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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
adventurous
funny
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I've been planning this re-read for a while, and the release of Barbara Kingsolver's Demon Copperhead was my spur. It was every bit as witty, as addictive and as pointed as I remembered, even if it was slightly less poignant.
I was struck by just how modern so many of Dickens' views are. While his characters inhabit a world in which women are brutally punished for stepping out of turn, Copperfield's aunt stands as the towering hero of the book and his mother as a terrifying sharp portrait of coercive control can do. Even flighty Dora is more of a creation of her circumstance, and Em'ly's capacity to reject social expectations enables her salvation as well as her fall. Frankly, all these women seem more vital than Copperfield himself, and give much of the life to the book.
Sure some of it is just a bit much - particularly the events of one stormy night - but so much is simply wonderfully written, with such sweet fun with the voices, the situations and the descriptions set against the sour fury at so much avoidable suffering. All great stuff.
I was struck by just how modern so many of Dickens' views are. While his characters inhabit a world in which women are brutally punished for stepping out of turn, Copperfield's aunt stands as the towering hero of the book and his mother as a terrifying sharp portrait of coercive control can do. Even flighty Dora is more of a creation of her circumstance, and Em'ly's capacity to reject social expectations enables her salvation as well as her fall. Frankly, all these women seem more vital than Copperfield himself, and give much of the life to the book.
Sure some of it is just a bit much - particularly the events of one stormy night - but so much is simply wonderfully written, with such sweet fun with the voices, the situations and the descriptions set against the sour fury at so much avoidable suffering. All great stuff.
This has everything that Dickens is known for, and perhaps this novel is what established these things as Dickensian. Outstanding character names (Traddles, Steerforth, Uriah Heep, just to name a few) that reflect the character's personalities (and also the less-favorable technique of having characters' appearances reflecting their natures).
His skill as a writer is unparalleled in this book as well. David's narrative voice ages as he relates the stages of his life, even though it is assumed that David wrote the entire story later in his life, and Dickens uses this not just to build David's character, but also to build narrative tension and dramatic irony. His characters are all individuals, and the novel itself is a sweeping, huge picture of his society.
Some parts fall flat, though, in that he introduces characters and plotlines (and there are many many characters and plotlines) that raise the suspense, but then go nowhere, and are wrapped up a little too cleanly and coincidentally. And while I understand the main throughline of the story is biographical, I would have appreciated a compelling mystery or conflict that wound through the entire book, as is present in much of his other work.
Overall, great book, enjoyable read.
His skill as a writer is unparalleled in this book as well. David's narrative voice ages as he relates the stages of his life, even though it is assumed that David wrote the entire story later in his life, and Dickens uses this not just to build David's character, but also to build narrative tension and dramatic irony. His characters are all individuals, and the novel itself is a sweeping, huge picture of his society.
Some parts fall flat, though, in that he introduces characters and plotlines (and there are many many characters and plotlines) that raise the suspense, but then go nowhere, and are wrapped up a little too cleanly and coincidentally. And while I understand the main throughline of the story is biographical, I would have appreciated a compelling mystery or conflict that wound through the entire book, as is present in much of his other work.
Overall, great book, enjoyable read.
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
funny
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Some really good lines in this book worth quoting but overall I don't think Dickens' prose style is the best fit for a reader like me.
This book started out well, and I breezed through the first quarter of the book pretty easily and enjoyed it. But as David grew into adolescence he started to bore me, and it just got worse and worse. He was so naive and caught up in appearances and his aunt was bonkers and I didn't care about his work or his caretaker's work, and I was annoyed that he didn't go for Agnes and went for that AWFUL Dora (oh my LORD what a whining she drove me crazy) and and and I could go on and on.
Not only that, apparently there were a lot of parts of the book that I just flat out missed. Today I read a bit about what happened online and there were definitely important parts that I totally didn't catch happened at all, or that I completely misunderstood what was going on. I partly ascribe that to the old fashioned, fancy tone of the writing, and partly because I was half asleep while reading it because I was bored. Oh well.
Anyway, I've read it, and now I know what it was about. By the way, someone a long time ago told me that this book was about a magician, and I kept waiting for David to turn into a magician, or come across a magician. This never happened, and I was disappointed. Turns out, there is a person who is alive NOW who is a magician and calls himself David Copperfield. So whoever it was many, many years ago who told me this book was about a magician was obviously confused. But I do wish there had been some magic in this story - it might have made it more interesting...
Not only that, apparently there were a lot of parts of the book that I just flat out missed. Today I read a bit about what happened online and there were definitely important parts that I totally didn't catch happened at all, or that I completely misunderstood what was going on. I partly ascribe that to the old fashioned, fancy tone of the writing, and partly because I was half asleep while reading it because I was bored. Oh well.
Anyway, I've read it, and now I know what it was about. By the way, someone a long time ago told me that this book was about a magician, and I kept waiting for David to turn into a magician, or come across a magician. This never happened, and I was disappointed. Turns out, there is a person who is alive NOW who is a magician and calls himself David Copperfield. So whoever it was many, many years ago who told me this book was about a magician was obviously confused. But I do wish there had been some magic in this story - it might have made it more interesting...
This was my first Charles Dickens book.
Dickens has a way with words. His writing style is beautiful—a few of my new favorite sentences are found in this book. I’d say one of Dickens’ strongest literary skills is foreshadowing, which made the story very suspenseful. “David Copperfield” is also full of wit, social commentary, interesting characters, and life lessons.
I loved the whole beginning about David Copperfield’s childhood, even though it was dark and heart-wrenching. I just thought it was so interesting to read about adult topics from the perspective of a young boy, and I was so invested in his escape from abuse. I loved Copperfield’s tone as a narrator and how it felt like he was sitting beside me, showing me his life story as the events were unfolding. I loved the lighthearted chapters about Copperfield’s first loves, like Miss Larkins. I loved the Mr. Peggoty/Emily subplot, how she was like his “prodigal son” whom he loved unconditionally, how he never gave up searching for her until he found her. I loved Martha’s redemption, too. I loved the life lessons: money doesn’t equal happiness; never be mean, false, or cruel; “a crust well earned [is] sweeter far than a feast inherited”; “the cottage of content [is] better than the palace of cold splendor”; “try not to associate bodily defects with mental”; don’t judge, and more.
But as much as I love this book, I do have a couple complaints: Dora is annoying, Agnes is too perfect, there were too many convenient coincidences (like how in the whole city of London, David keeps running into the same handful of people from his childhood), and some subplots were boring. It took me a LONG time to read this book—and I know it’s so long because Dickens’ books were published serially—but dragging the story out so much made some parts a little tedious for me. I’ll admit that I skimmed some chapters. But I still think it’s worth it to push through and read it
Dickens has a way with words. His writing style is beautiful—a few of my new favorite sentences are found in this book. I’d say one of Dickens’ strongest literary skills is foreshadowing, which made the story very suspenseful. “David Copperfield” is also full of wit, social commentary, interesting characters, and life lessons.
I loved the whole beginning about David Copperfield’s childhood, even though it was dark and heart-wrenching. I just thought it was so interesting to read about adult topics from the perspective of a young boy, and I was so invested in his escape from abuse. I loved Copperfield’s tone as a narrator and how it felt like he was sitting beside me, showing me his life story as the events were unfolding. I loved the lighthearted chapters about Copperfield’s first loves, like Miss Larkins. I loved the Mr. Peggoty/Emily subplot, how she was like his “prodigal son” whom he loved unconditionally, how he never gave up searching for her until he found her. I loved Martha’s redemption, too. I loved the life lessons: money doesn’t equal happiness; never be mean, false, or cruel; “a crust well earned [is] sweeter far than a feast inherited”; “the cottage of content [is] better than the palace of cold splendor”; “try not to associate bodily defects with mental”; don’t judge, and more.
But as much as I love this book, I do have a couple complaints: Dora is annoying, Agnes is too perfect, there were too many convenient coincidences (like how in the whole city of London, David keeps running into the same handful of people from his childhood), and some subplots were boring. It took me a LONG time to read this book—and I know it’s so long because Dickens’ books were published serially—but dragging the story out so much made some parts a little tedious for me. I’ll admit that I skimmed some chapters. But I still think it’s worth it to push through and read it
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
adventurous
challenging
funny
lighthearted
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Really good, funny and enjoyable, but it was just too long. Felt like a slog to get through second half. Ended just a little too neat and tidy after 800 pages of messiness.