Mary Barton Audiobook (Unabridged)

" I got bored with this one and skimmed through the last 40% of the book. "

" Love this era authors. Wish there were more. Everything by Elizabeth Gaskell is great! "

" I found Mary to be an idiot and I think the idea was done better in North and South. "

" Great until the ending which was very slow reading for me. The book's main point is to address an issue that is extremely relevant in today's political landscape: What is our obligation to others in society, especially the poor and the working class? "

" The condition of England presented in this novel is absolutely appalling, much attributed to barriers in communication between the classes, and these barriers are repeated thematically throughout the novel. 3/5 stars because it's a much slower read than I generally prefer. I'm looking forward to reading Gaskell's North and South some time in the not too distant future. "

" It was a little hard to get into - and I like "Wives & Daughters" and "North & South" better. "

" The story was great but got a little ridiculous at parts....could have been about 10 chapters shorter. "

" This read like a Dickens novel and I really enjoyed it! Wouldn't it be great to live in England a year or two?? "

" A tad melodramatic, and for a while I wondered if anyone was going to be still standing at the end. Still, there's insight into the lives of the less fortunate at that time, a murder trial and a love story thrown in. A quick read. "

" Gaskell is a favorite author. I thought this was a good novel. From a modern perspective the amazing recovery from near blindness was a stretch. I liked the ending. "

" Am at the point where Mary's father has just killed her ex-boyfriend. It's slow going. "

" In this particular novel, Gaskell's prose serves less as a commentary on social mores and more as a commentary on social condition than her other works: that said, this quality is exactly what makes Mary Barton a gem of a read. "

" This is the author's first novel and the lessons that one learns about class structure and the haves and have-nots will remain vivid in the reader's mind for a long time. --Joni "

" This should get no stars because 1: downer, and 2: I really hate Victorian women who faint a lot. That's just stupid and unhelpful. "

" Please tell me why BBC has not made this in to a movie yet? "

" I got 80 pages into this book and just gave up. It was much dryer than Gaskell's novel, North and South. After 80 pages I still had no idea where the little romance was headed and who to root for. "

" Not my normal cup of tea but a good story. More along the depressing side with all the hunger and death, but a happy ending that made me smile. "

" I enjoyed this book in spite of its depressing setting because it gave me insight to what kind of life my great great great grandmother led in England before immigrating to the United States. It also illustrated the strength and weakness of the human spirit. "

" I enjoyed this book - once I got into it! "

" I always enjoy Elizabeth Gaskell! "

" Story was predictable. She has better novels. "

" Another fantastic book by Elizabeth Gaskell!! Hard to decide which of her books to read next. "

" Reminds me of Dreiser's Jenny Gehrhardt. I'm only on Chapter 3, but can't put it down. So far, I think this will be my favorite by this author. PS: Reading this on Kobo. c. 2010 The Floating Press ISBN: 978-1-775450-05-4 "

" I liked the rapid flow of time jumping over the years, the characters and their heated debates, and the occasional comic bits. "

" Really enjoyable on a subject which today doesn't seem such a big deal. Interesting how sypathetic Gaskell is and you feel that Ruth was a character she cared about. "

" The philosophy is quite old fashioned but it is a great book. "

" Deeply moving story which surprisingly contains only one death. "

" Wonderful story about true humility, charity, and hope. Hope in the goodness of people, and hope in the Savior. "

" Ruth is the same type of story as Scarlet Letter and Tess of the D'Urbervilles, but it is written with all of Gaskell's tenderness. I loved the mentioned books and I love Gaskell so this was a winner for me. "

" This book was so marvellous! I love Elizabeth Gaskell. =) "

" About an unwed mother in 19th century England. In opposition to the harsh rejection prescribed by much of society, it deals with the truly Christlike way of responding to such a situation. Not an exciting, fast-paced story, but one that made me think. "