The Rag & Bone Shop: A Novel Based on the Secret Life of Charles Dickens

I hate Dickens, and hated having to suffer through Great Expectations in high school, but after reading this book, I'm considering giving it a second go. Rackham may or may not have done research (I'm not one to judge) but what he has done is create a compelling story with compelling characters. His point of view and distinct voices are excellent, certainly the best I've seen in a long time. There are some gruesome and dispiriting scenes. This is a book for those who want excellent writing, not for those who want cheerful resolutions and happy endings.

With chapters written in the varying voices of Wilkie Collins (friend to Dickens and author of novels of such novels as `The Woman in White'), Georgina Hogarth (the sister of Dickens' wife, Catherine), and Ellen Ternan (the young actress/mistress to Dickens), Rackham gives the reader creative perspective into the life of the `inimitable' author. There is much to speculate because Dickens, in true Victorian fashion, did everything in his power to keep his public from finding out about his private life. He went so far as to have seasonal bonfires, his children assisted him, tossing into them all of his paperwork and letters. In fact, after his death, the only link to his private comings and goings were coded messages in a day journal.This book covers the last phase of Dickens' life: his separation/dissolution of marriage with Catherine Hogarth, his final trip to America (which made him a lot of money - more than 15,000 pounds), and work on novels like `Great Expectations', `Our Mutual Friend', and `Edwin Drood'. What Rackham tries to explore through his narrative characters is what Dickens, the man, was really like. There were social and familial pressures that tied the author down. He made a lot of money throughout his career, but wasn't to able to enjoy the fruits of his labors; his sons were a disappointment to him, his celebrity was often a too heavy responsibility, and his marriage was dragged through tabloidal mud - surprisingly, via his own pen.It isn't even known - just assumed - if his relationship with the young Ternan was consummated. They met on the stage... [Dickens took great interest in the stage - often working side by side with actors on productions. His dramatic readings of novel excerpts oftentimes garnered more pay than publications. It is said that his final emphatic reading from `Oliver Twist' (the scene where Nancy is murdered) led to his death.] Rackham does a wondrous job filling in the tenderest gaps. `Rag and Bone' is an eye-opener. Read it along with a good biography - try `The Friendly Dickens' (an enjoyable read) or Angus Wilson's `Life of Charles Dickens.' And, of course, read Dickens. His body of work is a real treasure - don't just skim either. `Great Expectations', `Copperfield', and `Christmas Carol' are fabulous, but you get the best sense of his comic genius and characterization in `Pickwick', `Nicholas Nickleby', `Dombey & Son'...