bexcaliber

I feel like I owe it to my english degree to read the classics. Now I like reading the classics but I also like reading that light genre of "chick lit." I try to alternate reading classics and light reading, keeping it interesting. My most recent classic read has become the bane of my summer existence BUT last night I finished Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens. Finally. What a personal triumph, I have been reading that book for the majority of the summer (except, of course for my Harry Potter weekend) and I finally finished all 863 pages!

I had originally wanted to read it because of its references in the book Little Women by Louisa May Alcott which was a childhood fav. It was Dicken's first novel and quite entertaining really except he goes off on tangents for chapters at a time which is highly frustrating. Also he was a serial writer so he got paid by the word, I'm sure his pay was hefty for this one. But in the classic style of Dickens there are numerous twists and turns and the main character is thrown into debtor's prison and in the end everyone ends up happy with the tears and wine flowing.

I would recommend Dickens to anyone but not the faint at heart reader. Its a long journey for sure, maybe in another couple of years I'll read another one.