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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
Actually 4.5 stars. I'm only dinging him the last half star because in a book that proceeds quite delightfully for nearly 800 pages, the speed with which he wrapped things up at the end was unsettling. When you get to 700+ pages, what's another 100?
A hidden Dickens gem--this is a funny, feel-good, fairy tale kind of book. A sophisticated, often highly satirical fairy tale, but a fairy tale all the same. As always with Dickens, it was an interesting mix of caricatures and lovingly developed characters; character development itself is perhaps one of the main themes of the book, as two well-foibled characters are gradually improved by their respective lovers (who themselves don't develop much, given that they were already pretty golden, though [temporarily] thwarted by circumstances). This was a bit heavy-handed at times, especially in the case of Bella and the other central theme, the corrupting nature of money (or the love of it). The darker elements of the story were either so intense (e.g. Bradley Headstone) as to be (again) fairy tale tragedy, or so comical (e.g. Riderhood and his "Alfred Davids" and "T'otherest Governor") that you almost root for the slippery fellow.
Generally, the characters were clever and lovable enough for me not to mind the cliches too much, and of course, Dickens' caricatures are a blast (until their ridiculousness gets old, as in the case of Mrs Wilfer). The skewering of Society in the form of Veneerings and Podsnappery was particularly successful. And I was fascinated by the condemnation of antisemitism in the form of kindly, ill-used Mr Riah, who was still a certain kind of stereotype perhaps; I'd love to read more about this.
Also reader beware: you *will* need a character map (there are approximately 80 characters), and be prepared for long gaps between updates in a given subplot (there are at least four major ones). It's fascinating, though, how Dickens uses descriptive nicknames, turns of phrase, and mannerisms as shorthand/memory joggers for recurring characters and set pieces. This is pretty effective (and would have been even more necessary when reading it strung over two years as a serial).
Spoiler
The wool being pulled over Bella's eyes for so long also didn't sit well with me; seemed quite patronizing--but fun for a fairy tale, I suppose. Lizzie's moral rescuing of Eugene was cliche but her physical rescuing of him was actually epic.Generally, the characters were clever and lovable enough for me not to mind the cliches too much, and of course, Dickens' caricatures are a blast (until their ridiculousness gets old, as in the case of Mrs Wilfer). The skewering of Society in the form of Veneerings and Podsnappery was particularly successful. And I was fascinated by the condemnation of antisemitism in the form of kindly, ill-used Mr Riah, who was still a certain kind of stereotype perhaps; I'd love to read more about this.
Also reader beware: you *will* need a character map (there are approximately 80 characters), and be prepared for long gaps between updates in a given subplot (there are at least four major ones). It's fascinating, though, how Dickens uses descriptive nicknames, turns of phrase, and mannerisms as shorthand/memory joggers for recurring characters and set pieces. This is pretty effective (and would have been even more necessary when reading it strung over two years as a serial).
Part 4 done. (Obviously). I have not much to say but that it was one of the best classics I've ever read. One of Dickens' best, from what I heard, and after reading this one? I can't wait to read the others. I like how this book deals with the problems, the shallowness, the silliness, the schemes, the struggles, the questions, the conspiracies, the rivalries, the visions, and the love present; which is still evident even in the present day society. One would think that since more than a century had passed since this was written (1885?) that the society, our society in general would know better by now. Somehow, the problems are still there, the shallowness and the silliness are present, the schemes and the conspiracies are still turning their full course, the questions are still left unanswered. Jealousy, crime, love are still present. Dickens, in this story, had totally captured the frailties and the strengths of the human heart. I could see my strengths in a. few characters in the story and my weaknesses in almost all of them. My prejudices and my insecurities are just all over the place lol it is a classic one should read even once in his or her life.
Oh my goodness, Dickens has done it again! How can a book written so long ago be still applicable to today and be so entertaining?
AAAHHHHH, I am going to be reading this book for the rest of my life!!
I wouldn't say this is Dickens' best book but it might be the most complex.
I feel like I made a good choice to make this my first Dickens ever
I'm sorry but I really didn't enjoy this book. I read a few reviews when I was about halfway through because I was struggling to follow the storyline. I learned that Dickens was experimenting with the form of a novel. He should have left well alone.
The book is basically a very convoluted love story involving two young couples. That's it. The rest of it is window dressing dealing with the social mores of the time.
There is another theme running through about a couple called the Veneerings who are social climbers. If you took that as a completely separate short story it might be interesting but just as you are getting to grip with the story it bounces in and I lost the plot. Quite literally.
Not one for me. I usually get irritated by the depiction of women in Dickens but he is a master storyteller and I'll move on to another I haven't read.
The book is basically a very convoluted love story involving two young couples. That's it. The rest of it is window dressing dealing with the social mores of the time.
There is another theme running through about a couple called the Veneerings who are social climbers. If you took that as a completely separate short story it might be interesting but just as you are getting to grip with the story it bounces in and I lost the plot. Quite literally.
Not one for me. I usually get irritated by the depiction of women in Dickens but he is a master storyteller and I'll move on to another I haven't read.
I listened to the Librivox version read by Mill Nicholson and everything about this was wonderful! What an amazing book! What a delightful production!
Our Mutual Friend.
More like Our Boring Friend.
This was so disappointing, I had such great expectations for this.
More like Our Boring Friend.
This was so disappointing, I had such great expectations for this.