By Charles Dickens
Genre: Adult Realistic Fiction
"Virtuous and stoic, young Nell takes care of her grandfather in his gloomy shop until his gambling debts force the pair of them to flee London. They are hunted by the grotesque and villainous moneylender Quilp and Nell's own worthless, brother, Fred, who wrongly believes that their grandfather has a hidden fortune."
This novel is typical Dickens: dramatic/ extravagant characters, suspenseful plots, hints of humor, and twist and turns you don't expect. And of course, don't forget the happy ending (for the most part). Part of the ending fell a little flat for me, but I won't say more for fear of spoilers.
It took me a while to get into the book, as not many exciting things happen, but at the end, Dickens had thoroughly ensnared me as I urged the cute Kit and precious (and almost too perfect at times) Nell to succeed and the wicked Quilp to get what he deserved.
This was one of my favorite Dickens novels, though I'm pretty sure I say that after every one. If you love meeting funny, coarse, silly, bizarre, but real characters, seeing how characters' lives intersect and change each other and the course of a story, this book is for you!
I give it a 5 out of 5 and recommend it for 16 year olds and up.
What I learned: Gambling can corrupt even the sweetest people.
*Side note: I still don't know why it's called The Old Curiosity Shop. Not much of the story actually takes place in the shop. If you've read it and have a good reason for the title, post them in the comments.
No comments:
Post a Comment