Reviews - Great Expectations (Wisehouse Classics - with the original Illustrations by John McLenan 1860)

5.47k reviews for:

Great Expectations (Wisehouse Classics - with the original Illustrations by John McLenan 1860)

This book started off interesting, dragged a little in the middle, but then quickly became interesting again.

It’s about a young boy named Pip, who comes into “great expectations.” An unknown benefactor decides to raise him up as a gentleman. Pip believes the benefactor to be Miss Havisham who he served/entertained briefly as a little boy (Miss Havisham would invite Pip over to her wealthy home where she would have him play cards with her adopted daughter, Estella, and help walk her (Miss Havisham) around the home). Pip believes that Miss Havisham wants to raise him as a gentleman in order that he marry Estella when he’s of age.

Anywho, Pip goes off to London where he studies, befriends some other gentlemen, and is raised to be a man but he has poor financial habits and never develops a trade or form of living. His coming into good fortune also makes him condescending to the people who took care of him before while he was poorer.

Eventually he discovers who his benefactor is and a whole bunch of shit goes down that results in a sad yet satisfying ending.

I like how in each of Charles Dickens’ books each character plays an important role. Even the seemingly minor characters are impactful to the overall story line. I like how old characters that we met only briefly before become important again later on or are brought back to develop the story. This book was no different and shows, once again, why Dickens is a good story teller. I thoroughly enjoyed the book!

davillea2002's review against another edition

4.0

challenging emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

mistermisslonelyhearts's review against another edition

3.75

sad tense slow-paced

lg89's review against another edition

3.5

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

jasmina1811's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

intothewildewood's review against another edition

3.0

3.5

By this point in his life, Dickens was obviously an expert of his craft. This was so beautifully woven together, so cyclical. And I've never seen such a strong cast of characters, either. Miss Havisham is going to stick with me for a very long time, I think.