The Great North and South Crusade!!

DAY 1

The Pajama Party

We’ve been promising something special this week starting today and – today’s the day. It might not come as a surprise to some of you who drop by and visit that when I get passionate about something, I tend to go a bit overboard.:) The reason is I’ve enjoyed it so much I just want everyone to enjoy it too. I don’t think there will be any raised eyebrows when I say my latest one is the British series North and South. I started hearing about it on the AAR boards and didn’t pay much attention since I thought it was a do over of the US miniseries. But then Sula posted about how much she enjoyed it and many others chimed in agreeing with her. I ordered it, watched it and fell completely and totally in love with the story. Then my partner Katiebabs watched it and experienced the same thing Sula and I and many other did too.The three of us exchanged emails and we all thought it a grand idea to really encourage other romance readers and romance bloggers to see this great series. If you’re a romance reader, especially a historical romance reader which I think many of us are or were at one time, I think you’ll really enjoy this. We tossed around ideas of what to do and one of the ideas we came up with was a 'chat' we thought we would share with everyone.

So one Friday night after trying to figure out what IM to use and with the help of “The Sidekick” we connected. I can’t speak for Katiebabs and Sula, but I was sitting nice and cozy in my jammies with a nice cold beer and settled down for what really felt like a cyberspace pajama party.

So for the next three days, you get to see into our North and South Pajama Party discussion. Part one is here with me posting. Part two is at Sula’s blog and Part three is here with Katiebabs posting.

So sit back and enjoy. We tried to be serious at times but at others descended into girlish silliness.

Kristie(J): Question: So what makes N&S so special that it's grabbed our attention and won't let go? Either of you?

Kristie(J): (The sidekick - you can listen in 'cause we will be after you to watch this too)

KatieBabs: The subtle love story without all the over the top passionate words and touches. When John is watching as Margaret leaves and he says, look back- swoon!

Sula: Also I liked the social clashes (the working class, the nouveau riche, and the elite) and how some of those contrasts are exemplified in the characters of Thornton and Margaret. I mean, she is coming from a rather posh background...or at least some of her family are in the Ton, and now she has been brought down a level, and Thornton, who should be beneath her, is actually above her socially

Kristie(J): That's true - he is above her in some ways and beneath her in others. Like our wonderful Derek -he thinks he is unworthy of her. I do think he came from a better background originally - before his father blew it.

Sula: Yeah, but he had to work his way up from zero

Kristie(J): and yes though, he did raise himself and his family from the ground

KatieBabs: I like the fact that Margaret is strong and outspoken and that is why John loves her

Sula: Yes, I liked that too. She's not afraid to speak her mind even though she's a little naive in some ways.

KatieBabs: She is very caring and understanding, well with John, he rubs her the wrong way though. John was a lot like Derek in most ways. The looks he gives Margaret are much like the ones Derek gives Sara. And whenever someone is critical of Margaret, he defends her.

Sula: true

KatieBabs: He reminds me also of Darcy from P&P

Sula: Yeah, in some ways he is like Darcy, but he's also more emotional I think

Kristie(J): I haven't seen that so I can't really compare them

KatieBabs: OMG you have been deprived!

Kristie(J): I did watch the latest version the other day and there really was no comparison

Sula: Yeah, you really do have to see that one

KatieBabs: No Colin Firth swimming in the lake?

Sula: hehe

Kristie(J): But after watching North and South I don't think I would care for it nearly as much. P&P that is

Sula: I loved how erotic just seeing Thornton's NECK was after going through the entire movie in such conservative clothing

KatieBabs: LMAO!

Kristie(J): Yes!! At the train station when he didn't have his cravat on

KatieBabs: When he took off his neck thingy, that was very sexy.

Sula: Don't you think his starched cravat says something about the way he holds himself? His chin is always up

Kristie(J): I do. It's like he is holding himself back

Sula: Yes, or being held back by convention

KatieBabs: The smoldering looks said it all

Sula: And yeah, the eyes tell the true story. Yowza!

Kristie(J): Another thing I noticed upon many viewings is how he covers his mouth when he is feeling strong emotions, like he is trying to hold himself in somehow. It really starts getting noticeable when you watch it a lot.

Sula: hmm, you're right

Kristie(J): He hardly ever smiles at all!

KatieBabs: he hardly ever smiled unless he was with Margaret

Sula: Did we all swoon over the part where he watches Margaret's carriage drive away and he says, "look back, look back at me"?

KatieBabs: OMG!! I was a puddle on the floor

Sula: Heart-breaking

KatieBabs: That scene... no words!

Kristie(J): Oh me too! You can just feel his pain and longing

Sula: He's so vulnerable

Kristie(J): But yet - he turned his back on Margaret first when she was open to something

Sula: Well...to be fair he did propose to her and got turned down

KatieBabs: He doesn't want to give his heart away

Kristie(J): One thing I'm puzzled over is why she turned him down so rudely

KatieBabs: His proposal was an angry one because he is angry for loving so deeply

Sula: Yeah, I thought she was pretty mean to him

Kristie(J): But I think she was almost afraid of his passion

Sula: Did you watch the extended proposal scene? The one thing that I got out of it was that she was angry that people were assuming that she was chasing after him because he was rich. Again, I think she was upset that SHE (who would normally have been the catch but is now poor because of her father's loss of fortune) is the one that now is looking like a gold digger

KatieBabs: Her parents IMO were so weak

Kristie(J): Yes they both were she was the leader of the family especially after her brother left

KatieBabs: John and Margaret are very strong. Their wills clashed and John's sister was weak and empty headed

Sula: Oh yeah, but funny

Kristie(J): His mother sure was strong though. She would make a frightening mother in law

Sula: I liked his mother. She was a bit of a battle ax, but she really loved him

Kristie(J): Almost too much though. Having two sons who have both been disappointed by women, I would never say I hate them. Especially if they told me they loved them.

KatieBabs: It is funny because John was close with his mother and Margaret was close with her father

Sula: Yes, well I think you can see where John gets his passionate nature from.

Kristie(J): And she did talk him out of going to see Margaret right away after he left the house when Margaret was hurt

KatieBabs: John's emotions were dark

Kristie(J): Yes - like the first time Margaret saw him. He beat that employee up pretty good. I imagine that did frighten Margaret quite a bit.

Sula: He has a lot weighing on him. He's responsible for the factory and for the jobs of everyone and for his mother and sister being kept in style

KatieBabs: But did you see how he changed towards the end of the movie. And when he found out about her brother, his face lit up?

Sula: Yes! "Her brother"

Kristie(J): I loved that part too! Like a light dawned

KatieBabs: His smile!

Sula: Love the change in his whole demeanor when he finds out that the guy she was embracing was her brother

Kristie(J): *swoon*

Sula: Random bit...I like when he's sitting in the cafeteria with the workers. That whole section shows how he's changing and growing

Kristie(J): Oh yes - I like that part too. I thought it interesting that it was Higgins who told him

KatieBabs: Poor Higgins

Sula: Also the interactions between him (Thornton) and the kid

Kristie(J): And how gentle he is with the little boy

KatieBabs: I felt sad for Margaret's friend who had originally asked her to marry him

End of Part 1

And we have a couple of other things planned for after including a Very Special Guest. So – hopefully you get curious and want to see what makes three grown women gush like teenagers. I'd also like to add another link. If you're curious, if you've seen North and South and can't get enough of it, there is a very good discussion also going on another blog - Lights, Camera...History, an excellent blog dedicated to historical books and the movies.

So - Stay Tuned. Part two of the North and South Pajama Party is up tomorrow at Sula's!

'til later