vae's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Misogyny
rozydozy's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
aotora's review against another edition
4.0
This has been on my tbr pile for so long and I finally finally finally started reading/listening to it alongside reading a few weeks ago. I have no regrets. This was an amazing book- It was long, it was hard to read at times but it was an amazing book all the same.
The characters are interesting. The story is interesting and different. I loved reading about the schools and the things that were going on inside them, I loved Ralph as a villain and I loved Nicholas as a hero. And I love that Nicholas isn't perfect- he is still very much human despite being the protagonist and he still makes some very human mistakes.
The only thing that I didn't really like about the book was how many characters were introduced in the story because I often forgot who is who and I would have to trudge back through the chapters trying to find the point where that character was introduced and trying to figure out weather they are important or not or who precisely they are.
But other than that, the story is long but great, the characters are interesting and the big reveals and the grand finale was just so satisfying to read.
The characters are interesting. The story is interesting and different. I loved reading about the schools and the things that were going on inside them, I loved Ralph as a villain and I loved Nicholas as a hero. And I love that Nicholas isn't perfect- he is still very much human despite being the protagonist and he still makes some very human mistakes.
The only thing that I didn't really like about the book was how many characters were introduced in the story because I often forgot who is who and I would have to trudge back through the chapters trying to find the point where that character was introduced and trying to figure out weather they are important or not or who precisely they are.
But other than that, the story is long but great, the characters are interesting and the big reveals and the grand finale was just so satisfying to read.
triangular_pascal's review against another edition
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Suicide and Sexual harassment
libraryofthecurlyheadedlady's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did. Let’s get into it-
jasonfurman's review against another edition
5.0
I started re-reading Nicholas Nickleby thinking it was something like my 13th or 14th favorite Dickens novel (Hard Times has an uncontestable hold on 15th, or last, place). In reading the second quarter or so that judgment felt vindicated. After the excellent last half, however, I am starting to think I was unfair. Not that there are other obvious candidates one would want to downgrade.
There is an unfair misunderstanding of Dickens that he wrote in a hurry, by the word, in serials, and that as a result his books are not well thought out integrated novels but instead one incident following another in a somewhat muddled progression. That is unfair for just about all of Dickens
There is an unfair misunderstanding of Dickens that he wrote in a hurry, by the word, in serials, and that as a result his books are not well thought out integrated novels but instead one incident following another in a somewhat muddled progression. That is unfair for just about all of Dickens
jmiae's review against another edition
3.0
Perhaps because the novel was originally released in twenty instalments, but I found I was practically dragging myself through most of the story. Although some characters, like Mr Squeers, the Mantalinis, Newman Noggs, John Browdie, and of course Sir Mulberry Hawk, were very memorable and entertaining, I found the Nicklebys to be rather bland in comparison. Perhaps I have read too much of other English literature (Ralph Nickleby is another version of Ebenezer Scrooge, and Mrs Nickleby reminded me forcibly of Jane Austen's Mrs Bennet). I wonder if I simply prefer when Charles Dickens' writes about the experiences of children rather than from a grown like Nicholas Nickleby. But beyond relatively uneventful or at least unexciting plot lines, Dickens delivers his usual insights into human nature and descriptions of 19th century London with his characteristic poetic and stylised prose, and that in itself is worth reading, to my view.
***EDIT***
Having watched the film today (the 2001 two-part version, which I think is much better than the Hollywood 2002 one), I have changed my mind a bit. I still think the plot is not as well-spun as other Dickens' works, but I really quite like Nicholas. This might be due to his resemblance (especially in the film) to someone I am very fond of.
Also, I am beginning to realise that Dickens struggled with creating well-developed female characters. They all seem rather flat; they are caricatures of different (those that are celebrated and those that are treated with derision and contempt) aspects of women. In reality, if he had combined the obvious characteristics of Fanny Squeers, Tilly Price, Madeline Bray, Kate Nickleby, and Mrs Nickleby (to name the major players) he might have managed to paint a truer portrait of the female psyche. Or at the very least a more realistic female character.
***EDIT***
Having watched the film today (the 2001 two-part version, which I think is much better than the Hollywood 2002 one), I have changed my mind a bit. I still think the plot is not as well-spun as other Dickens' works, but I really quite like Nicholas. This might be due to his resemblance (especially in the film) to someone I am very fond of.
Also, I am beginning to realise that Dickens struggled with creating well-developed female characters. They all seem rather flat; they are caricatures of different (those that are celebrated and those that are treated with derision and contempt) aspects of women. In reality, if he had combined the obvious characteristics of Fanny Squeers, Tilly Price, Madeline Bray, Kate Nickleby, and Mrs Nickleby (to name the major players) he might have managed to paint a truer portrait of the female psyche. Or at the very least a more realistic female character.
elizabethcaneday's review against another edition
5.0
This is my first time reading a full-length novel by Charles Dickens. It was a great book. Next up, David Copperfield!
cnohero's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
rachelreadwhat's review against another edition
5.0
I think this is my favorite of Dickens' novels yet.