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A review by violetturtledove
Barnaby Rudge: a tale of the Riots of 'eighty by Charles Dickens
dark
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
What a strange book to try to sum up! I'll start by saying that I've only ever read 'a Christmas Carol' so i have no idea whether the aspects I'm mentioning are typical of Dickens or out of character for him.
Speaking of characters, they are a mixed lot and the first half of the book seems to be setting up a sort of comedy of errors, with such amusing figures as the pontificating landlord, the overzealous maid, the self-important 'prentice, etc. Everyone is plotting and scheming and it's a bit difficult to keep track of, but it's fairly entertaining.
Then the book skips five years, and it feels a bit disjointed as the second half of the book focuses on much more serious matters (but still with amusing and very well-observed examples of human nature and mob mentality).
Everything wraps up neatly at the end, although with a lot of moralising. The plot was entertaining enough, and I did find myself quite 'Gripped' by the end, but honestly the high point for me was the quirky characters who could easily have fitted into a different story.
Speaking of characters, they are a mixed lot and the first half of the book seems to be setting up a sort of comedy of errors, with such amusing figures as the pontificating landlord, the overzealous maid, the self-important 'prentice, etc. Everyone is plotting and scheming and it's a bit difficult to keep track of, but it's fairly entertaining.
Then the book skips five years, and it feels a bit disjointed as the second half of the book focuses on much more serious matters (but still with amusing and very well-observed examples of human nature and mob mentality).
Everything wraps up neatly at the end, although with a lot of moralising. The plot was entertaining enough, and I did find myself quite 'Gripped' by the end, but honestly the high point for me was the quirky characters who could easily have fitted into a different story.