You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Scan barcode
blueyorkie's review against another edition
4.0
Born to a single mother who gave birth secretly, Oliver Twist seemed to have a dim future. The charities that cared for him, convinced that sooner or later he would end up on the gallows like all the beings of his generation, barely gave him enough to survive (and were indignant as it should be at the lack of gratitude for their sacrifices).
We then try to get rid of his bulky stomach when he reaches the apprentice's age. If he escapes an unscrupulous chimney sweep, he eventually ends up with an undertaker. His life is not improving by it: his orphan status and assistance designate him from the outset as guilty in all the conflicts that concern him, making him the company's dead weight. He decides one evening to flee to London to improve his lot. But he only finds a bunch of thieves there, determined to take advantage of his naivety to pull off some juicy shots.
The novel is very close to the philosophical tale in several aspects. First of all, the Manichaeism of the characters: the good guys are only described by qualities, the bad guys only by faults (and they are inexcusable on top of that), and even if some have found themselves on the wrong side by a twist of fate, we know at first glance where our sympathy should go, and who we should hate. But, then, the plot fills with twists and turns and less credible drama: despite England's extent, the protagonists always fall on the right person at the right time. We must admit that sometimes, we border the romance of series B.
Despite these minor flaws, it is easy to get carried away by the author's pen. However, humor is omnipresent in history, and the criticism of the laws on poverty, the lack of aid to the peasants, and the hypocrisy of philanthropists are severe (ah, those poor people who persist in starving while people of good society assured them that they had something to eat, what a scandal!)
Therefore, a novel contains good feelings and relatively simple mechanics. But Oliver Twist is an excellent read if you're in a frame where you want to see the good guys rewarded and the bad guys punished.
We then try to get rid of his bulky stomach when he reaches the apprentice's age. If he escapes an unscrupulous chimney sweep, he eventually ends up with an undertaker. His life is not improving by it: his orphan status and assistance designate him from the outset as guilty in all the conflicts that concern him, making him the company's dead weight. He decides one evening to flee to London to improve his lot. But he only finds a bunch of thieves there, determined to take advantage of his naivety to pull off some juicy shots.
The novel is very close to the philosophical tale in several aspects. First of all, the Manichaeism of the characters: the good guys are only described by qualities, the bad guys only by faults (and they are inexcusable on top of that), and even if some have found themselves on the wrong side by a twist of fate, we know at first glance where our sympathy should go, and who we should hate. But, then, the plot fills with twists and turns and less credible drama: despite England's extent, the protagonists always fall on the right person at the right time. We must admit that sometimes, we border the romance of series B.
Despite these minor flaws, it is easy to get carried away by the author's pen. However, humor is omnipresent in history, and the criticism of the laws on poverty, the lack of aid to the peasants, and the hypocrisy of philanthropists are severe (ah, those poor people who persist in starving while people of good society assured them that they had something to eat, what a scandal!)
Therefore, a novel contains good feelings and relatively simple mechanics. But Oliver Twist is an excellent read if you're in a frame where you want to see the good guys rewarded and the bad guys punished.
conbeeni's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
sterlingsilver's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
solouncapitulomas's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.25
almost two years later I am free from this book, fuck you dickens and your antisemitism
wyverrrn's review against another edition
4.0
Very depressing, but lots of fun characters. I decided to read it after watching Oliver and Company, Billy Joel was a great singing dog :)
debasmita_d's review against another edition
3.0
(3.5 stars) As a newbie reader and with English as the second language, it was a bit hard to read and keep up with, especially when he described the settings. But it's all worth it! The plot was so good and so were the characters!
charlote_1347's review against another edition
3.0
The plot was convoluted in places but I stuck with it. I lost interest during some scenes, especially when Dickens started spouting moral anecdotes and attempted to drown me in descriptive language. His tone, in places, reminded me of Victor Hugo's 'essays' in The Hunchback of Notre Dame and just the thought almost sent me off to sleep. I expected an element of long-windedness from the book though, since authors were paid by the page when Dickens was writing and he would have had to earn his bread and butter somehow so I didn't go in completely unprepared. It bothered me, however, to discover that the plot varies enormously from the film adaption's. Dickens introduced me to a whole bevy of characters I wasn't expecting, most of whom I have grown fond of. The main conclusion I have drawn upon reading this novel is that while one of my favourite films attempts to mimic it, serious omissions are made and this left me feeling like I was reading a completely new novel. It didn't detract from my love of the film but it did make me appreciate that a book almost always includes more detail.
proflyer06's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Big Dickens fan, and this did not disappoint.