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isobelline 's review for:
Our Mutual Friend
by Charles Dickens
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The psychological Dickens
Gods have heard my prayers, dear whoever reads this review. And after all the turmoil I finally managed to once again enjoy a Dickens novel! Hallelujah! It is a real miracle.
Our Mutual Friend is by far the most psychological of Dickens' novels and I am 100% here for it. I actually related to its characters, felt that I understand them and what they are going through. The female characters (almost) didn't make me want to bash my head into a wall (loved Bella Wilfer and especially Jenny Wren, but, by god, Lizzie Hexam is less interesting than a piece of toast)! Bradley Headstone was a particular highlight for me character-wise - he is incredibly sinister without being a moustache-twirling villain. He is so real! And that's why he's so terrifying! The subplot with the Lammles was also highly entertaining - I'd like to read an entire book about them and their exploits.
I guess I liked it much better than previous novels because it is far less didactic. However, one thing I didn't like wasthe plot twist with Mr Boffin, when it turned out that he wasn't really corrupted by wealth he was just doing all of these things to test Bella and to make her understand that money isn't everything . Like, what? That's insanely convoluted and highly unrealistic.
All in all, and I can't believe I'm finally saying this, I'm glad I read it! Wow! Too bad that it's the last novel that he finished. There's still Edwin Drood, though.
Gods have heard my prayers, dear whoever reads this review. And after all the turmoil I finally managed to once again enjoy a Dickens novel! Hallelujah! It is a real miracle.
Our Mutual Friend is by far the most psychological of Dickens' novels and I am 100% here for it. I actually related to its characters, felt that I understand them and what they are going through. The female characters (almost) didn't make me want to bash my head into a wall (loved Bella Wilfer and especially Jenny Wren, but, by god, Lizzie Hexam is less interesting than a piece of toast)! Bradley Headstone was a particular highlight for me character-wise - he is incredibly sinister without being a moustache-twirling villain. He is so real! And that's why he's so terrifying! The subplot with the Lammles was also highly entertaining - I'd like to read an entire book about them and their exploits.
I guess I liked it much better than previous novels because it is far less didactic. However, one thing I didn't like was
All in all, and I can't believe I'm finally saying this, I'm glad I read it! Wow! Too bad that it's the last novel that he finished. There's still Edwin Drood, though.