Wives and Daughters

Elizabeth Gaskell's Wives and Daughters is extraordinary!

The characters are all so wonderfully drawn; I fell in love with every one of them. I enjoyed reading this so much, and felt like these were all my friends.

I was particularly moved by the relationships between the family at Hamley Hall. The old cantankerous, moody, sentimental and conflicted squire totally captured my heart.

Each of the characters, from the charming and droll Lady Harriet, to the unpleasantly vain Mr Preston, the spoiled yet good Osborne, the concerned spinsters, etc... each of them was so endearing because they were all flawed. Mrs. Gibson, hysterically so, and Cynthia, poignantly so. In fact, Cynthia was so sympathetic to me, because it seemed her inner flaws would prevent her from ever being happy. True of her mother Mrs. Gibson as well, but it seemed that Cynthia had the insight to see what was missing, whereas Mrs. Gibson existed in a fog of self-absorption.

The most stalwartly good characters, Molly, Mr. Gibson, and Roger, were no less lovable for their perfection.

Gaskell died before she finished Wives and Daughters, and it was disappointing to read the rushed ending tacked on by the editor. But she had been very close to finishing, and it was easy to see how the ends would have been tied together. I loved this book and will miss keeping company with all the delightful people of Hollingford.