Cranford Read-Along: Part 2

I didn't love Cranford at first. It felt trivial and slow. But half way through the book I realized that I loved these characters, our narrator Miss Smith, the gossipy Miss Pole and most of all, the gentle, trusting Miss Matty.

Here are my thoughts on the first half.

The book is made up of 16 chapters; each chronicles a small event in the quiet English town of Cranford in the 1840s. The women in the town are a tight-knit group, skeptical of outsiders and protective of each other. There are many humorous sections with mistaken identities, misunderstandings and unneeded panic, but those aren't the sections that will stay with me in years to come.

The chapter that finally hooked me was ch. 13 Stopped Payment. When a local bank has unexpected troubles we have a chance to see Miss Matty's goodness shine. She is so selfless in her concern for others that it broke my heart. Her sincere love for her friends and neighbors knows no bounds. When Miss Matty own finances seem dire, the dear ladies of Cranford come together to help her without her knowledge. That's the true heart of this sweet book, friendship that rises to the occasion, silently offering a shoulder to cry on or a hand to hold.

To me, this quote from Miss Pole summed up how the women of Cranford see themselves ...

"We, the ladies of Cranford, in my drawing-room assembled, can resolve upon something. I imagine we are none of us what may be called rich, though we all posses a genteel competency, sufficient for taste that are elegant and refined, and would not, if they could, be vulgarly ostentatious." - p. 160

This is my final post on Cranford for the read-along hosted by Allie at A Literary Odyssey. This was my first read-along and I loved it. I'll definitely be participating in more in the future.

I have the first disc of the BBC miniseries adaptation of Cranford at home and I can't wait to watch it. Has any one else seen it?

Cranford Read-Along: Part 1

This first post covers the first half of Cranford, chapters 1-8, for the read-along hosted by Allie at A Literary Odyssey.

The book consists of a sweet meandering through quiet country life in England in the 1840s. There's no major plot or drama, just 16 chapters of little anecdotes about the town of Cranford and its residents. Mary Smith, a young woman who frequently visits the town, is our narrator. The old women in the town, many of whom are spinsters or widows, rule the roost. Matty and Deborah Jenkyns are the elderly sisters at the heart of the book and their brother Peter plays a role in the story as well. I liked the chapter that deals with his deciding to leave Cranford forever.

I'm not enthralled by the book, but I really don't think I'm supposed to be. It reminds me quite a bit of Jane Austen's work, but without the romantic entanglements. It also has a similar feel to L.M. Montgomery's books (especially Anne of Windy Poplars). It's all about the social standing, fashion, etiquette, etc. I felt myself wishing there was a main character to become attached to. Austen had Elizabeth, Montgomery had Anne Shirley, but Cranford has only Mary and she has taken herself out of the action for the most part. It's about what she sees and what the other women do, not anything about herself.

I've still enjoyed it though. It's sweet and there's definitely a sarcastic humor, which I love. Here's a little snippet from chapter 8.

"The stars are so beautiful." (Miss Matty)

"Are you a fan of astronomy?" (Lady Glenmire)

"Not very," Miss Matty replied, rather confused at the moment to remember which was astronomy, and which was astrology - but the answer was true under either circumstance... she never could believe that the earth was moving constantly, and that she would not believe it if she could, it made her feel so tired and dizzy whenever she thought about it.

What did everyone else think?

My second and final post on the book will be done on Wednesday, June 30.

Cranford Read-Along

I've decided to participate in a read-along hosted by Allie at A Literary Odyssey. I've been wanting to read this for awhile, especially since I bought a beautiful copy, part of the new Penguin cloth-covered classics series.

(Cranford is the green one in the front)

Here's Amazon's summary of the book: A novel by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell, published serially in Charles Dickens' magazine Household Words from 1851 to 1853 and in book form in 1853. Basing her tales on the village in which she was reared, Gaskell produced a gently comic picture of life and manners in an English country village during the 1830s. The novel's narrator (a young woman who periodically visits Cranford) describes the small adventures in the lives of two middle-aged sisters in reduced circumstances who do their best to maintain their standards of propriety, decency, and kindness. Using an intimate, gossipy voice that never turns sentimental, Gaskell conveys the old-fashioned habits, subtle class distinctions, and genteel poverty of the townspeople. Cranford quickly became one of the author's best-loved works.

Allie has set the following reading schedule:
Since Cranford is a relatively short book, I decided to have two days for posting. There are 16 chapters, so a post on chapters 1-8 can be made on June 15th (a Tuesday). The second and final posting can be done on June 30th (a Wednesday).

To join in on the fun, sign up here.