Mary Barton

my penguin classics edition lied and i'm not happy about it.

(if you have the penguin classics 1996 edition, the synopsis on the back is awful and should be disregarded)

a sort of precursor to gaskell's most famous work, north and south, mary barton begins delving into the struggles of the impoverished working class in 1840's england with the story of mary barton and those around her. in terms of learning about just how difficult life was during this period in time, i much prefer reading this than to a lecture in a class where the professor displays a bunch of depressing pictures on the projector.

there's a lot that goes on in this novel, which made it hard for me to put down when i had a chance to read it. each character is well-developed and has their own motivations and arcs throughout the book. recommended for classic literature readers who are a little fatigued when it comes to english historical fiction.