Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.33 AVERAGE
3.33 AVERAGE
No tenía muy claro qué esperar cuando lo empecé; sin embargo, para ser un clásico -que Dios sabe que me resulta imposible soportarlos– me ha resultado muy entretenido y ameno. Tal vez la trama no sea brillante, pero logra mentener el interés del lector, lo cual en mi caso ya es todo un logro. Destacar el estilo, que me ha sorprendido muy gratamente.
No dudo en volver a leer algo más de Dickens en un tiempo no muy lejano.
No dudo en volver a leer algo más de Dickens en un tiempo no muy lejano.
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Some parts were incredibly slow going, some downright difficult to get through, like Stephen Blackpool's bits (I hate it when heavy accents are reflected in spelling), and at the middle I kind of lost heart a little. But the final chapters where surprisingly interesting and engaging, and in a way puts the rest of the book in a different light too, as you realise the buildup was necessary. Definitely not one of my favourite books, but it didn't completely discourage me from reading more Dickens either, so all in all.... 3.5/5
dark
slow-paced
Typical Dickens -- some social commentary, great caricature characters, intertwined events not revealed until the end; all the greatness (even the usual trait-names).
Unlike some of his other books, though, there is no absolute main character. No-nonsense Barnaby marries Gradgrind's daughter Louisa, who agrees to the loveless marriage to help her brother Tom pay his gambling debts. An abandoned child, a mysterious old woman, a nosy "upperclass" servant, slurring carnies, a bankrobbery, romance and intrigue...hilarity and seriousness all rolled together.
Unlike some of his other books, though, there is no absolute main character. No-nonsense Barnaby marries Gradgrind's daughter Louisa, who agrees to the loveless marriage to help her brother Tom pay his gambling debts. An abandoned child, a mysterious old woman, a nosy "upperclass" servant, slurring carnies, a bankrobbery, romance and intrigue...hilarity and seriousness all rolled together.
This might very well be one of Dicken's novels I enjoyed the most. :D The characters are colourful, the underlying morals and social commentary well articulated (it's Dickens after all), but the brevity of the tale is what impressed me. No side tales or lengthy descriptions here, which is such a relief. There's tragedy, cruelty, poverty, but the people working on with perseverance lift the tale somewhat.
“Now, what I want is Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts. Facts alone are wanted in life. Plant nothing else, and root out everything else. You can only form the minds of reasoning animals upon Facts; nothing else will ever be of any service to them.”
This philosophy has unexpected effects on the Gradgrind family and reflect the mindset of the industrial towns, especially that of the factory owners who desired to do away with charity, human condition, or anything resembling care for the working poor. The closing words are therefore so appropriate: “Do the wise thing and the kind thing too, and make the best of us and not the worst.” Every person deserves to be treated humanely and not like an animal or an extension of machinery.
Especially the treatment of women as chattel is put on the spot - I shuddered just like Louisa at the proprietary eye of Bounderby who has decided to one day marry the then 15 year old girl while he was almost 50. They married when she was 20 because Louisa though she had no other alternative when her father presented the suit in such 'logical' terms, not taking her feelings into account. Louisa's words "What does it matter?" are repeated throughout the book to a chilling effect. I really sympathised with her - a father fixed on facts, a mother constantly fading away with her disposition, and the girl with no friends to shield her. Her brother, the person she loved the most, hinted that her marriage would help him since he worked for Bounderby at the bank. Of course, he only wanted to have her to fall back on for money. He hated the man but he was happy to marry his sister to him. Despicable.
“Now, what I want is Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts. Facts alone are wanted in life. Plant nothing else, and root out everything else. You can only form the minds of reasoning animals upon Facts; nothing else will ever be of any service to them.”
This philosophy has unexpected effects on the Gradgrind family and reflect the mindset of the industrial towns, especially that of the factory owners who desired to do away with charity, human condition, or anything resembling care for the working poor. The closing words are therefore so appropriate: “Do the wise thing and the kind thing too, and make the best of us and not the worst.” Every person deserves to be treated humanely and not like an animal or an extension of machinery.
Especially the treatment of women as chattel is put on the spot - I shuddered just like Louisa at the proprietary eye of Bounderby who has decided to one day marry the then 15 year old girl while he was almost 50. They married when she was 20 because Louisa though she had no other alternative when her father presented the suit in such 'logical' terms, not taking her feelings into account. Louisa's words "What does it matter?" are repeated throughout the book to a chilling effect. I really sympathised with her - a father fixed on facts, a mother constantly fading away with her disposition, and the girl with no friends to shield her. Her brother, the person she loved the most, hinted that her marriage would help him since he worked for Bounderby at the bank. Of course, he only wanted to have her to fall back on for money. He hated the man but he was happy to marry his sister to him. Despicable.
dark
funny
reflective
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes