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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I read this book as part of the 2023 Literary Life group challenge. It is an extremely long book, but so worth the investment of time. I have been so immersed in the lives of each character that I am going to miss them all, except for evil Uriah Heep. So far, this is my favorite book of 2023.
Just started this book for my Dickens seminar. Just finished Nicholas Nickleby and that was fabulous!
slow-paced
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"David Copperfield" is the first Dickens novel I have read since college/high school, and honestly, I didn't even read many then. I think my grand Dickens tally was previously "A Tale of Two Cities," "A Christmas Carol," and "Hard Times." And now "David Copperfield." And the main reason I read "David Copperfield" is because I read "Demon Copperhead" at the beginning of this year and loved it; it has hung on for 12 months to a spot in my top 3 reads of 2023. "David Copperfield," ahem, will not be so honored.
It's not that I didn't enjoy "David Copperfield." I did. But a lot of my enjoyment was derived from tracing the similarities between it and "Demon Copperhead." I feel like I spent as much time thinking about "Demon Copperhead" as I did "David Copperfield." For example, "David Copperfield" felt much more hopeful and was funnier than "Demon Copperhead." David has a loyal group of friends and family that carry him through the hard times, including the continued support of the hilarious Aunt Betsey Trotwood (as compared to Demon's grandmother, who only makes a brief appearance and gives minimal assistance) and the much deeper relationship with the Micawbers, who also provided wonderful comic moments. "David Copperfield" was also much more melodramatic and sensational and unbelievable. Not surprising for a Victorian novel, I suppose. But the storylines of the female characters in particular, Little Em'ly and Mrs. Strong and Miss Dartle, often felt like too much to me. My mind kept wandering to their equivalent and more realistic characters in "Demon Copperhead."
And like many serialized Victorian novels I have read, "David Copperfield" just felt too long and repetitive. I was shocked when the main villain was taken down, and there were still 12 chapters of denouement to get through! The ending felt like it went on and on and on. Actually, so did the middle. And the beginning. 😂 I was continually offended by how slowly the "percentage read" total was going up on my Kindle.
Overall, I enjoyed it, especially several of the comic characters, but I won't be rushing to read more Dickens soon. Whereas I have kind of been craving more Kingsolver...
It's not that I didn't enjoy "David Copperfield." I did. But a lot of my enjoyment was derived from tracing the similarities between it and "Demon Copperhead." I feel like I spent as much time thinking about "Demon Copperhead" as I did "David Copperfield." For example, "David Copperfield" felt much more hopeful and was funnier than "Demon Copperhead." David has a loyal group of friends and family that carry him through the hard times, including the continued support of the hilarious Aunt Betsey Trotwood (as compared to Demon's grandmother, who only makes a brief appearance and gives minimal assistance) and the much deeper relationship with the Micawbers, who also provided wonderful comic moments. "David Copperfield" was also much more melodramatic and sensational and unbelievable. Not surprising for a Victorian novel, I suppose. But the storylines of the female characters in particular, Little Em'ly and Mrs. Strong and Miss Dartle, often felt like too much to me. My mind kept wandering to their equivalent and more realistic characters in "Demon Copperhead."
And like many serialized Victorian novels I have read, "David Copperfield" just felt too long and repetitive. I was shocked when the main villain was taken down, and there were still 12 chapters of denouement to get through! The ending felt like it went on and on and on. Actually, so did the middle. And the beginning. 😂 I was continually offended by how slowly the "percentage read" total was going up on my Kindle.
Overall, I enjoyed it, especially several of the comic characters, but I won't be rushing to read more Dickens soon. Whereas I have kind of been craving more Kingsolver...
when will i learn how to enjoy dickens? never? i'm okay with that
