This book is a little slice of life from a provincial English village told with a loose plot centering on the everyday events that befall its inhabitants. While very charming and funny, the book also contains profoundly sad elements -- regrets, loses, follies, and traumas that characterise the human experience. It is as lighthearted as it is serious, in its sweet Victorian way.

This reminded me of my Nanna. Holding one's head up despite poverty, meeting social norms, and being excited over a new bonnet. I know it's a satire, but it's a kind and gentle satire. At first I was worried it was going to be miserable, as there were several deaths, but they petered out and were replaced with the quiet village life that I'd been expecting. I really enjoyed the second half of the book.

I'm glad I bought the Penguin 'clothbound classic' as it comes with a lot of extra information that added context and helped me better understand the setting and content of the stories. These extras include a long intro, a final story, a glossary, extensive endnotes, letters written by Gaskell, and an essay on clothing mentioned in the stories.