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David Copperfield

Charles Dickens

Start date: October 1, 2019

Finish date: December 31, 2019

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Oct 10, 2011 midnightfaerie rated it really liked it

Shelves: classics, rory-gilmore

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens was a superb story with an engaging cast of characters, and I think this might be Dickens greatest achievement yet. Although I read bits of it everyday, it took so very long to get through, I think, because there was so much to digest. Copperfield's flighty heart and good intentions fluctuated constantly. The mysteries surrounding Agnus's father, the slimy Uriah Heep, and the dashing Steerforth were ever present and titillating. Mr. Micawber's speech was tedi David Copperfield by Charles Dickens was a superb story with an engaging cast of characters, and I think this might be Dickens greatest achievement yet. Although I read bits of it everyday, it took so very long to get through, I think, because there was so much to digest. Copperfield's flighty heart and good intentions fluctuated constantly. The mysteries surrounding Agnus's father, the slimy Uriah Heep, and the dashing Steerforth were ever present and titillating. Mr. Micawber's speech was tedius but brilliant, while Mr. Peggotty's accent was something I had to labor over. Mr. Dick's affliction for kite's made me smile while the relief of Trot finding his Aunt strong of mind and willing to take him in filled me with gratitude. So many plotlines, so many engaging characters, it was a masterpiece of storytelling. I loved this book and I'm torn between 4 and 5 stars for it. In the end I think I've decided on being conservative and giving it 4, knowing in my head, I think of it as a 4.5. Dickens style of writing is so absolutely amazing, I think I like it better then any 18th or 19th century writers I've read thus far.

That being said, I must remark on some areas that left me wanting. These areas were not by any means the fault of Dickens, he was only telling a story, and most probably how the story actually played out since this book was the one that was supposed to have been based on his actual life. But I can't help feeling a tiny bit annoyed with Trot for being so naive. Even though we all are when we're young, I am old and crusty and lacking in my ease of forgiving for a personality trait that afflicted me too. I just really didn't like Dora when I first encountered her, and knew, knew that Agnus was so much more intelligent and compatible. In the end, Dora turned out to be better of character then I first surmised, her growing up slightly, and even though she still acted the part of the petulant child, she, in the end, was able to look past herself to Copperfield's happiness and see what it was that he really needed. But seriously, why does it take men so much longer to get there then women???

And the slimy, used-car-salesman-type, Uriah Heep, who was ever so 'umble, we could have made a drinking game of how often the word appeared in the book. It took so long for him to get what was coming to him, and then seeing him again in prison, I really just wanted more of a crappy ending for him. I felt like Dickens left off hinting that he was still manipulating people and getting his way, and would forever do so, no matter where he was. And that just wasn't fair. I also would have liked to hear more detail about the traveling and where he went exactly during his period of mourning.

Another aspect of Dickens writing that has only recently been brought to my attention is seemingly passive female characters. I never noticed before, but it's quite true. The women are all either whiny or insipid. The only woman with any character is Agnus, and even she seems to lack depth. The rest are silly little things that are frightened easily or are exceedingly annoying. Especially Copperfield's mother. I wanted to slap her silly for not standing up to her husband in his treatment of David. Now whether this flatness in the female's personalities is intentional or not, is unknown. It could be from his experiences, in that most of the women let him down in one way or another. Or it could just have been the time period and how women were viewed so they acted accordingly. I don't know, but in David Copperfield, it's glaringly obvious.

All in all, an exquisitely written, outstanding novel. I really loved it and it assuredly adds to the evidence that Dickens is a classical writer of literature. ...more

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Dec 19, 2019 Shirley (stampartiste) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorite-author-dickens-charles, read-classics, challenge-bingo-2019, challenge-back-to-the-classics-2019

I have read many wonderful books - among my favorites The Count of Monte Cristo (old Classic) and A Gentleman in Moscow (a future Classic) - but I do believe that David Copperfield would be my book of choice if I were ever stranded on a desert island. Charles Dickens said this was his favorite novel, and the love he poured into writing it shines throughout it.

There is so much diversity and depth, tragedy and comedy, villains and saints throughout the pages of this book. As I was nearing the end, ...more

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Jan 01, 2019 Jamie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I know this is Dickens' favorite of his novels and its semi-autobiographical but I liked 'Great Expectations' much better. This book had a very dismal start and took awhile to come around. I just kept thinking he wasn't a very smart guy the way he kept getting blindly taken advantage of throughout the book, it was very frustrating! I also don't quite understand how Mr. Micawber represents his father, once again, not painting a very pretty picture? All in all I liked it, its Dickens, his stories ...more

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