North and South

The world is a beautiful warm place once again. I'm sitting on my balcony watching the trees and listening to the wind and loving this place. When it's summer here you forget what winter is. There is a vague memory of dark and cold, but 30 below is unimaginable and dark is something not understood. I think that's the trick that keeps people here, every summer this land weaves a spell and you become addicted. Addicted to green forests, blue and white mountains, the sound of the wind in the aspens, and never ending day. Jane's happy to have summer back too, water is no longer in a solid form. : ) I have been reading North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. Already seen the BBC miniseries (several times : ) and I love the way they stayed so close to the book. The actors and personalities in the movie seem like they walked right out of the book. And the plot is almost identical. There are a few variations so far, though. Margaret does not go to the mill in the book but she could have and it would not have been out of character. : ) Other then that I haven't found any differences yet. I do know that the end is not the same. : ) How? Well I read the end first, of course. : ) I am enjoying the book but I think I like the movie better. Bessy's character is a little different in the book, She is always talking about her death and going to heaven, she quotes alot of Revelations which is a little disturbing since it out of context, meaning she isn't quite sure if it's for her and there is no mention of scriptural salvation. Margaret's mother is also a little different, very whiny at the beginning, at Helstone. Helps you understand the father a little better. Also Margaret is outspoken enough to find fault with a complete stranger's way of thinking but not outspoken enough to ask her father why he left the church. That frustrates me. But that is in the movie also. I just like the movie, I think they did a wonderful job with casting, plot, and location. It's a beautiful movie.