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I don't really understand why this one is considered to be a "classic". The narrator disappears after the third chapter and, well, I wasn't remotely curious or entranced about any of it, especially Little Nell.
My first venture into the world of Dickens, and not likely to be my last.
Built upon great characters whose lives intertwine in ways I didn't expect. Full of wonderful descriptions and rambling story-telling. and in contrast to the books I normally read all loose ends were tied up at the end of the book.
Built upon great characters whose lives intertwine in ways I didn't expect. Full of wonderful descriptions and rambling story-telling. and in contrast to the books I normally read all loose ends were tied up at the end of the book.
The Old Curiosity Shop is Dickens’s fourth novel during the early period where he has not quite hit the prime of his writing talents. His skills are definitely on display creating larger than life characters, focusing in on social critique and economic inequality, telling interesting stories, exhibiting ever present humor, and showing the ability to go over the top with sentimentality. No one reading this book can forget Little Nell.
Based upon my personal tastes I rate the novels in the order they were written with the exception of The Pickwick Papers as my favorite of his first four books.
Based upon my personal tastes I rate the novels in the order they were written with the exception of The Pickwick Papers as my favorite of his first four books.
I don't think anyone has ever accused dickens of having focused plots, but this one seemed especially unfocused. The 'main character' becomes little more than a side character for the second half of the book, and then she dies. So yeah, I'm not really sure what dickens was thinking...it's like he got bored with that plot so he just shuffled things around and followed the other characters.
Even though there wasn't much to the plot, though, the characters were still signature dickens, which is the biggest reason I read his works.
Even though there wasn't much to the plot, though, the characters were still signature dickens, which is the biggest reason I read his works.
emotional
sad
slow-paced
2025 reads book 5
“And from the death of each day's hope, another hope sprang up to live tomorrow.”
The second Dickens book where I shed a tear at the ending, and I'm sure it won't be the last with how many Dickens novels I still have to read. How dare he end it like that honestly.
As usual with Dickens, another great critique on Victorian society and how it dealt with it's poor and unfortunate. Where I felt that Nell might have been a bit too good and pure at times, I did understand what Dickens was trying to do with her character. As usual we have a great mix between heartfelt and sad moments, and incredibly humorous ones. I don't know how Dickens keeps writing these hilarious characters, without them seeming too much or too dumb, but he manages it well every time!
Onto the next one!
“And from the death of each day's hope, another hope sprang up to live tomorrow.”
The second Dickens book where I shed a tear at the ending, and I'm sure it won't be the last with how many Dickens novels I still have to read. How dare he end it like that honestly.
As usual with Dickens, another great critique on Victorian society and how it dealt with it's poor and unfortunate. Where I felt that Nell might have been a bit too good and pure at times, I did understand what Dickens was trying to do with her character. As usual we have a great mix between heartfelt and sad moments, and incredibly humorous ones. I don't know how Dickens keeps writing these hilarious characters, without them seeming too much or too dumb, but he manages it well every time!
Onto the next one!
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-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
Early this year I set a goal for myself to read all of Dickens' novels in the order in which they were published. This is the fourth, after Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nickleby. I've also read Bleak House, A Tale of Two Cities and a personal favorite - Great Expectations.
First, Dickens is just an amazing writer and reading his novels in order I can really see the progression of his style. This is the first (chronologically) of his novels that I've really just stopped and been taken in by the language. It was there in the earlier works but I think this novel is where he really starts to click as a writer. The various threads of the plot, the way he skips about from place to place then comes back to loop in some new event, his humor, his eye for detail, it all really shines and made this an enjoyable and quick read.
Having read many of his books now, there are certain Dickensian tropes that will either annoy you or they won't - the angelic waif, the dastardly and greedy man who has designs on the waif, the unknown distant (and wealthy) relative, the chance meeting, etc. It does get to be a bit much at times. There's always some mysterious benefactor who will endow some unexpected fortune, there's always a random stranger who turns out to be a long-lost relation, there's always an unexpected twist to deliver the villain's come-uppance, etc. That said, it's very entertaining and very well written. I look forward to reading more of the author's works.
As to the plot, it concerns little Nell and her grandfather, the proprietor of the titular shop. Grandfather cares only for Nell and to make her fortune he becomes indebted to the dastardly Quilp, an evil dwarf who delights in causing misery for others. Nell and grandfather are forced to flee and they encounter various characters on the road, some good, some not. There are sub-plots and related threads concerning Quilp's attorney Sampson Brass and his sister Sally, Richard Swiveller, a compatriot of Nell's wayward brother Fred, Christopher 'Kit' Nubbles, devoted friend and servant of Nell and grand-dad, and various others encountered along the way.
All-in-all it was an entertaining read. I actually enjoyed the bits with Quilp, the Brasses and Swiveller more than the bits with Nell and her grandfather. If you enjoy Dickens you will like this one. If you haven't read him before, it is a good place to start.
First, Dickens is just an amazing writer and reading his novels in order I can really see the progression of his style. This is the first (chronologically) of his novels that I've really just stopped and been taken in by the language. It was there in the earlier works but I think this novel is where he really starts to click as a writer. The various threads of the plot, the way he skips about from place to place then comes back to loop in some new event, his humor, his eye for detail, it all really shines and made this an enjoyable and quick read.
Having read many of his books now, there are certain Dickensian tropes that will either annoy you or they won't - the angelic waif, the dastardly and greedy man who has designs on the waif, the unknown distant (and wealthy) relative, the chance meeting, etc. It does get to be a bit much at times. There's always some mysterious benefactor who will endow some unexpected fortune, there's always a random stranger who turns out to be a long-lost relation, there's always an unexpected twist to deliver the villain's come-uppance, etc. That said, it's very entertaining and very well written. I look forward to reading more of the author's works.
As to the plot, it concerns little Nell and her grandfather, the proprietor of the titular shop. Grandfather cares only for Nell and to make her fortune he becomes indebted to the dastardly Quilp, an evil dwarf who delights in causing misery for others. Nell and grandfather are forced to flee and they encounter various characters on the road, some good, some not. There are sub-plots and related threads concerning Quilp's attorney Sampson Brass and his sister Sally, Richard Swiveller, a compatriot of Nell's wayward brother Fred, Christopher 'Kit' Nubbles, devoted friend and servant of Nell and grand-dad, and various others encountered along the way.
All-in-all it was an entertaining read. I actually enjoyed the bits with Quilp, the Brasses and Swiveller more than the bits with Nell and her grandfather. If you enjoy Dickens you will like this one. If you haven't read him before, it is a good place to start.
Definitely my least favorite Dickens so far. While some of the characters were very well done, overall the book was entirely too sentimental.