David Copperfield

Goodreads Synopsis:    David Copperfield is the story of a young man’s adventures on his journey from an unhappy & impoverished childhood to the discovery of his vocation as a successful novelist. Among the gloriously vivid cast of characters he encounters are his tyrannical stepfather, Mr Murdstone; his formidable aunt, Betsey Trotwood; the eternally humble yet treacherous Uriah Heep; frivolous, enchanting Dora; & the magnificently impecunious Micawber, one of literature’s great comic creations.

In David Copperfield—the novel he described as his “favorite child”—Dickens drew revealingly on his own experiences to create one of his most exuberant & enduringly popular works, filled with tragedy & comedy in equal measure.

My Thoughts:

-    I've been wanting to read this for forever! I was always intimidated by it, but I didn't need to worry. I was captivated from page one. I really enjoyed reading this!

-    I love the way Dickens describes things. It is so vivid, and he makes everything so interesting. I love the way he describes Mr. Peggoty's house. It sounds amazing, and I want to visit there.

-    In the first half of the book I felt so bad for poor David! His whole world was turned upside down, and things just kept getting worse and worse. It made me want to hold my daughter and be extra kind to her. Why did David's mother marry such a creep!?

-    There were so many great characters in this story. I loved Mr. Peggoty, Mr. Micawber, Miss Mowcher, Traddles, Mr. Dick, Agnes, but my two absolute favorites were Peggoty and Betsey Trotwood. They were different, but they made huge impacts on David's life. I loved Peggoty's devotion and love. Betsey Trotwood made me laugh. I loved her stern kindness.

-    There were some unsavory characters as well. Uriah Heep was a creep from the beginning! His "humble" attitude and disposition just grated on my nerves, and I wanted to smack him. Steerforth bugged me, but I couldn't really say why until towards the end. He was haughty and wasn't a true friend. He was very self-centered.

-    I LOVED the old school illustrations. I want to frame one and hang it in my house. It would be so cool!

-    I loved when David broke the wall between author and reader and spoke directly to the reader. It was so interesting to see in a book this old. 

-    I don't understand David's devotion to Steerforth, even in the end. David idolized Steerforth and put him on an undeserved pedestal to worship. It was weird and drove me nuts.

-    David Copperfield is such a romantic. He romanticizes everything! He really sees the world through rose colored glasses, but he does get a few reality checks thank goodness. 

-    Dora bugged! I think David and Dora had a very shallow relationship. I don't doubt their devotion to each other, but it was a silly marriage. Dora was SO childish!

-    Mr. Micawber's letters were a bit tedious to read at times. He is SO wordy! But at the same time, it makes him so endearing.

-    I loved how ALL the character's individual stories were wrapped up. It was a nice and tidy ending. 

-    Great read! I'm not going to shy away from large Dickens books anymore!