The Old Curiosity Shop

I loved this book for its characters, especially Little Nell. In fact, when I think of Dickens and his work, Little Nell is the character that comes to mind. She so embodies everything that he wrote about in all his wonderful books. The plot in this book is a little simpler than some of his plots. It centres around Little Nell and her grandfather's search throughout the roads and fields of England for a home where they can live happily and comfortably. The book has been accused of being "schmaltzy" and perhaps it is, but the ending is actually quite sad. It's a heartwarming book, and I think a good introductory book to Dickens and his works. Read this one, and then try tackling some of the other, more complex ones. That's my advice.

I have long been an admirer of Charles Dickens, but I had never read THE OLD CURIOSITY SHOP until fairly recently. I read the novel over the course of two weeks, completely immersing myself in it (I've found that this is the best way to read Dickens). Words fail me to describe this novel, so I'll quote from Dickens scholar Norrie Epstein: "If Italian director Frederico Fellini had been an English novelist writing in the age of Victoria, THE OLD CURIOSITY SHOP could have been his LA STRADA. Dickens' novel is a curious work, by turns a circus and a funeral. Like a reverie, a nightmare, and a vision -- and the shop itself -- the novel brings together startling, contradictory themes, images, and objects" (THE FRIENDLY DICKENS, p. 120).THE OLD CURIOSITY SHOP, in other words, is a typically Dickensian work, combining the morbid, the sentimental, and the absurdly hilarious. The young protagonist, Nell Trent, is a sad and pathetic figure who faces trial after trial until she is finally worn out and dies a premature death. As sad as Nell's story is, I also found myself laughing out loud at the roguish but essentially good-hearted secondary character of Dick Swiveller. At the same time, the dwarf Quilp is both comic and menacing: his (implicitly stated) aim is obviously to defile the innocent young Nell. Only Dickens, it seems, can so successfully alternate tragic and comic scenes and characters in the same novel. If you're an admirer of Dickens' "tragi-comic" style, you should read THE OLD CURIOSITY SHOP.

...reading delight. Whenever I get depressed or feel like I can't start another book, I re-read some passages of this book written by Charles Dickens. It is one of the best books written in English. Intentionally syrupy and over-sweet, Dickens writes so perfectly as to make the reader wonder how anyone could ever write so gorgeously. If you pass this one up, you're cheating yourself. I couldn't put the book down. It's a rare and special novel that keeps me in bed over the weekend reading from dawn to sleep.

This edition of the Old Curiosity Shop is outstanding. It contains all the original illustrations drawn for the book, very helpful footnotes, a chronology of Dickens's life, etc. The book takes the reader on a wild journey through the English countryside with Little Nell, an angelic girl, and her troublesome grandfather, and features a host of amusing characters as only Dickens can draw them. While it was being written in serial form, it was so popular that sailors returning to port in England were known to shout to people on shore to ask what was going on with Little Nell. Today, however, you can miss some of Dickens's nuance and humor if you don't have good footnotes to turn to. The notes in this book explain obscure terms, references to contemporary popular culture, places where the action occurs, etc. If you are going to read this book, this is the edition to buy.

This is such a good book, I don't know where to begin. I know a lot of people put it down for sentimentalizing Nells death, but you know, I almost cried during it! The victorians just weren't as cynical as we are. Now a book has to show the horror of the human spirit to be considered a good book but that does get kind of oh, same same after a while. This was the first Dickens book I read, I remember reading it in high school and thinking "damn, this is good" I was expecting something dry and humorless and was pleasantly surprised by Dickens wit and humor and great story telling ability. Too bad this book is so hard to find out in book stores. Its really an underrated masterpiece.