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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book is amazing! Very hefty and wordy at points but a great tale about good people who do good and prevail happily in the end.
For such a slow paced book it really did not capture me enough to finish this
4,5 or 5 stars?
I think I’m going to read this one again in 10 years to see if I can fully absorb the parts I think I might have missed a bit… Due to stress I sometimes was thinking about a lot of other things while my eyes were still reading. But nevertheless, I enjoyed it very much! I love the characters, the story, the life lessons… I think it will stick with me for a long time.
(The first quote is important for me personally, because unfortunately I am a great procrastinator… oops…)
Quotes:
Never do tomorrow what you can do today, for procrastinating is the thief of time
—————————
I had considered how the things that never happen, are often as much realities to us, in their effects, as those that are accomplished.
—————————
My meaning simply is, that whatever I have tried to do in life, I have tried with all my heart to do well; that whatever I have devoted myself to, I have devoted myself to completely; that in great aims and in small, I have always been thoroughly in earnest.
I think I’m going to read this one again in 10 years to see if I can fully absorb the parts I think I might have missed a bit… Due to stress I sometimes was thinking about a lot of other things while my eyes were still reading. But nevertheless, I enjoyed it very much! I love the characters, the story, the life lessons… I think it will stick with me for a long time.
(The first quote is important for me personally, because unfortunately I am a great procrastinator… oops…)
Quotes:
Never do tomorrow what you can do today, for procrastinating is the thief of time
—————————
I had considered how the things that never happen, are often as much realities to us, in their effects, as those that are accomplished.
—————————
My meaning simply is, that whatever I have tried to do in life, I have tried with all my heart to do well; that whatever I have devoted myself to, I have devoted myself to completely; that in great aims and in small, I have always been thoroughly in earnest.
Opening note: This is NOT the audio edition I listened to: mine was a Naxos edition, read by Nicholas Boulton, and he should get huge credit because he was AMAZING! The book was extremely long, but his delivery and enthusiasm never seemed to flag. Huge applause!
Listening to DC was a great experience. I had it on my ipod, so I could listen to it in the car, but at 34 hours it also afforded me some pleasant hours baking, cleaning the house, and even, on Easter afternoon, knitting and waiting till it was time to go to dinner! Overall, my response is that my goodness, can Dickens tell a story! Although the last few chapters dragged a little because they mostly focused on love details (no spoilers here, but if the gentle reader can't see it coming about chapter 21 (and there are, I think 60!), then s/he is a dull reader indeed), the book as a whole kept me engrossed and fascinated. Mr. and Mrs. Micawber. . . Mr. Peggotty, Em'ly, Steerforth, the wonderful Traddles, Rosa Dartle, Miss Moucher, and, best of all, Aunt Betsy Trotwood herself. . . . all of them were memorable and fascinating. The Heeps and the Murdstones are equally engrossing bad guys--in fact, the only loose end I can complain about it the detail of Mr. Murdstone being mentioned as having nearly completely broken the spirit of another young wife, a detail that was introduced so deliberately that I was surprised it was never resolved. Another quibble was the general weirdness of the female characters who had any aspect of love attraction for Davy--his mother, Dora and Em'ly were smarmily described, and, eventually, so was Agnes. However, Sophie, "mule of the world" as she was, seemed to have some spirit, and of course Aunt Betsy Trotwood was WONDERFUL.
I *loved* the story, however. The unwinding thread and the various points--about women's reputations, about moral fiber and what makes goodness, about the faults of the law, about love--were interesting. The insight Dickens showed in his description of Mr. Wickfield's alcoholism and Heep's exploitation of it was impressive, too.
David Copperfield may join my list as a yearly read (or listen!), along with Jane Austen's works.
Listening to DC was a great experience. I had it on my ipod, so I could listen to it in the car, but at 34 hours it also afforded me some pleasant hours baking, cleaning the house, and even, on Easter afternoon, knitting and waiting till it was time to go to dinner! Overall, my response is that my goodness, can Dickens tell a story! Although the last few chapters dragged a little because they mostly focused on love details (no spoilers here, but if the gentle reader can't see it coming about chapter 21 (and there are, I think 60!), then s/he is a dull reader indeed), the book as a whole kept me engrossed and fascinated. Mr. and Mrs. Micawber. . . Mr. Peggotty, Em'ly, Steerforth, the wonderful Traddles, Rosa Dartle, Miss Moucher, and, best of all, Aunt Betsy Trotwood herself. . . . all of them were memorable and fascinating. The Heeps and the Murdstones are equally engrossing bad guys--in fact, the only loose end I can complain about it the detail of Mr. Murdstone being mentioned as having nearly completely broken the spirit of another young wife, a detail that was introduced so deliberately that I was surprised it was never resolved. Another quibble was the general weirdness of the female characters who had any aspect of love attraction for Davy--his mother, Dora and Em'ly were smarmily described, and, eventually, so was Agnes. However, Sophie, "mule of the world" as she was, seemed to have some spirit, and of course Aunt Betsy Trotwood was WONDERFUL.
I *loved* the story, however. The unwinding thread and the various points--about women's reputations, about moral fiber and what makes goodness, about the faults of the law, about love--were interesting. The insight Dickens showed in his description of Mr. Wickfield's alcoholism and Heep's exploitation of it was impressive, too.
David Copperfield may join my list as a yearly read (or listen!), along with Jane Austen's works.
Now I've read David Copperfield and I know who the REAL Uriah Heep is. It dragged in the middle, but I do love his characters.
Wow, this was much more enjoyable than I thought. Yes, Dickens is long-winded, but for the most part, I enjoyed the story and tangents. This is the second Dickens book I've read and I'll definitely pick up more. Oh, autobiographical story of growing up poor and becoming a writer.
emotional
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A book of 368,000 words deserves a brief review:
Dickens and David Copperfield live up to every bit of their hype as this novel earned its heralded place in history. A wholesome masterpiece I never expected to enjoy so much, it's a gem and 175 year old forever relevant literary treasure.
Sidenote: because chapters were published every month, Dickens did not have the freedom to go back and alter plot lines. That technical consideration makes this achievement even greater.
Dickens and David Copperfield live up to every bit of their hype as this novel earned its heralded place in history. A wholesome masterpiece I never expected to enjoy so much, it's a gem and 175 year old forever relevant literary treasure.
Sidenote: because chapters were published every month, Dickens did not have the freedom to go back and alter plot lines. That technical consideration makes this achievement even greater.
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated