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A review by bookomens
Hard Times by Charles Dickens
5.0
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I get why people are so obsessed with Dickens now. Before getting any further, I would like to remark that it is best to step into the book knowing nothing about it except for the themes, which pretty much excellently summed up by the opening line of Goodread's synopsis. The plot is not twist-and-turn but the characters and messages are better delivered this way, I think.
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Like many other readers, my favourite things about Dickens (this book particularly) are his writing and his characters. So reading into characters reviews may give away lots of the pleasure in having Dickens unravelling them to us along the book. Despite being a plot reader, I am not bothered by the very simple plot as I figured the characters are the real plot of the book (though I did expect someone to die and so surprise when no one did). The writing is absolutely pleasant, even for someone who is not native speaker or have English lit. Now, the characters:
- Louisa is my favourite character, as perhaps also most people's. But my favourite thing about her is how Dickens treated her in this book, with delicacy and such gentle care. She is a typical helpless and sad female character in the time having no control or joy from her life. Her sadness feels so truthful and real so as to whenever Dickens described her states, he did so with utmost respects and not just pitiful.
- The whelp, Bounderby, and Mrs. Sparsit all represent different types of despicable that I absolutely hate. But that is the whole point. I think that it is hard for me to say that these characters entertain me in a humorous or any positive way, but rather reminders for me of various models that I encountered in real life and will still need to encounter in the future, which makes me so dreadful yet I still like these touch of reality to be honest.
- Other characters all have their moments and in one way or another, the story aids our empathy towards them at the end. I remember there were several moments when I have to recount how miserable Stephen's life is.
Overall, although I have only read 2 Dickens but perhaps no other Dickens can top this since to some extents it is very personal to me. Regardless, I have finally overcome my fear of classics, especially Dickens, so that's a good thing.
Recommended! Even if you are not a hardcore Dickens fan or have never read any of his book, fear not and pick it!
I get why people are so obsessed with Dickens now. Before getting any further, I would like to remark that it is best to step into the book knowing nothing about it except for the themes, which pretty much excellently summed up by the opening line of Goodread's synopsis. The plot is not twist-and-turn but the characters and messages are better delivered this way, I think.
-------
Like many other readers, my favourite things about Dickens (this book particularly) are his writing and his characters. So reading into characters reviews may give away lots of the pleasure in having Dickens unravelling them to us along the book. Despite being a plot reader, I am not bothered by the very simple plot as I figured the characters are the real plot of the book (though I did expect someone to die and so surprise when no one did). The writing is absolutely pleasant, even for someone who is not native speaker or have English lit. Now, the characters:
- Louisa is my favourite character, as perhaps also most people's. But my favourite thing about her is how Dickens treated her in this book, with delicacy and such gentle care. She is a typical helpless and sad female character in the time having no control or joy from her life. Her sadness feels so truthful and real so as to whenever Dickens described her states, he did so with utmost respects and not just pitiful.
- The whelp, Bounderby, and Mrs. Sparsit all represent different types of despicable that I absolutely hate. But that is the whole point. I think that it is hard for me to say that these characters entertain me in a humorous or any positive way, but rather reminders for me of various models that I encountered in real life and will still need to encounter in the future, which makes me so dreadful yet I still like these touch of reality to be honest.
- Other characters all have their moments and in one way or another, the story aids our empathy towards them at the end. I remember there were several moments when I have to recount how miserable Stephen's life is.
Overall, although I have only read 2 Dickens but perhaps no other Dickens can top this since to some extents it is very personal to me. Regardless, I have finally overcome my fear of classics, especially Dickens, so that's a good thing.
Recommended! Even if you are not a hardcore Dickens fan or have never read any of his book, fear not and pick it!