Play Book Tag discussion

Still 4 stars and a heart; this time I listened to Patrick Tull for about 50 percent of the book and read 50 percent, not in that exact order as at first I merely finished whichever chapter was left hanging at the end of a CD or when I was finished walking; about halfway through I started reading and then listening to whichever chapter was next when walking.

One of Dickens' strong suits was his ability to write people you might see on a bus (heard that phrase somewhere) and yet still accentuate them enough to make good fiction. I'd say this was comparable to James McBride's ability although the two not only have completely different styles but also wrote more than a century apart (and McBride's still writing.)

Oh, the book! It was just as good this time, and in the past seven years I'd forgotten enough to make much of it fresh again even if I still knew the broad strokes (in between came COVID and 2020 when I read 400 books, so plenty of books to help me forget stuff.) Who can forget--wait, I nearly told a spoiler, what was I thinking? I've been discussing this with someone who nearly has this book memorized.

PREVIOUS REVIEW

Four plus stars and a heart

NB There is a fabulous audiobook recorded by Patrick Tull I highly recommend for those who enjoy those. He was the right age to narrate this novel and also does a fabulous job--very believable.

I am not going to review too much of this well-known book as there is a blurb, but I have to say I greatly enjoyed this reread of a book from my youth, and it was better for the audiobook now, but I loved reading it back then.

How can I not enjoy the dear, very earnest David from his youngest years and on for a number of decades. His trials and sorrows, his blessings and joys, the deeds of those around him which ranged from dastardly and nefarious to loving and noble. Dickens was a social reformer, no doubt about it--everyone of his novels has more than one of his causes and/or points. Then there are the memorable characters--Uriah Heap, what an antagonist!, but then Mr. Murdoch wasn't just an antagonist but the very model of a domineering, cruel and suppressive husband, along with his sister. But of course, a Dickens novel of this length and type wouldn't be Dickens if there were only three villains, now would it?

I one heard that he never had character growth in women until Our Mutual Friend, but this is incorrect. There is at least one notable woman in this novel who undergoes enormous character growth, and we see her in the beginning and then later on, and I won't say that she is the only one, and I don't mean because of some fall and moral lesson learned, either. I have to say that Betsy Trottwood is one of my favourite female characters, but she is not the only one I love from this novel.

My goodness, there is so much to say, and while I am not writing like Dickens, look at how my language is somewhat affected by listening to this. There are a few weaknesses, needless to say, so it's not 5 stars, but I really do have a soft spot for this novel.

One of my favorite Dickens, though it's been a long time since I re-read it. I first read this as a very young teen during summer camp.

This is also one of my favorites. And I love Patrick Tull as a narrator, though I never listened to this one.

If you haven't read Demon Copperhead, this would be the time to do so. It's brilliant how Kingsolver used so many of the same characters and relationships, though sad that many of the same ills exist today.

We are often annoyed by the "coincidences" in Dickens, people turning up in odd places or being related to each other. But at the time, that was considered good writing, to be able to tie everything together. It also worked for serial writing, so readers didn't have to constantly learn new characters.

This is still my favorite Dickens. I've just (finally!) finished Little Dorrit, but it doesn't come close to my affection for the characters in David Copperfield. Mister Micawber, Betsy Trotwood and even the evil Uriah Heep are some of his best comic characters.

I have to disagree on your audio edition, tho. My favorite is a Simon Vance performance.

Robin P wrote: "This is also one of my favorites. And I love Patrick Tull as a narrator, though I never listened to this one.

If you haven't read Demon Copperhead, this would be the time to do so..."

Thanks; I've thought about reading it, but undecided.

Jgrace wrote: "This is still my favorite Dickens. I've just (finally!) finished Little Dorrit, but it doesn't come close to my affection for the characters in David Copperfield. Mister Micawber, Betsy Trotwood an..."

Yes, his characters are brilliant in this book, aren't they?