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msrichardsreads89's review against another edition
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.
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.
tomleetang's review against another edition
3.0
Charles Dickens said on beginning this novel: "I think Chuzzlewit is a hundred points immeasurably the best of my stories." No, Mr. Dickens, no. I can see why you would think that, because the ruse is good, and the writing sparkles as ever, but you seem to get lost in setting up the scene, resulting in a meandering, aimless start. It has happened to the best of writers, this trap of becoming so enamoured of an idea that they keep spinning it out, only to get entangled in their own web before they manage to catch anything good.
Dickens' contemporary public seems to have felt the same way as myself, resulting in a sharp plot change, sending Martin Chuzzlewit to America. And oh boy, does Dickens hate America. He loads up his irony shotgun and blasts both barrels into the heart of the USA, shooting down what he saw as a land mired in hypocrisy and obsessed with money.
Of course, these concerns have always been the stuff of Dickens narrative, and he often wrote about England in relation to these themes, but what seems to pique the author most is the spouting of 'land of the free, home of the brave' sentiments when the bitterness of slavery and the ethically dubious pursuit of the almighty dollar confront him at every turn.
"I reckon that they are made of pretty much the same stuff as other folks, if they would but own it, and not set up false pretences," as Mark Tapley sums up the situation.
And yet, for all it's amusing satire, how silly the whole American escapade is:
Fortunately, the American sojourn is only half the story. The other half, containing the alcoholic nurse Mrs Gamp and the insidious faux servility of Seth Pecksniff, is the stuff of great Dickens.
Even though this novel is not among Dickens' best, I still marvelled as ever at his incredible, inimitable use of language; his seemingly effortless ability to magic up endless parades of fantastical similes and metaphors; the way his syntax can be wielded as a weapon to make the reader laugh or weep. I felt desperately sad to realise this is the last Dickens novel I shall ever come to with a fresh eye.
Dickens' contemporary public seems to have felt the same way as myself, resulting in a sharp plot change, sending Martin Chuzzlewit to America. And oh boy, does Dickens hate America. He loads up his irony shotgun and blasts both barrels into the heart of the USA, shooting down what he saw as a land mired in hypocrisy and obsessed with money.
Of course, these concerns have always been the stuff of Dickens narrative, and he often wrote about England in relation to these themes, but what seems to pique the author most is the spouting of 'land of the free, home of the brave' sentiments when the bitterness of slavery and the ethically dubious pursuit of the almighty dollar confront him at every turn.
"I reckon that they are made of pretty much the same stuff as other folks, if they would but own it, and not set up false pretences," as Mark Tapley sums up the situation.
And yet, for all it's amusing satire, how silly the whole American escapade is:
Spoiler
Martin and Mark get there, get swindled, go into the wilderness for a bit, then turn right back around for England, vowing to warn their countrymen against emigration. America is for the Americans, for only they can stand to be in it, would be an accurate way of paraphrasing the whole affair.Fortunately, the American sojourn is only half the story. The other half, containing the alcoholic nurse Mrs Gamp and the insidious faux servility of Seth Pecksniff, is the stuff of great Dickens.
Even though this novel is not among Dickens' best, I still marvelled as ever at his incredible, inimitable use of language; his seemingly effortless ability to magic up endless parades of fantastical similes and metaphors; the way his syntax can be wielded as a weapon to make the reader laugh or weep. I felt desperately sad to realise this is the last Dickens novel I shall ever come to with a fresh eye.
stjernesvarme's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
davidsandilands's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
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
3.75
helgamharb's review against another edition
5.0
A tale of hypocrisy, greed, selfishness and evil versus kindness, love and generosity. As always, each and every character has a major and important role in the story and is never forgotten. As always every person, every scene, every smell and every object is described so vividly, that one can picture it in one's mind.
shareen17's review against another edition
2.0
It took me nine months to finish this book, which tells a little something about how gripping I found it. Despite some vivid description and quirky characters, this is my least favorite Dickens book. The humor, satire, and Important Messages are all so heavy-handed. And if I were his editor, I could easily cut at least 300 pages out of this novel. Sacrilege, I know.
nadaoq's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
cat_queen005's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
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? No
2.5