I can’t say that my expectations were all that great going into this book. If anything I had a bit of trepidation as I had heard that it was kind of slow going, and my only knowledge of the story was based on the 1998 film version, which had a pretty good sound track if I remember correctly, but what a pleasant surprise this was.
The only other Dickens novel I’d ever read was A Christmas Carol and just like it Great Expectations has vivid characters and explores different aspects of the human condition. Here’s a quick summary from the publisher:
In an overgrown churchyard, a grizzled convict springs upon an orphan named Pip. The convict terrifies the young boy and threatens to kill him unless Pip helps further his escape. Later, Pip finds himself in the ruined garden where he meets the bitter and crazy Miss Havisham and her foster child Estella, with whom he immediately falls in love. After a secret benefactor gives him a fortune, Pip moves to London, where he cultivates great expectations for a life which would allow him to discard his impoverished beginnings and socialize with the idle upper class. As Pip struggles to become a gentleman and is tormented endlessly by the beautiful Estella, he slowly learns the truth about himself and his illusions.
I enjoyed the beginning and as I was able to devote quite a bit of time to the book when I first started it, it felt like the story was flying by. With such short chapters that left you wondering what was next, it was easy to keep going. I liked Pip but my interest was really piqued with the appearance of Miss Havisham. What a fantastic character and one who I wish had appeared even more in the book.
I did struggle with Pip some because while part of me got upset and I wanted to yell at him and tell him not to do certain things, I still had a soft spot for him. I don’t want to excuse his behavior but I do think Pip was just so intent on bettering his situation that he ended up hurting those who cared for him. And, right before he goes to London we get a glimmer of his regret:
“It was by the finger-post at the end of the village, and I laid my hand upon it, and said, ‘good-by O my dear, dear friend.’ Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts. I was better after I cried, than before – more sorry, more aware of my own ingratitude, more gentle. If I had cried before, I should have had Joe with me then.”
Then of course there is Estella… The cold and cruel object of Pip’s affections. She may not be an easy girl to like but then again how she was raised shaped the person she became. In the end I couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for her own disillusion.
There were so many other things happening that I wonder just how much I missed but I still I thoroughly enjoyed this and want to thank Andi and Heather for choosing this book as the first read for the Year of Reading Dangerous Challenge. If you haven’t yet, go to the challenge blog to read what others thought of the book and participate in the discussions. Next month the group is reading The Bluest Eye but I’ll be taking a detour as I selected a different book.
I’m glad that you enjoyed it. I really did, too. I also feel a little sorry for Estella. When we have problems that start in childhood they can stick with us the rest of our lives.
Dicken’s earliest works were seralized in the newspapers.
(Like a mini-series on TV.) So, I guess that’s why he kept the shorter chapters when he wrote full novels.
I put away Barnaby Rudge but will start it again.
This really cheers me because I loathed Dickens at school and now, with several bloggers being brave enough to try him, I am wondering whether I should give him another go. Thanks for a great and encouraging review, iliana!
Well, I have heard mixed reviews about this, so I’m not sure. I guess I need to read more reviews before I decide whether or not to read it. ;P Gosh, I must be the last person on earth who haven’t read this, LOL.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this as so many people are put off by its style or length or just the image Dickens has. I occasionally prod Litlove in this direction. It’s a book about what happens when someone (a child) is ripped from their natural home and the distortions which result. Dickens’ ooks so often centre on children who suffer this fate, whose childhood’s are distorted by circumstance or the adults around them, often both. This preoccupation probably comes from his own disrupted childhood. I have lots of sympathy for Pip and Estelle, for both are unnatural creations. Magwitch’s plan is to make Pip a gentleman, which is a sort of revenge on the society which has rejected him, and Miss Havisham similarly creates Estelle to revenge the male world which has rejected her. Pip and Estelle are the unfortunate objects selected as the weapons of revenge. They are warped from their natural selves. Magwitch’s intensions are superficially good, but as so often in Dickens names should give us pause for thought – is he a magus or a witch. or both? The book seems to me about identity, its creation, its disguises, its protection. Wemmick tries to protect his humanity by splitting his character and it’s significant that only Pip is ever allowed to cross that divide, but like Pip I think we are meant to see that Wemmick’s defences are a false, flimsly make-believe things, which wouldn’t stand up to realtiy if put to the test. Miss Havisham seeks to hide from the world to a greater extent, refusing to allow the world to go on by stopping time. Sorry, I’m wittering on, but it’s such a rich book.
I’ve always enjoyed this book. Poor Pip. He has a hard time because he adores the wrong girl. I always thought Mrs Havisham’s reaction to her botched wedding was over the top. What was the point?!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!! I wish I had loved it more than I did…I honestly think it may have been timing thing with me. I did love some parts…Wemmick and the Aged especially. But, oh well, at least I can finally cross this one off my list!
Sounds like we both felt pretty much the same way about the characters. I didn’t include this in my review, but I feel like Dickens used his writing to warn people against poor choices, sort of a moral tale. Again, I’ve never read any other Dickens, but I immediately think of A Christmas Carol, which definitely has that aspect, as well. Glad you liked it.
aka Nik – Exactly, if she was told all along to guard her heart how would she have learned otherwise right? Did feel sorry for her.
Isabel – He had to keep the readers in suspense while they waited for the next installment. I especially noticed this more in the beginning of the book – or maybe I got used to it towards the middle 🙂
Litlove – I had built it up in my mind that it was going to be hard to get through and it really wasn’t… Although I do have to say I think it reads better if you devote big chunks of time for it. I found it easier to get into the story that way.
Melody – I can understand. I do think the middle was the hardest part for me but it had some great characters so I think that helped me enjoy it a lot.
Bookboxed – Thank you so much for your comments and I really appreciate what you said about the names. I didn’t even think about that at all! And, it reinforces what I thought – that I’m sure this book has so many layers to it that I’ve barely touched the surface. And, I understand this is perhaps a bit auto-biographical? I don’t know much about Dickens but I read that somewhere. I know I’d like to try another of his books – maybe not right now but definitely will approach them with more enthusiasm now!
Chrisbookarama – I wonder about people who don’t let go of past hurts and things like that. It’s like the give up living. Granted she was extreme but still I do see people that do stuff like this.
Heather – Ooh the Aged… I already forgot about him. See so many other things. I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy it as much Heather but you know it could be just the timing or just not the right Dickens book for you. Would you try another?
Lisa – Oh true. See this is why I’m enjoying everyone’s reviews on this – we are all getting so much out of this because we’ve all picked up on different things. There is just so much to this story.
Yay! I’m so glad you liked it Iliana, and what a fantabulous review! Wonderfully written, my dear!
Andi – Thank you. I think too given how much I enjoyed a “dangerous” book, I’m excited about my other “dangerous” titles. I was able to conquer one and the next may not be as daunting as I feared either! 🙂
Oh, I love Great Expectations. One of my favourite Dickens’ novels (I love Dickens – my favourite is Martin Chuzzlewit, the BBC adaptation of that one was also fabulous). Actually, it has been such a long time since I last read it that I think I owe it a re-read, and soon!
Great post, and I’m glad you enjoyed the book!
I really need to read this book. If I didn’t already have so many reading plans I would have. I loved David Copperfield. Doesn’t Dickens do characters well?
Quixotic – I’d never been very intrigued by Dickens before even though I do like A Christmas Carol but now I’m so excited by all of his other works awaiting me! 🙂
Danielle – His characters are fantastic. Someone said that his women characters in this book aren’t very “nice” and I agree although I still liked them but I am curious if the women always get the same treatment in his other books. I guess I’ll have to read more 🙂
I say anything by Toni Morrison would qualify for dangerous challenge. The American lit class that I TA is reading Beloved. I’ve got a ton of questions everyday during office hour.
What a great review, Iliana, and very promising for me considering I hope to tackle this book one of these days. I can’t wait to meet Miss Havisham!
Matt – I agree. I’ve read two Morrison books and found them difficult. I substituted another novel which I’m reading with one of my book groups but I think it definitely fits the dangerous challenge. I’ll post on it soon.
Literary Feline – Thank you! You will get a kick of Miss Havisham. Talk about a quirky character 🙂