This book really crystallised for me a lot of the reasons why I have instinctively loved Elizabeth Wharton. It also explains why she has not been as lionised as other writers. I'll definitely be tracking down a few more of her books (I've read North and South and Mary Barton). Wish I'd got it together to read Cranston before the new TV series starts, but I'll watch it anyway. I incidentally learned a lot about the industrial revolution and aspects of social, women's and feminist history in England through reading this. It is a bit dry, I presume it's the author's PhD thesis edited for publication or something. ( )