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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
slow-paced
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Reviewed for Books and livres
Never have I even thought that Dickens could be so funny !
It is a big book (800 pages), there is basically no plot, I sometimes put it down to read another book and feel like I was progressing in my TBR pile, but it always made me smile and laugh when I got back to it !
Let's start with the good in this classic victorian novel, the first Dickens ever published :
- The characters are great. They are exaggerated, everybody knows that, but each have their own distinctive behaviour, sometimes even their own speech patterns ; you can't help but like them, even the rascals like Mr Jingle, or laugh at them, like Mr Stiggins.
- The storytelling is great. I love Dickens' sense of humour, I could imagine his eyes twinkling with laughter as he thrust his Pickwickians into the most incredible adventures. I love the way he writes hilarious things without seeming to do so.
- This is all in good fun. It's a fell good book. If you're even down, open up a chapter or two, read them, you don't have to re-read the whole book and you'll instantly feel better.
- It's a great example of male friendship : they all stand by each other, help each other.
- I seem to have developped a strong liking for manservants named Sam : first there was Sam Gangee, now there is Sam Weller. He's my favourite here.
What my problem was, mostly, was that the book is really, really long without an undergoing storyline. Mr Pickwick and his friends go here and there, do things (generally, eat well and drink well), meet people who tell them stories, then there's a little story inside the story, adventures happen but there is no big plot. You have to take into account the way The Pickwick papers were published at the time, by episodes in a newspaper.
My recommendations are :
- I know it was his first published book, but don't start reading Dickens with it. Get used to him with other novels, then come back to Pickwick later.
- Read it like it was published at the time : a little each week !
- Help yourself with an audiobook and a good narrator. This novel was my occasion to try my first audiobook and it helped a lot doing other stuff while listening to it. I found it for free on Youtube, here's the first of the three videos : (see link on blog)
I didn't find any mention of who the narrator was, but he was excellent, I recommend him.
At the end, I was happy to have (finally) finished it - it took me practically a month to read it, but I was also sad for leaving all these people behind me. On the other hand, I learned to love the author and I'm sure he has many other great characters in store for me. Good, because I have bought his complete novels !
Never have I even thought that Dickens could be so funny !
It is a big book (800 pages), there is basically no plot, I sometimes put it down to read another book and feel like I was progressing in my TBR pile, but it always made me smile and laugh when I got back to it !
Let's start with the good in this classic victorian novel, the first Dickens ever published :
- The characters are great. They are exaggerated, everybody knows that, but each have their own distinctive behaviour, sometimes even their own speech patterns ; you can't help but like them, even the rascals like Mr Jingle, or laugh at them, like Mr Stiggins.
- The storytelling is great. I love Dickens' sense of humour, I could imagine his eyes twinkling with laughter as he thrust his Pickwickians into the most incredible adventures. I love the way he writes hilarious things without seeming to do so.
- This is all in good fun. It's a fell good book. If you're even down, open up a chapter or two, read them, you don't have to re-read the whole book and you'll instantly feel better.
- It's a great example of male friendship : they all stand by each other, help each other.
- I seem to have developped a strong liking for manservants named Sam : first there was Sam Gangee, now there is Sam Weller. He's my favourite here.
What my problem was, mostly, was that the book is really, really long without an undergoing storyline. Mr Pickwick and his friends go here and there, do things (generally, eat well and drink well), meet people who tell them stories, then there's a little story inside the story, adventures happen but there is no big plot. You have to take into account the way The Pickwick papers were published at the time, by episodes in a newspaper.
My recommendations are :
- I know it was his first published book, but don't start reading Dickens with it. Get used to him with other novels, then come back to Pickwick later.
- Read it like it was published at the time : a little each week !
- Help yourself with an audiobook and a good narrator. This novel was my occasion to try my first audiobook and it helped a lot doing other stuff while listening to it. I found it for free on Youtube, here's the first of the three videos : (see link on blog)
I didn't find any mention of who the narrator was, but he was excellent, I recommend him.
At the end, I was happy to have (finally) finished it - it took me practically a month to read it, but I was also sad for leaving all these people behind me. On the other hand, I learned to love the author and I'm sure he has many other great characters in store for me. Good, because I have bought his complete novels !
To get you caught up on the Giving Dickens a 2nd Chance Project
http://wikeslongtrail.blogspot.com/search/label/give%20dickens%20a%202nd%20chance
"There are very few moments in man's existence when he experiences so much ludicrous distress, or meets with so little charitable commiseration, as when he is in pursuit of his own hat." - Charles Dickens
Gotta love a book that makes Miller's Crossing references.
http://wikeslongtrail.blogspot.com/search/label/give%20dickens%20a%202nd%20chance
"There are very few moments in man's existence when he experiences so much ludicrous distress, or meets with so little charitable commiseration, as when he is in pursuit of his own hat." - Charles Dickens
Gotta love a book that makes Miller's Crossing references.
adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I've heard such a lot about "The Pickwick Club" (in fact, many characters in the other books I've read were reading it) that when I found the English version on sale, I immediately bought it. It is indeed witty and enjoyable, although it seems to me it is better to read it in installments (as it was originally published) because otherwise it somehow loses its spark. But I have to confess that I got many of the secondary characters mixed up (even Snodgrass and Winkle). And it was a bit irritating that all the women were silly, helpless and cried a lot. Still, it can't be denied that Dickens's control of style and language is superb.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
The overall storyline is less griping than other Dickens; however, it's humorous and full of interesting characters and life.
challenging
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
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:
No