yrlaevelyn's review against another edition
funny
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Racism, Medical trauma, Racial slurs, Death, Child abuse, Violence, and Grief
e_r_q's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
"Moths and all sorts of ugly creatures hover around a lighted candle. Can the candle help it?"
It is apparently only a myth that Charles Dickens was paid by the word to write his novels. But after reading Great Expectations, I wouldn't be surprised if that myth were actually the truth.
Although Dickens' witty writing initially engaged and entertained me for the first third of the novel, the rest of the book is written so superfluously, meaning it is extremely difficult to engage with the narrative. Worse still, the narrative itself is excessively drawn out, with some lifeless characters (who feel for the most part like plot devices), obvious themes and seemingly very little to say overall. There are also some plot beats that feel frustratingly convoluted, and overly-rely on coincidences and conveniences.
There are the foundations of some good stuff here, but everything is so under-explored whilst simultaneously being unnecessarily long. In short, it is a chore to get through.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Death and Death of parent
samantha_2023's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse and Domestic abuse
ladyrecordia's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Some books are meant to be devoured, but this one? No, this one needs to be chewed and digested slowly. If you can muster the herculean stamina required to make it through Great Expectations, you'll be rewarded with glimmers of beautiful, heartbreaking prose that will stay with you forever. Pip, though he is not overly loveable, is deeply human at his core, and learns the hard way what matters most in life. Joe is by far my favorite character, owing to his good nature and surprising moments of innate wisdom. Careful! If you're not paying attention, you might miss it, and you really don't want to pass them by.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse, Classism, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Violence
baybod's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I think I would’ve enjoyed this better if I didn’t have a five day break in reading due to moving out of school and coming home absolutely exhausted. However, I really appreciated the way Dickens approached wealth and class structures. While specific to his time, the exposure of classism in society and the idea that wealth can corrupt good people and strain meaningful relationships is timeless. I really like that we get to see Pips constant struggle with how his wealth has changed him for the worse, how unhappy he becomes in leaving the people he loved for “great expectations,” and yet how he cannot seem to stop these changes from happening. This is mirrored in his romantic endeavors. Biddy represents the simple, yet pleasant and respectable life Pip would have had as Joes apprentice and Estella the life of wealth he comes into with his great expectations. With Biddy, he is able to be himself and in return she makes him a better person. With Estella he is instilled with a sense of self loathing and finds himself miserable in her presence. Pip realizes early on in his journey that he would have been happier living the life he originally planned with Joe, but cannot go back and have it. I was sad to see Pip’s relationship with Joe diminish over the course of the novel, but the redemption arc came together nicely. Altogether I would say that this book is worth reading, but it’s not at the top of the list of things I would recommend to someone.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
lazycycle's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-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
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Classism, Death, Mental illness, Stalking, Grief, and Physical abuse
Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Bullying
solouncapitulomas's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
"You are part of my existence, part of myself. You have been in every line I have ever read, since I first came here, the rough common boy whose poor heart you wounded even then. You have been in every prospect I have ever seen since – on the river, on the sails of the ships, on the marshes, in the clouds, in the light, in the darkness, in the wind, in the woods, in the sea, in the streets. You have been the embodiment of every graceful fancy that my mind has ever become acquainted with. The stones of which the strongest London buildings are made, are not more real, or more impossible to displace with your hands, than your presence and influence have been to me, there and everywhere, and will be. Estella, to the last hour of my life, you cannot choose but remain part of my character, part of the little good in me, part of the evil."
I read the book bc of this quote (and another one but mainly this one)
the rating if actually 4.6
I read the book bc of this quote (and another one but mainly this one)
the rating if actually 4.6
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Racial slurs
saskia6's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.25
this book has an interesting plot and characters, but feels quite long and isn’t very well written. and by that i mean to say that the writing style isn’t engaging, and it could be a lot shorter - there are lots of parts that are included seemingly for no reason, that don’t further the plot at all.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Child abuse
Minor: Terminal illness
benblackwell's review
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism
Minor: Colonisation, Death, Domestic abuse, Violence, and Child abuse
catherinedsharp's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
DISCLAIMER - I read this text as a set text for university meaning I did not pick this up for myself. It does not fit my usual reading selection so my review may be rather biased.
I read this book when I was younger and my thoughts have not changed much on it, although I certainly remember much more of the text. The plot of this text is somewhat interesting; it does have some drama and an air of mystery surrounding it, yet all of this overshadowed by Dickens' writing style.
For a little bit of historical context, Dickens first published this text in a magazine of his and was therefore paid by each line he wrote. The consequence is that his writing style is often very long-winded and complex. Personally I found this rather difficult to get on with, and so listened to the audiobook at 3.0x speed whilst reading along myself. This made it a little more manageable but I still struggled with the text and how it was written.
In summary, the plot is somewhat interesting but not necessarily something I would pick out to read/finish, if this was not a university text for me. Additionally, this has made me realise that the writing style of Dickens is not that which I enjoy yet is still an interesting one to analyse nonetheless.
I read this book when I was younger and my thoughts have not changed much on it, although I certainly remember much more of the text. The plot of this text is somewhat interesting; it does have some drama and an air of mystery surrounding it, yet all of this overshadowed by Dickens' writing style.
For a little bit of historical context, Dickens first published this text in a magazine of his and was therefore paid by each line he wrote. The consequence is that his writing style is often very long-winded and complex. Personally I found this rather difficult to get on with, and so listened to the audiobook at 3.0x speed whilst reading along myself. This made it a little more manageable but I still struggled with the text and how it was written.
In summary, the plot is somewhat interesting but not necessarily something I would pick out to read/finish, if this was not a university text for me. Additionally, this has made me realise that the writing style of Dickens is not that which I enjoy yet is still an interesting one to analyse nonetheless.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Colonisation, Death of parent, Grief, and Classism
Minor: Alcohol and Injury/Injury detail