My reviews

In my life I wrote 2 reviews and both on Amazon.co.uk.: one is about the novel North & South written by Elizabeth Gaskell in 1855 and the other is about the BBC mini based on the same novel.
And if I wrote it means that I was involved in the matter very much. My hope is that one day our dear country Italy will become aware of this novel, so close to my heart.

The novel:
North and South is my favourite book and I think that it's not known enough. Many people had compared Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen with the Gaskell's book, but, in truth, they are very different.
I prefer N&S to P&P because the love between Margaret and Mr Thornton has more passion than the love between Elizabeth and Darcy.
Austen is a genius and I love her novels but she gave us only borders and shadings, Gaskell gave us a picture completed.
I'm very attracted by the idea that a man of power, self-control, strong, firm, could fall so desperately in love with a woman and could become fragile like a child, "she thought she had seen the gleam of unshed tears in his eyes", said Margaret after Mr Thornton's proposal and her vehement refusal.
There are social themes, but I found them interesting too and not boring.
I don't like to call it a social novel, for me it's, first of all, a Romance with a social commentary in the background.
North and South deserves more readers from my point of view and I highly recommended it!

The BBC mini:
This is my first review but I think that this mini is the best I have ever seen. I bought the DVD last November, 6 months ago and I'm still addicted about this amazing piece of art. I'm so intoxicated of it that I need to express my feelings also here. So be careful if you have the intention to buy it, you know, your life is destined to change ( in a good way, of course ). N&S has some mysterious powers that invade your heart and soul, this is my impression. The characters are very down to earth, they suffer, they make mistakes, but at last, they find each other and love prevails.
Mr Thornton is a man of action, power and great straight. A man who fell, raised himself and goes on. Richard Armitage is the only possible Mr Thornton in the Universe. I read the book ( I highly recommended it too) and I can say that I imagined Elizabeth Gaskell's hero exactly like he interpreted him. He not only plays a part....he speaks to us with his words, body, eyes and you can feel his pain ( the scene with his mother after the proposal is terrific ), his joy (scene at the train station with "you're coming back with me" makes you jump and scream "yes yes yes she loves you and now she is yours"). I watched many period dramas but this one is really magnificent. If you want something of special for you, your research is just finished. Buy it, watch it, re-watch it every time you feel is the moment.

The aim of all this talk is to spread Elizabeth Gaskell's works around the world because we can't forget something so precious.