Reviews

Hard Times by Charles Dickens

a_novel_experiment's review against another edition

reflective sad fast-paced

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

2.5

girlglitch's review against another edition

dark reflective sad medium-paced

3.0

helenace13's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This entire book is just a character study, normally, I don't tend to like those, but this one was amazing. The plot was so intricately woven, the story written so excellently. The writing is very legible, and it reads like an absolute dream.

dembury's review against another edition

5.0

People who brush aside Dickens because they think it's all going to be old, overhyped, crusty stories are missing out BIG TIME. Dickens is truly hilarious, and that wit paired with dynamic characters and multilayered tales make for positively riveting reading. I was laughing out loud throughout this book, like when Mrs. Sparsit calls Bounderby a "Noodle" behind his back, or when the robbery occurs but serious talk about it keeps getting derailed because no one can stay on topic and instead they start talking about snoring and such.
There were a couple tricky bits to get through, primarily just reading the phonetically written dialogue of Blackpool and Rachael. But I just looked at a quick Shmoop summary for those couple chapters and then read them again and that helped me immensely.
Everything else was just really REALLY good! I'm someone who enjoys recurring motifs and themes that can be picked out directly, and Dickens does an excellent job of presenting these to the reader without shoving it down their throat. In "Hard Times" Dickens presents a look at imagination and emotions VS a very factual, no-nonsense attitude, all set against the industrial city of Coketown. It's a very well-paced and put together novel, and I enjoyed it thoroughly!

heidi_meredith's review against another edition

2.5

I can't love Dickens like I love Austen. This is probably the weakest Dickens I've read. I prefer 'David Copperfield' and 'Little Dorrit'. I am now experiencing strong cravings for Austen, but I already have a different author waiting on the library reservation shelf. 

qjbrown96's review against another edition

1.0

I now know that to be considered a “classic” it has to be the most god awful boring book. Most of the chapters felt like fillers and had no relevance to the story and the characters that are heavily accented are the ones that talk the most just to make it even worse. For example, “…for onny o’ th’ monny causes that carries grief to the poor man’s door, an’ there’ll be tender wi’ yo, gentle wi’ yo, comfortable wi’ yo, chrisen wi’ yo.”

mauviasorensen's review against another edition

Boring, wordy, hard to understand 

dotreadsbooks's review against another edition

4.0

Well written with many colorful characters in the Dickens way. I did not love the story but did find the lesson the story displayed. The lesson being: "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.-Proverbs 22:6

amy_janssen's review against another edition

challenging reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

not gonna lie the plottwist did have my jaw on the floor just a little bit 

anyajulchen's review against another edition

3.0

A ver, no es un mal libro en el sentido de estilo y ritmo, pero no es una historia llamativa ni entretenida.