Publication
silksoundbooks (2015)
Original publication date
1859
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Genres
Description
Classic Literature. Fiction. Historical Fiction. HTML: This beloved novella from author Elizabeth Gaskell offers a fascinating glimpse into the lives of women in the nineteenth century, particularly those who were widowed or unmarried. The lack of legal rights afforded to these women may come as a shock to contemporary readers, but Gaskell addresses the unique challenges they faced�??and often triumphed over�??with grace and keen insight
User reviews
LibraryThing member vestafan
I read this collection of short stories and a novella because I'd enjoyed some of Mrs Gaskell's novels: Cranford, North and South, and Wives and Daughters. This volume doesn't measure up to these in my opinion - many of the themes of Victorian fiction are there; sudden infant mortality, family
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conflict and curses, social disgrace and isolation - unfortunately, these are short stories and the repetition of these themes intensifies the gloom. One for Mrs Gaskell completists only I think Show Less
LibraryThing member emanate28
"My Lady Ludlow" isn't really a story (as the narrator says: "It is no story: it has...neither beginning, middle, nor end"), even less so than "Cranford" (which I loved, and in which Lady Ludlow appears). So in that sense, I didn't derive any satisfying sense of conclusion at the end and I was a
Elizabeth Gaskell's writing is wonderful and I find her depiction of her characters quite real so it was a nice read, but in the end, I'm not sure whether I'm recommending this book to others unless they already are Gaskell fans...
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bit disappointed that the biggest narrative was a tale of some French aristocrats during the French Revolution, rather than about the little English town that I wanted to know more about. Elizabeth Gaskell's writing is wonderful and I find her depiction of her characters quite real so it was a nice read, but in the end, I'm not sure whether I'm recommending this book to others unless they already are Gaskell fans...
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LibraryThing member jen.e.moore
This is another book the Cranford miniseries was based on, although with many more details changed. Lady Ludlow is, if anything, more sympathetic in the book, and there's a long digression about a tragic, doomed romance during the French Revolution.
LibraryThing member zeborah
Inspired by watching the BBC "Cranford" series I sought out the author's novels and started with this. Possibly not the best place to start: it felt kind of long-slice-of-life ish. Or maybe that was the point. But it particularly dragged when we got to the interminable backstory of why she hates
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education for the poor: as much of an impact as that time obviously had on the eponymous Lady, I don't feel we needed every single last detail. I put the book down halfway through and only picked it up again out of a reader's duty to get to the end. Will have to try another at some point as I'm hoping that makes the exception. Show Less
Language
Original language
English