Curiosities and Crazies

The Old Curiosity Shop
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. 

Oh, Pip

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Genre: Classic

"In an overgrown churchyard, a grizzled convict springs upon an orphan boy named Pip. The convict terrifies Pip and threatens to kill him unless the boy helps further his escape. Later, Pip finds himself in a ruined garden where he meets the embittered and crazy Miss Havisham and her foster child, Estella, with whom he instantly falls in love.

"After a secret benefactor gives him a fortune, Pip moves to London, where he cultivates great expectations for a life that would allow him to discard his impoverished beginnings and socialize with members of the idle upper class. As Pip struggles to become a gentleman, he slowly learns the truth about himself and his illusions, and is tormented endlessly by the beautiful Estella."

I feel kind-of ambivalent towards this Dickens novel. I liked it okay, but it wasn't my favorite. I liked Our Mutual Friend and Bleak House by him much better; possibly because my version of Bleak House had illustrations and the ending of Great Expectations was more mournful than the endings of those other novels. I was also annoyed with the main character, Pip, at times, who seemed bratty and jerkish, but it helped that the prospective was from his present self looking back, so that he saw these faults in himself.

True to Dicken's form, the action gets quite exciting in the last third of the book. So if you can hang on until then, there is some great action and plot twists that will surprise and delight you (at least they did to me). The main character was also funny at times, and Dickens always has several humorous depictions of his characters. The main points of the novel were true, and I often felt like I was learning along with misled little Pip.

Although it's long and sometimes dull, I found this novel worth reading, and Dickens does reward you in the last hundred pages or so. I will not soon get these characters out of my mind (especially good old Joe!).

I give Great Expectations a 3.75 and recommend it for 17 year olds and up because of the eloquent language and depth of the material.

What I learned: What it took to be a gentleman in London in the 19th century and how people were treated if they were viewed as such. A person's worth isn't in their social standing or lack thereof.

One of my favorite quotes: "I'll tell you...what real love is. It is blind devotion, unquestioning self-humiliation, utter submission, trust and belief against yourself and against the whole world, giving up your whole heart and soul..."