One of those classics I've always meant to read, but . . . I expected dreary and depressing. I was wrong. Silas Marner is a lovely novel. Silas was betrayed by friends and cast out of his very close-knit church community. He moves miles away to start a new life. He is understandably aloof, focusing all of his time and energy on his trade, weaving, and interacts with his new neighbors only for business. Fifteen years of constant labor and he has saved up a lot. This money, hidden in his cottage, becomes his primary thought. He develops a ritual of taking it out and counting every night. Then one night, the money bags are gone. A few months later he finds not the gold, but a golden-haired child. The orphan seems like a gift from angels. Love of this unexpected daughter gradually makes him forget about the stolen money and helps him build real connections with his neighbors. The novel is a great look into rural village life of the time. The characters and their development, even the spoiled Godfrey, are wonderful to read.