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The Greatest Writers of All Time
Charles Dickens: The Complete Novels
This book contains the complete novels of Charles Dickens in the chronological order of their original publication.
- The Pickwick Papers
- Oliver Twist
- Nicholas Nickleby
- The Old Curiosity Shop
- Barnaby Rudge
- Martin Chuzzlewit
- Dombey and Son
- David Copperfield
- Bleak House
- Hard Times
- Little Dorrit
- A Tale of Two Cities
- Great Expectations
- Our Mutual Friend
- The Mystery of Edwin Drood
- The Pickwick Papers
- Oliver Twist
- Nicholas Nickleby
- The Old Curiosity Shop
- Barnaby Rudge
- Martin Chuzzlewit
- Dombey and Son
- David Copperfield
- Bleak House
- Hard Times
- Little Dorrit
- A Tale of Two Cities
- Great Expectations
- Our Mutual Friend
- The Mystery of Edwin Drood
12271 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1986
5974 people are currently reading
2350 people want to read
About the author
Charles Dickens
12.6k books31.2k followersCharles John Huffam Dickens (1812-1870) was a writer and social critic who created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the twentieth century critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius. His novels and short stories enjoy lasting popularity.
Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. Despite his lack of formal education, he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms.
Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age. His 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol, remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre. Oliver Twist and Great Expectations are also frequently adapted, and, like many of his novels, evoke images of early Victorian London. His 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities, set in London and Paris, is his best-known work of historical fiction. Dickens's creative genius has been praised by fellow writers—from Leo Tolstoy to George Orwell and G. K. Chesterton—for its realism, comedy, prose style, unique characterisations, and social criticism. On the other hand, Oscar Wilde, Henry James, and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth, loose writing, and a vein of saccharine sentimentalism. The term Dickensian is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings, such as poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters.
On 8 June 1870, Dickens suffered another stroke at his home after a full day's work on Edwin Drood. He never regained consciousness, and the next day he died at Gad's Hill Place. Contrary to his wish to be buried at Rochester Cathedral "in an inexpensive, unostentatious, and strictly private manner," he was laid to rest in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey. A printed epitaph circulated at the time of the funeral reads: "To the Memory of Charles Dickens (England's most popular author) who died at his residence, Higham, near Rochester, Kent, 9 June 1870, aged 58 years. He was a sympathiser with the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England's greatest writers is lost to the world." His last words were: "On the ground", in response to his sister-in-law Georgina's request that he lie down.
(from Wikipedia)
Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. Despite his lack of formal education, he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms.
Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age. His 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol, remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre. Oliver Twist and Great Expectations are also frequently adapted, and, like many of his novels, evoke images of early Victorian London. His 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities, set in London and Paris, is his best-known work of historical fiction. Dickens's creative genius has been praised by fellow writers—from Leo Tolstoy to George Orwell and G. K. Chesterton—for its realism, comedy, prose style, unique characterisations, and social criticism. On the other hand, Oscar Wilde, Henry James, and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth, loose writing, and a vein of saccharine sentimentalism. The term Dickensian is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings, such as poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters.
On 8 June 1870, Dickens suffered another stroke at his home after a full day's work on Edwin Drood. He never regained consciousness, and the next day he died at Gad's Hill Place. Contrary to his wish to be buried at Rochester Cathedral "in an inexpensive, unostentatious, and strictly private manner," he was laid to rest in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey. A printed epitaph circulated at the time of the funeral reads: "To the Memory of Charles Dickens (England's most popular author) who died at his residence, Higham, near Rochester, Kent, 9 June 1870, aged 58 years. He was a sympathiser with the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England's greatest writers is lost to the world." His last words were: "On the ground", in response to his sister-in-law Georgina's request that he lie down.
(from Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
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May 14, 2022Specific reviews
-The Pickwick Papers
- Oliver Twist
- Nicholas Nickleby
- The Old Curiosity Shop
- Barnaby Rudge
- Martin Chuzzlewit
- Dombey and Son
- David Copperfield
- Bleak House
- Hard Times
- Little Dorrit
- A Tale of Two Cities
- Great Expectations
- Our Mutual Friend
- The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Audio Versions
Little Dorrit
General notes on collected edition
I would have liked some footnotes, but discussing with others gives me decent insight. This is a good bargain, and great way to get all of Dickens novels, but it benefits from research and interaction with other readers.
There are a few strange spacings, paragraph breaks and capitalizations, that I am not sure are meant to be there, as well as a few misspellings but the content is, so far, correct.
Having read Dombey and Son with a group, I can say that the text in this eddition is the full text, without the omissions Dickens made when he serialized the story. These were added back in when he published it as a novel, so should be in a good edition of this book.
-The Pickwick Papers
- Oliver Twist
- Nicholas Nickleby
- The Old Curiosity Shop
- Barnaby Rudge
- Martin Chuzzlewit
- Dombey and Son
- David Copperfield
- Bleak House
- Hard Times
- Little Dorrit
- A Tale of Two Cities
- Great Expectations
- Our Mutual Friend
- The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Audio Versions
Little Dorrit
General notes on collected edition
I would have liked some footnotes, but discussing with others gives me decent insight. This is a good bargain, and great way to get all of Dickens novels, but it benefits from research and interaction with other readers.
There are a few strange spacings, paragraph breaks and capitalizations, that I am not sure are meant to be there, as well as a few misspellings but the content is, so far, correct.
Having read Dombey and Son with a group, I can say that the text in this eddition is the full text, without the omissions Dickens made when he serialized the story. These were added back in when he published it as a novel, so should be in a good edition of this book.
February 17, 2020
This took me over 6 months to read. Some of the stories like Olivier Twist and David Copperfield are really good reads. Other stores are long, drawn out with chapters that don't seem to fit in. There are times it seems Dickens is just writing extra stuff that needed take place just to stretch out the book. This is a mixed collection. So books are a great read, others are a great bore.
Read
January 12, 2014Finally! I assure you this book took me much longer than 2 months to read. I was first assigned this novel in 1995 for my freshman English class and I never finished it. So I guess you could say, this book took me 18 years to finish. It really is not Dickens' best book and I don't understand why it is assigned for high school reading. It is not even easily relatable for high school students. I think Great Expectations would actually be better for teenagers, as far as relevance. But at least I can finally say I finished it!
July 11, 2020
Reviewing Great Expectations: Today’s TV writers would win an Emmy with the story of Great Expectations. If it was on Netflix I would have binged this hilarious and riveting show in one night!
The story has every element of a coming-of-age long narrative arc drama: Pip has ridiculously unlikely family members (missing parents, the abusive 20 years older sister who later becomes a vegetable, her husband the blacksmith with the heart of gold, his overly self-important Uncle Pumblechook - “a large hard-breathing middle aged slow man, with a mouth like a fish, dull staring eyes, and sandy hair standing upright on his head, so that he looked as if he had just been all by choked, and had that moment come to,” two love triangles (Pip-Biddy-Joe and Pip-Estella-Drummle), the unlikely change agents who take Pip out of the marsh and fill him with great expectations (Abel Magwitch/Provis, his convict escapee from The Hulks, Miss Havisham and her frozen-in-time wedding tableau, wreaking revenge on men through her adoptee Estella), and the supporting characters - Miss Havisham’s cousins the Pockets, Jaggers the lawyer, his assistant Wemmick (with a cameo by Wemmick’s father, the Aged Pater), Trabb’s Boy who mocks Pip for his airs, the recurring bad guys Compeyson and Orlick - and finally, the overarching mysteries: who is the patron that anonymously pays for Pip to be raised as a gentleman, and who will live and who will die? For this story, like Game of Thrones, dares to kill off characters in the telling. And like Fleabag, Pip breaks the fourth wall with regularity - “I thought that with her I could have been happy there for life. (I was not at all happy there at the time, observe, and I knew it well.)”
Dickens’ readers must have been so enthralled with the serialized story that he could spend an entire chapter/episode on Herbert and Pip attending a community theater performance of Hamlet out of sympathy for the priest Mr. Wopsle. Pip laughs uproariously the whole time as mistakes are made and the hecklers in the audience turn it into a comedy of errors. Is this chapter necessary for plot or character development? I don’t think so, but this Gentle Reader enjoyed it thoroughly.
As a classic, Great Expectations is known for its themes of guilt, revenge, redemption, and class - but I just thought it was darn good stuff.
Didn’t understand/for book group discussion: why did Pip wait to tell Provis about Estella being alive until it was too late for him to meet her? Also the ending: I thought it was lame that it was left as a possibility that Pip and Estella might get together - “I saw no shadow of another parting from her” - this must have been for commercial reasons because it makes no sense otherwise.
The story has every element of a coming-of-age long narrative arc drama: Pip has ridiculously unlikely family members (missing parents, the abusive 20 years older sister who later becomes a vegetable, her husband the blacksmith with the heart of gold, his overly self-important Uncle Pumblechook - “a large hard-breathing middle aged slow man, with a mouth like a fish, dull staring eyes, and sandy hair standing upright on his head, so that he looked as if he had just been all by choked, and had that moment come to,” two love triangles (Pip-Biddy-Joe and Pip-Estella-Drummle), the unlikely change agents who take Pip out of the marsh and fill him with great expectations (Abel Magwitch/Provis, his convict escapee from The Hulks, Miss Havisham and her frozen-in-time wedding tableau, wreaking revenge on men through her adoptee Estella), and the supporting characters - Miss Havisham’s cousins the Pockets, Jaggers the lawyer, his assistant Wemmick (with a cameo by Wemmick’s father, the Aged Pater), Trabb’s Boy who mocks Pip for his airs, the recurring bad guys Compeyson and Orlick - and finally, the overarching mysteries: who is the patron that anonymously pays for Pip to be raised as a gentleman, and who will live and who will die? For this story, like Game of Thrones, dares to kill off characters in the telling. And like Fleabag, Pip breaks the fourth wall with regularity - “I thought that with her I could have been happy there for life. (I was not at all happy there at the time, observe, and I knew it well.)”
Dickens’ readers must have been so enthralled with the serialized story that he could spend an entire chapter/episode on Herbert and Pip attending a community theater performance of Hamlet out of sympathy for the priest Mr. Wopsle. Pip laughs uproariously the whole time as mistakes are made and the hecklers in the audience turn it into a comedy of errors. Is this chapter necessary for plot or character development? I don’t think so, but this Gentle Reader enjoyed it thoroughly.
As a classic, Great Expectations is known for its themes of guilt, revenge, redemption, and class - but I just thought it was darn good stuff.
Didn’t understand/for book group discussion: why did Pip wait to tell Provis about Estella being alive until it was too late for him to meet her? Also the ending: I thought it was lame that it was left as a possibility that Pip and Estella might get together - “I saw no shadow of another parting from her” - this must have been for commercial reasons because it makes no sense otherwise.
Read
August 18, 2018Read and reread on Kindle.
His style and use of langauge and words is an inspiration to all authors.
His style and use of langauge and words is an inspiration to all authors.
Currently reading
May 4, 2025Review: The Complete Works of Charles Dickens, Part 1
As a reader, I’ve always found Charles Dickens to be a challenging author to engage with. His dense prose, sprawling narratives, and the sheer number of characters can make even the most well-known works a bit of a hurdle. That said, I committed to reading the first part of his complete works and was pleasantly surprised by the variety of tones and themes throughout. Below are my impressions of each novel in the collection, based on readability, story, and character development.
A Tale of Two Cities — ★★½ / 5
This was, unfortunately, my least favourite of the collection. I found the plot and characters difficult to follow, which detracted from my overall enjoyment. The historical context is rich, but without supplemental materials like Coles Notes, I struggled to stay engaged. The complexity of the storyline often made it feel more like a chore than a compelling read.
Bleak House — ★★★★ / 5
This was a standout for me. Bleak House felt ahead of its time, blending social commentary with what could be seen as the early roots of the police procedural genre. The shifting perspectives and the depiction of the legal system added depth to the narrative, and I found myself genuinely invested in the characters and their fates.
Dombey and Son — ★★★★ / 5
A well-paced and emotionally satisfying novel, Dombey and Son follows the personal and professional trials of a prominent family. I enjoyed the way Dickens wove themes of pride, familial duty, and personal growth into the story. The balance between drama and romance made it a more approachable and rewarding read.
Nicholas Nickleby — ★★★★ / 5
A quintessential Dickensian tale of family hardship, personal resilience, and eventual triumph. While the narrative followed a somewhat predictable arc, the vivid cast of characters and moral undertones kept it engaging. A classic example of Dickens’ ability to mix dark themes with touches of humour and redemption.
The Mystery of Edwin Drood — ★★★ / 5
Though unfinished, Edwin Drood shows tremendous promise. It’s clear Dickens was leaning toward a darker, more suspenseful tone, and the setup for a murder mystery is intriguing. Unfortunately, we’ll never know how the story concludes, but the existing chapters offer an atmospheric and moody glimpse into what could have been a great whodunit.
The Old Curiosity Shop — ★★★★ / 5
This story was both easy to follow and emotionally affecting. Dickens tackles the devastating consequences of gambling addiction and its ripple effects on a family, all while weaving in themes of vulnerability and resilience. The tone is decidedly sombre, but the story is accessible and moving, especially in its portrayal of intergenerational hardship.
Martin Chuzzlewit — ★★★ / 5
While this novel has its moments, it didn’t resonate with me as strongly as others. The satirical take on selfishness and hypocrisy within families and society is clever, but the pacing felt uneven. Still, Dickens’ wit and social critique shine through.
Barnaby Rudge — ★★★ / 5
This novel stood out for its early and relatively sensitive depiction of a character with what we would now recognize as a developmental or cognitive disability. Barnaby is a compelling and unique figure in Dickens’ body of work, and his presence adds emotional weight to an otherwise uneven historical narrative.
Hard Times — ★★★ / 5
A stark and sombre novel, Hard Times is a critique of industrialization and utilitarianism. While the themes are important, the story felt especially grim and heavy. The characters serve the message more than they feel like real people, making it a less emotionally engaging experience for me.
Overall Impression so far:
While Dickens can be a difficult author to read, his ability to portray societal issues, emotional turmoil, and moral conflicts remains unmatched. Despite the ups and downs, this first part of his complete works has deepened my appreciation for his role in shaping the modern novel. With patience (and occasionally, a guidebook), the journey through these stories can be rewarding.
★★★★★ 4.5/5
The Pickwick Papers earns 4.5 stars for its humor, charm, and episodic storytelling that laid the groundwork for later classic duos like Wodehouse’s Wooster and Jeeves. This was easily the most comedic novel I've read so far—full of lighthearted adventures and quirky characters you can enjoy in small doses without needing to rush through. The dynamic between Pickwick and his clever servant Sam Weller is especially delightful. While Dickens’ prose can still feel overly wordy at times, the wit and warmth more than make up for it.
Currently working on Part 2 of the collection reading: David Copperfield
As a reader, I’ve always found Charles Dickens to be a challenging author to engage with. His dense prose, sprawling narratives, and the sheer number of characters can make even the most well-known works a bit of a hurdle. That said, I committed to reading the first part of his complete works and was pleasantly surprised by the variety of tones and themes throughout. Below are my impressions of each novel in the collection, based on readability, story, and character development.
A Tale of Two Cities — ★★½ / 5
This was, unfortunately, my least favourite of the collection. I found the plot and characters difficult to follow, which detracted from my overall enjoyment. The historical context is rich, but without supplemental materials like Coles Notes, I struggled to stay engaged. The complexity of the storyline often made it feel more like a chore than a compelling read.
Bleak House — ★★★★ / 5
This was a standout for me. Bleak House felt ahead of its time, blending social commentary with what could be seen as the early roots of the police procedural genre. The shifting perspectives and the depiction of the legal system added depth to the narrative, and I found myself genuinely invested in the characters and their fates.
Dombey and Son — ★★★★ / 5
A well-paced and emotionally satisfying novel, Dombey and Son follows the personal and professional trials of a prominent family. I enjoyed the way Dickens wove themes of pride, familial duty, and personal growth into the story. The balance between drama and romance made it a more approachable and rewarding read.
Nicholas Nickleby — ★★★★ / 5
A quintessential Dickensian tale of family hardship, personal resilience, and eventual triumph. While the narrative followed a somewhat predictable arc, the vivid cast of characters and moral undertones kept it engaging. A classic example of Dickens’ ability to mix dark themes with touches of humour and redemption.
The Mystery of Edwin Drood — ★★★ / 5
Though unfinished, Edwin Drood shows tremendous promise. It’s clear Dickens was leaning toward a darker, more suspenseful tone, and the setup for a murder mystery is intriguing. Unfortunately, we’ll never know how the story concludes, but the existing chapters offer an atmospheric and moody glimpse into what could have been a great whodunit.
The Old Curiosity Shop — ★★★★ / 5
This story was both easy to follow and emotionally affecting. Dickens tackles the devastating consequences of gambling addiction and its ripple effects on a family, all while weaving in themes of vulnerability and resilience. The tone is decidedly sombre, but the story is accessible and moving, especially in its portrayal of intergenerational hardship.
Martin Chuzzlewit — ★★★ / 5
While this novel has its moments, it didn’t resonate with me as strongly as others. The satirical take on selfishness and hypocrisy within families and society is clever, but the pacing felt uneven. Still, Dickens’ wit and social critique shine through.
Barnaby Rudge — ★★★ / 5
This novel stood out for its early and relatively sensitive depiction of a character with what we would now recognize as a developmental or cognitive disability. Barnaby is a compelling and unique figure in Dickens’ body of work, and his presence adds emotional weight to an otherwise uneven historical narrative.
Hard Times — ★★★ / 5
A stark and sombre novel, Hard Times is a critique of industrialization and utilitarianism. While the themes are important, the story felt especially grim and heavy. The characters serve the message more than they feel like real people, making it a less emotionally engaging experience for me.
Overall Impression so far:
While Dickens can be a difficult author to read, his ability to portray societal issues, emotional turmoil, and moral conflicts remains unmatched. Despite the ups and downs, this first part of his complete works has deepened my appreciation for his role in shaping the modern novel. With patience (and occasionally, a guidebook), the journey through these stories can be rewarding.
★★★★★ 4.5/5
The Pickwick Papers earns 4.5 stars for its humor, charm, and episodic storytelling that laid the groundwork for later classic duos like Wodehouse’s Wooster and Jeeves. This was easily the most comedic novel I've read so far—full of lighthearted adventures and quirky characters you can enjoy in small doses without needing to rush through. The dynamic between Pickwick and his clever servant Sam Weller is especially delightful. While Dickens’ prose can still feel overly wordy at times, the wit and warmth more than make up for it.
Currently working on Part 2 of the collection reading: David Copperfield
January 25, 2019
Poor quality text
I love Charles Dickens and it is a pity this e-book is so full of grammatical errors. Impossible to ignore the constant mistakes, I had to buy a different collection.
I love Charles Dickens and it is a pity this e-book is so full of grammatical errors. Impossible to ignore the constant mistakes, I had to buy a different collection.
October 18, 2021
What I got through of this was great but I feel like this audiotape is just a daunting task to get through, going old school and getting the seperate novels. I really liked Oliver Twist so hopefully a good decision.
December 16, 2021
Re-read Great Expectations for first time in years - still one of the best novels ever written. Not sure which one to read next, maybe Oliver Twist or maybe one I haven't actually read before like Dombey and Son. Decisions.... Great value edition.
January 17, 2019
I can't review
I feel silly to review a book by Charles Dickens.. There is so much to learn and relearn from his works.. I can read them all over again..
I feel silly to review a book by Charles Dickens.. There is so much to learn and relearn from his works.. I can read them all over again..
March 23, 2019
I love his books
I do not wish to write a review, I want to read the complete edition first i have not read bleak house yet!
I do not wish to write a review, I want to read the complete edition first i have not read bleak house yet!
July 23, 2019
Very good , I think it was really fun .
I don't like having to write this review I would rather be reading this e book I think I will go to
I don't like having to write this review I would rather be reading this e book I think I will go to
September 12, 2020
Currently reading David Copperfield and enjoying it very much.
March 26, 2021
I tried. Too boring and too long.
November 28, 2022
and i loved every sentimental minute of it.
March 16, 2023
Just read Hard Times form this anthology. It was excellent and one of Dickens' shorter novels.
May 9, 2023
I couldn't find David Copperfield unabridged listed in the Goodreads choices, but thought I better confess that I did not read all 4 of these novels, this time around.
Read
January 7, 2024DNF
BLEAK HOUSE; This is the first Dickens novel I was unable to finish. I found it boring, too many forgetable characters and rambling writing.
BLEAK HOUSE; This is the first Dickens novel I was unable to finish. I found it boring, too many forgetable characters and rambling writing.
December 11, 2025
The writings of simpler times. Refreshing change
August 9, 2022
Must Have Collection
Tale of Two Cities, David Copperfield, Great Expectations, Oliver Twist are four of the greatest novels written. Read Martin Chuzzlewit that by itself was ok, but enjoyed in relation to other Dickens novels. Could not get through Pickwick Papers, but will try again later. Enjoyed Our Mutual Friend, though not at level of classics. Nicholas Nickelby was wonderful. Short works (Christmas stories) not included. Am constantly on this collection. Highly recommended
Tale of Two Cities, David Copperfield, Great Expectations, Oliver Twist are four of the greatest novels written. Read Martin Chuzzlewit that by itself was ok, but enjoyed in relation to other Dickens novels. Could not get through Pickwick Papers, but will try again later. Enjoyed Our Mutual Friend, though not at level of classics. Nicholas Nickelby was wonderful. Short works (Christmas stories) not included. Am constantly on this collection. Highly recommended
June 22, 2016
A message of purpose.
This was (for me) a challenge. Dickens documented in an entertaining way the conditions he observed in his beloved country. Great story teller..
This was (for me) a challenge. Dickens documented in an entertaining way the conditions he observed in his beloved country. Great story teller..
April 14, 2023
Only read The Old Curiosity Shop from this collection. It was brilliant!
Now read Hard Times
Now read Hard Times
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews