Åbo Akademis bibliotek

In the quiet countryside of 19th-century England, a family is fractured by shame and grief. Lizzie Leigh, a young woman cast out for a past mistake, has disappeared into the bustling anonymity of Manchester. Her mother, driven by a relentless hope, abandons the safety of her rural life to search for her lost daughter, confronting a city teeming with hardship, secrets, and unexpected kindness. As a tale of estrangement unfolds, the lines between judgment and forgiveness blur, with each revelation exposing the fragile humanity of those left behind.
Elizabeth Gaskell’s Lizzie Leigh is a poignant exploration of societal pressures and familial bonds. Through vivid portrayals of both rural and urban life, the story captures the tensions of class in Victorian England. Gaskell’s tender prose and sharp social insight remind us that even in the harshest circumstances, love and compassion can light the way forward.

Elizabeth Gaskell [1810 - 1865], born in London, England, grew up with her aunt in Knutsford, just outside Manchester. She later married William Gaskell, who was a pastor in Manchester. Among her circle of friends were Charles Dickens and Charlotte Brontë. Among her most famous works are Cranford and Wives and Daughters.