A review by msrichardsreads89
Martin Chuzzlewit by Charles Dickens

adventurous emotional funny reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

 Martin Chuzzlewit, Senior is tired of his greedy relatives, so he disinherits everyone, including his grandson, Martin Chuzzlewit, leaving him to make his own way in the world. We also follow a cast of other characters including the hypocritical Mr. Pecksniff, the genuinely good Tom Pinch, Mr. Pecksniff's daughters, Merry and Charity, and their cousin, the devious Jonas Chuzzlewit. This wide array of characters added so much life to this novel! They are witty and nuanced and get into the most dramatic and funny situations.

Dickens's satirical portrayal of America really struck me as I was reading this book because while it may have been hyperbolic at the time, many of the things he comments on are so accurate and very thought provoking. He also reflects on England and how members of society are treated.

"What is substantially true of families in this respect, is true of a whole commonwealth. As we sow, we reap. Let the reader go to the children's side of any prison in England, or, I grieve to add, of many workhouses, and judge whether those are monsters who disgrace our streets, people our hulks and penitentiaries, and overcrowd our penal colonies, or are creatures whom we have deliberately suffered to be bred for misery and ruin."

This is a theme explored in other Dickens novels, and one that is worth repetitive reflection. That being said, the American storyline would have been just as impactful if it had been significantly shorter, and most of the the Americans depicted were one dimensional and lacked nuance.

I really enjoyed the exploration of selfishness and how, to quote the author himself, "selfishness propagates itself; and to what a grim giant it may grow, to small beginnings." He explores rather well how selfishness permeates society as a whole and how society is dominated by greed. Dickens also includes murder, blackmail, hidden identities, and fraud in the various plotline and keeps the reader on their toes.

The characters were some of my favorite parts of this book. The cinnamon roll, Tom Pinch, is my favorite character. He is so genuinely kind and unassuming. Mark Tapley is another wonderful character who is just so jolly and wonderful. There is also Mr. Mould, the undertaker, who has a smile on his face until he reminds himself to act grim at funerals, and Mrs. Gamp, the lover of drink and the midwife was always a hoot.

Dickens is fantastic at writing characters that evoke emotions from the reader. Anytime something terrible happened to Tom, my heart hurt for him. Whereas any time the villain came on the page, my heart raced in frustration at his actions and motivations.

I was so pleasantly surprised at how much I loved this, and the aspect that really drew me in was the humor. This is such a witty novel, and I highlighted so many funny passages.

"She may have tried to disengage her hand, but might as well have tried to free herself from the embrace of an affectionate boa constrictor."

I buddy read this with friends, and we had such a good time sharing funny quotes and scenes.

It has been an interesting journey to read Dickens's novels in publication order because I can see how he improves as a writer. Each novel has its strengths, but I feel like Dickens improves those qualities in the next one, at least so far, such as the humor from The Pickwick Papers or the romantic elements in Nicholas Nickleby. However, despite its few faults, Martin Chuzzlewit won me over with its humor, vivacious characters, and compellingly readable plot.