Oliver Twist

My first classic of the summer!
Well, technically, I started this before the resolution, but good grief, it's long. I needed the extra time.
Review: I loved it!
Ok, I'll go into a bit more depth than that... :)

I never really intended to read this book, but picked it up only because I saw the musical which two of my friends were acting in and I wanted to see what they left out. The musical peaked my interest enough to actually spur me into action. Murder, evil stepbrothers, mothers dying in childbirth, cruel, power-hungry people chasing after and grappling over a young, innocent boy. Yup, that's just the kind of story that fits my kinks. In fact, as I read, I was strongly reminded of one of my own stories. A novel I just finished the first draft of. (Just a little excited there!) :)
For a classic, the book read very easily; it didn't drag. And it was so funny! That was the best part. I love reading books by authors who can twist every normal sentence into something of great humor. I have a feeling that Dickens will be more regular fare in my literary diet from now on (now that I've realized there's nothing to dread...)
My favorite characters? The doctor/Mr. Losberne and Mr. Grimwig. I was quite surprised that though this book was named after Oliver, he really played a rather small part in the narrative, in the manner of appearance and voice. Obviously, the plot revolved around him.

To end, here are some (a very terrible few) of my favorite bits: (Sorry, I can't resist.)
"Dear, dear!" ejaculated Mrs. Sowerberry, piously raising her eyes to the kitchen ceiling; "this comes of being liberal!"
The liberality of Mrs. Sowerberry to Oliver had consisted in a profuse bestowal upon him of all the dirty odds and ends which nobody else would eat, so there was a great deal of meekness and self-devotion in her voluntarily remaining under Mr. Bumble's heavy accusation. Of which, to do her justice, she was wholly innocent in thought, word, or deed.

Mr. Fagin looked so very much in earnest, that Charley Bates, who deemed it prudent in all cases to be on the safe side, and who conceived it by no means improbable that it might be his turn to be throttled second, dropped to his knees, and raised a loud, well-sustained, and continuous roar -- something between a mad bull and a speaking trumpet.

"You ought to be dead, positively dead with the fright," said the fat gentleman. "Why didn't you send? Bless me, my man should have come in a minute, and so would I; and my assistant would have been delighted, or anybody, I'm sure, under such circumstances. Dear, dear! So unexpected! In the silence of the night too!"
The doctor seemed especially troubled by the fact of the robbery having been unexpected, and attempted in the night-time; as of it were the established custom of gentlemen in the house-breaking way to transact business at noon, and to make an appointment, by post, a day or two previous. 

"A legal action is a coming on, about a settlement, and the board has appointed me -- me, Mrs. Mann -- to depose to the matter before the quarter-sessions at Clerkinwell. And I very much question," added Mr. Bumble, drawing himself up, "whether the Clerkinwell Sessions will not find themselves in the wrong box before they have done with me."
"Oh! you mustn't be too hard upon them, sir," said Mrs. Mann, coaxingly. 
"The Clerkinwell Sessions have brought it upon themselves, ma'am," replied Mr. Bumble; "and if the Clerkinwell Sessions find that they come off rather worse than they expected, the Clerkinwell Sessions have only themselves to thank."


And I'm adding Hamlet to my list.


'Till next time,
-- Jamie