Reviews

The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens

soundracer's review against another edition

challenging funny lighthearted relaxing slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

roseleaf24's review

3.0

Not my favorite Dickens.

This is best read a chapter at a time, as it was originally written serially and is not paced to rest straight through. This is comedy and satire, and I don't have the context to understand all the satire. The second half is much better than the first half, and it's definitely worth finishing.

pbraue13's review

3.0

Not my favorite Dickens, but not the worst either. Totally not meant to be taken in all at once.

jessko's review against another edition

funny lighthearted fast-paced

3.5

nutfreenerd's review against another edition

funny hopeful lighthearted 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

4.0

haren_k's review against another edition

funny lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

mcready_face's review

5.0

Worth persevering with this book. I actually hooted out loud on several occasions. It is amazing to think that Dickens was only in his 20's when he produced this masterpiece.

youarenotthewalrus's review against another edition

funny lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Racial slurs

seclement's review

4.0

This book is, like some others have written, quite an insight into how Dickens learned how to write. It is so very long because it was first published in instalments, and I don't really think it's best read front to back. I recommend the audio version (not for those who don't believe audio books can be reading....if that's you, then you know who you are), as the narration is absolutely brilliant. It also comes with the benefit of allowing you to potter around the house while you are reading (making it the perfect lockdown book for 2020), and you can get a deal with Kindle + audiobook if you have a Kindle and want to break it up between things, since it's so long. It's a fun book, it really made me laugh out loud quite a lot, so I have found it a perfect book for our unsettling times. The characters really are caricatures of English characters that did - and in some places still do - exist, which is what makes them so hilarious. For a book written in 85 years ago, it really does hold up well. The first few hundred and last few hundred pages are the best, I feel, as in the beginning the absurdity draws you in, in the middle you get a bit tired of the repetitiveness of the antics, and by the end you see that Dickens has really found his feet as a writer.

thecatladybooknook_penny's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

3.5

I'll like reading this in the future as a light palette cleanser.