An interesting perspective about the industrial revolution from a woman's perspective. Robert Moore, a Dutch Titan of industry is desired and revered, but we also see the impact of machines, especially how they displace the poor. There is a level of disdain in the prose for such efforts:

...if I succeed as I intend to do, my success will add to his and Shirley's income. I can double the value of their mill property. I can line yonder barren Hollow with lines of cottages and rows of cottage-gardens----"

"Robert! And root up the copse?"

"The copse shall be firewood ere five years elapse. The beautiful wild ravine shall be a smooth descent; the green natural terrace shall be a paved street. There shall be cottages in the dark ravine, and cottages on the lonely slopes. The rough pebbled track shall be an even, firm, broad, black, sooty road, bedded with the cinders from my mill; and my mill, Caroline--my mill shall fill its present yard."

"Horrible! You will change our blue hill-country air into the Stilbro' smoke atmosphere."

"I will pour the waters of Pactolus through the valley of Briarfield."

"I like the beck a thousand times better."

- my emphasis. :-)

My opinion: Shirley is a good novel, but it is not as riveting as Jane Eyre or Villette.