We bought this in Lymington in September 1978 and if I have read it before, it won’t have been since shortly after then.
Gaskell is a thematic writer and her characters lack subtlety, but this was nonetheless very good. The early bits reminded me a little of Germinal, grim working class life and class conflict in mid 19th century Manchester. But it changes mid way into a romantic/crime novel.
Mary has rejected her working class and old family friend admirer (Jem) in favour of the rich factory owner’s son who she believes wants to marry her, but his intentions are probably less honourable. But amid increasingly bitter class conflict between the mill owners and impoverished workers, the owners are intransigent and one of them is to be murdered. Her father draws the marked card, borrows Jem’s gun and shoots the son. Jem for obvious reasons is arrested but has an alibi, who Mary eventually tracks down at the last minute as Jem’s trial is underway.
So class conflict, romance, crime and melodrama. Would make a good serial on the TV – I don’t think this has happened yet?
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