A review by sofipitch
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I liked the first third of the book with Pip as a kid, the child logic of the narration was really entertaining. It's once Pip became an adult the story fell a little flat, it would be painfully long at times, with lots of different characters and plot points going this way and that. The way some things would get resolved too would be boring, two or three times Pip was in a really bad place and then is just magically saved by his friends. Also adult Pip is such a piece of work it really makes you wonder why these people are so kindly devoted to him. The gothic ambiance was really nice in this, I think gothic shit had been out of style in Dickens's time, but I'm glad he chose it for his stories.

I had to read this in 9th grade and I hated it, but then in 10th grade I read Tale of Two Cities and loved it, so I wondered if maybe I would like this book better once I was older. And while I don't hate it, I still don't get why this is one of Dickens'  most famous tales, Tale of Two Cities IS much better.


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