charlie_knots's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jthegreat's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
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? Yes
4.5
turrean's review against another edition
4.0
Too bad the reader must put up with Little Nell to enjoy Dick Swiveller.
kecb12's review against another edition
4.0
I wavered back and forth between 3 and 4 stars, but in the end I went with 4 because it’s Dickens and his characters are worth the extra star. This will not go down as my favorite Dickens book. It’s alright, but it seems to be missing the usual cohesiveness of a Dickens story. Oh, sure, everything comes together in the end, but I didn’t feel a strong sense of “THIS is what this book is about”. In fact, I’m not sure what message we are supposed to take from this book. The good characters are SO good and the bad characters are SO bad and the characters who seem to fall in the middle end up taking a side in the end. This was an overly-simplified story and set of characters for Dickens. But that being said, I still can respect the characters Dickens creates. Quilp is the worst character I’ve ever read. He’s awful. Dick Swiveller shows an interesting growth arc. But so many other characters are sort of flat and uninteresting, which is not typical Dickens. Overall, I enjoy Dickens’ writing style and humor, so I still enjoyed the book, but I wouldn’t reread this one.
austenheroineinprogress's review against another edition
dark
emotional
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
3.0
foreverday's review against another edition
3.0
Review for the Purnell abridged version:
This book was simulantaneously one I didn't particularly enjoy, while also being one I think is well written. The characters and observations about human nature make it worthwhile reading, but not gripping.
It was my first Dickens, and I liked his prose but not the plot. It generally landed on the depressing side of life, with limited moments of lightheartedness or even the characters having an acceptable time. I left it alone many months before forcing myself to finish it. I didn't not enjoy the experience of reading it while I was reading, but I was never so engrossed as to want to rush back to it. I only found out that I read the abridged version (~215 pages) when looking for the edition, so I don't know what aspects I might be missing, but I did not enjoy it enough to go hunting for the ~600 page version. The bulk of the book being a pair meandering with no destination and falling into various depressing situations was not to my taste.
Also, possibly because I left so many months between coming back to it, I found it hard to keep track of who everyone was. I did however, like that every loose end was tied up at the end. However, I didn't have any emotional connection to anyone.
There was one singular event that truly struck me while reading, which was Nell hearing someone coming in at night to steal something, only to turn and find out the thief is her own grandfather. That scene hit perfectly- the initial horror of something scary in the night and which then morphs into the horror of human weakness, being taken advantage of by someone who should love you and is simulataneously something to be feared and pitied. The scene hit truly in a way the rest of the book didn't.
This book was simulantaneously one I didn't particularly enjoy, while also being one I think is well written. The characters and observations about human nature make it worthwhile reading, but not gripping.
It was my first Dickens, and I liked his prose but not the plot. It generally landed on the depressing side of life, with limited moments of lightheartedness or even the characters having an acceptable time. I left it alone many months before forcing myself to finish it. I didn't not enjoy the experience of reading it while I was reading, but I was never so engrossed as to want to rush back to it. I only found out that I read the abridged version (~215 pages) when looking for the edition, so I don't know what aspects I might be missing, but I did not enjoy it enough to go hunting for the ~600 page version. The bulk of the book being a pair meandering with no destination and falling into various depressing situations was not to my taste.
Also, possibly because I left so many months between coming back to it, I found it hard to keep track of who everyone was. I did however, like that every loose end was tied up at the end. However,
Spoiler
one character dies at the end, and I was mildly disappointed but not truly sad becauseThere was one singular event that truly struck me while reading, which was Nell hearing someone coming in at night to steal something, only to turn and find out the thief is her own grandfather. That scene hit perfectly- the initial horror of something scary in the night and which then morphs into the horror of human weakness, being taken advantage of by someone who should love you and is simulataneously something to be feared and pitied. The scene hit truly in a way the rest of the book didn't.
novellenovels's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
nouraalz's review against another edition
3.0
This novel is probably took me the longest to read, it's not that it's unbelievably long, my version had 65 chapters and like 4-6 pages each. I didn't read it daily, so probably that's why it took me this long and I have enjoyed it. I love classics in general and I liked the plot too.
jeep8read's review against another edition
3.0
I didn't like it. It seemed endless.
I know it's a classic and styles of our differing times are very different, and it is Dickens! Had it not been for a book club, I would have quit early on. The few likeable characters contrast with numerous con-men and one truly diabolical villain overwhelming the endless narrative. I'm glad it's finished.
I know it's a classic and styles of our differing times are very different, and it is Dickens! Had it not been for a book club, I would have quit early on. The few likeable characters contrast with numerous con-men and one truly diabolical villain overwhelming the endless narrative. I'm glad it's finished.