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3.33 AVERAGE
3.33 AVERAGE
It was barely daybreak, when, with a parting look round his room, mournfully wondering whether he should ever see it, again, he went out. The town was entirely deserted as if the inhabitants had abandoned it, rather than hold communication with him. Everything looked wan at that hour. Even the coming sun made but a pale waste in the sky, like a sad sea.
By the place where Rachael lived, though it was not in his way, by the red brick streets; by the great silent factories, not trembling yet; by the railway, where the danger-lights were waning in the strengthening day; by the railway's crazy neighbourhood, half pulled down and half built up; by scattered red brick villas, where the besmoked evergreens were sprinkled with a dirty powder, like untidy snuff-takers; by coal dust paths and many varieties of ugliness; Stephen got to the top of the hill, and looked back.
Day was shining, radiantly upon the town then, and the bells were going for the morning work. Domestic fires were not yet lighted, and the high chimneys had the sky to themselves. Puffing out their poisonous volumes, they would not be long in hiding it; but, for half an hour, some of the many windows were golden, which showed the Coketown people a sun eternally in eclipse, through a medium of smoked glass.
So strange to turn from chimneys to the birds. So strange to have the road-dust on his feet instead of the coal-grit. So strange to have lived to his time of life, and yet to be beginning like a boy this summer morning! With these musings in his mind, and his bundle under his arm, Stephen took his attentive face along the high road. And the trees arched over him, whispering that he left a true and loving heart behind.
By the place where Rachael lived, though it was not in his way, by the red brick streets; by the great silent factories, not trembling yet; by the railway, where the danger-lights were waning in the strengthening day; by the railway's crazy neighbourhood, half pulled down and half built up; by scattered red brick villas, where the besmoked evergreens were sprinkled with a dirty powder, like untidy snuff-takers; by coal dust paths and many varieties of ugliness; Stephen got to the top of the hill, and looked back.
Day was shining, radiantly upon the town then, and the bells were going for the morning work. Domestic fires were not yet lighted, and the high chimneys had the sky to themselves. Puffing out their poisonous volumes, they would not be long in hiding it; but, for half an hour, some of the many windows were golden, which showed the Coketown people a sun eternally in eclipse, through a medium of smoked glass.
So strange to turn from chimneys to the birds. So strange to have the road-dust on his feet instead of the coal-grit. So strange to have lived to his time of life, and yet to be beginning like a boy this summer morning! With these musings in his mind, and his bundle under his arm, Stephen took his attentive face along the high road. And the trees arched over him, whispering that he left a true and loving heart behind.
challenging
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
No voy a puntuarlo, porque me ha gustado tan poco que no merece puntuación. No he conectado con los personajes, la historia ni el ambiente. La narración del autor me parece lenta y muy poco interesante. Las críticas hacia la sociedad, aunque tienen buenas intenciones, quedan muy poco elaboradas y simples. No hay casi plot (???), solo una sucesión de escenas conectadas entre ellas y un final abrupto. Louisa y Sissy son lo único que salvaría de la novela. En definitiva, me ha defraudado mucho y esperaba mucho más del autor, aunque le daré otra oportunidad.
(jamás había tardado tanto en leer un libro de 240 páginas)
(jamás había tardado tanto en leer un libro de 240 páginas)
This book was odd, I enjoyed reading it when I was actually reading it. But I never wanted to pick it up.
challenging
informative
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
sad
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Funny, short, and so narrowly focused that you can't help but see what Dickens was aiming at with this deviancy of a novel. It's not set in London, it's far shorter than the other books, and at times you can almost feel Dickens' anger at the Bentham/Mill camp surging from the page. It certainly makes you think, about our own societal issues, in a non-orphans way (sorry, but that's Dickens for you most times). I didn't understand why it was included in the Great Works box set until I read it - now I totally see why it was included.
More thoughts, at length (especially about the funny bits), at RB: http://wp.me/pGVzJ-mL
More thoughts, at length (especially about the funny bits), at RB: http://wp.me/pGVzJ-mL
This is definitely, for me, Charles Dickens' best writing ever. The philosophical tumult that flows through the Gadgrind family affecting not only them but others surrounding them is unparalleled. Character development has always been Dickens' strong suit and it holds true more than ever during Hard Times.
this book took me aaaages to finish.
some chapters i liked, though some bored me to death. likewise, i absolutely hated some of the characters, for instance, Bounderby was despicable, whereas i could sympathize with Stephen.
all in all, it was not an awful book, i found it quite enjoyable, however i didn't love it.
some chapters i liked, though some bored me to death. likewise, i absolutely hated some of the characters, for instance, Bounderby was despicable, whereas i could sympathize with Stephen.
all in all, it was not an awful book, i found it quite enjoyable, however i didn't love it.
Classic Dickens, fantastic as always. His characters are humorous (the names are so great). The story has those old familiar themes on class and conditions of the time. And of course, he has bits of mystery and drama interspersed.