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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
Second Dickens novel of the year done!
He definitely hadn’t hit his stride yet (being all of 24 or whatever) but this book is hilarious and worth the read.
Plus, the word ‘ejaculated’ is used every third page or so.
He definitely hadn’t hit his stride yet (being all of 24 or whatever) but this book is hilarious and worth the read.
Plus, the word ‘ejaculated’ is used every third page or so.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This one is very long and slow moving, but it sparkles with Dickens humor at it's finest. I laughed out loud on a few occasions, and smiled to myself on many others. I listened to the Audible version read by David Timson, which I highly recommend. His voices really made the characters come to life, especially the endearing Sam Weller.
Mr Pickwick is a philosopher. This fact is what Dickens calls him, who seems to imprint his thought on the philosopher's actions.
He attacked several institutions or customs of England in the 1830s in this book of "gentlemen" (esquires).
- It is a concrete indictment against the prisons for English debts, although one can circulate freely with woman and child. But wealthy prisoners are well off, and the poor can starve without mercy.
In Volume III, Dickens also shows the advantage of forgiveness and the philosopher's help over Miss Bardell over blind vengeance.
- Finally, he shows Winkle, an uncompromising father, that marriages of love, even with little money, bring more happiness to everyone than arranged marriages at that time.
But there are some earthy passages, such as a Paris duel, which, as we know, the English are fond of;
one will also notice the versatility towards "the good side" of the characters when, on many occasions of annoyance, the gentlemen who respect themselves must avoid the worst: it generally ends in an invitation to drink, in the joy and good humour!
I want to point out Sam's character, Pickwick's servant, who has a great personality, a lot of humour and a great bond with his coachman father and his master Pickwick.
Finally, there are the Pickwickians, young men a little lost that our philosopher protects. This one is delighted when they manage to fly off on their own.
.
I found volume III much more lively and enjoyable because Dickens has finally found his "cruising speed"!
He attacked several institutions or customs of England in the 1830s in this book of "gentlemen" (esquires).
- It is a concrete indictment against the prisons for English debts, although one can circulate freely with woman and child. But wealthy prisoners are well off, and the poor can starve without mercy.
In Volume III, Dickens also shows the advantage of forgiveness and the philosopher's help over Miss Bardell over blind vengeance.
- Finally, he shows Winkle, an uncompromising father, that marriages of love, even with little money, bring more happiness to everyone than arranged marriages at that time.
But there are some earthy passages, such as a Paris duel, which, as we know, the English are fond of;
one will also notice the versatility towards "the good side" of the characters when, on many occasions of annoyance, the gentlemen who respect themselves must avoid the worst: it generally ends in an invitation to drink, in the joy and good humour!
I want to point out Sam's character, Pickwick's servant, who has a great personality, a lot of humour and a great bond with his coachman father and his master Pickwick.
Finally, there are the Pickwickians, young men a little lost that our philosopher protects. This one is delighted when they manage to fly off on their own.
.
I found volume III much more lively and enjoyable because Dickens has finally found his "cruising speed"!
The Pickwick Papers follows a group friends, lead by Mr Samuel Pickwick, as they go on adventures and get into mischief while collecting stories.
This is his first published works and his humorist work. It doesn't follow a traditional plot formula as it reads more episodic like and would make a great sitcom. Pickwick is a lovable and caring character who means well, but he tends to consider the consequences of actions as he gets into trouble a lot. His servant Sam Weller is by my favorite character. He is insightful providing a different perspective on things and is loyal, almost to a fault. His relationship with his father is sweet and endearing. The stories within stories threw me off and often I wasn't interested in those stories. Being his first novel, the female characters are lackluster and one dimensional. They do allow for romance but it's a small part of story and isn't revealed towards the last part of the novel. I might have appreciated it more if I had read it in installments as it was originally published.
This is his first published works and his humorist work. It doesn't follow a traditional plot formula as it reads more episodic like and would make a great sitcom. Pickwick is a lovable and caring character who means well, but he tends to consider the consequences of actions as he gets into trouble a lot. His servant Sam Weller is by my favorite character. He is insightful providing a different perspective on things and is loyal, almost to a fault. His relationship with his father is sweet and endearing. The stories within stories threw me off and often I wasn't interested in those stories. Being his first novel, the female characters are lackluster and one dimensional. They do allow for romance but it's a small part of story and isn't revealed towards the last part of the novel. I might have appreciated it more if I had read it in installments as it was originally published.
This was an absolute and utter delight! A great comic novel with lots of underlying social commentary. Since it was Dickens, it comes as no surprise that the writing was beautiful. At times, it feels disjointed but never fear, everything comes together well in the end! A great read and one I hope to return to in the future.
Dickens vs Tolstoy #2
This is a lengthy one, so be prepared for some down-beat moments and just power through traveling chapters and such. The tone is a funny one, if you “get” the humor, for example a statue on Napoléon moving or poking fun at a gent’s manners or at Mr Pickwick’s figure.
This will surely quench your thirst for Pickwickian knowledge !
“The boys applied whip and spur, the waiters shouted, the hostlers cheered, and away they went, fast and furiously”.
“...Emma bestowed a half-demure, half-impudent, and all pretty look of recognition on Mr Tupman, which was enough to make the statue of Bonaparte in the passage, unfold his arms, and clasp her within them.”
This is a lengthy one, so be prepared for some down-beat moments and just power through traveling chapters and such. The tone is a funny one, if you “get” the humor, for example a statue on Napoléon moving or poking fun at a gent’s manners or at Mr Pickwick’s figure.
This will surely quench your thirst for Pickwickian knowledge !
“The boys applied whip and spur, the waiters shouted, the hostlers cheered, and away they went, fast and furiously”.
“...Emma bestowed a half-demure, half-impudent, and all pretty look of recognition on Mr Tupman, which was enough to make the statue of Bonaparte in the passage, unfold his arms, and clasp her within them.”
adventurous
funny
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
Extremely enjoyable. Very sketchy. Sprawling. Funny. All that one might expect from Boz.
adventurous
challenging
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes