Two men love the Mary Barton: one she has known her entire life in her poor neighborhood, while the other is from a wealthy family. What should she do? Set during the industrial upheaval in England, Mary Barton's life does anything but go according to plan as Gaskell takes readers on a journey through love, loss, social restriction, death, murder, and redemption. Great cast of characters that come together to create a well written and moving story--the beautiful Mary, faithful Margret, devoted Jem, simple Job, doting John, and meddling Esther, to name a few. If you are a fan of Jane Austen or Elizabeth Gaskell's 'North and South' or 'Wives and Daughters', Mary Barton will not disappoint.