North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

Despite the dubious title, this book is not a Civil War novel. However, plot-wise it very well could be, even though it is set in England. The time period is mid-Victorian, and the "North" is the industrialized manufacturing towns, and the "South" is the aristocratic counties. North and South also resembles Pride and Prejudice, but only so far that the story is about two people of different classes who take an instant dislike to each other because of prejudiced opinions.

Margaret Hale and her family have lived all their life in a country town in the South, until religious qualms on the part of her clergyman father drive him to resign, and become a tutor in a manufacturing town in the North. Margaret may not be of high birth, but she has aristocratic sensibilities, and automatically expects to dislike Milton. Her father is more accepting, and cultivates a friendship with one of the masters, Mr. Thornton. Margaret sees him as the epitome of what is wrong with Milton: caring only for money, and cruel to his mill workers. He sees her as a proud aristocrat who doesn't understand how a business has to be run.

I liked Margaret, because she is dignified, but also kind and sympathetic to everyone. She may have aristocratic tendencies, but she forms deep friendships with one of the mill workers and his family. Mr. Thornton, though, I did not like, even though he tries to better himself. This book has many plot twists, and is engaging and well written. I'd give it 7 out of 10.