tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714418.post7066573539244527765..comments2024-03-25T19:05:07.205-06:00Comments on Reading, Writing, Working, Playing: Our Mutual FriendJaneGShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11094501834387622997noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714418.post-33837676456752149012018-11-11T07:37:29.198-07:002018-11-11T07:37:29.198-07:00I like listening/reading for long novels as well, ...I like listening/reading for long novels as well, and did this for Our Mutual Friend. It is helpful to have different voices for the various characters. Thanks for stopping by.JaneGShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11094501834387622997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714418.post-33228990488675593882018-11-11T03:35:15.048-07:002018-11-11T03:35:15.048-07:00I just finished Our Mutual Friend and I also ...lo...I just finished Our Mutual Friend and I also ...loved it.<br />Using the audio book while reading the paperback I could enjoy the<br />voices that make characters like Mrs. Wilfer and Mr Boffin come to life. I'm trying to read all the Dickens novels in the coming months...but for me most of them are first and not re-reads! Great review!NancyElinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15021569006682648126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714418.post-62644117995639914752018-08-29T19:34:56.078-06:002018-08-29T19:34:56.078-06:00Thanks for stopping by, Anne :)Thanks for stopping by, Anne :)JaneGShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11094501834387622997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714418.post-56804773481338614382018-08-24T16:34:54.389-06:002018-08-24T16:34:54.389-06:00I found my way to you via The Big Book Challenge. ...I found my way to you via The Big Book Challenge. Very thoughtful and helpful review!Anne@HeadFullofBookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01069558006454986084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714418.post-136948779584343262018-08-22T22:15:51.661-06:002018-08-22T22:15:51.661-06:00Some enterprising young editor at Penguin or Oxfor...Some enterprising young editor at Penguin or Oxford books should rename those terribly-named books and see if they might sell better with better titles! ;)JaneGShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11094501834387622997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714418.post-90778607220603233802018-08-22T22:14:30.863-06:002018-08-22T22:14:30.863-06:00I actually only watched half of the mini-series. I...I actually only watched half of the mini-series. It was faithful to the novel, and I meant to watch the other half on the way home, but was tired and haven’t gotten to it yet. No matter how good the adaptations are, they just always fall short of the novel for me. JaneGShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11094501834387622997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714418.post-1780039963228608502018-08-20T14:57:20.961-06:002018-08-20T14:57:20.961-06:00Congratulations on finishing a Big Book for the Bi...Congratulations on finishing a Big Book for the Big Book Summer Challenge, Jane!<br /><br />I had never heard of this Dickens' novel before you mentioned it, but now I am intrigued since I SO enjoyed listening to Great Expectations this summer - I'd forgotten just how clever and funny Dickens can be!<br /><br />Thanks for the tip!<br /><br />Sue<br /><br /><a href="https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/p/2018-big-book-summer-reading-challenge.html" rel="nofollow">2018 Big Book Summer Challenge</a>Sue Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714418.post-37004996045707250722018-08-16T01:03:45.356-06:002018-08-16T01:03:45.356-06:00Love this one! I must confess I haven't read t...Love this one! I must confess I haven't read the Dickens with the terrible names as titles ;-)Maria Graziahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08876779286144473782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714418.post-894173255984073882018-08-15T15:37:02.368-06:002018-08-15T15:37:02.368-06:00You are very astute about Dickens & his novels...You are very astute about Dickens & his novels. I have read about 4 but would like to read more. How did the mini-series compare?thecuecardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08870323589682197091noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714418.post-2835724964606648632018-08-03T17:37:54.760-06:002018-08-03T17:37:54.760-06:00Jane,
I'm so inspired by your love of Dickens ...Jane,<br />I'm so inspired by your love of Dickens and your persistence in reading so many of his books. I have a copy of Bleak House in the house, and I want to read it, but I see how long it is and I lose heart. This is no way to feel if one is to enjoy a Dickens novel!! So I'm inspired--maybe I can get to it soon.<br />And Barnaby Rudge--oh, gosh, I haven't heard of it til now.Judithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06435116453270981662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714418.post-72680061363137178692018-07-31T15:18:07.748-06:002018-07-31T15:18:07.748-06:00Wonderful review. I've only read it once but w...Wonderful review. I've only read it once but would love to re-read with the idea of rebirth being a theme throughout. I too loved the Boffins! <br /><br />It is comforting to know that Dickens was called out on his Antisemitism in Oliver Twist in his lifetime. Ruthiellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03871834571645928819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714418.post-28707575483356114392018-07-28T10:05:15.439-06:002018-07-28T10:05:15.439-06:00I'm so impressed you've read so much Dicke...I'm so impressed you've read so much Dickens! I've only read a few and always mean to read more.curlygeek04https://www.blogger.com/profile/17024197260947677556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714418.post-39585856994068666472018-07-26T16:42:23.386-06:002018-07-26T16:42:23.386-06:00I need to give this one a try. I love your review ...I need to give this one a try. I love your review of the father-daughter combos. It'll add to my reading when I get to it!Heather G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/18051840056392247706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714418.post-7229267329449816102018-07-24T12:29:09.654-06:002018-07-24T12:29:09.654-06:00Yes, I think Dickens would be hard pressed to find...Yes, I think Dickens would be hard pressed to find worse names for novels that Martin Chuzzlewit and Barnaby Rudge. Where was his imagination then!JaneGShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11094501834387622997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714418.post-33862771366088222972018-07-24T12:28:04.585-06:002018-07-24T12:28:04.585-06:00You are so right--Dickens is for rereading! Part o...You are so right--Dickens is for rereading! Part of why I haven't read the entire Dickens canon is that I keep on rereading my favorites! <br /><br />It was a convoluted plot but I found that it all worked. <br /><br />Dombey was the most recent read before OMF, and I quite enjoyed it as well.JaneGShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11094501834387622997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714418.post-9554059141357404332018-07-24T01:20:07.861-06:002018-07-24T01:20:07.861-06:00I was also pleasantly surprised at how much I enjo...I was also pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this one. Nobody does characters like Dickens does!Kristen M.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02335598194501733541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714418.post-77505181242571033542018-07-23T21:46:23.324-06:002018-07-23T21:46:23.324-06:00I admire your clarity about all the relationships ...I admire your clarity about all the relationships among these characters. I found this novel a bit refractory--a tough nut to crack. Parts of it were perfect portraits, as you describe. Of these, Lizzie Hexam and her father were most involving for me. Who could forget those vivid descriptions of their night scavenging runs on the river? Jenny Wren was also peculiarly fascinating. But somehow I was exhausted by all the complicated connections between the other characters. I did stay with it, seeing it through to the end, and found some satisfaction with the romantic conclusion at least. <br />I'm currently reading Dombey and Son, just started it, and finding once again the almost alarming abundance of Dickens' powers of observation and expression. He must be nearly the ideal writer for rereading. My reread of Bleak House was one of my most exciting reads ever. I could place only a few writers in the same category of rewarding rereading: George Eliot, Homer (!), Tolstoy, Cervantes, and of course Shakespeare. Lucyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00187517182328614133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714418.post-11263888041432136302018-07-23T02:35:59.801-06:002018-07-23T02:35:59.801-06:00Great review. This is a great one. I think that it...Great review. This is a great one. I think that it does not always get the respect that it deserves. As you point out, the dark references to death really work well within Dickens’s style. <br /><br />Your reading of Dickens is impressive. I still have a few more to go. Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714418.post-56486224435789127212018-07-23T02:23:01.503-06:002018-07-23T02:23:01.503-06:00I liked this one too! And Chuzzelwit was ok, but I...I liked this one too! And Chuzzelwit was ok, but I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed Barnaby Rudge -- I think those two are probably the least-read Dickens novels. I wonder if it's because the titles are so awful? And I still haven't read Edwin Drood. I think the fact that it's unfinished is what has put me off. Karen K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13483190930383406559noreply@blogger.com