Wives and Daughters - A review

This copy. I really want this copy. It's blue, it has sketch-like things on it (dragonflies, especially the dragonflies) and of course the story in it is really worth reading.

So I read Wives and Daughters. Well, technically I am still reading, but since I am nearly finished (sadly) and since I couldn't wait to write about it, I am writing about it now.

Wives and Daughters is about the young Molly Gibson, living in the little English town Hollingford, somewhere around 1830. When her father remarries, a new sister enters her quiet life - the cheerful, amiable Cynthia. Her coming actually changes everything for Molly and the way she lived untill then, because Cynthia is not only different, she also brings trouble. Yet the two girls become friends immediately, and the story follows them growing up.

Why I like it - 

- Molly is a little like me, as I found out. Of course she and I are different, I am much and much less quiet for instance, but I quite recognised some stuff of her in me. I never had that with any book before.
- It's set in the 1800's. Need I say more? It's my favourite era.
- It isn't just a nostalgic book about village life in England, or of two girls growing up, but it is also an ironic critique on mid-Victorian society, eventhough on the surface it appears not to be so.
- It's never boring.
- It is very beautifully written, sometimes slow, but never too slow. There are no endless backstories, or endless nothings going on (just the main character and either what they see or what they think) and the dialogue is interesting and real.
- Coming back to the word 'real', I found all the people in the book where very real. They just became alive in my imagination, and they stay alive. Wich is very important for a book to have, I think.

 I've watched the movie as well, and after reading the book, I think they did a wonderful job in keeping as true to the book as possible (and I must say, they kept very true) and the thing above (there's a name for a collection of photo's like that, only I have no idea what it is ... :\ ) really captures what the movie, and also the book, is like.

Favourite Character -

Molly Gibson. She is sweet, but she also is not afraid to stand up for others, and help them if they need it. She is kind and compassionate, a little bit of a temper here and there, and even though she does not like her stephmother (I do not like Hyacinth either) she still tries to be nice to her.

Favourite Scene - 

Actualy I can't name my favourite scene, also because I haven't completely finished the book yet, and because there are so many scenes I like, but my favourite scenes are most definitely the outside scenes where Molly is happy.

Least favourite Character - 

I have two. Mr Gibson and Mr Preston. Though Hyacinth comes close, I will always go with these two. I know Mr Gibson is Molly's father, and I am sure he loves Molly and is good and all, but I do not like him at all.
As for Mr Preston, though I felt a little sorry for him, he is just too unlikeable.

Least favourite Scene - 

Heehee. Least favourite scenes do not exist.


Well, that was a review. A review of a great, memorable book, just waiting to be read for the second or more time, and I give it five out of five stars.

Have you ever read Wives and Daughters? Or seen the movie?