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Not Dickens’ best but an important part of his work nonetheless. It’s very clear that this was a weekly serial, as cliffhangers and hanging plots abound, and nearly every character is either rotten to the core or pure of heart - perhaps why Richard Swiveller is one of the most appealing, as he actually changes across the course of the book. Really pissed at the grandfather for putting Little Nell through that, can’t believe he got away so lightly.
dark
reflective
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:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I’m continuing to work my way through all of Dickens’s novels and was especially curious about this one as it seems like it’s always mentioned in relation to how beloved Dickens was in his own time, even in the US. And I really did find it to be classic Dickens, but somewhat darker and less sophisticated than much of his other work. Still, I enjoyed it overall and think Dick Swiveller, especially, is one of Dickens’s best literary creations.
Ah, Dickens. Loved "Great Expectations". Enjoyed "Oliver Twist". I found the only way for me to slog through his painfully verbose style is to do the audio thing. "The Old Curiosity Shop"? Meh. Loved many of the characters and Anton Lesser is an absolute master with the voices. But the story itself was incredibly painful. It went on forever with many extraneous plot lines that reminded me of the equally painfully long Dark Tower series by Stephen King. In both cases the stories could have been half as long (or a third). This is where the serial nature of Dickens' work, trying to squeeze as much money out of a story as he could, comes to light. I am glad I listened to it and it would be unfair to say I didn't enjoy it, it simply meandered and went on for much longer than it should have. If you like Dickens, give it a read (or listen), but if you've never read anything by him then please don't start with this one. It could turn you off to a writer who is actually quite entertaining. Solid 3 stars.
challenging
relaxing
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
emotional
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
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
challenging
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is probably my least favorite Dickens so far. It was super slow, and it lacked the plot twists that usually define his work.
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a book full of lively characters that could walk off the page. I found this novel to have less plot than some of his others which places it behind those already read, but I was fully invested in the characters and in Dickens fabulous prose.