Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell

Somehow Jane Austin and the Bronte's have a monopoly on Victorian chick lit but with Wives and Daughters, Gaskell demonstrates that she belongs right in the middle of that group, if not at the very top.  Gaskell, where have you been all my life?  I had no idea there was such a treasure hiding in plain sight if only I had known to look.  Molly Gibson is every bit the heroine that Elizabeth Bennet is without any of the hidden snark and she far exceeds anything Emma aspired to.   And don't get me started on the horrible Fanny from Mansfield Park-Austin should have packed that one up before she got started.  Gaskell's story doesn't need unlikely coincidences to propel the story forward (of course Darcy was home just when Elizabeth was touring his estate; naturally Wickham knew Darcy in the good old days...).  Mrs. Kirkpatrick/Mrs. Gibson, Molly's stepmother, is a deeply flawed character who provides a crisp contrast to the Molly's near perfection, though Gaskell took pains to show that even the best among us has their moments. 

This book could have used a bit more editing...there were some inconsistencies and, at least in the version I was reading, plenty of typos.  But I suppose that for a book written in serial form, and not even completed before the author died, it will do.

I really, really enjoyed this book.  Molly's desire to be good and do good never came off as goody-goody and she had her eye rolls and under her breathe comments to put an edge on it.

Lady Harriet is a delightful creature.
How was Dr. Gibson every taken in by Mrs. Kirkpatrick?
Why does Osborne's father let it get to such a state?  Would Osborne really live that far away from his wife and child?  Is he really so unuseful that he can not find ANY gainful employment?


Rating:  #3 Enjoyed It Very Much