Description
Born six months after his father’s death, David faces many hardships growing up in nineteenth-century England
- Author: Charles Dickens
- Publisher: Penguin
- Published: 1996
- Pages: 916
- ISBN-13: 9780140434941
David Copperfield
€29.95
Additional information
| Author | Charles Dickens |
|---|
What the internet says
Aggregated insights from reviews and discussions across the web.
Overall reception: Mostly positive
David Copperfield is overwhelmingly celebrated as one of Charles Dickens' finest works, with readers praising it as his 'favourite child' and a masterpiece of characterization. Across Goodreads reviews, the novel receives consistent acclaim for its memorable cast of characters including Uriah Heep, Betsey Trotwood, Mr. Micawber, and Steerforth, with reviewers noting that despite the large number of characters, each remains vivid and distinct throughout the 800+ page narrative. The autobiographical elements resonate deeply with readers, who report both laughing and crying while following David's journey from a tormented childhood through self-discovery to his vocation as a writer. The book's exploration of themes like kindness, love, family, and social class in 19th century England is praised for being moving without being preachy.
However, readers consistently acknowledge significant barriers to enjoyment. The novel's considerable length is frequently mentioned as daunting, with some reviewers noting irrelevant tangents and outdated elements that slow the narrative. Several readers express discomfort with dated social attitudes, including misogynistic comments, offensive portrayals of characters with disabilities, and the tendency to equate physical appearance with moral virtue. The first-person narrative receives mixed reactions, with some finding David an unreliable and passive narrator whose naivety frustrates, particularly in his relationships with Steerforth and Dora. Despite these criticisms, the overwhelming consensus positions David Copperfield as essential reading, with many considering it among the greatest works in English literature.
Reviewers frequently recommend the audiobook version for navigating the novel's length, with narrators bringing the diverse cast to life through distinct voices and accents. The book appears on numerous 'must-read' lists including the BBC's 100 Books to Read Before You Die, cementing its status as a literary cornerstone that continues to move readers nearly 175 years after its 1850 publication.
What readers loved
- Exceptional character development with a memorable cast including Uriah Heep, Betsey Trotwood, Mr. Micawber, and Steerforth who remain vivid despite the large number of characters
- Powerful emotional impact that makes readers both laugh and cry, with moving exploration of kindness, love, and human resilience
- Masterful characterization that goes beyond caricature to provide subtle, multi-dimensional portrayals with contextual depth
- Beautiful prose described as 'poetry' that showcases the English language at its finest
- Compelling autobiographical elements drawn from Dickens' own life that add authenticity and emotional resonance
- Successfully balances comedy and tragedy while addressing serious themes of poverty, class, and social injustice without being preachy
- Excellent audiobook versions available that bring characters to life through distinct voices and accents, making the long narrative more accessible
Common critiques
- Extremely long at 800+ pages with some irrelevant tangents and sections that feel extraneous to the core story
- Contains dated and offensive elements including misogynistic comments, problematic portrayals of characters with disabilities, and the equation of physical appearance with moral virtue
- David as narrator can be frustratingly passive, naive, and unreliable, particularly in his blind spots regarding romantic relationships and his friendship with Steerforth
- Some characters like Dora are criticized as pathetic or annoying, and the idealization of 'good' characters without sufficient criticism can feel unbalanced
- Reflects 1850s social mentality that modern readers may find uncomfortable, requiring historical context to fully appreciate
Based on reviews from
- Goodreads Reviews
- Goodreads Ratings
- Goodreads Edition
- Goodreads Discussions
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