Spin-Offs and Sequels to Charles Dickens's stories

[Werner]

You're welcome! (I'm just glad that Goodreads let it squeak through --I wasn't sure if they would. :-) )

[Sue]

Thanks for that, Werner. I remember the scene from the film now. Another great use of Dickens.

[Werner]

Sue wrote: "Thanks for that, Werner. I remember the scene from the film now. Another great use of Dickens."

I'm guessing that Waugh was probably another Dickens fan! :-)

[Sue]

It definitely would appear so!

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

It's sounding really good, Diane! We are just talking about it in our current group read thread LINK HERE, if you'd like to join in :)

[Jenny]

An american author has taken David Copperfield and set it in Appalachia! It's called Demon Copperhead, and I believe it's contemporary. Another group is actually reading the two together.

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

Are you going to read it Jenny? Some read it for our Autumn read LINK HERE, but I'd love to hear what you think! It doesn't sound my cup of tea though.

[Jenny]

I may, I think if I do I'll listen to it. I will definitely let you know what I think, and pop in on the thread here if I do!

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

Oh good. Thanks Jenny!

[Jenny]

Of course Jean :) discussing it is half the fun of reading!

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

😊

[Janelle]

I just finished a new book Estella by Australian author Kathy George. It’s told entirely from the point of view of Estella from Great Expectations. It was a wonderful read for me, really enjoyed the different focus and loved the ending she gives the characters. It had me quite emotional at the end!

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

Now that I would like to read, especially as you say it is done well, Janelle 😊 I hope it comes on kindle some day ...

For others interested, please note that the expected publication date is May 3rd 2023.

[Katy]

Jean - On Amazon's website it says it will be available on Kindle on May 3.

Janelle - Thanks for mentioning this. I am adding this to my very long list of books to read.

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

Katy wrote: "Jean - On Amazon's website it says it will be available on Kindle on May 3."

Oh yes! Thank you Katy ... I'll wait for the price to come down a bit though.

[Janelle]

I hope others enjoy it as much as I did :)
Sorry about the publication date, I thought it was April 5 but turns out that’s the archive date on netgalley. So anyone on netgalley, there’s still a couple of days to request.

[Katy]

Bionic Jean wrote: "Katy wrote: "Jean - On Amazon's website it says it will be available on Kindle on May 3."

Oh yes! Thank you Katy ... I'll wait for the price to come down a bit though."

Me too. I will probably get a paper copy, but will likely wait until it's been out awhile and I can get a less expensive used copy.

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

Our member Tim says:

"This may be of interest to folk who have read and enjoyed David Copperfield. Barbara Kingsolver's latest book, Demon Copperhead, is a retelling of David Copperfield but set now in the Appalachian Mountains. I tried the audio version but hated it (twice!) and gave up. Now I'm reading the print version and loving it. It's winning loads and loads of awards."

[Lee]

Speaking about how Dickens mistreated his wife, about ten years ago I read Girl in a Blue Dress by Gaynor Arnold and loved it. That was my first clue that all was not perfect in the life of Charles Dickens.

I remember loving the book. Now I need to go back and re-read it with my new knowledge of Dickens as a writer since joining the Dickensians, but I believe it was listed for a Booker Prize and was well sourced.

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

Thanks for this recommendation Lee! It's not one I was aware of 😊

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

Well here's an unusual spin-off you might not have known about. I'm posting this as Jane is reading Barnaby Rudge, and Donald was asking about Grip 😊

Not many people know that the creation of Edgar Allan Poe's poem The Raven was inspired by Charles Dickens's novel Barnaby Rudge, which has Grip, a talking raven, as one of its characters.



Here is Charles Dickens's raven Grip - his second pet raven. He currently resides in a library in Philadelphia as Dickens had him stuffed after he ate some paint (with lead in it) and died. There was a fashion for having your pets stuffed, after King George III had had his pet giraffe stuffed!

And this is what Charles Dickens wrote after his own trip to Philadelphia:

"It is a handsome city, but distractingly regular. After walking about it for an hour or two, I felt that I would have given the world for a crooked street. The collar of my coat appeared to stiffen, and the brim of my hat to expand, beneath its Quakerly influence."

[Donald]

Below is the link to the portion of James Russell Lowell's Fable for Critics(1848) that deals specifically with Poe and his connection with Dickens. After introducing Poe, Lowell comments on Poe's ridiculous charges of Plagiarism against Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the much beloved poet.

https://www.berfrois.com/2013/10/a-fa...

[Werner]

Thanks for that link, Donald; I enjoyed reading Lowell's thoughts! (I've only read a few excerpts of "A Fable for Critics," one of these days, I really need to take time to read the whole thing.)

[Donald]

Werner: Glad you got something from the excerpt. Lowell didn’t always follow the traditional rules of meter and often reached for a
Rhyme. Because he is writing about some writers who have been lost to posterity it is sometime slow going or even confusing. However, there are also a lot of keen insights and verbal gems. (Lowell was a member of the Fireside Poets, which included Longfellow, William Cullen Bryant, John Greenleaf Whittier, Oliver Wendell Holmes sr.)

[Werner]

I've added it to my to-read shelf just now, Donald!

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

Thanks Donald! I've only ever read the first six lines of that poem!

[Lee]

What an enchanting defense of Longfellow! I never realized how “aware” these writers were of one another; even less that they had personal acquaintances and some familiarity.

[Donald]

Lee: I think the Boston of the 1840's was pretty incestuous. Keep in mind, James Russel Lowell was the product of two wealthy and influential families. One of his families descendants, Robert Lowell received the passed poetical baton which lead to greatness of his own. Every time I re-read "For the Union Dead," a shiver goes up my spine!

[Alice]

I read a few chapters of Kathy George's novel 'The Scent of Oranges' (about Nancy). (view spoiler)[The author gave Nancy a new love interest - a relationship with a kind and caring gentleman, Mr. Rufus. However, Rufus also needs her help, and he intends to use Nancy in his intrigues. (hide spoiler)]

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

That sounds interesting, Alice! Has anyone else read this one?

Be sure to let us know when you read more, and whether you recommend it 😊

[Alice]

I got to the middle of the book. I can praise the good and colourful syllable, nice descriptions, but I can't say it's too interesting reading. At times the author just retells in his own words the plot of ‘Oliver Twist’ and some dialogues are added on a copy-paste basis. I didn't find the storyline with Mr Rufus too interesting either. However, it's not a bad novel and I would recommend reading it to form your own opinion.

[Alice]

I finished reading the novel The Scent of Oranges (2.5/5).

(view spoiler)[ 1. The retelling plot is almost identical to Dickens' novel. Some of the dialogue is simply copied from Oliver Twist.

2. Whereas in Dickens' Nancy is primarily a thief, and her possible prostitution is only hinted at, in Cathy George's novel the heroine earns money by selling her body. Naturalistic and physiological details are present.

3. Nancy does not love Bill, but feels compassion for him. Her sense of duty prevents her from leaving him. (hide spoiler)]

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

Thanks Alice - that's really helpful. I don't think I'll be reading this one ...

[Alice]

Allison Epstein 'Fagin the Thief'.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

That sounds interesting Alice! Will you be reading it? We'd love to hear your thoughts if so.

Fagin the Thief will be published on Feb 25th. I hope it makes it to kindle!

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

Here's another new book The Household by Stacey Halls. It was published last week (27th Feb 25) and is described as "atmospheric historical fiction, as the residents of a house for fallen women collide with a millionairess in fear of her recently released stalker."

So it's a reimagining of some residents of Urania Cottage, rather than one of Dickens novels.

BLURB (bit spoilerish) (view spoiler)[ "London, 1847. In a quiet house in the countryside outside London, the finishing touches are being made to welcome a group of young women. The house and its location are top secret, its residents unknown to one another, but the girls have one thing in common: they are fallen. Offering refuge for prostitutes, petty thieves and the destitute, Urania Cottage is a second chance at life - but how badly do they want it?

Meanwhile, a few miles away in a Piccadilly mansion, millionairess Angela Burdett-Coutts, one of the benefactors of Urania Cottage, makes a discovery that leaves her cold. Her stalker of ten years has been released from prison, and she knows it's only a matter of time before their nightmarish game resumes once more.

As the women's worlds collide in ways they could never have expected, they will discover that freedom always comes at a price" (hide spoiler)]

[Julie]

I usually get books from the library to test out first unless I already know the author, but I happened to finish up an exhausting school quarter and head to the bookstore the day A Far Better Thing came out and I saw "Jonathan Strange meets Tale of Two Cities" and thought oh, I see, someone wrote a book specifically for me, so I snapped it up. It is not for everyone I expect, as it's definitely a fantasy, but if you like fantasy and Dickens, I gulped it down in one day and it's such a pleasure to see Parry playing with such attention to Tale of Two Cities, even importing whole dialogues between characters. Enjoyed it lots.

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

What a treat it sounds, Julie! Thanks for alerting us to this one 🙂

[Alice]

Eleanor Thomson 'A Time Before Oliver'.

A prequel to Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens’ most famous novel, A Time Before Oliver tells the story of the infamous Bill Sikes and Nancy and their passionate yet destructive relationship against the backdrop of the streets of 19th century London.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

Wow, another great find Alice! At least, I hope it is ... be sure to let us know what you think 😊

[Sue]

Thanks Julie. I’ll have to look into A Far Better Thing.

[Franky]

Now that I think of it, I read Drood by Dan Simmons. It sort of incorporates aspects of the Dickens novel (I say I believe because I haven't read Dickens' The Mystery of Edwin Drood but have it on my to-read list). It is a little wild and out there. It is a dark fantasy with some horror elements as well as mystery. It even has Wilkie Collins as a character too.

[Luffy Sempai]

Franky wrote: "Now that I think of it, I read Drood by Dan Simmons. It sort of incorporates aspects of the Dickens novel (I say I believe because I haven't read Dickens' [book:The Mys..."

Great find Franky! I am awaiting at any moment the writing of the novel, 'Drood, where's my car'. Just a little levity.

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

😆 Luffy!

Franky - it was good to hear your assessment of Dan Simmons's Drood. There do seem to be a lot of different reactions.

[Franky]

Luffy Sempai wrote: "Franky wrote: "Now that I think of it, I read Drood by Dan Simmons. It sort of incorporates aspects of the Dickens novel (I say I believe because I haven't read Dickens..."

Drood, where's my car! I love it! It should be on a bumper sticker too.

[Luffy Sempai]

Franky wrote: "Luffy Sempai wrote: "Franky wrote: "Now that I think of it, I read Drood by Dan Simmons. It sort of incorporates aspects of the Dickens novel (I say I believe because I..."

Agreed, and thanks!

[Alice]

Elle Machray "Havisham".

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

[John]

Alice wrote: "Elle Machray "Havisham".

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2..."

Fascinating character. I look forward to reading this book when it comes out next year. I wonder if Miss Havisham has been written about or portrayed in other works of fiction?

Yesterday I chatted with a retired English teacher. I told her I was reading A Tale of Two Cities. She said her own project lately has been to read Agatha Christie. We briefly discussed Great Expectations and her first reply was “Havisham!”

[Petra]

Miss Havisham is a character in the second book of the Thursday Next series, Lost in a Good Book.

She's a fascinating character.

[Alice]

Miss Havisham is the main character in Ronald Frame's novel "Havisham". She is also featured in the "Estella" by Kathy George and "Estella's Revenge" by Barbara Havelocke.