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3.33 AVERAGE
3.33 AVERAGE
Full disclosure-I listened to this as an audiobook (read by Martin Jarvis). I think this helped me get going on the book.
I really enjoyed Hard Times. It made me laugh a lot, Dickens is incredible good at finding and poking fun at the ridiculous. It focusses on the industrial North, and on what happens when reason is pushed too hard and feelings and imagination are not allowed to flourish. It also paints a picture of the hardship and deprecation of workers in the North, while highlighting the moral failings of many of those who hold capital or political power.
I didn’t become as invested with the characters in the Hard Times I with some of Dickens’ other novels. I felt some were a little one dimensional. But I still enjoyed the novel, and it made me think a lot about character and morality and the realities of 19th century Britain.
I really enjoyed Hard Times. It made me laugh a lot, Dickens is incredible good at finding and poking fun at the ridiculous. It focusses on the industrial North, and on what happens when reason is pushed too hard and feelings and imagination are not allowed to flourish. It also paints a picture of the hardship and deprecation of workers in the North, while highlighting the moral failings of many of those who hold capital or political power.
I didn’t become as invested with the characters in the Hard Times I with some of Dickens’ other novels. I felt some were a little one dimensional. But I still enjoyed the novel, and it made me think a lot about character and morality and the realities of 19th century Britain.
First Dickens. First time BAWLING at a book.
I need some time to recover from this so, review to come!
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This was my first Dickens. And oh, his writing is just so lyrical. So lyrical, gripping, and impactful!
The title was a clue that this would be sad – but admittedly, it wasn’t the ongoing sad-fest I was expecting it to be. I mean, it’s the first book that’s ever actually made me, like properly CRY. So, it was accurate in that regard. But I suspected the characters were going to be dragged through the wringer from start to end – but fortunately they weren’t. Or, they were, but in a slow, steady way.
And that’s what this book is about. The lives of the people who are victims of their time, the Hard Times (I went there). Where the young are taught to act like machines and not on their feelings, where the Hands are overworked and undervalued, where the rich and powerful trump the poor, and the immoral beat the moral. Where facts defeat imagination.
We get to look at two children who are raised in a particular way – to shun their feelings and to only focus on ‘fact’ and ‘reason’ – and watch how it impacts them. One, depressed by following the lore she’s been taught, has to learn to overcome her upbringing and break out of the position she’s been forced into, and comes out the other end free. The other, loses his sense of compassion and morals, uses everyone around him for his own benefit, and their complete lack of integrity even causes the death of an innocent person, and comes out an outlaw.
That death…. that death was what did it to me. Literally, so SAD. JUSTICE FOR STEPHEN!
Stephen represents the ‘Hands’ of the era, and we get to see how they are ultimately used and abused to their death by the rich and the cruel. He perseveres, stands for what’s right, makes the right decisions, works hard, and still ends up with nothing. He’s stuck in a situation where he just can’t win.
He’s used and abused by the big Bounderby. Mr Bounderby – the practical con artist – that twist at the end when we found out his HUMBLE BRAGGART was all lies!!! I was literally so shocked, and it even worked on me, I even believed for a minute that he HAD achieved the unachievable. But nopeeee. He’d built it on lies.
And Tom. Tom, as I said, had no compassion, was a complete scoundrel, a WHELP. But, did he get what he deserved? That ending, not knowing whether he was going to get away and escape, or be caught and there be some justice (seriously, Justice for Stephen!). I’m surprised Dickens let him escape tbh!!
Although I think it was really nice to have the circus people act like the only genuine people that the Gradgrind’s knew – everyone they knew previously had turned their backs on them, but not the circus people. Even if it would have benefitted him, nope, he stood by them based on the kindness they paid to Sissy, and repaid it in full. I think that’s why Tom was allowed to escape – and as we know, it wasn’t exactly a joy for him to be an outlaw banned from returning home, and it at least made sweet Louisa & Mr Gradgrind happier.
But did Tom kill Stephen? At first I thought maybe he PUSHED Stephen down the well, then I thought maybe he covered up the hole with twigs knowing Stephen would come over that way, but now I think perhaps it was an unintended consequence? I mean, he still actively wronged him, but I don’t think he meant what happened to happen. It would NOT have been good for him though if Stephen came back and said that it was literally Tom.
But that’s how it is. Whether intentional or not, when people in positions of power have no morals or regard for consequence, people get hurt. Actually hurt. Whether they care to prevent it or not.
But it wasn’t all sad. I really liked Louisa & Sissy.
With Loo it got a bit hazy in the middle there where she kept enabling her brother’s gambling, and almost ran off with Jem (though can’t really blame her for that one I mean, it was Bounderby), but ultimately she did the right thing and even managed to get her father to see and drop his facts-over-feeling ways! And Sissy was lovely! Whilst there was a load of sadness for her, she was able to bring love into the Gradgrind household, and helped Loo’s younger sister not get caught in the same trap as Louisa and Tom. And she had a lovely happy ending.
That ending though. Dickens just couldn’t help but get a few extra gut punches in, even in the last few pages! WOULD NEVER BE. I couldn’t believe it when he said that!
And a special shout out to Mrs Sparsit. She was great comedic value, albeit slightly infuriating, but a brilliant character. I would literally love to see an adaptation of Hard Times with Judy Dench portraying Mrs Sparsit! Based on Judy’s performance of Mrs Fairfax in Jane Eyre, I just think it captures Mrs Spasit perfectly – although of course without Mrs Fairfax’s niceness!
Thank you for the read Dickens – my first one, and I’ll of course carry on with the rest!
4.5 star - rounded to 5 for being the first book to make me cry!
I need some time to recover from this so, review to come!
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This was my first Dickens. And oh, his writing is just so lyrical. So lyrical, gripping, and impactful!
The title was a clue that this would be sad – but admittedly, it wasn’t the ongoing sad-fest I was expecting it to be. I mean, it’s the first book that’s ever actually made me, like properly CRY. So, it was accurate in that regard. But I suspected the characters were going to be dragged through the wringer from start to end – but fortunately they weren’t. Or, they were, but in a slow, steady way.
And that’s what this book is about. The lives of the people who are victims of their time, the Hard Times (I went there). Where the young are taught to act like machines and not on their feelings, where the Hands are overworked and undervalued, where the rich and powerful trump the poor, and the immoral beat the moral. Where facts defeat imagination.
We get to look at two children who are raised in a particular way – to shun their feelings and to only focus on ‘fact’ and ‘reason’ – and watch how it impacts them. One, depressed by following the lore she’s been taught, has to learn to overcome her upbringing and break out of the position she’s been forced into, and comes out the other end free. The other, loses his sense of compassion and morals, uses everyone around him for his own benefit, and their complete lack of integrity even causes the death of an innocent person, and comes out an outlaw.
That death…. that death was what did it to me. Literally, so SAD. JUSTICE FOR STEPHEN!
Stephen represents the ‘Hands’ of the era, and we get to see how they are ultimately used and abused to their death by the rich and the cruel. He perseveres, stands for what’s right, makes the right decisions, works hard, and still ends up with nothing. He’s stuck in a situation where he just can’t win.
He’s used and abused by the big Bounderby. Mr Bounderby – the practical con artist – that twist at the end when we found out his HUMBLE BRAGGART was all lies!!! I was literally so shocked, and it even worked on me, I even believed for a minute that he HAD achieved the unachievable. But nopeeee. He’d built it on lies.
And Tom. Tom, as I said, had no compassion, was a complete scoundrel, a WHELP. But, did he get what he deserved? That ending, not knowing whether he was going to get away and escape, or be caught and there be some justice (seriously, Justice for Stephen!). I’m surprised Dickens let him escape tbh!!
Although I think it was really nice to have the circus people act like the only genuine people that the Gradgrind’s knew – everyone they knew previously had turned their backs on them, but not the circus people. Even if it would have benefitted him, nope, he stood by them based on the kindness they paid to Sissy, and repaid it in full. I think that’s why Tom was allowed to escape – and as we know, it wasn’t exactly a joy for him to be an outlaw banned from returning home, and it at least made sweet Louisa & Mr Gradgrind happier.
But did Tom kill Stephen? At first I thought maybe he PUSHED Stephen down the well, then I thought maybe he covered up the hole with twigs knowing Stephen would come over that way, but now I think perhaps it was an unintended consequence? I mean, he still actively wronged him, but I don’t think he meant what happened to happen. It would NOT have been good for him though if Stephen came back and said that it was literally Tom.
But that’s how it is. Whether intentional or not, when people in positions of power have no morals or regard for consequence, people get hurt. Actually hurt. Whether they care to prevent it or not.
But it wasn’t all sad. I really liked Louisa & Sissy.
With Loo it got a bit hazy in the middle there where she kept enabling her brother’s gambling, and almost ran off with Jem (though can’t really blame her for that one I mean, it was Bounderby), but ultimately she did the right thing and even managed to get her father to see and drop his facts-over-feeling ways! And Sissy was lovely! Whilst there was a load of sadness for her, she was able to bring love into the Gradgrind household, and helped Loo’s younger sister not get caught in the same trap as Louisa and Tom. And she had a lovely happy ending.
That ending though. Dickens just couldn’t help but get a few extra gut punches in, even in the last few pages! WOULD NEVER BE. I couldn’t believe it when he said that!
And a special shout out to Mrs Sparsit. She was great comedic value, albeit slightly infuriating, but a brilliant character. I would literally love to see an adaptation of Hard Times with Judy Dench portraying Mrs Sparsit! Based on Judy’s performance of Mrs Fairfax in Jane Eyre, I just think it captures Mrs Spasit perfectly – although of course without Mrs Fairfax’s niceness!
Thank you for the read Dickens – my first one, and I’ll of course carry on with the rest!
4.5 star - rounded to 5 for being the first book to make me cry!
Well of course I am going to give Dickens five stars, but it is well-deserved. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Works brilliantly as both a good story (though one of the simplest of all the Dickens books) and as social commentary. It hits you over the head with its message at times, but it is a worthy message, so that seemed okay.
A great book with rich characters, exciting twists, and a warning to all readers who may veer to perfection over true life.
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
having read a lot of books about landed gentry and rich people in the 19th century, it was really refreshing and interesting to read a book where there were working-class characters. there was some really interesting stuff about class, morality and politics, all wrapped up in a very accessible dickensian sardonic wit. having said that, I found this book incredibly difficult to read and stay engaged with. I despise the nested clauses of victorian literature so much and the fact that so much of it is 3rd person-narrated dialogue instead of place descriptions or internal thoughts.
I make no claims to being an expert on Dickens, but I found "Hard Times" to be a deeply gratifying read. Given the copious commentary (nearly half the book) included in this Norton edition, it is clear that not all critics have agreed on its merits. In the arts, however, theory almost invariably follows practice. Thus, the very copiousness of the commentary reminded me that art is frequently over-analyzed and thereby robbed of the very "fancy" (to use Dickens' term) which breathes life, color, excitement, suspense, joy, and vigor into it. If we, as non-academic readers, use this as the measure of a work's success, no amount of formal analysis will entirely ameliorate our gut feelings. My gut tells me that "Hard Times" is a great work, and that's enough for me.