Let me start by saying I had no idea this was mid-1800s chick lit when I started reading it. I plead ignorance. But I will try to give it an honest review, although I hold the "man card" in reserve to say something "ignernt" as we go on.Elizabeth Gaskell is a fine writer. When I pick up a modern novel, half the time it leaves me wondering how the author got through high school. But with older novels I never see that. Most published 19th century authors knew how to write. They knew their grammar, they understood sentence structure, and they were familiar with style. I don't think my own writing stacks up to most of the 19th century writers I've read.
