Barnaby Rudge (Penguin Classics)

It was the worse book he wrote!!!

Interesting historical novel but many of the characters were too ___ (good/bad/morally suspect/etc).

For some reason, this is often considered one of Dickens' lesser novels. It's hard to see why. The account of the Gordon Riots is astonishingly vivid and the interwoven stories of the various individuals caught up in this chaotic period of English history are as affecting and involving as any others he devised. There are plenty of vivid characters too, and some amusing moments, for all...more

For some reason, this is often considered one of Dickens' lesser novels. It's hard to see why. The account of the Gordon Riots is astonishingly vivid and the interwoven stories of the various individuals caught up in this chaotic period of English history are as affecting and involving as any others he devised. There are plenty of vivid characters too, and some amusing moments, for all the serious subject matter and grim events. I enjoyed this very much. It's a fascinating companion piece to Dickens' other historical novel, "A Tale of Two Cities", which has many themes in common. If that is the greater novel, then this is still very fine. An under-rated gem.   hide

Dickens doesn't have a book that isn't one of his best.

Oliver Twist, is good, and so is a Christmas Carol, but this has to be my absolute favorite book by Dickens. It has it's sad points like A Tale of Two Cities, but everything does wind up for good at the end, like a Christmas Carol. Barnaby, the title character, is supposed to be an "idiot", mentally challenged, but true to Dickens' fashion, it sometimes seems like he's the one with the right...more

Oliver Twist, is good, and so is a Christmas Carol, but this has to be my absolute favorite book by Dickens. It has it's sad points like A Tale of Two Cities, but everything does wind up for good at the end, like a Christmas Carol. Barnaby, the title character, is supposed to be an "idiot", mentally challenged, but true to Dickens' fashion, it sometimes seems like he's the one with the right answers.   hide