Name: David Copperfield
ISBN: 9781620116968

Charles Dickens

David Copperfield is considered to be Charles Dickens's most autobiographical novel. He said of it: "Like many fond parents, I have in my heart of hearts a favourite child. And his name is David Copperfield." It is a Bildungsroman, a tale which follows the development into maturity of its narrator, David Copperfield. The Russian greats Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky both greatly admired the novel, as did Kafka, Joyce and James. Freud called it his favourite novel.

David Copperfield

rumbledethumps

This has everything that Dickens is known for, and perhaps this novel is what established these things as Dickensian. Outstanding character names (Traddles, Steerforth, Uriah Heep, just to name a few) that reflect the character's personalities (and also the less-favorable technique of having characters' appearances reflecting their natures).

His skill as a writer is unparalleled in this book as well. David's narrative voice ages as he relates the stages of his life, even though it is assumed that David wrote the entire story later in his life, and Dickens uses this not just to build David's character, but also to build narrative tension and dramatic irony. His characters are all individuals, and the novel itself is a sweeping, huge picture of his society.

Some parts fall flat, though, in that he introduces characters and plotlines (and there are many many characters and plotlines) that raise the suspense, but then go nowhere, and are wrapped up a little too cleanly and coincidentally. And while I understand the main throughline of the story is biographical, I would have appreciated a compelling mystery or conflict that wound through the entire book, as is present in much of his other work.

Overall, great book, enjoyable read.