Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

 Oh, how I loved this book! Pip is a main character who develops and improves, and is surrounded by interesting characters. His sister's husband, the blacksmith Joe, is such an admirable humble character, that he is a standout. Pip's sister is mean-spirited and myopic, but she softens after an attack and becomes more benign. And Biddy is a sweet mentor for Pip who stays grounded throughout the whole story. Even the haughty and unreachable Estella is given life lessons and shows humility and softening afterwards. These wonderful characters weave in and out of the story in surprising ways; especially the reappearance of the convict who terrorized Pip as a youngster. Miss Havisham and is a bittter spinster and we see the fruits of her attitude in heart-breaking clarity. 

Obviously, I loved the characters. And the way they move in and out of the plot as it unfolds is just amazing. Many times I would pause and marvel at Dickens' ability to pick up loose threads in unpredictable ways. I think I enjoyed this one more than David Copperfield...but that could be because I was a little more conversant with Dickens' sometimes hard to decipher prose. 

I liked especially seeing Pip notice his conscience and then over-rule it. We could sense he would get his come-uppence, and he did...but he even through the time of his wealth, he was generous with his good friend, and cared more about his prosperity than he did his own. His sacrifce for his friend bore sweet fruit later, and that is a wonderful moral lesson.  This friend, Herbert, saw Pip through some hard times, and I loved this sentence on page 266 of the Dover edition:

"Herbert received me with open arms, and I had never felt before so blessedly, what it is to have a friend. " When I read this, I remembered the times I have felt that with my friends Darla Whipple, Kim Hinkson, Janeanne Bischke, and Janie and Peter Berton...

It took me awhile to get into Mr. Jaggers and what he was about, and he was nicely contrasted by the sweet Wemmick. These two legal types were colorful characters, especially their home lives! What an amazing imagination Dickens has to create these characters and these milieus!!!

This is a keeper that I look forward to rereading in the not-to-distant future. I think I missed a few clues and subtleties that I would enjoy being more aware of the second time through. There are also quite a few allusions, words, and scenarios that are too foreign for me to understand. In my enjoyment of the plot and story unfolding, I didn't slow down to consult any experts; on a second reading, I would...and in fact, I'm anxious to do that. Well done, Dickens!!!