Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
Having read this a few years back, it was greatly enhanced hearing Simon Vance narrate this book. Dickens tale is well told, great fun and worth reading. Hearing Vance bring it to life adds to the pleasure.
I cannot read Dickens without loving it. He cares for the underdog and has the most wonderful characters that are larger than life.
Pg. 8 Some London houses have a melancholy little plot of ground behind them, usually fenced in by four high whitewashed walls, and frowned upon by stacks of chimneys: in which there withers on, from year to year, a crippled tree, that makes a show of putting forth a few leaves late in autumn when other trees shed theirs, and, drooping in the effort, lingers on, all crackled and smoke-dried, till the following season, when it repeats the same process, and perhaps if the weather be particularly genial, even tempts some rheumatic sparrow to chirrup in its branches.
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-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:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
2nd reading
I wouldn’t have chosen this Dickens to reread but for recently joining a local group (The Dickens Fellowship of New Orleans). The reread was certainly worth it and not only for the convivial fellowship of the monthly meetings. (How can you go wrong with cheese and cakes being offered, and tea and sometimes wine being poured?) Sure, there were the somewhat annoying coincidences, melodrama, blushing love interests and meaningless side-plots (and I don’t mean at the meetings), all true to the picaresque indicated by the novel’s name, a style characteristic of Dickens’ first few novels, as he took for inspiration one of his favorite authors; he even named one of his sons [a:Henry Fielding|17501|Henry Fielding|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1237499096p2/17501.jpg]. (My own almost meaningless side-note: I came across a reference to Morleena Kenwigs’ braids in [a:Louisa May Alcott|1315|Louisa May Alcott|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1200326665p2/1315.jpg]'s [b:Moods|17550|Moods|Louisa May Alcott|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1390107366l/17550._SY75_.jpg|19105] which I read during this time of rereading.)
But if not for the reread, I wouldn’t have again enjoyed the characters of Newman Noggs (my favorite of the multitude), the ‘gentleman in small-clothes’ (his two scenes so funny that I remembered them from my first read) and Mrs. Nickleby. Yes, even Mrs. Nickleby, who certainly has more personality than her two children. She's obtuse, self-centered and muddleheaded; but she can be sarcastic in the way of a mother whose children are always telling her how wrong she is:
If for nothing else, the novel is memorable for its being instrumental in the demise of the actual Yorkshire boarding schools (the last scene set in the fictional Dotheboys Hall, seemingly comic, depicts how inhumane treatment leads to more of the same). What power for a novel and its author who, at the time of its writing, was only twenty-five years old.
I wouldn’t have chosen this Dickens to reread but for recently joining a local group (The Dickens Fellowship of New Orleans). The reread was certainly worth it and not only for the convivial fellowship of the monthly meetings. (How can you go wrong with cheese and cakes being offered, and tea and sometimes wine being poured?) Sure, there were the somewhat annoying coincidences, melodrama, blushing love interests and meaningless side-plots (and I don’t mean at the meetings), all true to the picaresque indicated by the novel’s name, a style characteristic of Dickens’ first few novels, as he took for inspiration one of his favorite authors; he even named one of his sons [a:Henry Fielding|17501|Henry Fielding|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1237499096p2/17501.jpg]. (My own almost meaningless side-note: I came across a reference to Morleena Kenwigs’ braids in [a:Louisa May Alcott|1315|Louisa May Alcott|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1200326665p2/1315.jpg]'s [b:Moods|17550|Moods|Louisa May Alcott|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1390107366l/17550._SY75_.jpg|19105] which I read during this time of rereading.)
But if not for the reread, I wouldn’t have again enjoyed the characters of Newman Noggs (my favorite of the multitude), the ‘gentleman in small-clothes’ (his two scenes so funny that I remembered them from my first read) and Mrs. Nickleby. Yes, even Mrs. Nickleby, who certainly has more personality than her two children. She's obtuse, self-centered and muddleheaded; but she can be sarcastic in the way of a mother whose children are always telling her how wrong she is:
To this, Mrs Nickleby only replied that she durst say she was very stupid, indeed she had no doubt she was, for her own children almost as much as told her so, every day of her life; to be sure she was a little older than they, and perhaps some foolish people might think she ought reasonably to know best. However, no doubt she was wrong; of course she was; she always was, she couldn't be right, she couldn't be expected to be; so she had better not expose herself any more; and to all Kate's conciliations and concessions for an hour ensuing, the good lady gave no other replies than Oh, certainly, why did they ask her?, Her opinion was of no consequence, it didn't matter what she said…
If for nothing else, the novel is memorable for its being instrumental in the demise of the actual Yorkshire boarding schools (the last scene set in the fictional Dotheboys Hall, seemingly comic, depicts how inhumane treatment leads to more of the same). What power for a novel and its author who, at the time of its writing, was only twenty-five years old.
Not Dickens' best. Not by a long shot.
The novel itself is reasonably long and, like so many books of any significant length, there are inevitable periods where trudging through the text is a bit of a chore with little reward in terms of plot advancement, symbolism, character development, etc (Nicholas' time spent with the acting troupe and Kate's time with Mr. and Mrs. Mantalini spring to mind). Perhaps the most disheartening shortfall is the lack of character development. The cast of characters is sizable, but with all of the ink Dickens was willing to use to write 'Nickleby,' Nicholas is the only character that feels fully fleshed out and perhaps, though to a lesser extent, Kate. Even characters who seem as if they would have been very interesting to get to know (*really* know) like Squeers, Smike, Noggs, and even good ol' Uncle Ralph) are static versions of their archetype.
Still, it's not as if there are no redeeming qualities. Static though many of them are, there are some fun characters that the reader runs across throughout the book. 'Nickleby' is also an example of one of the things Dickens does best - present a relevant social commentary (and 'Nickleby' has to be among the most truly "Dickensian" novels in that regard) but with a healthy dose of humor along the way. Some reviewers here have criticized the plot, but I don't see that as a weakness. It's not as thrilling that Great Expectations or A Tale of Two Cities were, but then it's not supposed to be. In its own right, the plot is entertaining enough - if not for those periods of drudgery that needlessly weigh it down, it would be substantially better.
If Goodreads allowed for partial stars, I'd have this at 2.5. Since it's whole numbers only, I rounded down only because the excess length did nothing to exploit the book's strengths, while the extra pages helped to magnify the weaknesses.
The novel itself is reasonably long and, like so many books of any significant length, there are inevitable periods where trudging through the text is a bit of a chore with little reward in terms of plot advancement, symbolism, character development, etc (Nicholas' time spent with the acting troupe and Kate's time with Mr. and Mrs. Mantalini spring to mind). Perhaps the most disheartening shortfall is the lack of character development. The cast of characters is sizable, but with all of the ink Dickens was willing to use to write 'Nickleby,' Nicholas is the only character that feels fully fleshed out and perhaps, though to a lesser extent, Kate. Even characters who seem as if they would have been very interesting to get to know (*really* know) like Squeers, Smike, Noggs, and even good ol' Uncle Ralph) are static versions of their archetype.
Still, it's not as if there are no redeeming qualities. Static though many of them are, there are some fun characters that the reader runs across throughout the book. 'Nickleby' is also an example of one of the things Dickens does best - present a relevant social commentary (and 'Nickleby' has to be among the most truly "Dickensian" novels in that regard) but with a healthy dose of humor along the way. Some reviewers here have criticized the plot, but I don't see that as a weakness. It's not as thrilling that Great Expectations or A Tale of Two Cities were, but then it's not supposed to be. In its own right, the plot is entertaining enough - if not for those periods of drudgery that needlessly weigh it down, it would be substantially better.
If Goodreads allowed for partial stars, I'd have this at 2.5. Since it's whole numbers only, I rounded down only because the excess length did nothing to exploit the book's strengths, while the extra pages helped to magnify the weaknesses.
Well, I am a lover of all things Dickens, so what can I say? It was the perfect blend of a hero for which to root and villain to loathe. It was filled with gloriously long sentences that go on for entire pages and beautiful prose that you enjoy simply because Dickens enchants with his wording. It was tediously long, much like David Copperfield, and it took me a very long time to read; however, it was worth every moment. Dickens never disappoints me.
DANGIT CHARLES I DID NOT SEE THAT ENDING REVELATION COMING MY POOR HEART IS BROKEN NOW
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes