Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

22 reviews

raoulalexander's review against another edition

adventurous emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Terminal illness and Suicide

columnclub's review against another edition

informative reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.5

There's a lot of interesting stuff here, but it felt a little lukewarm overall, in both the politics and the romance. I did love the last few lines, though.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death, Classism, Death of parent, Medical content, and Suicide

Moderate: Animal death, Terminal illness, Medical trauma, Misogyny, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Child death, and Religious bigotry

elenavillan's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Classism, Death of parent, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Suicide

Minor: Alcoholism and Animal cruelty

katiemcgregor's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

While I wouldn't categorize North and South under a label so simple as "Pride and Prejudice with labor disputes" I can't deny that they're somewhat in the same vein, though the former focuses more on the labor dispute part than the Pride and Prejudice part. But it is a funny comparison.

In all honesty, I haven't grown up knowing of any of Elizabeth Gaskell's classic works. My classic knowledge isn't extensive, but North and South is right up my alley so I'm surprised that we haven't crossed paths until now.

With all of the multifaceted subjects this novel addresses, it really is quite easy to understand. I still cross referenced chapters with analyses, just to confirm that I wasn't missing anything, but the only parts that I had some issue deciphering were the dialogues presented in Darkshire dialect; the content not being so hard to digest as the slang itself.

I must say, though it wasn't necessarily the main focus of the story, I did love the romance. I appreciate that Gaskell chose to show Thornton's perspective, rather than keeping her readers in the dark. I do love a good one-sided slow burn full of yearning. I only wish that the last chapter had been a bit longer. Though, now that I've finished the original work I'm sure I'll throw myself into the 2004 BBC miniseries to satisfy any of my lingering desires.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Suicide, Grief, Death of parent, Death, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Alcoholism

lapon's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness and Death of parent

samarakroeger's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

When Charles Dickens himself thinks your book is too long (the AUDACITY of him, honestly) ... it might be a bit too long.  However, I was pleasantly surprised by how much depth Elizabeth Gaskell was able to infuse in the pages of North and South.  Great discussion of class, labor conflicts, gender roles, and the role of unions in Victorian Britain that is often lacking in books from a similar time (for example, I can't stand Charles Dickens).

This might be marketed as a love story, but it really isn't, at least at its core.  It's so much more than that!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Grief, and Terminal illness

Minor: Suicide

rieviolet's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I can say that I enjoyed the reading experience, although it took me a couple of chapters to get really into the story. I often heard the book described as "Pride and Prejudice plus socialism" and, honestly, it's not such a far-off description. 

I really liked the characters' depiction and their growth over the course of the story, I appreciated how the author portrayed even the ones that I didn't find particulary pleasant. There were a lot of tragedies and misfortunes that kept occuring (maybe too many, give us a break Elizabeth Gaskell please) and that really took me by surprise and moved me.
I'm not immune to a good romantic plot but I can say that I really appreciated that there was more to the novel. I really enjoyed the description and the reflections on the social reality of the time, the strike and the conditions of workers. 

Still, there were some aspects that stopped me from giving full marks. There were maybe a bit too many mentions and reflections on religion that bored me a little and in part flew over my head, but that is more of a personal preference as someone who is not much of a religious person. 
I can also say that the pacing felt a bit off. At times the story dragged on a bit and moved quite slowly, then, 
instead, the ending felt rushed, the long-awaited resolution came very quickly and the novel ended rather abruptly.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Grief, Terminal illness, Suicide, Xenophobia, and Violence

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, and Police brutality

tuesdayangel's review against another edition

challenging slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness and Terminal illness

gracescanlon's review

emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Death, Grief, and Chronic illness

Moderate: Alcohol, Suicide, Sexism, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Classism, and Violence

Minor: Alcoholism

lara_bk's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Violence, Terminal illness, Suicide, Grief, and Chronic illness

Moderate: Alcohol and Alcoholism

Minor: Injury/Injury detail