I love Victorian period writing. The BBC made a mini that I watched of this book. Although I didn't find out it was a book first until halfway through. So I stopped watching (had about 2 hrs left) and ordered the book. Really good even though there were a few diff's to the movie, of course. Now I want to see the rest of the mini! ahh! anyway, I really liked the story. very human in its portrayal of workers and the middle class which is something that just wasnt done at that time. the love story is aight, but i think it was just a front around the real issue of the book. not so of the mini though, heh. The ending was a little... how to say it... abrupt. One minute I knew what was going on and the next all that was blown to hell and I was veyr very confused. whatever, I still loved the story, as depressingly Victorian as it was!