I think the connection that holds Dickens and Collins (at least to some extend), was the fact that his son was married to his daughter. He loved his nieces.

Lisa wrote: "Peyton, I definitely agree with your take on the book so far. I'm at about page 300. I just don't feel the connection that is supposed to hold Collins and Dickens together. I'm not sure how muc..."


If it helps the book gets increasingly strange as it goes on. Ultimately intriguing but I still can't tell you whether I actually liked it or not.

I decided to take a break from it. I'm off on vacation for the next week and didn't want to lug it with me. I reconsider it next year. I think I'll read some of the books mentioned first though.

Lisa wrote: "Peyton, I definitely agree with your take on the book so far. I'm at about page 300. I just don't feel the connection that is supposed to hold Collins and Dickens together. I'm not sure how muc..."

You've stuck with it to page 300! Wow. I want to peruse comments from readers farther along just to see if it's worth it to keep on.

Peyton, I definitely agree with your take on the book so far. I'm at about page 300. I just don't feel the connection that is supposed to hold Collins and Dickens together. I'm not sure how much farther to continue before giving up, at least for the present.

I am really looking forward to reading Our Mutual Friend and Moonstone after reading part of Drood.

Paula wrote: "Elena, I felt the same way when I started it (apprehensive about potential enjoyment) but am hooked now. I'm at about page 100 and finding it a quicker read than expected.

I, too, am wondering wh..."

I am also finding it difficult to understand why the Collins that Simmons is portraying is still friends with the Dickens he (Simmons)is portraying, and this is a big problem in my ability to become truly involved with the characters and the tale. I am feeling like some key thing is missing, some key thing I am not being told as to just why Collins would put up with such abuse; Dickens does not seem that "mesmerisng," and Collins has insisted a few times now that he can not be mesmerised. Maybe that is part of something Simmons is developing? At page 191 I am not hooked yet, but willing to read on for at least another few chapters, as I have come to a turning point and am interested/hopeful to see where this leads.

So far I'm really enjoying Drood. I love how dark and atmospheric it's been in some places. I'm really excited to see where he's going with it and now I can't wait for the reading of Our Mutual Friend.

Christopher wrote: "For those looking for an excellent and authoritative biography of Charles Dickens, most academicians recommend Edgar Johnson's Charles Dickens: His Tragedy and Triumph. Also, I cannot recommend hi..."

Thanks Christopher!

I agree Paula, it takes nerve to look at oneself all the time (or madness ?). I like the way Simmons connects Dickens with trains too and how he gets the "shakes" after the crash.

It reminds me of a scene from Gaskell's Cranford where the Pickwick Papers is seen as very novel, modern and vulgar with Dr Johnson to be much prefered. The other threat to Cranford, of course, is the coming of the trains.

Dickens is as common as trains mister ! What with his serials and speeches.

Chris, I can't tell you how many times your posts have made me smile... I searched for the Oxford CD and saw that there was only 1 rating for this lonely book, but that 1 rating was 5 stars, so at least the book could stand proud (yes, I attribute human characteristics to all books). Then I saw the one rating came from you, our very own Victorian member :) I should have known!

...And here is a new biography about Dickens by Michael Slater, and a link to an interesting review of the book and some tidbits about Dickens from the TimesOnLine from October 14, 2009.

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/t...

Cheers! Chris

For those looking for an excellent and authoritative biography of Charles Dickens, most academicians recommend Edgar Johnson's Charles Dickens: His Tragedy and Triumph. Also, I cannot recommend highly enough the Oxford Reader's Companion to Charles Dickens. It is an absolutely awesome and indispensable resource to Dickens's times and novels. Cheers! Chris

I like that comment, Stephen, that "Dickens mirrors his times and hides behind the mirror with shaking hands." Well put! Particularly appropriate considering I just got to the comment where Collins states Dickens's chalet and house have an exorbitant amount of mirrors. I thought this such a poignant statement about Dickens...

I think we can all imagine spending long periods of time gazing out a window and being wrapped in a sense of peace as we survey our surroundings. Spending long periods gazing into a mirror, however, sounds oddly disconcerting and not at all peaceful and tranquil. It seems such an intimate insight into Dickens's character that his preference seemed to be looking at himself, not outside. I didn't take this as vanity so much as a willingness to continually face something most people shy away from; namely, an analysis of oneself.

I'm enjoying Drood very much now (after a doubtful few first pages), it does seem very derivative in parts – showing off obvious snippets of biography … but I am now finding this playful (for the moment). Simmons seems to be catching the slightly sinister in Dickens which I like.

I am more familiar with Dickens's life than Wilkie Collins … Dickens may have seemed superficially an arrogant showman and a control freak … I've always forgiven this on the basis of his insecure upbringing (working in a Southwark blacking factory with a father in the Marshalsea). Sentiment may seem saccharine to a modern audience, but when daily mortality is that much closer it can seem appropriate. Dickens mirrors his times and hides behind the mirror with shaking hands.
The basis for my knowledge of Dickens's life is Peter Ackroyd's biography which is a bit partisan but I like biographies with strong opinions. Also by co-incidence in my life I have lived in Rochester, Portsmouth and Borough, London … all haunts of Dickens. Dickens always reminds me of Music Hall and Charlie Chaplin.

Elena wrote: "Kate, I agree with you about Dickens. However, that is how Simmons portrays him, but I wonder how much is true. I haven't look at the true life story of Dickens, but I will. Can anybody give som..."

Elena and Kate, Dan Simmons has done his homework with "Drood." He has pretty much nailed the personalities and character of both authors. Having said that though, it ought not change your assessment of their respective novels. While we may not like certain actions taken by Dickens or Wilkie Collins in their personal relationships; i.e., the women in their lives; we can only marvel at the ability of each of them to spin a yarn, and at the same time, accomplish some good through their writing. Just the serialization of their novels and stories led to many illiterate Britons learning to read, or being read aloud to. Also, Dickens tackled and brought attention to a whole host of social issues through his novels. Good comments from both of you. Cheers! Chris

Kate, I agree with you about Dickens. However, that is how Simmons portrays him, but I wonder how much is true. I haven't look at the true life story of Dickens, but I will. Can anybody give some light about this?

Boof wrote: "This may seem like a really dumb thing to say but I tend to really hero-worship authors I like (I would get more excited about meeting a favourite author than Brad Pitt for instance........well, OK..."

My perception of both Dickens' and Collins' has chaged dramatically in that I have far more respect for Collins as a person and far less respect for Dickens' as a person. However, I have never felt that a persons' character had much bearing on their ability to produce great art (or a great story) and my respect for both men as authors has remained the same. had I been more familiar with Dickens' private life (I'd read an autobiographical sketch of Collins' shortly before picking this up) before reading Drood, it might not have had such an effect. Dickens' was a pompous, self-absorbed . . .won't say the rest of it.

Paula wrote: "So, I have to ask - how many other people decided to read The Mystery of Edwin Drood before tackling Drood?

I'm wondering what different perspectives everyone will have depending on whether or no..."

I did read tMoED before tackling this - not one of Dicken's best, though I may have fallen in love with Mr. Crisparkle. having made it this far into Drood, I have failed to see any connection yet between the character Drood and Edwin Drood; though some of the parallels are great - Hatchery and Datchery for instance.


What I enjoy the least so far about Drood (also mentioned above by Elena) is the way that Mr. Simmons quotes at length from other Collins' and Dickens' novels that I haven't had the chance to read yet. I had to skip over several pages when I realized that he was about to give away the ending to Our Mutual Friend.

I tried The Moonstone but couldn't get into it. I'll definitely give it another try (only $2 for the Kindle) in the future.

The author quotes a lot of passages from his and Dickens books that kind of put me off since I have not read them. That is the only thing I do not like from this book. It slows the action. I do enjoy though when he quotes from Woman In White since I read and loved that book.

Elena, I felt the same way when I started it (apprehensive about potential enjoyment) but am hooked now. I'm at about page 100 and finding it a quicker read than expected.

I, too, am wondering what is fact and what fiction, particularly Collins' blatant envy toward Dickens. Collins also seems to view Dickens in so many negative ways that I'm struggling to see why they stayed friends - if the fiction is at all based on fact that is one friendship that needed therapy!

Reading WiW made me want to find a good bio on Collins and now Drood is encouraging that interest.

I'm not sure if you had a chance to look into it, but there is some rather robust conversation within the WiW discussion about Collins' real life, particularly from Darcy and others.

Regardless, the next time I visit a bookstore I'm going to hunt down a copy of The Moonstone as there have been several references to that book already in Drood.

I am enjoying the book, although I didn't think it was going to be any good at the beginning. But, having spent $14 on it, I kept reading. I am glad I did. I have never read Dickens, I read The Woman in White. This book is giving so much insight on these two authors life and characters!

In my ignorance, I first thought Simmons was really Collins writing under a pen name. I did some research as it seemed strange to me that I had not heard of this book supposedly written to an audience 100 years in the future...

After figuring it out, I have a strange feeling reading Simmons talk in first person as Wilkie Collins. I really don't know how much is true and how much is fiction regarding these two authors. I will be doing some research about their life. This is why I like GR, and this book so much.

I read The Dante Club some years ago and I didn't like it. I can't remember why but I know I rated it low.

I'm curious -- has anybody read "The Last Dickens" by Matthew Pearl, which purports also to deal with Dickens' unfinished novel, "The Mystery of Edwin Drood"? I read one of Pearl's novels, "The Dante Club" and found the story good but the writing poor, overly convoluted and ornate, somehow, so I decided to go with "Drood". But would love to know if anyone has done a side by side.

One of the things that strikes me right away is how envious of, and sarcastic about, Dickens Wilkie was. (Now is that a convoluted sentence, or what?) And yet, having read a very good bio of Dickens, I find myself thinking that while Wilkie was clearly driven by envy, some of his points about, say, how Dickens treated his wife, are very much to the point. I wonder how I'll feel about both men as I go along. I think that Simmons is pretty balanced in his treatment of them. On one hand he has Wilkie let fly with some pretty damning criticism of Dickens, yet at the same time he portrays Dickens as brave and quite the leader in many respects. I like the fact that this book is very character driven so far.

Oh cool, I'm glad you're joining in too Scott. I have just finished WiW so should be starting this any time soon. I wasn't going to join in at all on this one but I am intrigued now.

I confess i havnt yet got to my Drood book yet. Other things i was trying to finish first. But i will start it at some time and read and post into the discussion at a later date. Cant wait to read it.. I also want to read The Mystery of Edwin Drood at some time.

Boof wrote: "Thanks Chris.

I just looked up The Mystery of Edwin Drood on Amazon and read the reviews and I must admit it looks really good! I'd really like to read that too at some point."

I'm really enjoying Dickens' original; it seems very different from his author books that I've read, but I haven't read all that many, to be honest. I have about 100 pages to go, and I'm already disappointed that he didn't get to finish it!

I couldn't help myself, so I started Drood while waiting at the airport today, and already picked up on a few references to the original, so am happy that I am reading Dickens' book first.

Thanks Chris.

I just looked up The Mystery of Edwin Drood on Amazon and read the reviews and I must admit it looks really good! I'd really like to read that too at some point.

Boof wrote: "This may seem like a really dumb thing to say but I tend to really hero-worship authors I like (I would get more excited about meeting a favourite author than Brad Pitt for instance........well, OK..."

Boof, I don't think it would change your overall impression of either writer. Reading Drood does illuminate some character traits in both men that are both admirable and disappointing. Remember though, just like the novels that they both wrote, Drood is a work of fiction. It didn't change my assessment of either; they're still two of my favorite Victorian authors. Cheers! Chris

This may seem like a really dumb thing to say but I tend to really hero-worship authors I like (I would get more excited about meeting a favourite author than Brad Pitt for instance........well, OK, I'd like that too!). Will reading Drood make me dislike either Dickens or Collins?

Gabrielle wrote: "Paula wrote: "So, I have to ask - how many other people decided to read The Mystery of Edwin Drood before tackling Drood?

I'm wondering what different perspectives everyone will have depending on..."

I would agree that it is not necessary to have read any Dickens or Collins before reading Drood; but, in the main, I sure think it would enhance the overall experience. It is simply a function of better understanding what kind of authors both men were. Although, I have to say, that Dan Simmons does a wonderful job of providing a lot of that historical and literary background. Reading this book one does come away with a strong sense of what writing these books meant to each of these men. I hope you all enjoy the novel, and I look forward to participating in the discussions. Cheers! Chris

I think someone mentioned. that reading Women in White would be good to read before

I started Drood a while back, I was hooked, but I am going to wait to read now.

What do you love about it, Maggie?

I'm loving Drood - I haven't read Dickens' book but now I thin I will.

Paula wrote: "So, I have to ask - how many other people decided to read The Mystery of Edwin Drood before tackling Drood?

I'm wondering what different perspectives everyone will have depending on whether or no..."

I read The Mystery of Edwin Drood some years ago. I'm glad I did read it before reading Drood, though I don't necessarily think it's necessary to read the Dickens' book before the Simmons' book.

I opened the book, read a few pages and realized that it wasn't going to be for me at this time, but I'm going to enjoy listening in to the discussion. Who knows, I might just change my mind.

That's interesting as I wasn't planning on reading it with the group due to the fact that I haven't read Drood or too many other Dickens novels.

However, I saw it on a shelf while out shopping yesterday and couldn't resist getting it so I do plan to join in now but I am curious as to how this will affect my opinion/enjoyment.

So, I have to ask - how many other people decided to read The Mystery of Edwin Drood before tackling Drood?

I'm wondering what different perspectives everyone will have depending on whether or not you read Dickens' unfinished book first or not.

This discussion is for the first 11 chapters of Drood, our next neo-Victorian group read.

POTENTIAL SPOILERS BELOW!

Happy Reading!