A review by abrswf
The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens

4.0

This charming classic has many of my favorite Dickens features: vivid and unforgettable characters, a memorable plot, and sharply drawn depictions of England during the industrial revolution. Nell is the weak point. That Dickens centered his story on an ordinary child was revolutionary in his time but not so now, and Nell has no substance as a plausible human being — she’s so good and long suffering that she’s completely unbelievable. One star off for Nell. Otherwise this book, loaded with humor and cynicism and genuine fondness for rural England, is a triumph. And the illustrations are an absolute delight.