Wives and Daughters


Read by LibriVox Volunteers

(4.6 stars; 46 reviews)

If you like Jane Austen, you will probably like this book!

Mrs. Gaskell, as she was often referred to, is considered one of the greatest British novelists of the Victorian era. She was one of the earliest novelists ever to use dialect in her works, finding often that no word but the vernacular would suffice to convey the meaning she wanted to achieve. She was the author of The Life of Charlotte Brontë, a much-acclaimed and sometimes-reviled biography of her friend and peer.

Wives and Daughters revolves around Molly Gibson, only daughter of a widowed doctor living in a provincial English town in the 1830s. The novel was first published in the Cornhill Magazine as a serial from August 1864 to January 1866. When Mrs Gaskell died suddenly in 1865, it was not quite complete, and the last section was written by Frederick Greenwood. (Summary from Wikipedia) (27 hr 15 min)

Chapters

THE DAWN OF A GALA DAY 22:02 Read by Mary Anderson
A NOVICE AMONGST THE GREAT FOLK 34:06 Read by Ophelia Darcy
MOLLY GIBSON'S CHILDHOOD 19:55 Read by Kara Shallenberg (1969-2023)
MR GIBSON'S NEIGHBOURS 31:46 Read by Kara Shallenberg (1969-2023)
CALF-LOVE 27:04 Read by Sibella Denton
A VISIT TO THE HAMLEYS 39:00 Read by Caitlin Kelly
FORESHADOWS OF LOVE PERILS 20:37 Read by Caitlin Kelly
DRIFTING INTO DANGER 35:45 Read by Kara Shallenberg (1969-2023)
THE WIDOWER AND THE WIDOW 26:27 Read by Brenda Dayne
A CRISIS 55:50 Read by Lucy Burgoyne (1950 - 2014)
MAKING FRIENDSHIP 36:07 Read by rachelellen
PREPARING FOR THE WEDDING 19:32 Read by rachelellen
MOLLY GIBSON'S NEW FRIENDS 28:01 Read by rachelellen
MOLLY FINDS HERSELF PATRONIZED 33:50 Read by rachelellen
THE NEW MAMMA 20:37 Read by Kara Shallenberg (1969-2023)
THE BRIDE AT HOME 24:49 Read by Kara Shallenberg (1969-2023)
TROUBLE AT HAMLEY HALL 24:38 Read by Lizzie Driver
MR OSBORNE'S SECRET 30:35 Read by Mary Anderson
CYNTHIA'S ARRIVAL 25:21 Read by Tora
MRS GIBSON'S VISITORS 19:23 Read by Tora
THE HALF-SISTERS 30:41 Read by Tora
THE OLD SQUIRE'S TROUBLES 31:49 Read by Lucy Burgoyne (1950 - 2014)
OSBORNE HAMLEY REVIEWS HIS POSITION 23:51 Read by Lucy Burgoyne (1950 - 2014)
MRS GIBSON'S LITTLE DINNER 16:31 Read by Brenda Dayne
HOLLINGFORD IN A BUSTLE 24:00 Read by Mary Anderson
A CHARITY BALL 49:39 Read by Caitlin Kelly
FATHER AND SONS 19:54 Read by Lizzie Driver
RIVALRY 32:40 Read by Lizzie Driver
BUSH-FIGHTING 37:15 Read by Mary Anderson
OLD WAYS AND NEW WAYS 21:23 Read by Caitlin Kelly
A PASSIVE COQUETTE 22:32 Read by Caitlin Kelly
COMING EVENTS 31:02 Read by thomasina
BRIGHTENING PROSPECTS 17:01 Read by Michelle Crandall
A LOVER'S MISTAKE 20:05 Read by Lee Ann Howlett
THE MOTHER'S MANOEUVRE 36:13 Read by Scott Mather
DOMESTIC DIPLOMACY 15:38 Read by Scott Mather
A FLUKE, AND WHAT CAME OF IT 37:50 Read by Scott Mather
MR KIRKPATRICK, Q.C. 26:14 Read by Scott Mather
SECRET THOUGHTS OOZE OUT 30:00 Read by Scott Mather
MOLLY GIBSON BREATHES FREELY 20:56 Read by Scott Mather
GATHERING CLOUDS 29:37 Read by Scott Mather
THE STORM BURSTS 22:55 Read by Scott Mather
CYNTHIA'S CONFESSION 25:24 Read by Scott Mather
MOLLY GIBSON TO THE RESCUE 25:43 Read by Mary Anderson
CONFIDENCES 20:35 Read by Tora
HOLLINGFORD GOSSIPS 20:54 Read by Tora
SCANDAL AND ITS VICTIMS 25:20 Read by Tora
AN INNOCENT CULPRIT 20:24 Read by Tora
MOLLY GIBSON FINDS A CHAMPION 20:22 Read by Tora
CYNTHIA AT BAY 27:56 Read by Tora
'TROUBLES NEVER COME ALONE' 20:18 Read by Tora
SQUIRE HAMLEY'S SORROW 27:19 Read by Tora
UNLOOKED-FOR ARRIVALS 22:56 Read by Jenilee
MOLLY GIBSON'S WORTH IS DISCOVERED 29:52 Read by Mary Anderson
AN ABSENT LOVER RETURNS 26:02 Read by Lucy Burgoyne (1950 - 2014)
'OFF WITH THE OLD LOVE, AND ON WITH THE NEW.' 23:07 Read by Lucy Burgoyne (1950 - 2014)
BRIDAL VISITS AND ADIEUX 27:40 Read by Mary Anderson
REVIVING HOPES AND BRIGHTENING PROSPECTS 27:24 Read by Mary Anderson
MOLLY GIBSON AT HAMLEY HALL 25:54 Read by Mary Anderson
ROGER HAMLEY'S CONFESSION 31:49 Read by Mary Anderson
Conclusion 13:45 Read by Kara Shallenberg (1969-2023)

Reviews

Good book


(4.5 stars)

The "real" ending that the author passed away before finishing the last chapter is very sad. I enjoyed the book very much.


(5 stars)

Absolutely outstanding. She carries your with you in every resentment of ‘that woman’. Cynthia, selfish as she is, is insightful and draws your love of Molly, in her grace and kindness. I’m afraid, if I met Mrs Gibson in the street, I’d be hard put not knock her down!! It’s interesting that we readers can be so upset with Mrs Gaskell, for not finishing her story, even though the ending is so clearly about to happen. I’m so CROSS with that wretched woman squeezing Molly out of that window frame, as they waved to Roger!!!

Enjoyed It


(4 stars)

Took me a while to finish this but Elizabeth Gaskell was one of a kind for sure. I liked the characters, felt bad for Mr Gibson and know Elizabeth would've given this the perfect romantic ending. So sad she died before finishing this work. Most of the readers were quite okay. One has a very strange voice, cadence and pronunciation but thankfully doesn't read so many chapters.

Well worth a read


(5 stars)

5 stars because she couldn't help not finish it. Beautiful prose, but not so careful that it didn't clearly present the challenges and differences of personalities, rank and interest in status or other people. Loved it


(5 stars)

Such a great detailed story. It's sad she passed before finishing it. Even though, because it was so well written, you can easily know where she was going with the story and how it would have finished. I loved it!


(4 stars)

this was an enjoyable book by a talented author. this collection of readers is one of the best ones that I have listened to - most chapters were thoroughly enjoyable.

excellent read


(5 stars)

I loved the deep character development and wonderful descriptions of this book. It drew me into their world and I loved it!


(5 stars)

Such nuanced characters and intertwining plot lines. The social commentaries make it so much more interesting!