TV show, North and South. The movie is based off of the book by Elizabeth Gaskell. It follows the story of a woman named Margaret Hale. She is from the south (the setting is England) but she travels with her parents to the North. She is ignorant of the ways of the North and blindly judges the people and immediately dislikes one of the cotton mill’s owner, John Thornton.

Book VS. Movie

North and South follows the story of the heroine’s movement from the tranquil but moribund ways of southern England to the vital but turbulent north. Elizabeth Gaskell’s skillful narrative uses an unusual love story to show how personal and public lives were woven together in a newly industrial society. This is a tale of hard-won triumphs – of rational thought over prejudice and of humane care over blind deference to the market. Readers in the twenty-first century will find themselves absorbed as this Victorian novel traces the origins of problems and possibilities which are still challenging a hundred and fifty years later: the complex relationships, public and private, between men and women of different classes.

This is actually one of the first book I read that I did not like better than the movie. I watched the movie first but then read through the book after. Truthfully, I did not even finish the book. Well I read the first chapter, got so annoyed with the main girl, and skipped to the last chapter. I was even disappointed with that too. I never read the ending first but that tells you that is was that terrible. Both main characters were just dreadful and dull. Sorry to be blunt.

I would not recommend this book.

This movie is actually a mini-TV show and it has four episodes. The movie is 3 hours and 55 minute but I am not able to break the movie into two parts. When I watch the movie, I have to watch the whole thing though. It is a slower movie and there are parts that drag out a little too long but as soon as the two main characters are on the screen it makes those scenes seem short. My sisters, mom, and I have watched this movie more than once. I guess we all like a good, long romantic movie. It does help that John Thornton, the main guy character, is played by Richard Armitage. (You do not want to get my sisters started on that subject! He is probably the reason why they like it so much. Oh, and the last scene.) One of my younger sisters is a what some would call a tom boy but she even sits through the whole show. She might complain when she hears what movie we are watching but she does not complain during or afterwards.

I would definitely recommend this movie to any Jane Austen fans!

 

Title of the book and movie: North and South

Author of the Book: Elizabeth Gaskell

Movie Produced by: British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

This review is written in my own words and is my honest opinion.