A review by ohizzie
The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens

funny lighthearted slow-paced

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

4.0

and everyone cheered!!!!! i finally finished it 😭 i think this is the longest it’s ever taken me to read a book and i’m honestly kinda proud for persevering through it. i’m not gonna lie it was very much a struggle at the beginning. the writing style and the vocabulary, and even the structure of the plot was so completely different to anything i’d ever read before that i found it quite difficult to get into. but once i’d gotten used to everything i found myself really enjoying it!! i still struggled to read more than a couple chapters a day but that’s okay!!! the characters i think were really the shining stars of this novel. genuinely, they’re so endearing and funny and there’s so many moments that stand out. especially with sam weller and his father, it was hilarious. the plot was slightly too wandering and winding for me, it just seemed all over the place and didn’t really seem to have much of a plan (which i do understand was kind of the point, but that doesn’t mean it was any easier for me to follow). however, i did enjoy how all the characters returned and came together at the end, and everything made sense then - i really did enjoy the ending immensely. although i do have to admit i’d forgotten who some of the characters were, there’s just too many of them!!!! but everyone getting their happy ending was wonderful. and mr pickwick going for a ‘family reunion’ to dingley dell every christmas!!!! everything to me quite frankly. one of my favourite parts was seeing the pickwickians going all over england, and especially to places where i love and work!!! seeing those places where i spend so much time through the eyes of Dickens was so much fun - i loved his reimagining of the story of prince bladud too! the little short stories sprinkled throughout were brilliant too. overall, despite the slightly rocky start, and the somewhat meandering plot, this was a very enjoyable read. and something i’m very glad i took on, as i think it was a great challenge for me and it gave so much back to me also. i very much enjoyed chatting to harry about it as well!! a great time overall :D 

(sam and mr pickwick are everything to me. the last chapter got me good)