jillkahnwald's review against another edition
4.0
This book is certainly not one of Charles Dickens' most popular or beloved novels, but overall I think it falls solidly in the middle. The plot is disjointed and some of the plot seems unnecessary to the story, although a relatively humorous diversion. The title is a bit misleading and could as easily have been called Tom Pinch. I thought this book was better than Oliver Twist and Hard Times, though obviously not as good as David Copperfield, Great Expectations, or A Tale of Two Cities.
portlandcat's review against another edition
3.0
This is what happens when you pay authors by the word.
steven_nobody's review against another edition
5.0
2012 was my year of reading Dickens in order, and it was immediately obvious this was leagues ahead of everything previous. First, Dickens wrote some awesome and beautiful descriptions of nature. Then the amazing cast of comic characters are Dickens' best in that line: the hypocrite Pecksmith, his daughters, and that drunk Sairey Gamp. I really like the American chapters despite much of it being a swindle-plot, and that is my least favorite plot type in any novel. I love the murder plot in the second half of the book and am amazed at the depth of psychology presented there. However, there are some dreadful character-types who would still plague Dickens' later novels, viz the sickeningly bland lovers. In this novel there are no less than three sets of them! That's why in this reading I skipped those parts, and have lost nothing in enjoymen
annadixon76's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
andriella's review against another edition
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? No
3.0
kiri_johnston's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
mia_48419's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
sashshearman's review against another edition
2.0
I tried and tried and tried to enjoy this book, but I just didn't care and ended up putting it down just as Martin C is about to get hoodwinked by an American con-man.
I love much of Dickens writing; Bleak House, Our Mutual Friend and Great Expectations are some of my favorite novels. But MC left me cold. The characters were too black and white, even for Dickens and the story meandered here and there and there was little tension. He was brutal about America and Americans, they were either con artists or snobbish hypocrites. The English characters fared better, most of them were just hypocrites.
Dickens loved this most of all his books and thought it the best of his novels. His readers, at the time it was published in serial form, disagreed. So do I.
I love much of Dickens writing; Bleak House, Our Mutual Friend and Great Expectations are some of my favorite novels. But MC left me cold. The characters were too black and white, even for Dickens and the story meandered here and there and there was little tension. He was brutal about America and Americans, they were either con artists or snobbish hypocrites. The English characters fared better, most of them were just hypocrites.
Dickens loved this most of all his books and thought it the best of his novels. His readers, at the time it was published in serial form, disagreed. So do I.