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mrswythe89's review against another edition
4.0
More of a re-skim than a reread. I really like Nicholas Nickleby, though if you watch the movie with Nathan from QAF UK and then read the book it is a bit discomforting, 'cos the movie makes Nicholas/Smike totally possible, but in the book the pairing would just not be on.
Wonderful happy ending in the Dickensian style.
Wonderful happy ending in the Dickensian style.
oldenglishrose's review against another edition
3.0
The eponymous Nicholas Nickleby travels to London with his mother and sister, Kate, following the death of his father which leaves his family penniless. There he seeks help from their only remaining relative, Ralph Nickleby, who has no desire to assist Nicholas at all, and quickly packs him off to Yorkshire to take a low-paying job as assistant to the wicked school master Wackford Squeers. After witnessing the cruelty that goes on at Dotheboys Hall, Nicholas finds himself unable to stop himself intervening as Squeers punishes a particularly wretched boy known as Smike and is forced to flee back to London following his actions. THere he must once again find work to support his family, while defending his sister from the lecherous advances of Sir Mulberry Hawk and attempting to trace a mysterious lady he has seen.
There is much to be enjoyed in Nicholas Nickleby. The plot is engaging and its episodic structure, a legacy of publication in installments no doubt, causes it to tear along at an impressive pace, surprising considering the size (not to mention the tiny print) of the volume. The tone of the writing is often light and comic and it is populated by a whole host of entertaining caricatures, by turns repulsive and delightful, with equally entertaining names. Who could fail to be intrigued by such intriguing, and indeed revealing, names as Smike, Newman Noggs, Madame Mantalini, Sir Mulberry Hawk, Lord Frederick Verisopht, the brothers Cheeryble and of course, Wackford Squeers?
The problem with Nicholas Nickleby is that, even with my limited experience of Dickens, I was able to guess exactly what would happen to every last character the moment that they were introduced. This of course is not a problem in and of itself: there are plenty of authors whose books I love who are equally predictable. So often in literature it is not where and author goes with a book but the way in which they get there that is of interest, and this is something that I didn’t find wholly satisfying with Nicholas Nickleby. Dickens is by no means a concise writer and is often unnecessarily verbose, particularly when he was grinding the axe of social injustice. I know that he writes social satire and that his novels were intended to bring the plight of the urban poor to the attention of the masses, but as a reader I think they detract from the story with their length and sentimentalism.
I also found that, much as I enjoy Dickens’ well-written and insightful caricatures, I missed the presence of more developed and believable characters in the novel. This was particularly apparent with the young female characters, Kate Nickleby and Madeline Bray. They seem to have no function other than to be good, beautiful and submissive and act as lures for the evil gentlemen and ultimate rewards for their good counterparts. The two are so similar that they are virtually interchangeable, and I wish that they had at least a few distinguishing features and character traits. From the amount of times I’ve heard Little Dorrit referred to as ‘Little Doormat’ it would seem that this might be a problem which extends beyond Nicholas Nickleby into Dickens’ other works. I really hope that isn’t the case.
There is much to be enjoyed in Nicholas Nickleby. The plot is engaging and its episodic structure, a legacy of publication in installments no doubt, causes it to tear along at an impressive pace, surprising considering the size (not to mention the tiny print) of the volume. The tone of the writing is often light and comic and it is populated by a whole host of entertaining caricatures, by turns repulsive and delightful, with equally entertaining names. Who could fail to be intrigued by such intriguing, and indeed revealing, names as Smike, Newman Noggs, Madame Mantalini, Sir Mulberry Hawk, Lord Frederick Verisopht, the brothers Cheeryble and of course, Wackford Squeers?
The problem with Nicholas Nickleby is that, even with my limited experience of Dickens, I was able to guess exactly what would happen to every last character the moment that they were introduced. This of course is not a problem in and of itself: there are plenty of authors whose books I love who are equally predictable. So often in literature it is not where and author goes with a book but the way in which they get there that is of interest, and this is something that I didn’t find wholly satisfying with Nicholas Nickleby. Dickens is by no means a concise writer and is often unnecessarily verbose, particularly when he was grinding the axe of social injustice. I know that he writes social satire and that his novels were intended to bring the plight of the urban poor to the attention of the masses, but as a reader I think they detract from the story with their length and sentimentalism.
I also found that, much as I enjoy Dickens’ well-written and insightful caricatures, I missed the presence of more developed and believable characters in the novel. This was particularly apparent with the young female characters, Kate Nickleby and Madeline Bray. They seem to have no function other than to be good, beautiful and submissive and act as lures for the evil gentlemen and ultimate rewards for their good counterparts. The two are so similar that they are virtually interchangeable, and I wish that they had at least a few distinguishing features and character traits. From the amount of times I’ve heard Little Dorrit referred to as ‘Little Doormat’ it would seem that this might be a problem which extends beyond Nicholas Nickleby into Dickens’ other works. I really hope that isn’t the case.
beemini's review against another edition
4.0
This is not Bleak House, which was a masterpiece, or Great Expectations, which I also loved. Dickens was only 25 when he wrote this, which is astounding. It has many flaws--weak romance, inevitable gender roles, a weird medieval storytelling contest, and the sudden addition of half a dozen characters at a time--but it's still Dickens. It's still funny and stylish and tragic and heart-tugging. When I put a Dickens book down for the last time, I can never wait to pick the next one up.
gjmaupin's review against another edition
5.0
Again, not his best, and yet my favorite. Yes, it's missing the social comment in favor of metatheater (sue me, it's my trade), but it has all the sprawl, the excessive cast list (and names). Of all the Dickens (excluding our annual Xmas tradition), the one I'm most likely to re-read.
bryce_is_a_librarian's review against another edition
4.0
Kate Nickleby, the original girl with headphones on.
PS. Is Mrs. Nickleby the shittiest of Dicken's litany of shitty parents?
In many ways this is the most Dickensian of Dicken's novels. The blank of the lead. The digressions that are clearly there to allow another month's chapter for another month's salary. The boring romantic lead (Chesterton thought she was one dimensional and idealized, Chesterton). It's among the darkest takes on Dicken's cherished domesticity. Men ruin women. Women ruin men. The old use society's expectations to hold the young hostage. The young are too cowardly to revolt against said expectations.
But it is also Dickensian in its humor, vibrancy and its truth, in its righteous anger and its fascination with people. In its generosity to all but the most irremediable members of humanity.
PS. Is Mrs. Nickleby the shittiest of Dicken's litany of shitty parents?
In many ways this is the most Dickensian of Dicken's novels. The blank of the lead. The digressions that are clearly there to allow another month's chapter for another month's salary. The boring romantic lead (Chesterton thought she was one dimensional and idealized, Chesterton). It's among the darkest takes on Dicken's cherished domesticity. Men ruin women. Women ruin men. The old use society's expectations to hold the young hostage. The young are too cowardly to revolt against said expectations.
But it is also Dickensian in its humor, vibrancy and its truth, in its righteous anger and its fascination with people. In its generosity to all but the most irremediable members of humanity.
readingoverbreathing's review against another edition
2.0
"But rich or poor, or old or young, we shall ever be the same to each other, and in that our comfort lies."
mariegatou's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
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? Yes
4.5