The adventures of Oliver Twist

Somewhere closer to 3.5 than 4 stars.

It chugged along rather nicely at first, although I didn't like to picture the beatings and starvation too clearly. Certain characters, such as Mr. Bumble in his pomposity, were much more interesting to imagine than pathetic Oliver taking punches. However, once we came to Chapter 15 I almost tossed the book aside because I was so sad and frustrated with what happened. Almost, but I didn't.

I stuck with it through the hard bits, ones that justified the creation of a new adjective to describe the squalor and misery in Mr. Dicken's books, and came out into the sunshine of the happy ending that I knew would be waiting for me, complete with all loose ends tied up and all the villains getting their just rewards. The only real surprise was the murder of Nancy, which I didn't think for a second was going to happen. It wasn't until the final sentence of the chapter, where Bill takes a heavy club and strikes her down, and is named a murderer, that I believed it. Up through the very sentence before that I thought there was going to be a way out for her, or that he would go to the edge of death but not over. Frankly, I didn't think Dickens had it in him to kill off a woman like that. It sounds perverse that this violent death made the book, but it's true. Without Nancy's murder it's a collection of predictable cliches molded around a mildly entertaining plot; with her murder we are reminded that shock and surprise exist, even in a Dickens book.

Some unforgettable characters in Oliver Twist, a good story that felt rushed at the end. My 2nd Dickens novel, as I read it I began picking up on how many other stories and series drew from this book. Also, Dickens writes quite affectingly about death and facing death, those moments leapt off the page, under the skin, and into the soul.

Charles Dickens' “Oliver Twist,” while acknowledged as a classic, presents some challenges for the modern reader. The lengthy and meandering plot can feel excessive at times, with details that may not resonate with contemporary sensibilities. Although the mystery surrounding Oliver's origins and the intrigue that surrounds him are engaging, the novel's exploration of social themes feels less relevant in today's social context.

Some noticeable weaknesses include:

* Pacing: The plot unfolds slowly, with certain sections feeling drawn out before reaching the main conflict.

* Plot holes: Though eventually addressed, the abundance of plot holes early in the story can disrupt the flow and create confusion.

* Relevance: Dickens' social critique of poverty and injustice in the Victorian era, while significant in its time, may hold less impact for modern readers living in a different social context.

However, the novel also possesses several strengths, such as:

* Plot twists: The revelations towards the end are quite surprising and provide a new perspective on previous events.

* Character development: Certain characters, particularly Oliver and Nancy, are portrayed with complexity and undergo significant development.

* Writing style: Dickens' distinctive writing style, with its use of satire and dark humor, remains engaging.

Overall, “Oliver Twist” is a novel of significant historical value, but its relevance and effectiveness as social commentary may be questioned by modern readers. Despite some weaknesses in plot and pacing, the novel still offers an engaging reading experience with surprising twists and memorable characters.

Oliver Twist is orphaned at birth, and he is sent to live in a workhouse as a child where he is starved, both for food and for love. The boys in the workhouse draw lots to protest, and it is Oliver who famously dares to stand up to those who run the workhouse and ask for more. Deemed a troublemaker, the result is that Oliver is farmed out, for money, to an apprenticeship where, once again, the boy is starved and is put to work doing dangerous things grown men refuse to do. Oliver can think of nothing to do but escape to live on the streets where he is recruited for a gang of pickpockets. It is only after Oliver is falsely accused of pickpocketing that his life takes a serendipitous and sharp turn toward healing.

Oliver Twist was my spin choice in February for The Classics Club. If I had to sum up the book in a few words, I would say that it is almost unremittingly grim. Reading this book explains, for me, why people can become filled with hatred and cruelty, and that's what I would have expected of Oliver Twist. Somehow, though, the boy kept his kind and generous nature through his exceptionally miserable childhood ordeals.

Если бы я знал на сколько книга толстая, то скорее всего не начал бы читать :-) Но хорошо, что я не знал. Мне очень понравилось. Напомнило Гоголя. Но в целом история довольно длинная и мне хватило бы 2/3 от нее.

Однако, такой хороший язык (что в западной литературе я встречаю редко), что я обязательно ознакомлюсь и с другими произведениями Диккенса.

Многие говорят, что в книге сплошная чернуха и депрессия. Я бы так не сказал. Печаль — да, жалость — да, несправедливость — ога, но не чернуха и не депрессия. Нормальное чтиво, просто там много несчастных персонажей.

I made the mistake of reading the book in English before I read it in Czech. I'm not ashamed to brag that my English is C1, but no one prepared me for Victorian English.
Because of this, I found the first few chapters very difficult to read and although the chapters are very short, I found the reading long.
Thanks to what a very rich vocabulary Mr. Dickens had (and that he wasn't afraid to use it), I learned quite a few new/old words. Maybe that's why Oliver Twist came out at almost 500 pages, when I think half that would have been plenty. But it wouldn't be Dickens if he hadn't written so much and we didn't know the grand story of Oliver Twist.
By the end of the book, I was relieved that the main character of the story had finally achieved the well-deserved peace and understanding he had lacked since birth.