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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
Can't believe it's taken me so long to get round to reading this. So much better than the musical, no singing and dancing chirpy cockney orphans here. It's dark and dangerous and violent, it still has a happy ending, though not for everyone!
No rating bc I read this for uni, I’m in a slump too so I felt disconnected all round. Will reread in the future!
slow-paced
hopeful
sad
slow-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:
No
A real slog. My first Dickens and I won't be rushing back anytime soon. Don't get me wrong I wasn't expecting a happy-go-lucky fun-for-all-the-family tale full of joy and merriment. I knew the book would be more realistic but it's just so long. Nothing much seems to really happen in it, there isn't much urgency, which when you finally get the pay-off of the happy ending, I was more happy at the fact of it ending than of any narrative conclusion. Not for me read at your own risk.
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
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:
No
For my first venture into reading Dickens as an adult, I was not disappointed. Actually I am glad I have very vague or no memories of the various film adaptations (aside from Oliver and Company) so that I could read this novel with fresh eyes to the story.
Firstly, I expected to struggle with understanding the type of language used and the way sentences are strung together in classic literature but I was pleasantly suprised when I found I was flying through the pages, only having to go back and re-read passages a few times. The addition of footnotes at the end of the book was very helpful as well. I enjoyed watching Oliver grow throughout his trials and tribulations and the occasional illustrated scene in this edition was a lovely touch. I felt the way each character's story wrapped up was the highlight of this book for me and certainly the ending has stuck with me.
On the other hand, this edition had a section for noting changes between various editions of the novel as it was released but it was not easy to notice this while I was reading, it was something I stumbled across as I was looking for footnotes for other explanations. Additionally, it was quite a chore to keep having to flick to the back of the book every time a footnote appeared, I do prefer footnotes written at the bottom of pages but I feel this was a small price to pay for easier understanding of the novel's concepts.
Firstly, I expected to struggle with understanding the type of language used and the way sentences are strung together in classic literature but I was pleasantly suprised when I found I was flying through the pages, only having to go back and re-read passages a few times. The addition of footnotes at the end of the book was very helpful as well. I enjoyed watching Oliver grow throughout his trials and tribulations and the occasional illustrated scene in this edition was a lovely touch. I felt the way each character's story wrapped up was the highlight of this book for me and certainly the ending has stuck with me.
On the other hand, this edition had a section for noting changes between various editions of the novel as it was released but it was not easy to notice this while I was reading, it was something I stumbled across as I was looking for footnotes for other explanations. Additionally, it was quite a chore to keep having to flick to the back of the book every time a footnote appeared, I do prefer footnotes written at the bottom of pages but I feel this was a small price to pay for easier understanding of the novel's concepts.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Antisemitism
Moderate: Violence, Kidnapping
Minor: Blood, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
dark
reflective
sad
medium-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:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Violence, Antisemitism
Moderate: Violence, Murder, Classism
Minor: Child death, Death of parent
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Dickens is always a good read. Some may say that my first read of Oliver so late in life is weird, but I'm glad I waited. If I hadn't read the other Dickens works I would not have gone through Oliver. The plot line is normal Dickens with some twists to it, but not many. I believe the "Old Curiosity Shop" is Dickens best and Oliver runs around third of what I have read.
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes