The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Penguin Classics)

If Charles Dickens had lived to finish this, this book would probably have been a phenomenal masterpiece. (Sadly, it was not to be.) The material that he did manage to write displays some of his best abilities. We meet John Jasper who does a lot of good work at the cathedral. He also instructs the young Rosa in music. Edwin Drood (John Jasper's nephew who is 20 and only 6 years younger than his uncle) and Rosa are to marry. But they start to get cold feet when they realize that it is at least possible that they are getting married because everyone expects them to. We also meet Durdles who is a grave stone maker who ironically lives in a: "...little antiquated hole of a house that was never finished." He and John Jasper start to become friends. (Interesting.) We then meet Helena and Neville Landless. By his own confession, Neville is: "...false and mean." Later, Rosa confesses she is afraid of John Jasper. (He seems to be paying too much attention to her during her music lessons.) In an interesting scene Neville and Edwin start to fight, and Jasper alternates between trying to provoke it and cease it. We then meet the eccentric, but virtuous lawyer Mr. Grewgious. He has come to see Rosa to discuss the terms of her father's will. And again, Rosa is starting to realize the wedding is somewhat prearranged: "My poor papa and Eddy's father made their agreement together." The final straw is when Edwin realizes that he is to use the same wedding ring that Rosa's deceased mother wore. Interestingly, many scenes of graveyards are presented in this final and unfinished work of Dickens. Durdles in fact talks of a disturbing dream. Well, Rosa and Edwin agree to put things on hold and think about the decision more carefully. With good symbolism, Dickens presents us with a storm to foreshadow some bad events. Edwin disappears and John Jasper blames or at least makes a show that he blames Neville. Did John Jasper murder Edwin and set Neville up to take the fall? We don't know, and we never will. Though it does seem just a bit too obvious. (Only 2 novels earlier, in his "Great Expectations" Dickens did a great job of misleading us into thinking Miss Havisham was Pip's benefactor when it turned out to be Magwitch.) Interestingly, Jasper seems to grow upset when he hears that Rosa and Edwin had put their wedding plans on hold. (Again, this would lead us to believe that Jasper is thinking he could have had Rosa without foul play, but we don't know and we never will.) Interestingly, Jasper himself admits that Edwin disappeared and may still be alive. (But we never see him again.) We can only speculate that Dickens may have intended to bring Edwin back. (Somewhat like he did to Walter in "Dombey and Son." Walter was presumed drowned, but he did survive and live to marry Dombey's daughter and be part of the happy ending.) Well, later the Reverend Crisparkle finds Edwin's watch at the bottom of the icy river. (So we at least know that Edwin was probably assaulted, but w

There are so many things to like about this novel- there are quite a few very well-drawn characters, and many that are incredibly sympathetic (like the Landlesses and Mr. Crisparkle) without being irritatingly perfect. Besides this, the villain is not only terrifying, but not as obvious as in some of Dickens' other novels. For the most part, it is quite convincing as well. The only thing that I could not quite figure out was why so many men would fall in love with Rosa Bud. To me, Rosa was very silly and childish and really had nothing going for her except being young and pretty. I would think that Helena Landless is infinitely more appealing- she is not only brave, but compassionate and devoted to her brother. Despite this, I would definitely recommend it- I give it 4 stars only because it is unfinished!

This is a deep and sordid tale, a tale of love and hate and indifference, of drugs and desire and (just possibly) murder. Edwin Drood feels trapped in a betrothal that was engineered by his dead father. Drood's uncle, John Jaspar, secretly loves Drood's fianc?e, Rosa Bud. The newly arrived Neville Landless has also fallen in love with Rosa, and hates Edwin for his indifference to her. And when Edwin disappears under strange and suspicious circumstances, it begins to look like murder. But, there is more here than meets the eye. Who has done what and why? It's a mystery. And, to make matter worse, it will remain a mystery! This book was Charles Dickens' (1812-1870) last novel, and the great author died when the book was still only half finished. It has been the source of a great deal of speculation, and even a movie and a musical comedy. (Believe it or not!) So, if you are a fan of mysteries, and want to read one that is truly a mystery - a you-decide-who-did-it - then this is the book for you. It is a very interesting read, and no doubt would have been considered another great Dickens book, if it had been finished. But, the sad fact is that it wasn't. So, if you are intrigued with the book, as I was, then be prepared to be disappointed with the lack of ending. Overall, I enjoyed this book, and am glad I read it. But, without an ending, there is no way that I can give this book 5 stars. So, let me just say that this is a good book, and I give it a guarded recommendation.

It is a tribute to Charles Dickens' reputation that to this day this unfinished novel, a mystery no less, still garners such speculation as to who allegedly murdered Edwin Drood. There are organizations created for the sole purpose of analyzing the novel and to theorizing whom the culprit may have been, if indeed there really was a culprit. After all, only Drood's watch and his shirt pin are produced, not his body.As in all of Dickens' novels, the characterizations are the thing. You have the innocent young woman with the somewhat eccentric guardian and his Bob Cratchitlike assistant. There is the dark, possibly unfairly accused, but hot headed antagonist of Drood. Then there is Drood's brooding choirmaster uncle, John Jasper, who frequents opium dens, and who may or may not have ulterior motives in his seeking revenge. Durdles, the stone mason, and a somewhat weird character, provides some chilling comic relief in cemetery scenes with his stone throwing assistant. There are also the typical Dickensian characters, which includes a snooty older woman, a class conscious, spinsterish school mistress, and in a hilarious restaurant scene, an unappreciated, hard working "flying waiter" and a lazy, wise acre "stationary waiter." It is a shame that Dickens died before he could complete "Edwin Drood." What is here are the beginnings of an exploration of man's dual nature, a journey into "the heart of darkness" so to speak.