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I knew it. I just knew this was going to happen. (And did I listen to me? No.)
Mental note to self #1: sometimes procrastination can be a good thing. At least when Kailana asks people to list their literary top 10. I spent three weeks dithering and reading, lest I post the list and then change my mind a few books later. And even then I hesitated, because of North and South. But then I thought ... no, she’ll be right. All those social and industrial issues ... it won’t qualify. And besides, it’s nearly six hundred pages and I promised myself I wouldn’t procrastinate (excessively).
Famous last words. I loved it, I adored it, and did I mention I loved it? I think I have finally found a rival for Pride and Prejudice and Wuthering Heights. (For full gushing, see the review. When it appears. Expect it ... er, when you see it. Mental note to self #2: never get seriously behind in both reading and reviewing shortly before your university starts throwing midsemesters at you.)
So now I’ve got a dilemma: to cheat or not to cheat? Do I turn my Top 10 into a Top 11? It is cheating. And it could be that my Gaskell infatuation is a mere trick of proximity; it’s looming large in my imagination just because I only finished it last night. (But given that I’ve been longing to read it since the mini-series last year, probably not.)
Oh, what the hell ...
(I found you from Chris at book-a-rama)
ReplyDeleteI just finished perks of being a wallflower and Charlie says that his favorite book is always the book he just finished. Your post reminded me of that.
Ten is just not enough; I say cheat away. I should have. :)
ReplyDeleteIf North and South is that good, I'm going to have to get my little mitts on a copy. Thanks for enabling!
Oh go for it! Kailana is flexible.
ReplyDeleteI liked North & South a lot, too- it is a much more gritty version of Jane Austen (probably because it takes place after the Industrial Revolution hits). If you haven't seen the BBC miniseries adaptation, I HIGHLY recommend it! I like it just as much as my Colin Firth P&P. Richard Armitage makes an excellent lead :-)
ReplyDeleteRaidergirl3: That depends on the book!
ReplyDeleteBookfool: An enabler, hmm? That's one label I'll happily wear; I'm always pleased to encourage others to the same heights of book addiction as myself!
Chris: I did!
Aarti: I have seen the miniseries . . . :-) . . . It was actually that which got me itching to read the book. I'm in for a treat - or half of one - the next few weeks; the ABC's replaying it late on Saturday nights. Unfortunately I didn't realise this until Mum stumbled across the last 5 minutes of part 2 on the weekend. (I am still mentally kicking myself over that one; it occurred to me while reading the book that I should start checking the TV guide for reruns, but it was in one hemisphere and out the other. I guess the moral of the story is, always grab hold of passing thoughts.) I'm consoling myself with the thought that half of North and South is better than no North and South. And having recently finished the book I know exactly what I've missed.