Sunday, January 13, 2013

Reading by Candlelight at 4:30 in the Morning


A severe thunderstorm knocked out our electricity around four this morning, and sent my girls scurrying to our room in fright. Todd stayed fast asleep, but since there's not room in our bed for all five of us anymore, and they weren't going back to bed with the terrible rumble going on, we four girls headed into the living room, lit some candles and sat reading or coloring. I happily re-entered Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South to read more of John Thornton and Margaret Hale's Milton world. Olivia was reading Roald Dahl's Matilda (which she's really enjoying and feels compelled to read me the funny bits) and Karina started out with a Nancy Drew book, but soon joined Susanna on the floor for some coloring. Thankfully it was not a cold morning. The power stayed out until 7:30 a.m. but we didn't hear it come on, because by that time we were all napping. (Todd apparently woke up when it came on.)

I'm loving North and South, but I'm not happy with the version I'm reading. It's published by Norilana Books (the cover pictured), but it reads like an unfinished editing job. Quotation marks are missing. Paragraphs aren't broken up properly, which ruins the flow of the story. It makes things slightly confusing until I mentally readjust the paragraph break. I really want to reread it in a better format. Any suggestions as to good versions?