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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Dickens first novel and it shows
It is interesting to see, in this work, wrere Dickens got his start. The Pickwick Papers was the first novel Dickens, aged only 24 at the time of serialization, published in his own name. Mixed with both moments of Dickensian brilliance and long stretches of rambling, many of the weaknesses that people complain about in his works are present. Having just read his second novel (Oliver Twist), and given that 5 stars, the development of his craft between the two are like night and day.
My favorite version of the Pickwick Papers is not the Pickwick Papers itself, but the familiar image of Josephine March and her sisters performing as members the Pickwick Society in their attic; writing up newspaper articles and playacting.
The book itself I found really difficult to get through. Parts of it were entertaining, because Charles Dickens has a way with words, and I love his dialogue. The majority of the book, however, felt very meandering and just... dull. I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised since the nature of the book is in the title itself: "containing a faithful record of the perambulations, perils, travels, adventures and sporting transactions of the corresponding members".
I do love some of Charles Dickens work (most notably Great Expectations), but even on his best novels he tends to ramble on to even my breaking point. I probably would not recommend the read, except to hardcore Dickens fans.
The book itself I found really difficult to get through. Parts of it were entertaining, because Charles Dickens has a way with words, and I love his dialogue. The majority of the book, however, felt very meandering and just... dull. I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised since the nature of the book is in the title itself: "containing a faithful record of the perambulations, perils, travels, adventures and sporting transactions of the corresponding members".
I do love some of Charles Dickens work (most notably Great Expectations), but even on his best novels he tends to ramble on to even my breaking point. I probably would not recommend the read, except to hardcore Dickens fans.
This stayed just interesting enough to finish, but I thought seriously several times, particularly in the first hundred pages, about putting it down. I did like Mr. Pickwick and loved Sam Weller, but I wanted (unreasonable of me with Dickens, I know) to cut about a third of the excess scenes and verbiage. Sometimes I think I don't actually like Dickens as much as I think I do (or should).
This book saved my faith in Dickens. I didn’t enjoy Great Expectations, but I loved the social commentary and dry humor in this book, which remind me of PG Wodehouse and his series about Jeeves and Wooster. It’s worth persevering through the first 100 pages until the story coheres and picks up speed.
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
When news that sales of literary fiction are freefalling, there is a balm in reading Dickens, and relishing in his shameless sentimentality, for classic literature can retain its expressive charm even when so much of what it represents is seemingly incongruous with modern life.
adventurous
funny
inspiring
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Reading other things, might read this again later, as it's very nice