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loyaultemelie's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
This book is a difficult one for me to review. Because despite the fact that I highly enjoyed it, found the prose engaging, and the plot enjoyable, it took me forever to read this book. Moby Dick, for comparison, took me two weeks to read. This one took me a month.
I also have to admit, this is not Dicken's best work, as much as I enjoyed it. Moreso than the Pickwick Papers and Oliver Twist, this book exhibits the difficulties of serialization. The biggest example of this to me isKate Nickleby's and Madeline Bray's almost identical plot points. It's a little funny to me that as soon as Madeline enters the fray Kate's lecherous suitor is promptly dispatched so that Nicholas might rescue Madeline from her own lecherous suitor. Both of these suitors, of course, are in concert with Ralph Nickleby, which makes it even more ridiculous. I really do think in this case Dickens would have been better focusing on Kate for the plot involving press-ganging into marriage. Madeline could have simply been a poor girl looking for work whom the Brothers Cheeryble helped, and with whom Nicholas fell in love. There isn't even a question as to Nicholas' poverty, since he becomes a partner of the Cheerybles. Really, I think this was a time when Dicken's youth was on show. The lack of foresight in this kind of plotting is funny, but also is distinctly a shortcoming.
There were other things too. This book is a sort of combination of the Pickwick Papers and Oliver Twist, and this really shows in the loose nature of plot points, fighting against a larger story. There are certain parts of this book which obviously had a lot of forethought put into it. But other parts feel a little, incongruous, and some of the larger themes of the book itself are shunted in favor of Nicholas' various adventure. This meant for me a lull period in the middle, when I was reading maybe 50 pages a day instead of my usual 100.
You may be wondering - okay, if this is all true, why are you rating this book so high? Because it's Dickens! Because Dickens is a master prose writer, and even when things are going slowly, the reader is still being carried by a love, very evocative writing style. And because when the plot kicked in and Dickens wants to make it count, it really does count. Both in terms of moments of drama, and in more general terms. I've read a lot of books with creepy men in them, but rarely have I been so uncomfortable as when reading Mulberry Hawk and Arthur Gride's dialogue about the respective women they harass. This book so far of all the ones I've read reminded me the most of why Dostoevsky was so inspired by and affected by Dickens. In the more serious parts, Nicholas Nickleby makes for a rather devastating read.
If I had to rate this book solely based on skill it would likely be 3/5. But because I did enjoy it so much, I'm giving it a rating hike. I probably won't read another Dickens for a couple of months - I still have some Christmas stories to get through, and I probably won't read another novel of his for about a year like last time - but I look forward to the next with as much pleasure as I started this book with.
I also have to admit, this is not Dicken's best work, as much as I enjoyed it. Moreso than the Pickwick Papers and Oliver Twist, this book exhibits the difficulties of serialization. The biggest example of this to me is
There were other things too. This book is a sort of combination of the Pickwick Papers and Oliver Twist, and this really shows in the loose nature of plot points, fighting against a larger story. There are certain parts of this book which obviously had a lot of forethought put into it. But other parts feel a little, incongruous, and some of the larger themes of the book itself are shunted in favor of Nicholas' various adventure. This meant for me a lull period in the middle, when I was reading maybe 50 pages a day instead of my usual 100.
You may be wondering - okay, if this is all true, why are you rating this book so high? Because it's Dickens! Because Dickens is a master prose writer, and even when things are going slowly, the reader is still being carried by a love, very evocative writing style. And because when the plot kicked in and Dickens wants to make it count, it really does count. Both in terms of moments of drama, and in more general terms. I've read a lot of books with creepy men in them, but rarely have I been so uncomfortable as when reading Mulberry Hawk and Arthur Gride's dialogue about the respective women they harass. This book so far of all the ones I've read reminded me the most of why Dostoevsky was so inspired by and affected by Dickens. In the more serious parts, Nicholas Nickleby makes for a rather devastating read.
If I had to rate this book solely based on skill it would likely be 3/5. But because I did enjoy it so much, I'm giving it a rating hike. I probably won't read another Dickens for a couple of months - I still have some Christmas stories to get through, and I probably won't read another novel of his for about a year like last time - but I look forward to the next with as much pleasure as I started this book with.
nickleby_shepherd's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.0
13delathauwere's review
challenging
hopeful
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
4.0
blueyorkie's review against another edition
3.0
Why classify this novel in children's literature? I am not convinced that this is the category that corresponds. Getting into this novel took me a while because we did not understand the style immediately. Will there be several adventures utterly independent of each other? As the chapters read, since, in the end, they are chapters, we realize that there will be a continuous story and that all these little adventures lead to a final scene. Characters continually add, and remembering the good ones is not always easy (those who will return in the following pages). Still, after a few returns and some memory efforts, one settles well in the London of Mr. Pickwick and Pickwickians, and we enjoy their adventures. We laugh all the way and never get bored.
thoko555's review against another edition
4.0
Found the first half slow and I struggled to get into it. Really enjoyed the second half
oz617's review against another edition
1.0
Looking up necromancy techniques so I can resurrect Mr Dickens and clobber him over the head with this brick of a novel. My new literary arch nemesis. The one good thing I can say about this is that you could make a fairly interesting queer and/or feminist reading of some of the side characters, but I have no idea why you’d put yourself through such a thing rather than analysing a better (and shorter) book.
eclecticlittleadventures's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
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
5.0
happylilkt's review
5.0
4.5 Stars
Oh, Dickens.... I read [b:Great Expectations|2623|Great Expectations|Charles Dickens|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327920219l/2623._SY75_.jpg|2612809] my first year of high school and it was not bad but it was not amazing for me like it is for some Dickens fans*, but then sometime as a young adult (after I watched the BBC film of David Copperfield with a young Daniel Radcliffe, Bob Hoskins, Maggie Smith, et al) I decided to read [b:David Copperfield|58696|David Copperfield|Charles Dickens|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1461452762l/58696._SY75_.jpg|4711940] and found myself on a Dickens binge with [b:A Tale of Two Cities|1953|A Tale of Two Cities|Charles Dickens|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1344922523l/1953._SY75_.jpg|2956372], [b:Hard Times|5344|Hard Times|Charles Dickens|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348651243l/5344._SX50_.jpg|6751955], and [b:Oliver Twist|18254|Oliver Twist|Charles Dickens|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327868529l/18254._SY75_.jpg|3057979]. But the latter was my least favorite and I must have moved on. Since then I've read [b:A Christmas Carol|5326|A Christmas Carol|Charles Dickens|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1406512317l/5326._SY75_.jpg|3097440] a few times and, honestly, felt that I had ticked the Dickens box, if you know what I mean? I still reread A Christmas Carol and David Copperfield (and A Tale of Two Cities) because they are just so wonderful, but not sure I felt the need to read more. I mean, who reads EVERY Dickens book...?**
And so it stood. But then one of the most enduring and endearing book clubs I have been a part of elected [b:Nicholas Nickleby|325085|Nicholas Nickleby|Charles Dickens|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1352758388l/325085._SY75_.jpg|4993095] for our December/January read. Shame on me for doubting you, Charles Dickens! I was reminded of why he and [a:Jane Austen|1265|Jane Austen|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1588941810p2/1265.jpg] are the master and mistress of amusing side-characters. Yes, Dickens makes his heroes perfect and his villains the worst; yes, everything is very episodic (hello, serials!), amusing, and at times sentimentally tragic. But I am not embarrassed to say that I laughed, I cried, and I bored my husband by reading passages aloud (tip: it's not usually entertaining for those who haven't been reading with you).
yearbook notes for my favorite characters:
Mrs. Nickleby, you got me shaking my head. John Browdie, you are the best that Yorkshire could ever offer. Tim, may your heavenly ledgers be legible and accurate. Newman Noggs and Smike, you both have my heart!
*I think it's kind of like Wuthering Heights. Some love it and others don't really get it. For me, it's Jane Eyre and David Copperfield. Sorry, Pip.
**I'm not committing myself or anything, but I will now freely acknowledge that it could happen to me.
Oh, Dickens.... I read [b:Great Expectations|2623|Great Expectations|Charles Dickens|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327920219l/2623._SY75_.jpg|2612809] my first year of high school and it was not bad but it was not amazing for me like it is for some Dickens fans*, but then sometime as a young adult (after I watched the BBC film of David Copperfield with a young Daniel Radcliffe, Bob Hoskins, Maggie Smith, et al) I decided to read [b:David Copperfield|58696|David Copperfield|Charles Dickens|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1461452762l/58696._SY75_.jpg|4711940] and found myself on a Dickens binge with [b:A Tale of Two Cities|1953|A Tale of Two Cities|Charles Dickens|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1344922523l/1953._SY75_.jpg|2956372], [b:Hard Times|5344|Hard Times|Charles Dickens|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348651243l/5344._SX50_.jpg|6751955], and [b:Oliver Twist|18254|Oliver Twist|Charles Dickens|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327868529l/18254._SY75_.jpg|3057979]. But the latter was my least favorite and I must have moved on. Since then I've read [b:A Christmas Carol|5326|A Christmas Carol|Charles Dickens|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1406512317l/5326._SY75_.jpg|3097440] a few times and, honestly, felt that I had ticked the Dickens box, if you know what I mean? I still reread A Christmas Carol and David Copperfield (and A Tale of Two Cities) because they are just so wonderful, but not sure I felt the need to read more. I mean, who reads EVERY Dickens book...?**
And so it stood. But then one of the most enduring and endearing book clubs I have been a part of elected [b:Nicholas Nickleby|325085|Nicholas Nickleby|Charles Dickens|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1352758388l/325085._SY75_.jpg|4993095] for our December/January read. Shame on me for doubting you, Charles Dickens! I was reminded of why he and [a:Jane Austen|1265|Jane Austen|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1588941810p2/1265.jpg] are the master and mistress of amusing side-characters. Yes, Dickens makes his heroes perfect and his villains the worst; yes, everything is very episodic (hello, serials!), amusing, and at times sentimentally tragic. But I am not embarrassed to say that I laughed, I cried, and I bored my husband by reading passages aloud (tip: it's not usually entertaining for those who haven't been reading with you).
yearbook notes for my favorite characters:
Mrs. Nickleby, you got me shaking my head. John Browdie, you are the best that Yorkshire could ever offer. Tim, may your heavenly ledgers be legible and accurate. Newman Noggs and Smike, you both have my heart!
*I think it's kind of like Wuthering Heights. Some love it and others don't really get it. For me, it's Jane Eyre and David Copperfield. Sorry, Pip.
**I'm not committing myself or anything, but I will now freely acknowledge that it could happen to me.