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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I took me FOREVER to finish this book.
But I'm so glad that I did. I loved Great Expectations, so I was really excited to start this book, which is also in the first person. Something about the first person makes everything seem more relatable, and helps everything flow easily in a book with a lot of characters and subplots. I kind of wish Charles Dickens had written more of his novels that way.
This book is about the coming-of-age of an orphan boy by the name of David Copperfield. There isn't exactly a main plot, but rather a life story played out with numerous intriguing subplots and many memorable characters. There were parts of this book where I literally wanted to scream, squeal, or jump up and down just because of how fantastically well it was written. Charles Dickens full-on mastered the art of both showing and telling in all the right places. This is a remarkable book.
But I'm so glad that I did. I loved Great Expectations, so I was really excited to start this book, which is also in the first person. Something about the first person makes everything seem more relatable, and helps everything flow easily in a book with a lot of characters and subplots. I kind of wish Charles Dickens had written more of his novels that way.
This book is about the coming-of-age of an orphan boy by the name of David Copperfield. There isn't exactly a main plot, but rather a life story played out with numerous intriguing subplots and many memorable characters. There were parts of this book where I literally wanted to scream, squeal, or jump up and down just because of how fantastically well it was written. Charles Dickens full-on mastered the art of both showing and telling in all the right places. This is a remarkable book.
I genuinely loved this book (espcially David's aunt), and felt the whole range of emotions throughout. The only reason it's 4 instead of 5 stars is that it's SO LONG. But I can't really blame Dickens for that because he was paid by the word, and I can't fault someone for wanting to haul in that cash $$$$$
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
I have wanted to read this for 30 years and have finally done do. I was not disappointed. In this book, Dickens tells the story of the orphaned David, who suffers greatly after being left in the charge of an evil step father and the epitome of the evil step aunt.
Sent to London to work in a counting house as just a boy - having been ripped out of his prep school- David runs away, but not before endearing himself to his landlords the well meaning but derelict Micabers.
Running away is a gamble in that he decides to try his luck with his estranged - and very stern aunt Betsey Trotwood. It was worth the risk, for the two fall into a lifelong relationship - the first healthy relationship of his life.
David’s fortunes rise and fall, he encounters all types from his schoolboy idol (undeserving) James Steerforth, to his lifelong friend Tom Traddles, to the first sibling-equivalent Agnes, to the horrid and oily Uriah Heap, to His first love Dora, and so many more.
Given that David becomes a successful author, I wonder if there is an element of the autobiographical in this story.
Sent to London to work in a counting house as just a boy - having been ripped out of his prep school- David runs away, but not before endearing himself to his landlords the well meaning but derelict Micabers.
Running away is a gamble in that he decides to try his luck with his estranged - and very stern aunt Betsey Trotwood. It was worth the risk, for the two fall into a lifelong relationship - the first healthy relationship of his life.
David’s fortunes rise and fall, he encounters all types from his schoolboy idol (undeserving) James Steerforth, to his lifelong friend Tom Traddles, to the first sibling-equivalent Agnes, to the horrid and oily Uriah Heap, to His first love Dora, and so many more.
Given that David becomes a successful author, I wonder if there is an element of the autobiographical in this story.
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Sim, não posso dizer que não me tenha custado um pouco a ler... vê-se pelo tempo que demorei! Conhecia Charles Dickens pelos Contos de Natal e, sabendo que este livro era um tanto ou quanto autobiográfico, achei que mesmo assim seria um livro com mais "aventura"!
Mas... as aventuras que mais encontrei são as aventuras do coração! Venturas e desventuras amorosas, amores proibidos ou escondidos, dilemas de coração, etc. Não é que isso não faça parte da vida ou que não seja mesmo o motor da mesma, mas, simplesmente não era isso que estava à espera e que acaba sendo o tema central do livro.
Inúmeras personagens nos são introduzidas e interessante é perceber as formas de agir, de comportamento e de personalidades talhadas de acordo com os cânones da época. Interessante é perceber por exemplo, e se isso for de facto um reflexo fiel, a frontalidade das conversas e opiniões ao mesmo tempo suportadas em discursos redondos e mais ou menos floreados.
Num tempo em que o meio de deslocação era a diligência ou o barco e de comunicação era a carta, são um pouco imponderáveis os cruzamentos entre algumas personagens que vão acontecendo ao longo dos anos, mas Charles Dickens faz-nos um bom retrato da época num romance um pouco maçudo de ler!
Destaco também as inúmeras palavras novas que aprendi, fruto de uma escrita (e de uma tradução que a reflecte bem) do séc. XIX.
"Sempre achei que os acontecimentos que não se realizam são muitas vezes tão reais nas suas consequências como esses que efectivamente se produzem!" David Copperfield
Mas... as aventuras que mais encontrei são as aventuras do coração! Venturas e desventuras amorosas, amores proibidos ou escondidos, dilemas de coração, etc. Não é que isso não faça parte da vida ou que não seja mesmo o motor da mesma, mas, simplesmente não era isso que estava à espera e que acaba sendo o tema central do livro.
Inúmeras personagens nos são introduzidas e interessante é perceber as formas de agir, de comportamento e de personalidades talhadas de acordo com os cânones da época. Interessante é perceber por exemplo, e se isso for de facto um reflexo fiel, a frontalidade das conversas e opiniões ao mesmo tempo suportadas em discursos redondos e mais ou menos floreados.
Num tempo em que o meio de deslocação era a diligência ou o barco e de comunicação era a carta, são um pouco imponderáveis os cruzamentos entre algumas personagens que vão acontecendo ao longo dos anos, mas Charles Dickens faz-nos um bom retrato da época num romance um pouco maçudo de ler!
Destaco também as inúmeras palavras novas que aprendi, fruto de uma escrita (e de uma tradução que a reflecte bem) do séc. XIX.
"Sempre achei que os acontecimentos que não se realizam são muitas vezes tão reais nas suas consequências como esses que efectivamente se produzem!" David Copperfield
Oh my god, the last stretch was absolute torture. I need to quit classics earlier, clearly, this was 30 hours too long.
emotional
informative
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No