Reviews - Great Expectations

5.37k reviews for:

Great Expectations

Charles Dickens

3.54 AVERAGE

juhsk2's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

_solaris's review against another edition

4.0

Oh Pip, for all your intelligence, you sure are the most arrogant snob! Honestly, seeing him surrounded by people who wanted nothing but the best for him, loved him dearly - and then seeing how he so badly obsessed over the people who mistreated him but were rich... it just made you feel more and more disappointed with how much of a social climber he was. And how he looked down on Magwitch, who cares only to improve Pip's fortune! For shame! I was ultimately glad that the end proved that he had to work hard to survive and ended up a bachelor, gaining neither Biddy nor Estella (while I saw Biddy/Joe from a mile away, it still gave me the ick. Joe saw Pip like his son but saw Biddy as his wife??? Jeez)

I really struggled with how Dickens wrote in accent - sometimes it's hard to tell what the characters are saying. This book definitely warrants a second read, and maybe I'll be editing this review once I've digested the story a bit more.

essie101's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

randomprogrammer's review against another edition

4.0

My first introduction to Dickens, this was a truly lovely novel. I listened to the Anton Lesser narration, and he did a wonderful job, nailing the various accents and manners of speech.

The writing is lovely, and the plot is fun and engaging, with lots of nice twists, even if they are sometimes predictable. The characters are quite interesting at times; Dickens felt no need to have the main character always be likeable.

It's perhaps a little cliche by modern standards, or perhaps I mean to say that the plot is at times contrived, but I still think that it holds up very well.

He's got some lovely turns of phrase:

The sergeant took a polite leave of the ladies, and parted from Mr. Pumblechook as from a comrade; though I doubt if he were quite as fully sensible of that gentleman’s merits under arid conditions, as when something moist was going.

There are also many instances where you have to really pay attention to catch references which would probably have been much more transparent at the time or writing. I shudder to think of how many I must have missed entirely.

There were carved garlands on the panelled walls, and as he stood among them giving us welcome, I know what kind of loops I thought they looked like.

Loops here, is of course in reference to the hangman's noose.

By the time of writing this review, I am almost done with Tale of Two Cities, and I think that Great Expectation is a gentler introduction to Dickens.

shewantshercupofstars's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

moreau's review against another edition

4.75

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I'm crying my fucking eyes out. What an end. I adore Pip. Jesus Christ. I'm going to, as it's Charles Dickens, spontaneously combust due to how emotional I am. I hope Pip and Estella had great lives from then on and Pip moved back to near Joe and Biddy in England.

Content Warnings