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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
Reading Dickens' works has always reminded me of committing to all existing seasons of a long-running television show. This has never been more true than in the Pickwick Papers, his first major work collected into novel form.
Do not sit down to read this as you would a regular novel. This is episodic writing and it is long. But if you view each chapter as that week's installment, as the original audience did, it becomes a much more manageable read.
As television shows can attest to, having such a long-running story brings its unique challenges. At times, the plot lags. New episodes seem unnecessary and characters return that you have a hard time remembering from their original appearance.
And yet, Mr. Pickwick is such a lovely creation and the cast of characters surrounding him so entertaining, on the whole, that this is a lovely read. As the book closes and everyone settles into new forms of livelihood, mostly thanks to Pickwick's generosity, I nearly shed a tear. It was hard to say goodbye to everyone, especially Mr. Pickwick himself, even though I had been anticipating the end of the book for quite some chapters.
Though I will never meet Mr. Pickwick in real life, I feel honored to have known him through the pen of Dickens and am ever grateful and edified for the experience.
Do not sit down to read this as you would a regular novel. This is episodic writing and it is long. But if you view each chapter as that week's installment, as the original audience did, it becomes a much more manageable read.
As television shows can attest to, having such a long-running story brings its unique challenges. At times, the plot lags. New episodes seem unnecessary and characters return that you have a hard time remembering from their original appearance.
And yet, Mr. Pickwick is such a lovely creation and the cast of characters surrounding him so entertaining, on the whole, that this is a lovely read. As the book closes and everyone settles into new forms of livelihood, mostly thanks to Pickwick's generosity, I nearly shed a tear. It was hard to say goodbye to everyone, especially Mr. Pickwick himself, even though I had been anticipating the end of the book for quite some chapters.
Though I will never meet Mr. Pickwick in real life, I feel honored to have known him through the pen of Dickens and am ever grateful and edified for the experience.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
Background-listened. Brilliant narration. Very long so drifted in and out of the plot, but the vibe was nice and light and kept me company. The characters seemed quite sweet.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia
I am a great Dickens fan and The Pickwick Papers definitively didn’t disappoint. You can really see how Dickens explores his ability for observing and describing people and his inventive genius. It is the perfect read when you’re feeling down or disappointed in the world because it will make you laugh and leave you with a warm feeling.
The last third of the novel did feel a bit too long and could have done without some of the extra twists and inserted stories but even in that part Dickens manages to convince with his originality.
My favourite scenes were Mr Pickwick chasing his hat in chapter and the whole crew being gathered on Christmas in chapter. The first seems to me the pinnacle of humour and the second perfectly captures the atmosphere and spirit of Christmas. Also any scene with Sam Weller is a great scene because he is without a doubt the best character of the novel if not of all Dickens’ characters.
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Some of Dickens' most likeable characters provide the entertainment through a series of unfortunate, for them anyway, episodes. Doesn't feel as cohesive as other Dickens works but is worth the price of admission for the terrific Sam Weller, the charming Samuel Pickwick and friends.
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It took me an entire year to get through this book. Thankfully I don't regret the time spent on it, though it was by no means a favorite.
While making my way through the many small stories in the lives of the Pickwickians, I could understand how it became so popular as a serial, but put altogether in a book I found it quite overwhelming in it's density and inaneness.
I'm glad I had the experience of reading it but it was a bit too much work to enjoy.
While making my way through the many small stories in the lives of the Pickwickians, I could understand how it became so popular as a serial, but put altogether in a book I found it quite overwhelming in it's density and inaneness.
I'm glad I had the experience of reading it but it was a bit too much work to enjoy.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced