I really enjoyed reading Elizabeth Gaskell's Wives and Daughters, but spending so much time with it during my break was only confirmation for me that I am not a one book at a time sort of reader. It's my own fault really as I could easily have taken a break and picked up another book, but I was determined to finish it if not by the end of the year then by the end of my break at least. Those last couple hundred of pages were a real effort. However, that said, now that I've had a few days to let things settle in my mind, the effort was well worth it and didn't diminish the pleasure of having read what's considered to be Gaskell's "crowning" work. The only disappointment is that it was left unfinished. It's very strange to be reading along and then abruptly the story ends.
Although I've never read Elizabeth Gaskell's Cranford, I did see the film adaptation and in a way Wives and Daughters makes me think of a more sophisticated and complex version of Cranford. They both concern themselves with the varied residents of a small English village where things are changing and the railway is beginning to encroach. There's as much attention paid to the character's lives as the world (or worlds) within which they live. This time Hollingford is the little village where the story takes place. It centers on three different families in three different social classes and their interactions with each other.
Although Molly Gibson doesn't always take center stage, this is really her story. She's the only daughter of a widowed doctor who loves her dearly and I think would happily keep her at home and out of harm's way, or perhaps any young man's way. The doctor takes in pupils who serve as apprentices to him. When he intercepts a private love note from one of the students he whisks Molly off to the Hamley's residence. Squire Hamley is quite proud of his family's distinguished lineage. Landed gentry, they've lived in the area for longer than anyone can remember, though their finances are in a sorrier state than they used to be and they look to their eldest son to help them out. Molly is to act as a companion to Mrs. Hamley whose health is fragile. She takes to Molly instantly who becomes a sort of daughter to her. Molly is a sweet, good, young woman, kind-hearted, intelligent and loyal to those she loves and respects. She's the sort of heroine any reader is happy rooting for and feels her tears of pain and anguish.
Although the squire is more than happy to have Molly as a guest in his home, he's very particular just who his sons might associate with. More importantly, he's decidedly against his sons falling for Molly romantically, sweet as she might be. As the daughter of a doctor her position in society is less than what he has set his sights on. Osborne Hamley is the heir and aside from expectations that he will make a marvelous (and wealthy) match, he's considered the intellectual and scholar. He's a poet and a bit of a dandy as well. There are far fewer expectations for younger son Roger. Less handsome, less brilliant and far more staid, Roger ends up being the more practical of the two brothers.
When Dr. Gibson announces that he is going to remarry, Molly is devastated. Clare Kirkpatrick, a former governess to the local aristocratic family headed by Lord and Lady Cumnor, is pleased to finally put an end to her frugal ways. She keeps a school and has troubles making ends meet. Also widowed, Clare has a grown daughter about the same age as Molly who's spent most of her life abroad. Molly had a run in with Mrs. Kirkpatrick when she was but a young girl. On an outing to the great house she fell asleep on Clare's bed, who failed to wake her when the rest of the party returned to Hollingford. Now this scatterbrained woman is to become her new mother. Self-absorbed and a social climber, Clare's not really a bad person, but she tends to put herself and her own interests before others.
He daughter Cynthia is beautiful and coquettish but not necessarily aware of the affect she has on men. When she returns from France and takes her place in the Gibson family, the boat is going to be well and truly rocked. Molly and Cynthia become fast friends, however, much like real sisters. While Molly is essentially good, Cynthia thinks of herself as, well, not exactly bad but lacking in serious qualities perhaps. It's a credit to Molly's goodness that she remains such a faithful friend to Cynthia when the Hamley brother she falls for, in turn falls for Cynthia.
What would a good story be without secrets? Hollingford's residents abound with them. Not too surprising the biggest and most devasting secrets are kept by Osborne and Cynthia. Both are flawed characters, but they aren't bad or unlikeable people. Their flaws only make them more interesting--maybe even more so than Molly and Roger who are far more dependable. I'm not going to reveal any of the wrinkles that must be ironed out by story's end. Gaskell's Hollingford is a veritable microcosm of British life ca. 1865. I think Gaskell can easily hold her own against the more famous Charlotte Bronte or George Eliot.
I'm midway through watching the film adaptation, which is as you may already know or can imagine is a lushly produced period costume drama, which so far remains fairly faithful to the book. The movie is gorgeously done and well acted. Since I cut it so close and only finished the book near the very end of my break, I didn't have enough time to watch the film all the way through. I'm looking forward to watching the last part this coming weekend and finding out the 'ending', though I'm guessing the filmmaker must have taken a bit of poetic license with it. I'm quite satisfied with my first Elizabeth Gaskell and am looking forward to reading her other novels I have in my TBR pile (Sylvia's Lovers, Cranford, North and South).