Genre Fiction
- Publisher : Dover Publications, Inc.; 1st edition
- Published : 01 Aug 2001
- Pages : 384
- ISBN-10 : 0486415864
- ISBN-13 : 9780486415864
- Language : English
Great Expectations (Dover Thrift Editions)
In this unflaggingly suspenseful story of aspirations and moral redemption, humble, orphaned Pip, a ward of his short-tempered older sister and her husband, Joe, is apprenticed to the dirty work of the forge but dares to dream of becoming a gentleman. And, indeed, it seems as though that dream is destined to come to pass - because one day, under sudden and enigmatic circumstances, he finds himself in possession of "great expectations." In telling Pip's story, Dickens traces a boy's path from a hardscrabble rural life to the teeming streets of 19th-century London, unfolding a gripping tale of crime and guilt, revenge and reward, and love and loss. Its compelling characters include Magwitch, the fearful and fearsome convict; Estella, whose beauty is excelled only by her haughtiness; and the embittered Miss Havisham, an eccentric jilted bride.
Written in the last decade of Dickens' life, Great Expectations was praised widely and universally admired. It was his last great novel, and many critics believe it to be his finest. Readers and critics alike praised it for its masterful plot, which rises above the melodrama of some of his earlier works, and for its three-dimensional, psychologically realistic characters - characters much deeper and more interesting than the one-note caricatures of earlier novels. "In none of his other works," wrote the reviewer in the 1861 Atlantic, "does he evince a shrewder insight into real life, and a cheaper perception and knowledge of what is called the world." To Swinburne, the novel was unparalleled in all of English fiction, with defects "as nearly imperceptible as spots on the sun or shadows on a sunlit sea." Shaw found it Dickens' "most completely perfect book." Now this inexpensive edition invites modern readers to savor this timeless masterpiece, teeming with colorful characters, unexpected plot twists, and Dickens' vivid rendering of the vast tapestry of mid-Victorian England.
Written in the last decade of Dickens' life, Great Expectations was praised widely and universally admired. It was his last great novel, and many critics believe it to be his finest. Readers and critics alike praised it for its masterful plot, which rises above the melodrama of some of his earlier works, and for its three-dimensional, psychologically realistic characters - characters much deeper and more interesting than the one-note caricatures of earlier novels. "In none of his other works," wrote the reviewer in the 1861 Atlantic, "does he evince a shrewder insight into real life, and a cheaper perception and knowledge of what is called the world." To Swinburne, the novel was unparalleled in all of English fiction, with defects "as nearly imperceptible as spots on the sun or shadows on a sunlit sea." Shaw found it Dickens' "most completely perfect book." Now this inexpensive edition invites modern readers to savor this timeless masterpiece, teeming with colorful characters, unexpected plot twists, and Dickens' vivid rendering of the vast tapestry of mid-Victorian England.
Readers Top Reviews
SEA WARRIORTone the
I enjoyed this but found my enthusiasm waning around the middle of the book. The author, like many of his age, seemingly paces the plot to fill the days of readers with time on their hands. But things pick up when the big reveal comes about two thirds of the way in and Dickens then keeps the reader guessing as to how the book will end. A particular joy of this book is that it is often very funny - particularly when recounting Pip's early days. Those who have seen the 1946 film adaption might agree that the film's casting was superb.
Faye Sirs Garg Ank
It’s taken me over 7 months to complete this book. The longest it’s ever taken me to finish a book. Honestly, running the risk of sounding unintelligent, I found the old language difficult to keep up with. A lot of the time, I wasn’t too sure what was going on, who a character was or what they were saying. I have seen some of the film before so I was able to fill in the blanks, but it didn’t lure me the way a book usually does. It seemed more like hard work than enjoying the journey. Im sure the author is very talented and writes very well, but it can be hard to tell from a modern perspective.
Richard RussellMary
Great Expectations, a 19th Century classic by Charles Dickens. Good book, good story, but suffers from what afflicts most 19th century novels, the language. At least for me, it's not quite 'pleasure reading' when I 'work' my way through some of the novels by Dickens, Jane Austen, Alexandre Dumas, Robert Louis Stevenson and others. Some 'classic' favorites of mine are Jules Verne's The Mysterious Island and Stevenson's Treasure Island. Even Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice was quite worth the effort it took to get through the language. David Copperfield Is a more engaging Dickens novel, worth the effort to get through. Great Expectations on the other hand seemed to be more obviously written as a serial, the author getting paid by the word, thus the over embellished writing style. I used CliffsNotes throughout to help with things I missed. But what do I know? I'm no brilliant consumer of great literature. I'm just your average Joe trying every once in a while to catch up on the great novels and writers of the past.
paula matabane
This book is a classic for a reason -- Dickens' insight into the human mind and spirit is phenomenal. He is a master writer and psychologist and perhaps spiritual leader. He strips bare the human condition especially how we get stuck in our moments of trauma like Miss Havisham, or stuck in our insecurities like Pip longing for what he knows is emotional poison (Estella) because he imagines her love and attention will elevate him. This book ought to be read and studied.
LlewellynKlapaucjusz
The tiny type in this edition is set in three columns, like a newspaper shrunken down to miniature. All but unreadable, no idea who would want this. I think that the publisher is counting on the low price to dissuade people from sending it back, but I am just annoyed enough to bother.