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The Manchester Marriage
Alice stood still in perplexed wonder. What did he mean? He had resumed the reading of his newspaper, as if he did not expect any answer; so she found silence her safest course, and went on quietly arranging his breakfast, without another word passing between them. Just as he was leaving the house, to go to the warehouse as usual, he turned back and put his head into the bright, neat, tidy kitchen, where all the women breakfasted in the morning.
Gaskell’s The Manchester Marriage tells about Mr. and Mrs. Openshaw who have to move from Manchester to London for business. The story tells about their marriage after Alice, now Mrs. Openshaw, was left alone with a child and without livelihood. One evening, Alic's first husband comes to his daughter asking for his mother’s news. When the man discovers that the woman has remarried he throws himself into the Thames. The girl discovers the past of her mother in Manchester, she meets her real father and she will assume the consequences of her mother’s past...
Gaskell’s The Manchester Marriage tells about Mr. and Mrs. Openshaw who have to move from Manchester to London for business. The story tells about their marriage after Alice, now Mrs. Openshaw, was left alone with a child and without livelihood. One evening, Alic's first husband comes to his daughter asking for his mother’s news. When the man discovers that the woman has remarried he throws himself into the Thames. The girl discovers the past of her mother in Manchester, she meets her real father and she will assume the consequences of her mother’s past...
43 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1858
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328 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Gaskell
1,050 books3,818 followersElizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell, née Stevenson (29 September 1810 – 12 November 1865), often referred to simply as Mrs. Gaskell, was an English novelist and short story writer during the Victorian era. Her novels offer a detailed portrait of the lives of many strata of society, including the very poor, and as such are of interest to social historians as well as lovers of literature.
AKA:
Елізабет Гаскелл (Ukrainian)
AKA:
Елізабет Гаскелл (Ukrainian)
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
March 8, 2010
This "book" is actually one chapter of a book called "A House to Let" which was cowritten by a number of authors including Charles Dickens. This chapter involves the story of a family who move from Manchester to London and includes a secret. The story fits well into the overall book and is also an engaging story all by itself.
June 9, 2025
"The Manchester Marriage" is not a story about a United fan married to a City supporter as one might think. Instead it's intended as a tear jerker (if it succeeds depends on whether the reader has a heart of stone). Just a bit of melodrama, with everyone simply human, no villains, nobody doing wrong, and everyone doing their duty as best they can despite the hap of life. To live is to serve. Some characters have to be able to change, and just who does so makes up part of the surprise at the end. The story turns on the twist of a secret with serious legal and psychological consequences. Times change, and what was a matter of life and death in 1858 would be the subject of a 1940 screwball comedy with Irene Dunne and Cary Grant. The first twist was predictable, though the ending not so much and the resolution was both sad and gratifying. [3★]
April 20, 2023
? that was sad as hell 😭 pero igual lo recomiendo mucho, es muy cortito y súper atrapante
March 13, 2016
The Manchester Marriage ist eine der Kurzgeschichten aus "A House to Let"
Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell - THE MANCHESTER MARRIAGE – Erzählt die Geschichte von Alice Openshaw, die zunächst ihren Cousin, einen Seemann, heiratet, der dann verschollen geht. Nach einigen Jahren heiratet sie einen gutsituierten Handlungsreisenden und beginnt ein neues Leben, als ihr totgeglaubter Ehemann wieder auftaucht.
Dieses Motiv des verschollenen Ehemanns, der an Seemann arbeitet, kommt noch einmal in Sylvia's Lovers vor, dort ist Kinraid aber nur Sylvias (totgeglaubter) Verlobter und sie mit ihrem Cousin verheiratet. Während Sylvia von ihrem Irrtum erfährt und sich grämt und Kinraid sich schnell mit einer anderen tröstet, erfährt diese Ehefrau nie von ihrem Irrtum und der Ehemann bringt sich um. In dieser Kurzgeschichte trägt Ehemann nr. 2 die Bürde der Schande der unwissenden Bigamie, um die Kinder zu schützen und Ehemann 1 opfert sich für seine Frau und sein Kind, damit er ihnen die Schande erspart. Wenn man diese Geschichte als Hintergrund zu Sylvia's Lovers nimmt, wirkt Kinraid noch egoistischer als schon davor.
Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell - THE MANCHESTER MARRIAGE – Erzählt die Geschichte von Alice Openshaw, die zunächst ihren Cousin, einen Seemann, heiratet, der dann verschollen geht. Nach einigen Jahren heiratet sie einen gutsituierten Handlungsreisenden und beginnt ein neues Leben, als ihr totgeglaubter Ehemann wieder auftaucht.
Dieses Motiv des verschollenen Ehemanns, der an Seemann arbeitet, kommt noch einmal in Sylvia's Lovers vor, dort ist Kinraid aber nur Sylvias (totgeglaubter) Verlobter und sie mit ihrem Cousin verheiratet. Während Sylvia von ihrem Irrtum erfährt und sich grämt und Kinraid sich schnell mit einer anderen tröstet, erfährt diese Ehefrau nie von ihrem Irrtum und der Ehemann bringt sich um. In dieser Kurzgeschichte trägt Ehemann nr. 2 die Bürde der Schande der unwissenden Bigamie, um die Kinder zu schützen und Ehemann 1 opfert sich für seine Frau und sein Kind, damit er ihnen die Schande erspart. Wenn man diese Geschichte als Hintergrund zu Sylvia's Lovers nimmt, wirkt Kinraid noch egoistischer als schon davor.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2024
Elizabeth Gaskell's "The Manchester Marriage" is the first story told in the "House to Let" from Dickens' "Christmas Numbers Household Words". There is nothing relating to Christmas in this tragic family short story.
Story in short - Mr. Openshaw is horrified when Norah, his wife's longtime maid tells him her secret.
➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖
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Mr. and Mrs. Openshaw came from Manchester to London and took the House To Let. He had been, what is called in Lancashire, a Salesman for a large manufacturing firm, who were extending their business, and opening a warehouse in London; where Mr. Openshaw was now to superintend the business.
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 220875
His wife was a pretty, gentle woman, of suitable age and character. He was forty-two, she thirty-five. He was loud and decided; she soft and yielding. They had two children or rather, I should say, she had two; for the elder, a girl of eleven, was Mrs. Openshaw’s child
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by Frank Wilson her first husband. The younger was a little boy, Edwin, who could just prattle, and to whom his father delighted to speak in the broadest and most unintelligible Lancashire dialect, in order to keep up what he called the true Saxon accent. Mrs. Openshaw’s Christian-name was Alice, and her first husband had been her own cousin. She was the orphan niece of a sea-captain in Liverpool: a quiet, grave little creature, of great personal attraction when she was fifteen or
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sixteen, with regular features and a blooming complexion. But she was very shy, and believed herself to be very stupid and awkward; and was frequently scolded by her aunt, her own uncle’s second wife. So when her cousin, Frank Wilson, came home from a long absence at sea, and first was kind and protective to her; secondly, attentive and thirdly, desperately in love with her, she hardly knew how to be grateful enough to him. It is true she would have preferred his remaining in the first or second stages of behaviour;
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for his violent love puzzled and frightened her. Her uncle neither helped nor hindered the love affair though it was going on under his own eyes.
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 220889
The consequence was, that Frank and his wife went into lodgings, and Mrs. Wilson refused to see them, and turned away Norah, the warm-hearted housemaid; whom they accordingly took into their service. When Captain Wilson returned from his voyage, he was very cordial with the young couple, and spent many an evening at their
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 220891
lodgings; smoking his pipe, and sipping his grog; but he told them that, for quietness’ sake, he could not ask them to his own house; for his wife was bitter against them. They were not very unhappy about this. The seed of future unhappiness lay rather in Frank’s vehement, passionate disposition; which led him to resent his wife’s shyness and want of demonstration as failures in conjugal duty. He was already tormenting himself, and her too, in a slighter degree, by apprehensions and imaginations of what might
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befall her during his approaching absence at sea. At last he went to his father and urged him to insist upon Alice’s being once more received under his roof; the more especially as there was now a prospect of her confinement while her husband was away on his voyage.
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 220904
Alice’s father-in-law grew more and more feeble as winter advanced. She was of great use to her step-mother in nursing and amusing him; and, although there was anxiety enough in the household, there was perhaps more of peace than there had been for years; for Mrs.
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Wilson had not a bad heart, and was softened by the visible approach of death to one whom she loved, and touched by the lonely condition of the young creature, expecting her first confinement in her husband’s absence. To this relenting mood Norah owed the permission to come and nurse Alice when her baby was born, and to remain to attend on Captain Wilson. Before one letter had been received from Frank (who had sailed for the East Indies and China), his father died. Alice was always glad
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to remember that he had held her baby in his arms, and kissed and blessed it before his death. After that, and the consequent examination into the state of his affairs, it was found that he had left far less property than people had been led by his style of living to imagine; and, what money there was, was all settled upon his wife, and at her disposal after her death. This did not signify much to Alice, as Frank was now first mate of his ship, and, in another voyage or two, would be captain. Meanwhile he had left her
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some hundreds (all his savings) in the bank.
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As week after week passed over, and no intelligence of the ship’s arrival reached the office of the owners, and the Captain’s wife was in the same state of ignorant suspense as Alice herself, her fears grew most oppressive. At length the day came when, in reply to her inquiry at
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the Shipping Office, they told her that the owners had given up Hope of ever hearing more of the Betsy-Jane, and had sent in their claim upon the underwriters. Now that he was gone for ever, she first felt a yearning, longing love for the kind cousin, the dear friend, the sympathising protector, whom she should never see again, — first felt a passionate desire to show him his child, whom she had hitherto rather craved to have all to herself — her own sole possession.
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After much discussion in succeeding days, it was arranged that Mrs. Wilson should take a house in Manchester, furnishing it
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partly with what furniture she had, and providing the rest with Alice’s remaining two hundred pounds. Mrs. Wilson was herself a Manchester woman, and naturally longed to return to her native town. Some connections of her own at that time required lodgings, for which they were willing to pay pretty handsomely. Alice undertook the active superintendence and superior work of the household. Norah, willing faithful Norah, offered to cook, scour, do anything in short, so that, she might but remain with them.
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌spoiler alert
Alice Wilson had married her cousin Frank Wilson, who loved her deeply and her way of loving was different than his expressive love, she was very shy. While Frank was away at sea, Alice had a little girl with a bodily illness that is lifelong condition, Frank is considered dead at sea as well as the ship is lost. Alice and her step mother in law, also lost her uncle and her father in law, started to have boarders, which one was Mr. Openshaw who is a business man who sees the little crippled girl and his heart opens to both mother and daughter, he proposes to Alice and she quietly accepts especially since he is kind to her little girl. The couple are happy until his relatives come to visit and think Norah's man has stolen a broach while they are away for the night. Norah is shocked that a man asks for her and it is the supposed dead husband who was lost at sea, longing to see his wife but finding she is married again. Norah shows him his little girl sleeping, he cannot tear himself away, then he notices the little boy that is not his but Openshaw's. He leaves but when the broach is thought stolen, Openshaw hears that Norah had a visitor which she refuses to tell him and is upset with his accusations, that she leaves and tries to find Frank, but he never returns. Openshaw comes with the police and apologies to Norah the jewel was not stolen. She hears that the man who came to the house had her number in his pocket, he had committed suicide by drowning himself, when Norah hears this she tells him all. Openshaw who is very demanding usually, comes down to earth, in feeling terrible that this man whose wife he has now, which was not his to have, feels bad. They decide that this will never be talked of again, after Norah confirmed it was him, her took care of the arrangement but decide never to tell Alice. After Alice dies, Openshaw brings his step daughter to her father's grave and tells her the sad story, with Norah by her side too. This was such a sad story, my heart goes out to them all, especially Frank, whose heart was broken! Openshaw saw that he was blessed and he felt for the dead man.
Story in short - Mr. Openshaw is horrified when Norah, his wife's longtime maid tells him her secret.
➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 220860
Mr. and Mrs. Openshaw came from Manchester to London and took the House To Let. He had been, what is called in Lancashire, a Salesman for a large manufacturing firm, who were extending their business, and opening a warehouse in London; where Mr. Openshaw was now to superintend the business.
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 220875
His wife was a pretty, gentle woman, of suitable age and character. He was forty-two, she thirty-five. He was loud and decided; she soft and yielding. They had two children or rather, I should say, she had two; for the elder, a girl of eleven, was Mrs. Openshaw’s child
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 220877
by Frank Wilson her first husband. The younger was a little boy, Edwin, who could just prattle, and to whom his father delighted to speak in the broadest and most unintelligible Lancashire dialect, in order to keep up what he called the true Saxon accent. Mrs. Openshaw’s Christian-name was Alice, and her first husband had been her own cousin. She was the orphan niece of a sea-captain in Liverpool: a quiet, grave little creature, of great personal attraction when she was fifteen or
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 220881
sixteen, with regular features and a blooming complexion. But she was very shy, and believed herself to be very stupid and awkward; and was frequently scolded by her aunt, her own uncle’s second wife. So when her cousin, Frank Wilson, came home from a long absence at sea, and first was kind and protective to her; secondly, attentive and thirdly, desperately in love with her, she hardly knew how to be grateful enough to him. It is true she would have preferred his remaining in the first or second stages of behaviour;
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 220884
for his violent love puzzled and frightened her. Her uncle neither helped nor hindered the love affair though it was going on under his own eyes.
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 220889
The consequence was, that Frank and his wife went into lodgings, and Mrs. Wilson refused to see them, and turned away Norah, the warm-hearted housemaid; whom they accordingly took into their service. When Captain Wilson returned from his voyage, he was very cordial with the young couple, and spent many an evening at their
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 220891
lodgings; smoking his pipe, and sipping his grog; but he told them that, for quietness’ sake, he could not ask them to his own house; for his wife was bitter against them. They were not very unhappy about this. The seed of future unhappiness lay rather in Frank’s vehement, passionate disposition; which led him to resent his wife’s shyness and want of demonstration as failures in conjugal duty. He was already tormenting himself, and her too, in a slighter degree, by apprehensions and imaginations of what might
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 220895
befall her during his approaching absence at sea. At last he went to his father and urged him to insist upon Alice’s being once more received under his roof; the more especially as there was now a prospect of her confinement while her husband was away on his voyage.
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 220904
Alice’s father-in-law grew more and more feeble as winter advanced. She was of great use to her step-mother in nursing and amusing him; and, although there was anxiety enough in the household, there was perhaps more of peace than there had been for years; for Mrs.
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 220906
Wilson had not a bad heart, and was softened by the visible approach of death to one whom she loved, and touched by the lonely condition of the young creature, expecting her first confinement in her husband’s absence. To this relenting mood Norah owed the permission to come and nurse Alice when her baby was born, and to remain to attend on Captain Wilson. Before one letter had been received from Frank (who had sailed for the East Indies and China), his father died. Alice was always glad
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 220910
to remember that he had held her baby in his arms, and kissed and blessed it before his death. After that, and the consequent examination into the state of his affairs, it was found that he had left far less property than people had been led by his style of living to imagine; and, what money there was, was all settled upon his wife, and at her disposal after her death. This did not signify much to Alice, as Frank was now first mate of his ship, and, in another voyage or two, would be captain. Meanwhile he had left her
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 220913
some hundreds (all his savings) in the bank.
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 220915
As week after week passed over, and no intelligence of the ship’s arrival reached the office of the owners, and the Captain’s wife was in the same state of ignorant suspense as Alice herself, her fears grew most oppressive. At length the day came when, in reply to her inquiry at
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 220917
the Shipping Office, they told her that the owners had given up Hope of ever hearing more of the Betsy-Jane, and had sent in their claim upon the underwriters. Now that he was gone for ever, she first felt a yearning, longing love for the kind cousin, the dear friend, the sympathising protector, whom she should never see again, — first felt a passionate desire to show him his child, whom she had hitherto rather craved to have all to herself — her own sole possession.
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 220935
After much discussion in succeeding days, it was arranged that Mrs. Wilson should take a house in Manchester, furnishing it
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 220936
partly with what furniture she had, and providing the rest with Alice’s remaining two hundred pounds. Mrs. Wilson was herself a Manchester woman, and naturally longed to return to her native town. Some connections of her own at that time required lodgings, for which they were willing to pay pretty handsomely. Alice undertook the active superintendence and superior work of the household. Norah, willing faithful Norah, offered to cook, scour, do anything in short, so that, she might but remain with them.
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌spoiler alert
Alice Wilson had married her cousin Frank Wilson, who loved her deeply and her way of loving was different than his expressive love, she was very shy. While Frank was away at sea, Alice had a little girl with a bodily illness that is lifelong condition, Frank is considered dead at sea as well as the ship is lost. Alice and her step mother in law, also lost her uncle and her father in law, started to have boarders, which one was Mr. Openshaw who is a business man who sees the little crippled girl and his heart opens to both mother and daughter, he proposes to Alice and she quietly accepts especially since he is kind to her little girl. The couple are happy until his relatives come to visit and think Norah's man has stolen a broach while they are away for the night. Norah is shocked that a man asks for her and it is the supposed dead husband who was lost at sea, longing to see his wife but finding she is married again. Norah shows him his little girl sleeping, he cannot tear himself away, then he notices the little boy that is not his but Openshaw's. He leaves but when the broach is thought stolen, Openshaw hears that Norah had a visitor which she refuses to tell him and is upset with his accusations, that she leaves and tries to find Frank, but he never returns. Openshaw comes with the police and apologies to Norah the jewel was not stolen. She hears that the man who came to the house had her number in his pocket, he had committed suicide by drowning himself, when Norah hears this she tells him all. Openshaw who is very demanding usually, comes down to earth, in feeling terrible that this man whose wife he has now, which was not his to have, feels bad. They decide that this will never be talked of again, after Norah confirmed it was him, her took care of the arrangement but decide never to tell Alice. After Alice dies, Openshaw brings his step daughter to her father's grave and tells her the sad story, with Norah by her side too. This was such a sad story, my heart goes out to them all, especially Frank, whose heart was broken! Openshaw saw that he was blessed and he felt for the dead man.
May 10, 2024
Che meraviglia questo libretto, mi è capitato per le mani mentre caricavo le mie vecchie letture su Goodreads e ho voluto rileggerlo. Una storia che funziona, raccontata con linearità. Certo, è solo un racconto, che, nella sua brevità, non può permettersi di approfondire più di tanto i personaggi. I quali, però, sono tutti abbozzati con tratto sicuro e perfettamente funzionali alla storia. Un perfetto esempio di narrazione esemplare.
November 23, 2021
Grade: B-
I had to read this for my uni degree.
I had to read this for my uni degree.
April 2, 2011
La trama di questa short story era già vista/letta/sentita...
Anche se magari è stato questo racconto ad ispirare gli altri, e non viceversa, come è sembrato a me... Fatto sta che mi sembrava di rivedere un film, una commedia, mi sembra con Totò e Peppino (che, peraltro, non è l'unico esempio di questa trama... per esempio c'è il mio adorato "Il Fu Mattia Pascal"), con la differenza che la Gaskell è piuttosto tragica con i suoi finali.
Ed anche la storia della spilla era uguale uguale a quella della spilla di Marilla in Anna dai capelli Rossi, ma in quel caso è sicuro che sia stata la Montgomery a prendere spunto, più o meno consapevolmente, dalla Gaskell.
Anche se magari è stato questo racconto ad ispirare gli altri, e non viceversa, come è sembrato a me... Fatto sta che mi sembrava di rivedere un film, una commedia, mi sembra con Totò e Peppino (che, peraltro, non è l'unico esempio di questa trama... per esempio c'è il mio adorato "Il Fu Mattia Pascal"), con la differenza che la Gaskell è piuttosto tragica con i suoi finali.
Ed anche la storia della spilla era uguale uguale a quella della spilla di Marilla in Anna dai capelli Rossi, ma in quel caso è sicuro che sia stata la Montgomery a prendere spunto, più o meno consapevolmente, dalla Gaskell.
March 22, 2010
A collection of short stories of which I read all except two. I like that the stories are short and still full of plot and surprises. However, Ms. Gaskell isn't too great on wrapping stories up. Especially these short ones. She'll take pages narrating some important event and then wrap up chapters worth of information in 2 sentences at the end.
November 3, 2015
Aww what a wretched ending! :'(
December 19, 2016
I actually cried. This was a sweet surprise...
I recommend it.
I recommend it.
November 3, 2016
Elizabeth Gaskell is incredible
April 22, 2018
Le nozze di Manchester è uno dei tanti, brevi, scritti finiti sull' Households Words di Dickens sotto natale 1858. La scomparsa di un uomo mette a dura prova la di lui moglie, anche se la vera protagonista della storia sarà la balia della loro bambina Norah.
Una storia prevedibile ma godibile, nella quale convergono personaggi forti, diversi tra loro e inequivocabilmente interessanti.
Una storia prevedibile ma godibile, nella quale convergono personaggi forti, diversi tra loro e inequivocabilmente interessanti.
May 19, 2025
Well, this is a Victorian short story and melodramatic and I knew I was being manipulated by Victorian melodrama but I don't think Elizabeth set out to do that, she just wrote a sad story and I felt almost teary at the end.
August 30, 2021
Read for "Home in 19th Century British Literature" course for my MA in English.
Really surprised at how much I enjoyed this one.
Really surprised at how much I enjoyed this one.
September 17, 2023
*3.5 stars*
A sad little tale from Elizabeth Gaskell, about a family that moves from Manchester to London. A short story but nevertheless a decent storyline with a huge surprise to come.
A sad little tale from Elizabeth Gaskell, about a family that moves from Manchester to London. A short story but nevertheless a decent storyline with a huge surprise to come.
January 19, 2024
fue más deprimente, así que una estrella más por eso
January 22, 2024
That was a ride.
October 15, 2024
sad story but not that eventful. the writing howrver was so coherent and smooth. loved it!
February 13, 2025
2.5/5 not super memorable, read for class!
January 21, 2021
I mean, it's not a bad story but I think that it's not her best work.
September 27, 2022
Mrs Gaskell reportedly made a hash of her bio of Charlotte Bronte, but otherwise she is incapable of putting a foot wrong. She is a storyteller with a capital S.
I'm not sure what the distinction is between a novelist and a story teller exactly, but for me it lies in the fact that there's never a point; there's no discernable plot or twist or goal, just people living their lives, the story entirely character driven. Isak Dinesen is that kind of story-teller as well. I have found it really rare; you have to be an amazing writer to make people interesting, in themselves. Pretty dramatic things do happen in these stories, but you never have the feeling that the story is there to support that event; the story exists in itself.
Elizabeth Gaskell also wrote some pretty kickass supernatural stories.
I'm not sure what the distinction is between a novelist and a story teller exactly, but for me it lies in the fact that there's never a point; there's no discernable plot or twist or goal, just people living their lives, the story entirely character driven. Isak Dinesen is that kind of story-teller as well. I have found it really rare; you have to be an amazing writer to make people interesting, in themselves. Pretty dramatic things do happen in these stories, but you never have the feeling that the story is there to support that event; the story exists in itself.
Elizabeth Gaskell also wrote some pretty kickass supernatural stories.
April 8, 2011
This is actually just one chapter in a short collaborative work called "A House to Let." I took too long to listen to this, so by the time I had finished it, I couldn't really remember the beginning and had to go back and listen to the first part.
May 18, 2012
Sad. Rather predictable.
February 1, 2014
A quiet story of a good marriage. I have to say the "twist" was easily seen from the beginning, I enjoyed how well written it was.
February 15, 2016
I'm not a fan of the short story but love Gaskell so gave this a try on the train home. It was ok but short stories are singularly unsatisfying - they tease without fulfilling on their promise!
August 17, 2014
Interesting read about the life of a woman and her two marriages with a twist in between.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews