Great Expectations

Great Expectations
Charles Dickens
Penguin Books, 1985

First impression:
I had it in my mind that Dickens would be a great deal more grave and dreary, but I am actually finding this book highly entertaining; snappy, observant and cheeky. Although certain sections make me question their relevance, I don't think it will be a struggle to get through it.

Review:
I would be a liar to claim it was an easy read; someone said that Dickens was paid by the word, and that may very well be true. Although I will not discard the work, I must admit that from time to time, I found its sporadic sidetracking and occasionally over-abundant detail confusing and tiring. I have pinpointed Dicken's style as a mixture between Joseph Heller and Marcel Proust, which is for good and bad. It has some very bright, humorous moments (the repetitions and the names in particular) but the length was pushing it slightly. There were long sections during which I have no idea what really went on, but still don't feel like I missed anything. Nonetheless, I think my reading it under a strict time limit may have ruined the experience to some extent, and I assure anyone that it is worth reading, if merely because it is a classic.

Rating: Good