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amyingomar's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
davidsandilands's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
weyburn13's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
shadowsmoon's review against another edition
4.0
Oh Charles, You are just amazing. I still have that table reservation for you if you fancy turning up one day.
It took me a while to comprehend the sheer amount of complexity in this book and I'm not going to lie, the middle section challenged me beyond words. But I have to say by the last few chapters I had realised how utterly attached I had become to the characters. There are also so many moral views and nuggets of profound wisdom in this novel that I was moved deep inside at times.
Apparently it's one of his least read books, which, I can understand why. But the characters are just as entertaining and intriguing and I defy you not to fall in love with them. It has taken me a long time to read this book, whilst I've been doing other things this year, but it has spanned most of the first half of the year and I still think about it and miss the journey.
Charles, I need that dinner date with you.
It took me a while to comprehend the sheer amount of complexity in this book and I'm not going to lie, the middle section challenged me beyond words. But I have to say by the last few chapters I had realised how utterly attached I had become to the characters. There are also so many moral views and nuggets of profound wisdom in this novel that I was moved deep inside at times.
Apparently it's one of his least read books, which, I can understand why. But the characters are just as entertaining and intriguing and I defy you not to fall in love with them. It has taken me a long time to read this book, whilst I've been doing other things this year, but it has spanned most of the first half of the year and I still think about it and miss the journey.
Charles, I need that dinner date with you.
kiri_johnston's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
alfredgd's review against another edition
funny
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The best book Dickens had written up to this point in his career, though it still has some glaring issues: the structure is quite lazy, many of the plot points are dull, and the wrap-up is about 5 chapters too long. Unusually for Dickens, the characterisation is quite weak. The only real standout is Sir John Chester, all the rest (excluding the titular) are at most one-dimensional and broadly forgettable. Barnaby himself is a fairly interesting case, and probably a key factor in the shortage of adaptations of this one: I don’t think one could portray Barnaby on screen without it being horribly offensive. It somehow doesn’t feel so in Dickens’s hands, which is testament to the power of his (often grating) sentimentality. On the good side, this is the most tightly plotted Dickens to date. We get a bit of foreshadowing and quite a lot of intrigue straight from the off, which pays off handsomely with the superbly written riots in and out of London. An enjoyable book that maybe outstays its welcome and ought to lean into its strengths a little more.
allie_hilleson's review against another edition
3.0
A friend and I over a period of about 4 years decided to read all of Dickens completed novels (listed above). This was my last one I’ve now finished all 14 :D.
This book has an interesting mystery and sweet characters and I enjoyed it, though it took me awhile to keep some characters straight. Warning: it also contains some graphic, unpleasant descriptions of things happening in the middle of the riots.
This book has an interesting mystery and sweet characters and I enjoyed it, though it took me awhile to keep some characters straight. Warning: it also contains some graphic, unpleasant descriptions of things happening in the middle of the riots.