A review by leahgustafson
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

emotional funny hopeful 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

I cannot believe I actually finished this one AND enjoyed it so much. I had attempted to read it back in 2018 but ended up putting it aside because I couldn’t get through it. I’m so glad I gave it another try! 
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One thing I can’t get over is how readable Dickens is! I didn’t struggle with understanding the language at all. I also sometimes struggle with the classics on audio, and that wasn’t the case for this one either. I was very easily able to flip back and forth between print and audio. 📖🎧 
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The characters MAKE this book. They are fun, intriguing, lovable, and funny. Dickens does a great job writing a variety of characters. Since this is, simply put, a story about a man’s life, the life events felt realistic and balanced—I felt it matched life’s ebbs and flows. I was also impressed that so many aspects of this story are still relatable, even so many years later. There is some truth that the important things in life don’t change. 
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One thing I was both surprised and impressed by was Dickens’s inclusion and representation of characters with disabilities and mental illness. The way he wrote these characters was revolutionary, given the time period. His focus on their humanity, kindness, and unique gifts/insights is absolutely beautiful. 
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Finally, reading this story got me thinking  about what it would be like to write my own life story—Who would the “main characters” be? What events would be most noteworthy/worth including? Definitely something interesting to think about. 
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If you’ve been feeling intimidated by this one or have set it aside for later, I strongly encourage you to give it a try—even if you read it over a long period of time (it took me a month to get through). I’m so glad I was able to experience and enjoy this one prior to reading Demon Copperhead (which I am planning to read this fall)! 
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