This book was literally the worst thing thats happened in my whole entire life.
I was forced to read this long. boring book for english class and either fell asleep, or sat there and sared off into spce.
THIS BOOK WAS HORRIBLE!!!!!!!!!
The only GOOD thing about this book is that I hav found a new way to doze off without sum sleeping pills (just read the first two pages and WALLA ure fast asleep!!!!!!!)

My daughter had to read this book for school and she said it was a great read. She is 14 and it was easy for her to understand and follow.

I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in reading a Dickens novel but not sure where to start. I moved around to so many different high schools that I never was "forced" to read any Dickens and somehow also missed this in college. I just finished this book and I have to admit I did not "breeze through it" but I did take a week to read it in small increments and felt it was worth the effort. Some of the terms are no longer in use or would be rarely used in today's world; the use of the language has changed and the reading can be tedious if you are tired. I had to stretch my imagination to wrap my mind around mid-19th century London and its environs for I have not been there (nor have I been to the middle of the 19th century, thankee). I savored the prose and tried to recreate the intended accents in my head (not out loud, as that would have been dreadful). I did laugh out loud a couple of times while reading this...not my expectation. I was thrilled by the descriptions of Miss Havisham...what a mind Dickens had. You should read this but be patient with yourself (I was rather embarrassed that my husband plowed through four contemporary novels while I slowly worked through this one). Do read this.

Great Expectations is one of Dickens's later novels, a work of his artistic maturity. The narrative is symbolic rather than realistic. Although, as in most of Dickens and in Victorian literature in general, the plot relies heavily on coincidence, it is acceptable here because the events are true to the internal, psychological, logic of the story.

Great Expectations tells the story of Pip, a boy who starts as an orphan who moves on to apprenticeship in the business world of nineteenth-century England. Along the way, he falls in love with a girl from a wealthy family, and gains a mysterious patron.
The book is heavy on character development and descriptive detail, but relatively light on action and suspense. The orphan Pip, the convict Magwitch, the beautiful Estella and her guardian, the embittered and vengeful Miss Havisham, the master lawyer Mr. Jaggers and Wemmick his secretive assistant - all play their part in this story which is a memoir, a mystery, and a romance.
Great Expectations never loses sight of the social mishaps of the time and is often on the teacher's list in literature classics. Most people who read it will like it and will be able to identify with the characters, but impatient readers will drown in the details, extended descriptions and explanations, and deep characterizations.

Who knew that a book written almost 150 years ago could be so great? Not me. Granted, part of the reason I enjoyed this book so much was because I had expected it not to be (A Tale of Two Cities is still collecting dust on my bookshelf). The writing is flawless; characters, wonderfully varied; and plot, save an occasional feeling of contrivance at the almost uncanny character interconnections, spectacular.

Pip, an orphan, lives with his 20 plus years older sister Georgiana "Mrs. Joe" Gargery, an unhappy woman who "rampages" on him and her blacksmith husband Joe, a simple, kind man. During an unexpected encounter with a shackled escaped convict, he is coerced into helping the man to prevent bodily injury to himself. It's not the last the boy will see of him. Pip is later asked to visit an eccentric woman (having been left at the altar by a scheming fiancé), where he encounters the beautiful but cold Estella, a future love interest, and several other central characters. Eventually an anonymous donor provides monetary help to Pip hoping that it will facilitate his becoming a gentleman and a scholar. But as his financial situation changes from meager but adequate to one of relative wealth, his personality transforms from kindhearted and unpretentious to inconsiderate and snobbish. Only through the adversity that follows his attempt to fulfill the expectations of his benefactor does Pip learn some important life lessons.

Also good, Mr. Pip by Lloyd Jones (wish I hadn't read it before GE), An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser, and The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins.

I agonized through this book in HS and have recently breezed through it. About 30 years have passed in between.
What I was most struck by in my second reading was how relevant the story was to our own times. Child abuse and emotionally damaging relationships, celebrity lawyers, prison reform, the dangers of easy credit, how easily a person can dispose of their past identity. Dickens wrote about this 140+ years ago but he could have been writing about the present day. Yes, a reader has to warm up to the 19th century language, but once that happens, the characters and their emotions are so authentic and fully developed. I found myself so annoyed at Pip in the middle of the novel, I almost put it down. How could I possibly care about such an obnoxious young man. But I did care and cared more and more deeply as the book wound down. Pip's transformation was convincing because the reader sees how it occurs in small increments. In the end I took a deep breath and thought to myself, well, Pip, you finally grew up. It may not be the best book to force teenagers to read, but I hope mature readers will take it up and find the treasures inside.

Dickens is the most obvious of writers. All of his novels are to various extents semi autobiographical. All are loaded with funny named people who, aside from the main characters, are caricatures rather than humans who think and feel with any semblance of subtlety or complexity. All are deeply concerned with social injustice and class struggle. Most are filled with plot twists, and almost all are very enjoyable reads. Dickens is nothing if not a master storyteller who loves to manipulate the emotions of his reading public. It is no wonder he is the most popular author of the Victorian age, and maybe second only to Shakespeare in the history of English literature.

Great Expectations, along with David Copperfield are my 2 favorite Dickens novels, probably because they both have more overtly autobiographical elements than his other works. The story of Pip.. of his rise and fall, and ultimate redemption, gives us a clear window into the heart and mind of Dickens himself. The story itself held my interest from beginning to end, had important themes to explore, and despite it's lack of introspection in examining personality issues, made you care about the main characters. I don't think it's great literary art, but I do think it's a great novel.

Dickens is the most obvious of writers. All of his novels are to various extents semi autobiographical. All are loaded with funny named people who, aside from the main characters, are caricatures rather than humans who think and feel with any semblance of subtlety or complexity. All are deeply concerned with social injustice and class struggle. Most are filled with plot twists, and almost all are very enjoyable reads. Dickens is nothing if not a master storyteller who loves to manipulate the emotions of his reading public. It is no wonder he is the most popular author of the Victorian age, and maybe second only to Shakespeare in the history of English literature.

Great Expectations, along with David Copperfield are my 2 favorite Dickens novels, maybe because they are both more overtly autobiographical than his other works. The story of Pip.. of his rise and fall, and ultimate redemption, give us a clearer window into the heart and mind of Dickens himself. The story held my interest from beginning to end, had important themes to explore, and despite it's lack of introspection in examining personality issues, made you care about the main characters. I don't think it's great literary art, but I do think it's a great novel.

This book is a masterpiece of fiction. Until you read the book you don't realize just how influential this story is in western literature.

Let me see.
I hate this book. It is a required reading for English, mostly to show the difference between Flat and Round characters. Well it worked! Most of the characters in this book are flat! Ugh.
I can't get over how the plotine doesn't even move normally. Its like when you want to drive somewhere and you hit a million and one detours. Eventually you'd say, "Screw it! Who needs food?" But nooo... Dickens just kept on driving around. I think only ONE subplot was actually straightforward, and that would be Miss Havisham and her ex lover.
Basically, I got halfway through this book, then fled to Sparknotes. I wasn't going to read it. I was just going to make sure I knew enough to pass the test I had to take on the garbage.
Ironically enough, those of us who used Sparknotes got better test grades than those who actually read the book. That say something about how much sense it made...

I was brought kicking and screaming to this story thanks to high school English Lit requirements but it ended up being my favorite of the term. I loved and hated various major characters strongly which is why I just couldn't put it down until I was finished.

I've seen film versions since reading this book and I've never seen anything live up to the experience of the text. This is a classic to add to your home library.

When I was a teenager, I loved Dickens. In later years, however, I abandoned Dickens for more overtly "intellectual" authors. The wonderful thing about great books is that they do not suffer from multiple readings. Returning to Great Expectations after maybe 20 years was a delight. It is simple, accessible, gently humorous and heartbreaking. Dickens' love of language is simply a joy to experience. The novel is beautiful, effusive and yet tinged with Pip's own discomfort of class and self. Dickens holds his own as the Master Storyteller of the 19th Century.

I highly reccomend this book to anyone interested in reading the classics. I first read the story in high-school and immediatly fell in love with Dicken's eloquent style. His descriptions of Pip's surroundings, emotions and experiences never fail to capture my imagination and tug at my heart. Dickens can be very tough to read, but also very rewarding because you know that you are enjoying a piece of literary genius. Great Expectations provides a nice into into his style and prepares readers for his more challenging stories.

The story is long, and detailed but extremely captivating. The characters are complex and the mystery will keep you turning the pages. Even if you've never considered reading Dickens before, read this one!

This book did not age well. The writing is far too colloquial and Dickens employs highly uncommon words gratuitously, if not pompously. I found the story's events frustratingly improbable, the coincidences felt contrived, and the writing in general is consistently agonizing to read through. I believe that this book, because it's often included in a school curriculum, does more harm to humanity than good, given that it will likely turn many people away from reading.

This by far is my favorite book. It's a timeless classic and one everyone should read!

I'm surprised that this book is a requirement in highschool. I had to read it in my upper division English Lit class in college and I just couldn't get into it. There are way too many retarded characters on which Dickens spends too much time, Pip gets more annoying with every page, especially his love for Estella who is one of the most disgusting characters in the book. I've read Jane Eyre before this and it was a real page turner. This is plain boring.

Great Expectations has a few interesting characters. I'll give it that. Magwitch and Miss Havisham are definitely original and entertaining. But everyone else is pretty bland.

Pip's love for Estella is rather pathetic. Why he would love such a despicable person is beyond me. This fact alone makes Pip difficult to relate to, and thus not a very good choice for the point-of-view character.

But the one thing that absolutely ruins this book is the clutter of coincidences. One of the first rules of fiction writing is NO COINCIDENCES. And Dickens goes out of his way to break this rule. Over. And Over. And Over.

Really, it is not a very good book. Please do not wasted your money on it (although there are a LOT of pages, so it could last you months as toilet paper

I can't give this book enough praise. I read David Copperfield after, which was supposedly Dickens' most belove character, but I enjoyed GE much more. You won't be disappointed.

My book was supposed to be brand new, yet there were slashes across the cover.

This is Charles Dickens' version of the poor kid fantasy. This is almost a fable, I would say. This is the kind of story that you hear over and over growing up in poverty. It is almost in the category of Robin Hood, but this is the real thing in the flesh and blood. The old man in the cemetery scene still plays over and over in my mind. I should have read everything written by Charles Dickens by now, but yet I haven't. I started A Tale of Two Cities a little while ago and I have it on my night stand. I think that I'll get back to it tonight. I don't know who beats Dickens in superb phrasing and style. He is the Master.

All the standard Dickensian motifs are present in this book: deus ex machinae, factitious coincidences, longueurs, inventive names, an empathy towards children in a world of pompous adults, and sheer expository brilliance.

Dickens paints a picture in your mind...you see the country, smell the air, and hear the voices of the characters as if they are actually speaking. This being Dickens, you must allow for some patness in the plot...grant that, and then you can enjoy the genius of his phrases, metaphors, characterizations, and recounting of the absurd.

(Wopsle's go at Hamlet in London should have you laughing out loud.)

This is an excellent book...a classic.

As background information, I am in the process of reading most of Dickens 22 novels. I bought the Penguin Popular Classics version of the novel. It is very basic and comes in a simple green cover. It contains no introduction or analysis, just the text plus a very brief historical sketch of Dickens. It seems to be an excellent value for the money and I bought three Dickens novels in the series. I was a bit disappointed in that one book seemed to fall apart as I read it: the binding seemed very weak and cheaply made. It was marginally okay for the present book which is just 400 pages, and the book did not fall apart, but did seem damaged after one read. Another Dickens novel, which was 700 pages long, fell apart with at least 50 pages coming loose. After this bad experience, I bought other versions of Dickens's works - Wordsworth Classic versions and the regular Penguin Classic versions, the ones with the photo on the covers.

Charles Dickens, who lived from 1812 to 1870, is the best know male English writer of the 19th century. He authored 22 novels plus numerous short pieces. Most of his writing was first written in serialized form, later published as single novels.

A young Dickens at the age of 12 had the unenviable job of attaching labels 10 hours a day at the Warren's boot blacking factory. That experience shaped much of his writing career. Still in his teens he became a law clerk, then later in his twenties a journalist. The last job as a reporter led to the serialized writing of his novels. His works were social commentaries with larger than life characters, or colorful caricatures, living in the slums of London. He was a critic of poverty, social injustice, and the slow moving court system. Those themes permeate most of his novels and it is present her in Great Expectations. This is a novel set in London and the countryside close to London. It is a story of a young boy who wants to grow up and become wealthy and to be a gentleman. Those are his "great expectations."

Without giving away critical plot elements, it is the story of a young boy called Pip, whose parents are dead, and who lives with his sister and her husband Jo who is a blacksmith. They want Pip to learn the trade and be a blacksmith as well. They live in a small town near marshlands near London. His ambitions are grander and he wants to escape to London and become a gentleman. Will Pip find happiness? Will he succeed? Action shifts back and forth between the small town where Pip first lived and the city of London. It involves Pip, lawyers, accountants, Pip's new friends, his love interest, etc.

The novel is not used by Dickens for any pressing social issues, although one might argue that it shows how Pip's ambition blinds him to his true friends. But mostly it is pure entertainment. The book is a classic but has a choppy feel that one can attribute to the way it was written. It was written as a series of dramatic stories for popular serialization which were then combined to make a single novel. I enjoyed the read and would highly recommend the book.

Having read 10 of Dickens's novels I still rate David Copperfield as best, and ahead of the present book, both as a work of literature and for entertainment value. In many ways the two novels are similar, but the plot is far more interesting and realistic in David Copperfield, and Dickens has many more interesting characters in that book, and as a bonus it is almost twice as long.

As background information, I am in the process of reading most of Dickens 22 novels. I bought the Penguin Popular Classics version of the novel. It is very basic and comes in a simple green cover. It contains no introduction or analysis, just the text plus a very brief historical sketch of Dickens. It seems to be an excellent value for the money and I bought three Dickens novels in the series. I was a bit disappointed in that one book seemed to fall apart as I read it: the binding seemed very weak and cheaply made. It was marginally okay for the present book which is just 400 pages, and the book did not fall apart, but did seem damaged after one read. Another Dickens novel, which was 700 pages long, fell apart with at least 50 pages coming loose. After this bad experience, I bought other versions of Dickens's works - Wordsworth Classic versions and the regular Penguin Classic versions, the ones with the photo on the covers.



Charles Dickens, who lived from 1812 to 1870, is the best know male English writer of the 19th century. He authored 22 novels plus numerous short pieces. Most of his writing was first written in serialized form, later published as single novels.



A young Dickens at the age of 12 had the unenviable job of attaching labels 10 hours a day at the Warren's boot blacking factory. That experience shaped much of his writing career. Still in his teens he became a law clerk, then later in his twenties a journalist. The last job as a reporter led to the serialized writing of his novels. His works were social commentaries with larger than life characters, or colorful caricatures, living in the slums of London. He was a critic of poverty, social injustice, and the slow moving court system. Those themes permeate most of his novels and it is present her in Great Expectations. This is a novel set in London and the countryside close to London. It is a story of a young boy who wants to grow up and become wealthy and to be a gentleman. Those are his "great expectations."



Without giving away critical plot elements, it is the story of a young boy called Pip, whose parents are dead, and who lives with his sister and her husband Jo who is a blacksmith. They want Pip to learn the trade and be a blacksmith as well. They live in a small town near marshlands near London. His ambitions are grander and he wants to escape to London and become a gentleman. Will Pip find happiness? Will he succeed? Action shifts back and forth between the small town where Pip first lived and the city of London. It involves Pip, lawyers, accountants, Pip's new friends, his love interest, etc.



The novel is not used by Dickens for any pressing social issues, although one might argue that it shows how Pip's ambition blinds him to his true friends. But mostly it is pure entertainment. The book is a classic but has a choppy feel that one can attribute to the way it was written. It was written as a series of dramatic stories for popular serialization which were then combined to make a single novel. I enjoyed the read and would highly recommend the book.



Having read 10 of Dickens's novels I still rate David Copperfield as best, and ahead of the present book, both as a work of literature and for entertainment value. In many ways the two novels are similar, but the plot is far more interesting and realistic in David Copperfield, and Dickens has many more interesting characters in that book, and as a bonus it is almost twice as long.

As background information, I am in the process of reading most of Dickens 22 novels. I bought the Penguin Popular Classics version of the novel. It is very basic and comes in a simple green cover. It contains no introduction or analysis, just the text plus a very brief historical sketch of Dickens. It seems to be an excellent value for the money and I bought three Dickens novels in the series. I was a bit disappointed in that one book seemed to fall apart as I read it: the binding seemed very weak and cheaply made. It was marginally okay for the present book which is just 400 pages, and the book did not fall apart, but did seem damaged after one read. Another Dickens novel, which was 700 pages long, fell apart with at least 50 pages coming loose. After this bad experience, I bought other versions of Dickens's works - Wordsworth Classic versions and the regular Penguin Classic versions, the ones with the photo on the covers.

Charles Dickens, who lived from 1812 to 1870, is the best know male English writer of the 19th century. He authored 22 novels plus numerous short pieces. Most of his writing was first written in serialized form, later published as single novels.

A young Dickens at the age of 12 had the unenviable job of attaching labels 10 hours a day at the Warren's boot blacking factory. That experience shaped much of his writing career. Still in his teens he became a law clerk, then later in his twenties a journalist. The last job as a reporter led to the serialized writing of his novels. His works were social commentaries with larger than life characters, or colorful caricatures, living in the slums of London. He was a critic of poverty, social injustice, and the slow moving court system. Those themes permeate most of his novels and it is present her in Great Expectations. This is a novel set in London and the countryside close to London. It is a story of a young boy who wants to grow up and become wealthy and to be a gentleman. Those are his "great expectations."

Without giving away critical plot elements, it is the story of a young boy called Pip, whose parents are dead, and who lives with his sister and her husband Jo who is a blacksmith. They want Pip to learn the trade and be a blacksmith as well. They live in a small town near marshlands near London. His ambitions are grander and he wants to escape to London and become a gentleman. Will Pip find happiness? Will he succeed? Action shifts back and forth between the small town where Pip first lived and the city of London. It involves Pip, lawyers, accountants, Pip's new friends, his love interest, etc.

The novel is not used by Dickens for any pressing social issues, although one might argue that it shows how Pip's ambition blinds him to his true friends. But mostly it is pure entertainment. The book is a classic but has a choppy feel that one can attribute to the way it was written. It was written as a series of dramatic stories for popular serialization which were then combined to make a single novel. I enjoyed the read and would highly recommend the book.

Having read 10 of Dickens's novels I still rate David Copperfield as best, and ahead of the present book, both as a work of literature and for entertainment value. In many ways the two novels are similar, but the plot is far more interesting and realistic in David Copperfield, and Dickens has many more interesting characters in that book, and as a bonus it is almost twice as long.

As background information, I am in the process of reading most of Dickens 22 novels. I bought this Penguin Popular Classics version of the novel. It is very basic and comes in a simple green cover. It contains no introduction or analysis, just the text plus a very brief historical sketch of Dickens. It seems to be an excellent value for the money and I bought three Dickens novels in the series. I was a bit disappointed in that one book seemed to fall apart as I read it: the binding seemed very weak and cheaply made. It was marginally okay for the present book which is just 400 pages, and the book did not fall apart, but did seem damaged after one read. Another Dickens novel, which was 700 pages long, fell apart with at least 50 pages coming loose. After this bad experience, I bought other versions of Dickens's works - Wordsworth Classic versions and the regular Penguin Classic versions, the ones with the photo on the covers.

Charles Dickens, who lived from 1812 to 1870, is the best know male English writer of the 19th century. He authored 22 novels plus numerous short pieces. Most of his writing was first written in serialized form, later published as single novels.

A young Dickens at the age of 12 had the unenviable job of attaching labels 10 hours a day at the Warren's boot blacking factory. That experience shaped much of his writing career. Still in his teens he became a law clerk, then later in his twenties a journalist. The last job as a reporter led to the serialized writing of his novels. His works were social commentaries with larger than life characters, or colorful caricatures, living in the slums of London. He was a critic of poverty, social injustice, and the slow moving court system. Those themes permeate most of his novels and it is present her in Great Expectations. This is a novel set in London and the countryside close to London. It is a story of a young boy who wants to grow up and become wealthy and to be a gentleman. Those are his "great expectations."

Without giving away critical plot elements, it is the story of a young boy called Pip, whose parents are dead, and who lives with his sister and her husband Jo who is a blacksmith. They want Pip to learn the trade and be a blacksmith as well. They live in a small town near marshlands near London. His ambitions are grander and he wants to escape to London and become a gentleman. Will Pip find happiness? Will he succeed? Action shifts back and forth between the small town where Pip first lived in the country and the city of London. It involves Pip, lawyers, accountants, Pip's new friends, his love interest, etc.

The novel is not used by Dickens for any social issues, although one might argue that is shows how Pip's ambition blinds him or makes him insensitive to his true friends. But mostly it is pure entertainment. The book is a classic but has a choppy feel that one can attribute to the way it was written. It was written as a series of dramatic stories for popular serialization which were then combined to make a single novel. I enjoyed the read and would recommend the book.

Having read 6 of Dickens's novels I still rate David Copperfield as best, and ahead of the present book as a work of literature and for entertainment value. In many ways the two novels are similar, but the plot is far more interesting and realistic in David Copperfield, and Dickens has many more interesting characters in that book, and as a bonus it is almost twice as long.

I bought this Penguin Popular Classics version of the novel. It is very basic and comes in a simple green cover. It contains no introduction or analysis, just the text plus a very brief historical sketch of Dickens. It seems to be an excellent value for the money and I bought three Dickens novels in the series. I was a bit disappointed in that one book seemed to fall apart as I read it: the binding seemed very weak and cheaply made. It was marginally okay for the present book which is just 400 pages, and the book did not fall apart, but did seem damaged after one read, while the other Dickens novel that was 600 pages fell apart with at least 50 pages coming loose. After that I bought other versions of Dickens's works.

Charles Dickens, who lived from 1812 to 1870, is the best know male English writer of the 19th century. He authored 22 novels plus numerous short pieces. Most of his writing was first written in serialized form, later published as single novels.

A young Dickens at the age of 12 had the unenviable job of attaching labels 10 hours a day at the Warren's boot blacking factory. That experience shaped much of his writing career. Still in his teens he became a law clerk, then later in his twenties a journalist. The last job as a reporter led to the serialized writing of his novels. His works were social commentaries with larger than life characters, or colorful caricatures, living in the slums of London. He was a critic of poverty, social injustice, and the slow moving court system.

Those themes permeate most of his novels and it is present her in Great Expectations. This is a novel set in London and the countryside close to London. It is a story of a young boy who wants to grow up and become wealthy and to be a gentleman. Those are his "great expectations."

Without giving away critical plot elements, it is the story of a young boy called Pip, whose parents are dead, and who lives with his sister and her husband Jo who is a blacksmith. They want Pip to learn the trade and be a blacksmith as well. They live in a small town near marshlands near London. His ambitions are grander and he wants to escape to London and become a gentleman. Will Pip find happiness? Will he succeed? Action shifts back and forth between the small town where Pip first lived in the country and the city of London. It involves Pip, lawyers, accountants, Pip's new friends, his love interest, etc.

The novel is not used by Dickens for any social issues, although one might argue that is shows how Pip's ambition blinds him or makes him insensitive to his true friends. But mostly it is pure entertainment.

The book is a classic but has a choppy feel that one can attribute to the way it was written. It was written as a series of dramatic stories for popular serialization which were then combined to make a single novel. The book is a series of dramatic sub-plots, and as pointed out by another person, can have multiple outcomes that make sense (and Dickens wrote two), and in fact many chapters could have had different outcomes without changing the overall flow or general direction of the novel.

I enjoyed the read and would recommend the book. Having read 6 of Dickens's novels I still rate David Copperield as best, and ahead of the present book as a work of literature and for entertainment value.

I bought this Penguin Popular Classics version of the novel. It is very basic and comes in a simple green cover. It contains no introduction or analysis: just the text plus a very brief historical sketch of Dickens. But, it is an excellent value for the money and I bought three Dickens novels in the series. I was a bit disappointed in that one book seemed to fall apart as I read it: the binding seemed weak.

Charles Dickens, who lived from 1812 to 1870, is the best know male English writer of the 19th century. He authored 22 novels plus numerous short pieces. Most of his writing was first written in serialized form, later published as single novels.

A young Dickens at the age of 12 had the unenviable job of attaching labels 10 hours a day at the Warren's boot blacking factory. That experience shaped much of his writing career. Still in his teens he became a law clerk, then later in his twenties a journalist. The last job as a reporter led to the serialized writing of his novels. His works were social commentaries with larger than life characters, or colorful caricatures, living in the slums of London. He was a critic of poverty, social injustice, and the slow moving court system.

Those themes permeate most of his novels and it is present her in Great Expectations. This is a novel set in London and the countryside close to London. It is a story of a young boy who wants to grow up and become wealthy and to be a gentleman. Those are his "great expectations."

Without giving away critical plot elements, it is the story of a young boy called Pip, whose parents are dead, and who lives with his sister and her husband Jo who is a blacksmith. They want Pip to learn the trade and be a blacksmith as well. They live in a small town near marshlands near London. His ambitions are grander and he wants to escape to London and become a gentleman. Will Pip find happiness? Will he succeed? Action shifts back and forth between the small town where Pip first lived in the country and the city of London. It involves Pip, lawyers, accountants, Pip's new friends, his love interest, etc.

The novel is not used by Dickens for any social issues, although one might argue that is shows how Pip's ambition blinds him or makes him insensitive to his true friends. But mostly it is pure entertainment.

The book is a classic but has a choppy feel that one can attribute to the way it was written. It was written as a series of dramatic stories for popular serialization which were then combined to make a single novel. The book is a series of dramatic sub-plots, and as pointed out by another person, can have multiple outcomes that make sense (and Dickens wrote two), and in fact many chapters could have had different outcomes without changing the overall flow or general direction of the novel.

I enjoyed the read and would recommend the book. Having read 6 of Dickens's novels I still rate David Copperield as best, and ahead of the present book as a work of literature and for entertainment value.

I bought this Penguin Popular Classics version of the novel. It is very basic and comes in a simple green cover. It contains no introduction or analysis: just the text plus a very brief historical sketch of Dickens. But, it is an excellent value for the money and I bought three Dickens novels in the series.

Charles Dickens, who lived from 1812 to 1870, is the best know male English writer of the 19th century. He authored 22 novels plus numerous short pieces. Most of his writing was first written in serialized form, later published as single novels.

A young Dickens at the age of 12 had the unenviable job of attaching labels 10 hours a day at the Warren's boot blacking factory. That experience shaped much of his writing career. Still in his teens he became a law clerk, then later in his twenties a journalist. The last job as a reporter led to the serialized writing of his novels. His works were social commentaries with larger than life characters, or colorful caricatures, living in the slums of London. He was a critic of poverty, social injustice, and the slow moving court system.

Those themes permeate most of his novels and it is present her in Great Expectations. This is a novel set in London and the countryside close to London. It is a story of a young boy who wants to grow up and become wealthy and to be a gentleman. Those are his "great expectations."

Without giving away critical plot elements, it is the story of a young boy called Pip, whose parents are dead, and who lives with his sister and her husband Jo who is a blacksmith. They want Pip to learn the trade and be a blacksmith as well. They live in a small town near marshlands near London. His ambitions are grander and he wants to escape to London and become a gentleman. Will Pip find happiness? Will he succeed? Action shifts back and forth between the small town where Pip first lived in the country and the city of London. It involves Pip, lawyers, accountants, Pip's new friends, his love interest, etc.

The novel is not used by Dickens for any social issues, although one might argue that is shows how Pip's ambition blinds him or makes him insensitive to his true friends. But mostly it is pure entertainment.

The book is a classic but has a choppy feel that one can attribute to the way it was written. It was written as a series of dramatic stories for popular serialization which were then combined to make a single novel. The book is a series of dramatic sub-plots, and as pointed out by another person, can have multiple outcomes that make sense (and Dickens wrote two), and in fact many chapters could have had different outcomes without changing the overall flow or general direction of the novel.

I enjoyed the read and would recommend the book.

I bought this exact book, the Penguin Popular Classics version. It is a basic, inexpensive, and a no frills version of the novel. It contains no introduction or analysis, just the text. It is excellent value for the money.

Charles Dickens, who lived from 1812 to 1870, is the best know male English writer of the 19th century. He authored 22 novels plus numerous short pieces. Most of his writing was first written in serialized form, later published as single novels.

A young Dickens at the age of 12 had the unenviable job of attaching labels 10 hours a day at the Warren's boot blacking factory. That experience shaped much of his writing career. Still in his teens he became a law clerk, then later in his twenties a journalist. The last job as a reporter led to the serialized writing of his novels. His works were social commentaries with larger than life characters, or colorful caricatures, living in the slums of London. He was a critic of poverty, social injustice, and the slow moving court system.

Those themes permeate most of his novels and it is present her in Great Expectations. This is a novel set in London and the countryside close to London. It is a story of a young boy who wants to grow up and become wealthy and to be a gentleman. Those are his "great expectations."

Without giving away critical plot elements, it is the story of a young boy called Pip, whose parents are dead, and who lives with his sister and her husband Jo, who is a blacksmith. They want Pip to learn the trade as well. His ambitions are grander and he wants to escape to London and become a gentleman. Will Pip find happiness? Will he succeed? Action shifts back and forth between the small town where Pip first lived in the country and the city of London. It involves Pip, lawyers, accountants, Pip's new friends, his love interest, etc.

The novel is not used by Dickens for any social issues. It is pure entertainment.

I enjoyed the read and would recommend the book. The book has a choppy feel that one can attribute to the way it was written. It was written as a series of dramatic stories for popular serialization.

** This review is a synthesis of the three Charles Dickens books that I've read: A Tale of Two Cities (Penguin Classics), Great Expectations (Penguin Classics), and David Copperfield (Penguin Classics). The rationale for reviewing in this manner is to provide a foundation point of reference for those not new to Dickens' work.



In the last two years I have read, in this order, Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, and David Copperfield. All three of these books were exceptional reads, and if you are thinking about dipping your toes in the waters of Charles Dickens you can't go wrong with any of them. However, notwithstanding the fact that these three books are all in the upper echelon of world literature, I have no difficulty in distinguishing between them and coming to the conclusion that they are properly ordered, from "most best" to "least best": David Copperfield, Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations.



It seems generally to be the case that, for those who have read just one of Dickens' books, Great Expectations is the book most people have been exposed to. And most people who read Great Expectations love it. The genre is probably best described as romance meshed with individual tragedy among numerous characters. However, perhaps the strongest part of the book is the manner in which the secondary characters present a contrast to the primary story. I liked the book very much, but I think it suffers from two flaws not present in the other works reviewed here. First, the characters are not as believable as in the other two works. Second, the plot follows an unlikely path, especially in the end. Concerning this second point, it should be noted that Dickens struggled with the ending of this work, and I think it shows.



Tale of Two Cities ranks second in this group in my mind. This book is a combination of political intrigue, romance, and personal triumph. I rank this book above Great Expectations for the sole reason that the characters in this book are so strongly developed. I don't think I have been exposed to more memorable characters in any book I've ever read. The story is interesting, too, because it takes place against the backdrop of a historical event, the French Revolution. I think Dickens had an easier time writing a convincing plot in this story than in Great Expectations because he had the aid of a real historical event.



Great Expectations and Tale of Two Cities are both excellent books, but David Copperfield is simply the best piece of literature I've ever read. To be sure, I'm only 24 and have only read 10 pieces of classic literature since my high school years. However, David Copperfield so outdid anything I've read that I feel more than comfortable in recommending it as certainly one of the best books of all time. Dickens did a remarkable job of capturing a wide variety of human emotions and mindsets. He was aided in this by two things. First, the length of the book gave him space to fully develop his sentiments. Second, the book is written in a first-person autobiographical voice, which I think made capturing sentiments much easier than in attempting to narrate them in the third-person. Further, because the book chronicles David's life from childhood through middle-age the reader is exposed to a wide variety of human thoughts. The characters, for the most part, are more believable and the plot is generally good; I took offense to only one chapter in the whole book.



Now, if you haven't read any of Dickens' books, I don't recommend starting with David Copperfield. I would start with Great Expectations and work through a couple others before David Copperfield. In terms of the plots, David Copperfield is much more similar to Great Expectations than Tale of Two Cities. So if you loved Great Expectations I think you will be well satisfied with David Copperfield. The plot from Tale of Two Cities is the odd-ball of this trio. In any case, all three of these books are great pieces of literature... enjoy.

** This review is a synthesis of the three Charles Dickens books that I've read: A Tale of Two Cities (Penguin Classics), Great Expectations (Penguin Classics), and David Copperfield (Penguin Classics). The rationale for reviewing in this manner is to provide a foundation point of reference for those not new to Dickens' work.

In the last two years I have read, in this order, Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, and David Copperfield. All three of these books were exceptional reads, and if you are thinking about dipping your toes in the waters of Charles Dickens you can't go wrong with any of them. However, notwithstanding the fact that these three books are all in the upper echelon of world literature, I have no difficulty in distinguishing between them and coming to the conclusion that they are properly ordered, from "most best" to "least best": David Copperfield, Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations.

It seems generally to be the case that, for those who have read just one of Dickens' books, Great Expectations is the book most people have been exposed to. And most people who read Great Expectations love it. The genre is probably best described as romance meshed with individual tragedy among numerous characters. However, perhaps the strongest part of the book is the manner in which the secondary characters present a contrast to the primary story. I liked the book very much, but I think it suffers from two flaws not present in the other works reviewed here. First, the characters are not as believable as in the other two works. Second, the plot follows an unlikely path, especially in the end. Concerning this second point, it should be noted that Dickens struggled with the ending of this work, and I think it shows.

Tale of Two Cities ranks second in this group in my mind. This book is a combination of political intrigue, romance, and personal triumph. I rank this book above Great Expectations for the sole reason that the characters in this book are so strongly developed. I don't think I have been exposed to more memorable characters in any book I've ever read. The story is interesting, too, because it takes place against the backdrop of a historical event, the French Revolution. I think Dickens had an easier time writing a convincing plot in this story than in Great Expectations because he had the aid of a real historical event.

Great Expectations and Tale of Two Cities are both excellent books, but David Copperfield is simply the best piece of literature I've ever read. To be sure, I'm only 24 and have only read 10 pieces of classic literature since my high school years. However, David Copperfield so outdid anything I've read that I feel more than comfortable in recommending it as certainly one of the best books of all time. Dickens did a remarkable job of capturing a wide variety of human emotions and mindsets. He was aided in this by two things. First, the length of the book gave him space to fully develop his sentiments. Second, the book is written in a first-person autobiographical voice, which I think made capturing sentiments much easier than in attempting to narrate them in the third-person. Further, because the book chronicles David's life from childhood through middle-age the reader is exposed to a wide variety of human thoughts. The characters, for the most part, are more believable and the plot is generally good; I took offense to only one chapter in the whole book.

Now, if you haven't read any of Dickens' books, I don't recommend starting with David Copperfield. I would start with Great Expectations and work through a couple others before David Copperfield. In terms of the plots, David Copperfield is much more similar to Great Expectations than Tale of Two Cities. So if you loved Great Expectations I think you will be well satisfied with David Copperfield. The plot from Tale of Two Cities is the odd-ball of this trio. In any case, all three of these books are great pieces of literature... enjoy.

Certainly one of the most famous of Dickens's novels (right up there with Oliver Twist (Penguin Classics) and David Copperfield (Penguin Classics)), Great Expectations follows a familiar coming-of-age narrative as young Phillip Pirrip - better known as "Pip" - negotiates the rocky road to adulthood in early 19th century London. One of only two of Dickens's novels that are written in first person narrative (the other being David Copperfield), Great Expectations is a fascinating tale of ambition, love, regret, missed chances and redemption, topped off with an adequately ambiguous ending (more on that later).

Raised by his tyrannical sister and her kind, doting husband Joe, Pip is contented enough to become a blacksmith and live out his life by the misty Kent marshlands. That is until he is unexpectedly thrown into the path of two extraordinary people. The first is a convict, escaped from the prison barges offshore, a terrifying man who coerces the young Pip into stealing him some supplies from his sister's larder. Stricken by guilt and terror, Pip complies. The second is the mysterious Miss Havisham, a spinster woman who employs Pip as a playmate for her young ward, the beautiful Estella. Estella is regal, snobbish and cold - naturally, Pip falls head over heels in love with her, despite the realization that she's far beyond his status. Wretchedly aware of his own shortcomings, Pip yearns for a chance to make a gentleman of himself, and win the hand of fair Estella.

And then, just as unexpectedly, fortune is thrown his way. He is informed by Miss Havisham's lawyer that a secret benefactor has endowed him with great expectations, and that he is to travel to London in order to prepare for his future. The only catch is that Pip is forbidden from investigating the origins of his newfound fortune, although logic dictates that it must be Miss Havisham, who surely has designs for both Pip and Estella. Locked up in a house full of bitter memories after she was jilted by her lover, Miss Havisham is certainly one of Dickens's most famous creations, with her own disturbing brand of revenge against mankind: to unleash her protégée Estella out upon the world, to break hearts wherever she goes.

Dickens has created a twisty and labyrinthine plot, with plenty of intrigue and adventure throughout, as familial bonds, secret alliances and loyalty among friends and work colleges are tried and tested. In typical Dickensian style, there are several extraordinary coincidences concerning shrouded parentage and wayward meetings, but everything hangs so well together that it's instantly forgivable. "Great Expectations" is Dickens at his best in terms of plotting and characterization; though there is a melancholy twinge throughout that no doubt stems from Dickens's personal trouble (he had recently divorced his wife, and has carrying on a stress-filled love affair with a young actress). As such, romanticized domestic bliss that so often concludes a Dickens's novel (reflective of Dickens's own longing for such a state) is completely absent here. The domestic angel-woman that is given so many names and forms throughout the canon of Dickens novels (here called Biddy, though she is virtually identical to dozens of other Dickens heroines) comes to a surprising end in "Great Expectations", as does Pip himself.

Pip himself is certainly an interesting character; in that he is woefully aware of his own shortcomings, yet unable drop certain attitudes that make him miserable. After becoming accustomed to the life at Miss Havisham's manor house, he is frustrated to find that he now holds his beloved brother-in-law Joe in contempt, embarrassed at his low breeding and lack of gentlemanly manners (despite the fact that Joe was always his staunch ally against Pip's terrible sister, and the epitome of the virtuous commoner). Likewise is Pip's self acknowledgment that his love for Estella never brings him any happiness, only pain and longing. The fact that Pip is narrating his own story from a point in time *beyond* the proceedings mean that we are never overly critical of Pip, considering he is his own harshest critic when relating his behaviour - and it certainly makes you consider your own shortcomings.

This is not to say that the whole story is woe and misery, as there are plenty of comedic characters that help lighten the mood, such as Pip's best friend Herbert Pocket, who (at their first meeting) challenges him to a fight, and Mr Wemmick, who survives his job by assuming two personalities: a grim and dour one during working hours, and a cheerful one when he returns home. There are several moments of humour in Pip himself, (though they are usually tempered by a sense of disappointment or miscommunication) such as his misreading of his parent's gravestone, or his excitement in reaching London gradually dissipating when he realizes that...well, that it's a bit of a hole.

Last of all, there has already been several mentions in other reviewers about the fact that there are two endings to this novel; the first was considered too melancholy by Dickens's publishers, and so was revised (although to be fair, Dickens's himself didn't seem to put up too much of a fight, suggesting that he himself was divided on the issue). The published ending is still ambiguous, yet with room for hope (at least in the mind of Pip) as to the future with Estella. Now, most agree that the original ending is more powerful, and I have to agree. However, I do issue a warning *not* to read both endings in the same sitting. In my edition the original ending was added in an appendix directly after the conclusion to the book, and because it is so drastically different to the published ending, it disrupted my appreciation of the novel. I was left in two minds as to what truly happened. So if you're a serious reader, do yourself a favour and decide what ending you want to go with *before* you finish the book. It may be a tricky business, but it'll enhance your enjoyment of one of Dickens's best novels.

How nice to reread an old classic as an adult, instead of in the classroom. A wonderful novel of Pip who comes into his "great expectations" via an unknown benefactor -- who he believes to be Miss Havisham. We see how the influence of money and position affect Pip's relations with his family and former neighbors, and not necessarily for the better. There are lots of surprise twists and turns in the plot, especially about Miss Havisham and her adopted "daughter" Estella and her true parentage.

As always, a Dickens novel is peopled with wonderful and unusual characters that eventually all play a part in telling the story. I noticed another reviewer said there were two endings. The version I read had only one ending and I don't know which one it was. I will have to search out another version to see which I liked best.

I did not have "great" expectations after reading some of Mr. Dickens other work (see my review of "Tale of The Two Cities"). But someone told me they at least made a movie about this one so I figured I may as well give it a shot.

Well lets just say that I wont be seeing the movie but I will admit that this one is at least better then the other book because it is just thick enough to balance out this wobbly dresser I have when I weged it under one of the legs.

A better effort! I give you a generous TWO STARS this time Charlie! Youre getting there so keep trying!

Of all English writers,Charles Dickens is the champion of the genre of "Bildungsroman",a department of fiction writing pertaining to growth and development of the protagonist. Dickens's writings are darkly underlined by an all-dimensionsal illustration of aperson's character and by an uncanny portrayal of childhood. "Nicholas Nickleby","David Copperfield" and "Great Expectations" have gone into the literary folklore as novels containing some of the finest amd most vivid passages ever composed on children's psyche and indignified lives. Perhaps the author's this ability to paint children's woe stems froms his own abusive and disruptive boyhood and perhaps in several of his fancy's infants,Dickens was actually trying to reflect his very own horrible childhood. "David Copperfield" is undoubtably his most personal and in certain fractions autobiographical novel but in "Great Expectations",employing a compatible first person narrative method,Charles Dickens conjures up a very much real life character who,like David Copperfield,narrates the story of his life as he progresses through his childhood,errors of judgements and unseeming expectations to a tragi-joyous adulthood;as he stives on in life with a plethora of illusions;as he realises the moments of truth one by one.

"Great Expectations" is young Pip's story,a trajectory of his yearning to excel and drift away from the "oncommon",a desire to be loved and respected in society, a not-so-uncommon craving to grow up and establish himself. For an orphan living in the country marshes in England and brought up "by hand" by his sister Mrs. Joe Gargery,Pip's on;y genuine friend in his early boyhood was Jor Gargery,the blacksmith---also supposed by the central character to have been made to "marry her by hand". But a sudden and apparently misfortunate meeting with a fugitive from the nearby Hulks---and the consequent burden of guilt his troubled conscience has to bear---a visit to the queer Miss Havisham's and an unexpected deliverance of all his miseries all consire to Pip's rise in life. The mysterious London lawyer and master defender of criminals Mr. Jaggers arrives one day to inform Pip that if he would,then he is entitled to excercise a proposition of going to London and studying and doing all he can to rise up in life and be an established gentleman with no cost from his side---a mere boyish fancy of Pip till that moment. so marches on our gentle little gentry class boy to the city on te back of the notion that it was Miss Havisham who was actually his benefactoress and who had destined him and her adopted daughter,the cruel,unforgiving and heartless Estella,to be together. And thus begin young and inexperienced Pip's trysts with harsh realities of life.

In a novel that essentially figures around human expectations and failures through the tame medium of words,Pip's story is massively apt for the enlightenment of this theme. Pip is found to be a real-life character leafed out of life's own text book and not an imaginary effigy of fairy-tale gratifications,which David in "David Copperfield" in some stretch is. He's an ordinary person with extraordinary aspirations but as he moves on in life,he learns about himself and this personal growth is exquisitely and relistically portrayed by Charles Dickens. Indeed it's in a great city like London where truth dawns upon Pip,truth that demolishes all ethereals about life,about riches,about Miss Havisham and EStella,and most important truth of them all,the truth about himself. Pip runs into debt,makes several mistakes,is broken down and broken apart by an illusory love and endures fits of remorse,which punctuate his entire existence arising out of a marked ingratitude towards Joe and Biddy,his friend from his old school. His only means of moral salvation from this quicksand of sin is te hearty relationship with Herbert Pockets,his best friend and companion in all his catastrophes. Actually in Herbert and his father,also the tutor of Pip,Charles Dickens creates two characters dissolved in innocence and ignorance with no big aims for money. When all of Miss Havisham's near and distant relatives are coaxing her to milk her fortune,the Pockets are the sole remaining figures to brush aside such ideas. This is one of Dickens's numerous tricks as a writer to subtlely show that goodness can still be glimpsed in an otherwise sadly denudating world.

Charles Dickens is believed to have gone through his work "David Copperfield" thoroughly before writing "Great Expectations" but even so on certain occasions,the reader does decipher resemblance between these two high acclaimed novels. The shape of Pip's path i life doesn't bear that great degree of difference with these two popular fictional characters are often found to merge. Miss Havisham is reminiscent of Betsy Trotwood's resentment towards the male society,only more elongated and elaborate;in Pip's detest of Drummle and his love for Estella,the reader catches a fair glimpse od David's own contempt towards Uriah heep's lust for Agnes;Mr.Pockets and his family's fiascos and innocence bear a certain kinship with those of Mr. Micawber's;and Pip's deep friendship with Herbert reminds the reader of David's relationship with Traddles. These similarities could blot Dickens's claim to unprecedented imagination power or may strangely prove that life of one is often intertwined with aanother's. The first person narrative technique used to describe Pip's story in this book too isn't without some strong criticisms. The opinions and witty contemplations formed by Pip of people both is his marsh country as well as in London from an early stage in his life render the reader musing as to how his innocent and delicately humorous conjectures could suddenly be transformed into something satirical and concrete. Are his views constructed on the spur of the moment or are they being built now as Pip stares down the years and pens down his history? If the latter be more inclined towards the truth,then it definitely distorts Pip's authenticity as a writer and his memoir is left somewhat ineffective with misleading overlapping of the past and te present.

Certain detractions are not so difficult to eke out from "Great Expectations" really but flaws are a regular parameter of any work of literature. The genius of Charles Dickens is never in doubt in this book as the reader discerns the author's accustomed mingling of humour and dark pictures in a book that promises life as it is. Dickens's obsession with wit and humour is revealed in the features of Mr. Pumblechook and Mr. Wopsle and in incidents such as the latter playing Hamlet on the stage. That when perceived from te swift flow of narration perfectly complimented by the dialogues and conversations and punctuated by moods of reflections makes the book instantly appealing. The caricature of the marsh country is another point of revelation of the author's informed and classy state. The world of Dickens is one of individual identities and aspirations,where all characters find their own proper places. And this world isn't a big one but a narrowed and trimmed realm of compulsive non-overlapping characters all fuctioning significantly in the due course of Pip's realisation of the world and its intricacies.

The most beguiling factor in providing Pip's tale a touch of realism and in turn making the novel more touching and endearing is the evident defects in his character. He feels remorseful at his ingratitude towards his poor and "common" family;he is exasperated at the return of his "old convict" years later and in his refusal to address him not as Magwitch,his real name,but as Provis,his assumed name,he subconsciously admits denial of his own humble past. Pip isn't mature enough to handle his own humble past. Pip isn't mature enough to handle his own present either,and time and again has to rush to Herbert and wemmick,Mr. Jaggers's assistant,for solace and help. As illusions fade one by one and emotions of al sorts jumble up together in Pip's life,he's found to portray at least fractions of our own lives. "Great Expectations" is vastly a cofession of a dilapidated soul whose expectations in life are not without unforseen twists and turns. This is an immensely moving tale of a young man's ineptitude and discontentment told in restrained sentimentality,empathic ruminations and glittering descriptions. This classic is a gem for any literature lover,where Charles Dickens;s authority as a writer is amazingly deft.

Dickens's Great Expectations is a novel of exceeding quality with, perhaps, only a few minor flaws that fail to significantly detract from the overall greatness of the work. Were I able to, I would give the book four and a half stars, rather than the four I've assigned it. As other reviewers have already amply commented on the book's numerous merits, I should like only to point out , what I thought to be, its foremost shortcoming. Although intentional by Dickens, I found my extreme dislike of Pip for much of the book to be a nuisance, chiefly because, as narrator, Pip set the tone of the narrative. It can be difficult not to equate the loathing of the narrator with the book itself. Luckily enough this was not a particularly prominent failing, and did not heavily tax me. Besides this, I found the book to be splendid, particularly during the bits concerning Joe and Mr. Wemmick, who were, at times, heartwarming and emotionally evocative to an extreme degree. In short, Great Expectations is one of Dickens's greats, with only minor, easily overlooked flaws.

It is impossible to exaggerate the satisfaction this book gives to its reader and the power of its deep human sympathy. If you were to read only ten books in your lifetime, Charles Dickens' GREAT EXPECTATIONS should be one of them.

If you were to listen to just one audiobook in your life, Frank Muller's narration of Great Expectations should be it. One of the most complimentary things that can be said of such a performance is that it leaves you feeling that the work can be read only in that way. Muller accomplishes this, with the curious and endearing twist that Pip's own narration comes with an American accent, while all others speak in the unforgettable idiom of their place among the English classes and subclasses. Muller on Dickens is a triumph that even Dickens would have applauded.

Now, for the book. The personae will stay with you forever. Pip himself. The deeply generous Joe Gargery. The immortally beautiful Estella, her heart in the end made soft through suffering. Miss Havisham, too terrible to believed but in the end redeemed from her lake of bitterness, if her cry, 'What have I done?!' is to be believed. Wemmick and the Aged P, then - belatedly, Miss Skiffens the gloved. Herbert, then Herbert and Clara.

Jaggers, about whom one is left to ponder, 'Who *is* this man?'

Dickens and Muller are at their best with scoundrels. Expectations provides them no shortage of villains upon whom to practice. Pumblechook. Bentley Drummle. Old Orlick. Compeyson, about whom the best thing said is that he has drowned.

Dickens' keen eye for the glory and the pathetic depths of humanity is almost unparalleled in English literature, with apologies to his critics. He knows that there are Gargeries and Biddies and Herberts. He understands this without for a moment denying the hell in human hearts that is comprised by the likes of Pumblechook with his false respectability and Orlick with his violent, drooling hatreds.

He has comprehended that heaven - if he believed there is such a place - is likely populated by people surnamed Havisham, Jaggers, and Magwitch, who perhaps dance the more vigorously for having been much forgiven.

Yet writing *about* Dickens and his worlds takes time that could be spend on reading Dickens and of his worlds.

For that you'll need to pick up Great Expectations.

After reading a bunch of these reviews, I've come to the conclusion that this book should not be pushed on high school students or younger. It's almost sad to read a review from someone who just read the cliff notes. Come on now, do we really need to hear from you? This is my favorite Dickens novel so far, and though I haven't read them all, I loved everything about it. Though the ending is happy, it is by no means a Hollywood ending. Would recommend to any SERIOUS reader that wants to read authentic period prose and a great story.

"Great Expectations" is a thoroughly engaging novel. We find a set of interweaving story lines that rival today's best movies ('Crash' comes to mind. Sorry! I digress, already.) Anyway, as usual, the protagonist and narrator, Pip, bears all the innocense of Dickens' best characters. He is able to observe all the qualities and idiosyncracies of the good, the bad, and the ugly in Victorian England. As another orphan character, he is "brought up by hand" by his strict and nasty sister with the help of his brother-in-law, Joe Gargery, a benevolent blacksmith. The plot moves quickly as he comes upon an escaped convict who coerces him to get him food and a file. He finds the experience all too much, for he is in a no-win situation. He manages to escape this escapade with grace, but not the situation his sister places him into. She forces him upon the company of Miss Havisham, an old, bitter woman who has never recovered from being jilted early in life. Through her he meets a young woman, named Estella, and falls hopelessly in love. Through Havisham's patronage, he becomes an apprenticed gentleman as well as Joe's apprenticed blacksmith; then he obtains wealth from a mysterious benefactor. From these experiences, he acquires a gentleman's demeanor as well as a gentleman's appetite for money.

"Great Expectations" is a worthy classic book experience. The characters are drawn well, especially Miss Havisham. (The images Dickens uses for her and her surroundings are among the most memorable of the novel.) It defines what true wealth is, and juxtaposes well the pompous and the hypocritical characters with the genuine and good. 'Great Expectations' demonstrates, more than it preaches, about the virtues presented. Also, the plot lines run together in a way that is so skillful, it hardly seems contrived. There is also some good irony and suspense thrown in for good measure. "Great Expectations" is a decent and enjoyable reading voyage.

This is a great book. It has a rich plot and very good characters. It does not lag on at all. The people that say that Great Expectations lags, probably are at a 2nd grade reading level. And they fail to realize that Dickens wrote this back in Victorian England times. So the language and style are that of classical English. But nevertheless, this book is fast and exciting. But make sure that you:

Read the Unabridged version.
Read this on your own time. It will not be fun if you have to read it in a set time or are forced to speed read it. (Like when I first was forced to read the abridged version in school, in ONE month... not enough lesure time)

But if you really read it... really consider it... really digest it, it is a great book.
I would also recomend that you do not speed your way through. Take your time, and enjoy it in a calm enviroment.

That is why I say that it is my favorite book.
And my favorite character in this book is Herbert "The Pale Young Gentleman".
This is a timeless classic.
I promise you will love it if you approach it with an open mind, and most of all...
A sense of good humor.
Thank you,
And Enjoy!

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens is a timeless 19th century novel that addresses issues in life that remain relevant today. In particular, it explores the modern individual's personal development through experiences that span from youth to adulthood.

In Great Expectations, Dickens employs several techniques to effectively portray the personal development of the main character Pip. The title, Great Expectations, is significant because it reveals that the plot focuses on Pip's aspirations in life. The novel is a first person narrative, with an older Pip retelling and commenting on past events that had an influence on his social development. This element allows the reader to observe how a young Pip reacted to events in his life and how an older and more mature Pip interprets these events years later. A recurring theme throughout Great Expectations is the class system of Victorian England and the significance of social status. Pip struggles with the issue of social status throughout the novel and must come to the realization that social status is not connected to one's real character.

In his novel Great Expectations, Charles Dickens combined aspects of his own life, with his knowledge of human behavior, to create a realistic portrayal of an individual's personal development. The novel's portrayal is so clear and its content so relevant that it continues to be read and analyzed over a century after it was first written.

Which ones the movie with the naked blond chick on the cover?

Like several of the people on this review page, I had to read this book for a 9th grade English assignment. Unlike most of the people in my class, I read the whole book and liked it. The book is about a young English boy named Phillip "Pip" Pirrip living in 1800s England. He is the son of a blacksmith and then is invited to play at an old woman's house. The impression Pip gets from the old woman and her daughter is that Pip isn't good enough. From then on, he grows up and tries to get better for his life after getting a fortune, but things go downhill from that as he gets deep in debt and becomes ill. This book is by no means perfect and has plenty of flaws. The book is way too wordy and could probably be half as long as it is and still get a good point across. I also felt that the ending of the book was a little strange, but overall it was an okay book and I was not bored with it at any point.