Play Book Tag discussion

NB this has been shelved Adventure so many times it shows up on the first page of tags.

There are so many important points that Dickens makes in this book about an orphan born in a poorhouse (more or less--I realize he grew up in two different charity houses) where corruption and lack of adequate food, clothing and care and what happens after he is removed from the workhouse (the second place), along with astute observations about people and society it would take far too long to point them all out. Nevertheless, I don't care for this book, nor did I the first time I read it. Dickens, like so many authors, has received a range of star ratings from me, but never more than 4. The only reason this gets three stars is because of the importance of this book and the brilliant things he does--this is one of the very rare instances where I give a 3 star like to a book I don't really like, after all (view spoiler)[even though it has a great and satisfying ending (hide spoiler)] because of how many important things he brings up here.

It has been said that one of the best ways to know if an author is good at characterizing people is if they are people you might see IRL, and I would say that that is a mixed bag here, but only because he, like so many others, had to exaggerated the amazingly pure innocence and virtue of certain characters. This is very Victorian and was quite necessary when promoting certain causes. You'll find this in Anne Brontë's The Tenant Of Wildfell Hall and in the highly controversial Uncle Tom's Cabin where it's hard to swallow some of the things about how Uncle Tom is portrayed. This goes for a couple of the unsavoury types as well.

Also I just do not care for the style of art in this book, or any of those classic drawings we find in them. Dickens fans may be up in arms over this, but one can appreciate skill in art without actually liking it.

I agree. It was one of his first and some of the later ones are much better. But he always points out that poverty exists - and, usually, that evil intentions exist. I skip the art work - so many different people did it as the years went by. As middle class Americans, we do not always realize that poverty is always there as well as mean people. Well, maybe we always see the mean people but I do not often SEE poverty. Try Our Mutual Friend or Bleak House for some depth. peace, janz

I agree with Peacejanz. This is an early book with shallow characters and an unconvincing plot. Still it was important socially, as you say, Karin. My favorites are Great Expectations, David Copperfield, and Our Mutual Friend.

I agree - probably my least liked and one I have never reread either. But as you say it is important, I can admire it without liking it, and so many moments still nn my mind over 50 years later.

Peacejanz wrote: "I agree. It was one of his first and some of the later ones are much better. But he always points out that poverty exists - and, usually, that evil intentions exist. I skip the art work - so many d..."

Yes, poverty and mean people exist always and in every country to one degree or another.

Peacejanz wrote: "I agree. It was one of his first and some of the later ones are much better. But he always points out that poverty exists - and, usually, that evil intentions exist. I skip the art work - so many d..."

Yes, poverty and mean people exist always and in every country to one degree or another.