Elizabeth Gaskell's final novel, Wives and Daughters, reminded me more than a little of George Elliot's writing, particularly Middlemarch. It's set some time before her present, unlike her more contemporary novels (such as North and South), which tend to focus on the effects of industrialization. Also like Middlemarch, Wives and Daughters follows the intertwined fortunes of three families within a small area. Since I loved Middlemarch, this resemblance is not a bad thing.
Gaskell's hand is a little heavier than Elliot's, particularly with Mrs. Gibson, the least sympathetic character of the piece. But, on the whole, the novel has a lot of solid characters, all well-delineated. I think Cynthia the most interesting character, always on the verge of disgrace yet still sympathetic.
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