The Pickwick Papers doesn’t get nearly the recognition it deserves. Easily the funniest book I’ve ever read, and quite possibly the roots of British humor.
My favorite Dickens books are Little Dorrit, Great Expectations, Bleak House, Our Mutual Friend, Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Dombey and Son, Nicholas Nickleby, The Pickwick Papers, and Martin Chuzzlewit. But in truth I love them all. They all have something to offer. I also recommend his shorter fiction if you haven't tried it yet. The stories in The Uncommercial Traveler and his Christmas short stories (as opposed to the more popular Christmas Novels) are all worth trying.
@@chathanvemuri2625 Thanks so much for sharing with me and giving me some recommendations! I did get some of his Christmas short stories this year. Lovely of you to watch my video and take the time to leave a comment! 💛
When C.S. Lewis was asked which Dickens was his favorite ... "The best Dickens always seems to me to be the one I have read last! But in a cool hour I put Bleak House top." -- Letter, November, 1954 (He also reread Bleak House in his final weeks of life.)
I think rankings are so hard to do! The bottom is usually easy but when you love an author those top five are tricky. I’m not sure I can choose between Bleak House and Dombey and Son because the first one was my very first Dickens and I have read three times whereas Dombey only once but it was such a wonderful experience. I’ll send you my tentative ranking on Voxer Kelly!
This is the first video of yours that I watched. Dickens is my favorite and I think having Little Dorrit, Domby and Son, and Bleak House as you #1 nailed it. Pickwick Paperwick?? You inspired me to give it another try. Well done ! Dickens LIVES
@@jamesbrisbin7079 Hello James! Welcome! I am so glad you are here! Pickwick will be totally worth it if you can just stick with it. I enjoyed parts of the first part of the novel, but then when he just sticks with the same character - it’s so wonderful. I am so glad you found my channel. Please tell me when you read the Pickwick Papers! I’d really love to hear your thoughts. So great to find another Dickens fan! 💛
I love this! I've only read Great Expectations (in high school), Hard Times (in college), and a Christmas Carol, so this will give me an idea of where to go next.
Interesting to see your ranking. David Copperfield is my favorite of Dickens novels, I have two left to read (Barnaby Rudge and Nicholas Nickleby), three if you count The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Katie Lumsden's favorite I believe is Our Mutual Friend, which was also a five star book for me. Bleak House was the only book I reviewed as a "one minute review" where I admitted defeat, there is so much going on in that novel it would be impossible to sum it up in just one minute. I will probably make a ranking video when I have read the remaining novels.
@@jimsbooksreadingandstuff David Copperfield is so wonderful! I do want to reread it. Your video about the Barnaby Rudge video made me think that was you last Dickens novel to read? But now I hear there are two others. You will finish them all before me, but then I am going to go back and read those three I first read. Lovely to hear from you, as always! 💛
This was great! I'm reading Little Dorrit this year and have been thinking a lot about how his different novels compare. Hard Times is definitely a weaker one for me and you're right to delay on Oliver Twist. My favourites are Bleak House and Our Mutual Friend, but I've only read about half so far. I agree, with Dickens you need to pay attention! Must have been harder with serialisation
@@tillysshelf Oh, don’t you think the Victorians must have had much better memories than we do? And they could re-read the previous “episode” more than once before the next one appeared. I’m so glad you enjoyed this video! Jason and I are thinking of you! 💛
this has got me so excited to read bleak house! really enjoyed your ranking! loved dombey and son and a tale of two cities (ahhhh my favorite). a christmas carol has got to be one of the greatest stories ever written
@@sashahawkins Oh! I’m so excited for you to read Bleak House! You must tell me what you think when you get to it. Thank you so much for watching and commenting on my video! 💛
Love this video, Kelly. I, too, adore Bleak House. It's the one Dickens novel that I re-read every couple of years and have been doing so since I was 18. It was always my #1 also, though lately I've been thinking a lot about David Copperfield too, which I recently re-read in tandem with Barbara Kingsolver's Demon Copperhead. I'm torn between Bleak House and David Copperfield now for my #1. The ones I have taught are A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations, which, I guess, are pretty standard fare for high schools. Thanks for a very thoughtful video, as always.
@@BookChatWithPat8668 Pat, thank you so much for sharing with me and your kind words! I was surprised to see I gave David Copperfield 4 stars so it is in my re-read future! I really need to re-read the three I read in 2012! 💛
@@booksimnotreading I don’t remember if I loved DC the first time I read it, but I adored it this last time around. Oh and like you, I do re-read A Christmas Carol every year too! I have a considerable Dickens Village that I put out most Christmases. ❤️
Great reviews and enthusiasm, Kelly! I re-read a lot of these (on audio) with Katie's read-along, and several went way up in my estimation. Of the books you haven't read, I like Barnaby Rudge the most (lots of action); but I would recommend reading the 4 you have left in publication order, just to see how Dickens develops over time (Katie's read-along really opened my eyes to this aspect). Of the books to re-read, please, please! re-read David Copperfield, and if you can, listen to it on audio (either Simon Vance or Richard Armitage)--I think it will soar in your estimation. Of your rankings, I'm with you on your lowest 3. My top 3 (in no particular order) are Bleak House, Little Dorrit and David Copperfield. The thing about David is that (for me) the book is about all the other characters--David is just a vehicle to tell everyone else's story (I don't think he's the "hero" of his tale at all, as he so famously questions in the book's first line!). Happy Victober!
This was fabulous. I am one of those whose first taste of Dickens was Hard Times at school and it meant I avoided Dickens for the next 40 years 😂. I have now reread it and loved it and read ATale of Two Cities, Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol and I want to continue until I’ve read them all 😊
Thank you - no spoilers in the comments section! :) I appreciate you sharing your favorite Dickens novel with me! When I finish reading the last four, I'm going to start again with the three I haven't read since 2012. Thanks so much for watching and commenting!
I've seen several film adaptations of Dickens novels, though I haven't read any of his books yet. A few weeks ago, I read the first chapter of Little Dorrit, and wasn't exactly drawn into the story like I'd expected to be. It seemed more like a prologue than the start of the actual story. I'll try to come back to it after I'm done with the most extensive part of my current editing and rewriting duties.
A Christmas Carol is the only Dickens I've actually read so far (and I love it!), though I've seen a few adaptations too. Maybe one day I'll try something from the higher end of your list, when I'm feeling up to the challenge of reading something chonky! Thanks for sharing your recommendations. 💜
The Little Dorrit mini-series was so good! The main reason I haven't read any of his books besides A Christmas Carol is the page count. I always end up opting for something smaller becasue big books just make me nervous. Silly, I know.
@@groovypoptartwashere Long books give he author time to create intricate plots and fully fleshed out characters! You should try reading Little Dorrit if you loved the mini-series so much! You can do it! 💛
Hi Kelly, I have a hate and love relation with Dickens. I loved Christmas Carol. And Hard times and Great Expectations were ok. I recently dnf Bleak house however I would return to it. I want to love Dickens but somehow I don't have patience with him. 😅 Hope you have a good week and happy reading 💛
@@charmainesaliba5546 I know you have a complicated relationship with Dickens! You are not alone. I do hope you’ll give Bleak House or maybe Dombey and Son a try! But you are my friend, regardless! I hope you are well. 💛
Really enjoyed hearing your thoughts on these books! The only Dickens I've read so far is A Christmas Carol, which I did enjoy. I own Great Expectations and David Copperfield, and I swear one of these days I will read them 😅
I loved this video! I’m going to start rereading Dombey and Son in week or so, and I got a couple of people buddy reading with me. Looking forward to it! Absolutely agree with you about your thoughts on A Christmas Carol. An absolutely perfect book!
@@ArtBookshelfOdysseyArt, I am so glad you watched my video! I did think about you when I made it. So excited to hear about your buddy read. I’m sure you’ll have a great time! 💛
@@booksimnotreading Yeah I'm behind on my booktube waching, so it took me a few days to get to your video. - I'm trying to get through my ambitious Victober TBR lol! I'm having a great month of reading though!
Great list. Your #1 choice is spot on. There's a moment in Our Mutual Friend which spoiled the book for me. Don't push off the shorter fiction forever. They're Dickensian without the gabby bits (which I admit I love about the novels).
It was fun to see your rankings. Mine are pretty similar. I've read the same number of his novels as you and have 3 of the same 4 that are unread. I have read Oliver Twist but not Edwin Drood. We agree on the one at the bottom. I gave Hard Times three stars and it's the only one with less than four stars so far. I waver between my top pick being Bleak House or Dombey and Son. I liked Dombey more, but I can see the mastery of Bleak House and feel it should be ranked higher. I read Our Mutual Friend in March and didn't plan to read another Dickens this year, but I spontaneously decided to jump in with the GR Victorian group to read Barnaby Rudge. It's only 8 chapters each week for 10 weeks, so I can fit that in. I know nothing about what it's about or the others I haven't read. I dread Drood though since it isn't finished and can't decide if I should save it for last or not.
@@LaurieInTexas Drood won’t take you very long and I don’t think you will feel as invested in it since it was far from finished. Thanks so much for sharing your enthusiasm for Dickens with me! 💛
Hey Kelly, great rankings, and it was very informative/helpful to me!! I hope to return to Dickens at some point (read "Hard Times" about the time you were reading it). I have obtained a copy of "Dombey and Son" on your recommendation...
_Mutual Friend_ sounds good. I’ve read _Oliver!_ (😉) and _Great Expectations_ (not to mention _Tale of Two_ in high school) but right now I’m starting Collins _Woman in White_ and don’t know if I’ll ever get back to Dickens. But if I do I’ll keep your ratings in mind.
That is my Dickens ranking thus far: 1. Our Mutual Friend 2. David Copperfield 3. Christmas Carol 4. Oliver Twist 5. Nicholas Nickleby 6. A Tale of Two Cities 7. Great Expectations 8. Dombey & Son 9. The Old Curiosity Shop Loved seeing your ranking 😊
@@andreagergis6379 I really enjoyed your ranking - although Dombey and Son is awfully low! 😂 Thank you so much for watching and sharing your ranking with me! 💛
@@booksimnotreadingYeah haha I know it’s a bit controversial to rank Dombey and Son so low, but I just didn’t enjoy it as much as the others. The characters didn't grab me like the other books did. Maybe on a future reread, I’ll feel differently and bump it higher.
Good review! 1. DOMBEY. 2. Our Mutual friend. 3. Bleak House 4. Copperfield. 5. Great Expectations. 6. Tale of 2 Cities. 7. I Dnf Oliver T. All the Dickens I will read. Dombey and Our M. Friend r top 10 goat novels on my list. Bleak H, which I read twice, I think is a great book which has a lower enjoyment quotient by my account. I liked copperfield much more as a read.
A readalong of Barnaby Rudge has just started on Goodreads in the Victorians! group...started 13 Oct runs to 21 Dec...that is the Dickens I am reading this year.
1- Little Dorrit - best love story in Dickens 2- Our Mutual Friend ( no major character!) 3- Bleak House ( the longest Dickens but worth it!) 4-The Mystery of Edwin Drood ( dark and the fact that it was never finished gives it even more allure. Very underrated) 5-The Pickwick Papers ( a prentice effort until Sam Weller comes along. After the all side stories like the one about a man turning into a chair the fun starts ) 6- Dombey And Son ( a feminist manifesto in the 1840s!) 7-Great Expectations 9 the opposite of Pickwick- an arresting opening and such an indecisive ending that Dickens actually wrote 2 endings 8-David Copperfield ( Is Agnes the one DC really wanted to marry in the first place?) 9-Hard Times ( underrated and the only Dickens novel not set in London 10- The Old Curiosity Shop ( did Nell really walk all the way to Shropshire?) 11- Martin Chuzzlewit ( Tom Pinch and Mark Tapley are much more interesting than any of the Chuzzlewits.12- Barnaby Rudge ( a better historical novel than A Tale of Two Cities IMHO. 13- A Tale Of Two Cities ( I don't think Dickens does historical novels well, and this seems mailed in,. but Sydney Carton's soliloquy on the scaffold is worth the rest of the book 12- Barnaby Rudge 13-Oliver Twist (so the picture on the wall of Oliver's benefactor is his mother? That's a coincidence that is hard to swallow 14-Nicholas Nickleby (Nicholas Nickleby wife is so faceless that even though I read the novel twice I totally forgot that he'd got married. The theatre side stories go nowhere and can be skipped IMHO. I love Dickens the best as well. He doesn't write with the poetry of Hardy, the intelligence of George Eliot ( Mary Ann Evans), the passion of the Brontes or the articulation of Jane Austen. But he is the best in the total package.
@@paulschlitz5256 I love Dickens as well! So great to hear your rankings! I am even more excited now to read the last 4 that I haven’t read yet. Thank you so much for watching and sharing! 💛
I've only read 3 novels by Dickens so far: Oliver Twist, which is my least favourite, David Copperfield and Great Expectations, which is my favourite. I'm mostly interested in reading Bleak House and The Tale of Two Cities next. Hopefully, I'll pick up one of these two next year.😊
I'm currently in chapter 48 of Bleak House. It is very good. I've only read A Tale of Two Cities and David Copperfield all the way through. I couldn't choose a favorite.
Of the ones you haven’t read, I would rank them in this order: Nicholas Nickleby (the most sheer fun, and the closest to a pure picaresque); Oliver Twist (I find the coincidences to be much more off-putting than the Fagin characterization- he’s nowhere near the worst villain in the book); Martin Chuzzlewit (some brilliant sections, especially the part in America, but also with some hefty slog); Barnaby Rudge (a ponderous bore, in my opinion, and it’s Dickens other historical novel). I would rank the others somewhat differently, especially Pickwick, which I only enjoyed in small doses. Little Dorritt is my favorite. I read Christmas Carol every year and it never gets old. Can’t bring myself to get through Sketches by Boz.
I, too, have no desire to read Sketches by Boz. Your ranking of the books I have not read yet scares me! But I appreciate you sharing them! Thanks so much for watching and commenting! 💛
You should check out A Christmas Carol illustrated by Roberto Innocenti !!!! It will blow you away ! It'sy favorite as well . I too read it every Christmas Eve as well. My second favorite is the Old Curiosity Shop, then Great Expectations , Oliver Twist , David Copperfield, and A Tale of Two Cities . I haven't read anything else by him.
When you have finished the remaining novels, I suggest rather than re-reading anything that instead you move on to the journalism. A whole new cast of great characters, great set pieces, impassioned campaigning, but this time all true (well subject to a degree of artistic license!)
I finished Hard Times last night and I wasn't the biggest fan either. English is not my first language and Dickens made it really hard for me at times, especially with the dialect. I looove Aunt Betsey, she's one of the best characters I've ever come across. Great that the Penguin English Library cover of David Copperfield has the donkeys on the cover 😄
@@irinanka Sometimes my husband and I just randomly shout, “Donkeys! Donkeys!” It is one of the best scenes ever. Thanks so much for commenting! Can I ask what your first language is? 💛
@@booksimnotreading It's German. I left Germany for England 17 years ago. I now live in London and just found out that there's a pub here called Aunt Betsey 🤣
I've only read David Copperfield and A Christmas Carol. I would give a slight edge to A Christmas Carol. As it is sbort, I am more likely to re-read it
@@stuartgriffin1001 A Christmas Carol is a perfect gem. I read it every year. Still, you should give yourself credit - you can read more Dickens if you want to! 💛🎄
@@cynthiasmith2685 That’s great, Cynthia! It’s a great book. I need to read it again, but only after I have read the missing 4! Thanks so much for commenting! 💛
Bleak House is my favorite (read it 4 times) but David Copperfield and Little Dorrit are up there. Martin Chuzzlewit was odd but interesting. Frankly, I love all of them. I just have Barnaby Rudge left to read. Dombey is a great read.
@@kristinmarra7005 Only one to go! And you’ve read Bleak House FOUR times! I’m very impressed. It was great to discover so many other Dickens’ fans. Thank you so much for sharing with me! 💛
I actually quite enjoyed Oliver Twist. Ive gotten other doubters really into it by getting them to read a GK Chesterton essay on the work and it frames it super well. Not his best work still, but Dickens wouldnt quite be Dickens without Twist i think
@@elizaf.9040 Hello Eliza! Thank you so much for telling me that. I appreciate you watching and commenting! I look forward to reading A Christmas Carol in December. 💛🎄
I’ve only read seven of his novels. I like Dickens, but I have to be in the mood to enjoy his writing. Our Mutual Friend is my favorite. I quite like Barnaby Rudge (thanks to Katie’s Mega Dickens Read-along), Tale of Two Cities and David Copperfield. Bleak House is my least favorite so far and it was two years after reading that before I picked up another of his books. Had I read Bleak House at another time in my life, I may well have loved it. Go figure. 🤷♀️
@@athertonca Hello friend! So nice to hear from you. It’s tricky, isn’t it? If you read a book at the wrong time, it can throw off your whole experience with an author. I have had two people tell me they DNF’d Bleak House. I hope to reread it one day and see if I feel differently. I am glad you found some Dickens to enjoy! 💛
Hard Times: haunting love story albeit unconsummated between Stephen and Rachel. Nice satire on the divorce laws at the time ( only through a Parliamentary Act.
I have only read Great Expectations, A Christmas Carol (Christmas Eve tradition), and A Tale of Two Cities. Weirdly, now anytime Dickens gets mentioned, I flashback to Monty Python's bookshop sketch. "Do you have any Charles Dickens?" "Yes, of course." "No, I mean Dickkens with 2 'ks'" and on and on it goes with the bookshop proprietor getting progressively more exasperated. I'm am sure it is available on YT. 😂
Great Expectations is one of my favourite Dickens books, so I think it's a shame that it sounds like that book was ruined for you by an uninspiring class. I'm currently reading Martin Chuzzlewit (which I had thought was my least favourite of the Dickens books, but it turns out when I'm actually reading it I'm finding a lot to enjoy about it). Probably David Copperfield or Bleak House is my favourite.
@@paulhammond6978 Yes, that teacher was awful. Fortunately, I gave Dickens another chance. Thanks so much for sharing your current Dickens read and your favorites with me! 💛
I am reading Oliver Twist for the third time. I have a completely different experience, every time that I read it, which I love Yes, on the second read, I was shocked that Fagan was constantly referred to as “the old Jew”, but it didn’t keep me from enjoying the book. I have no knowledge of Dickens as an anti-semitist, so I let it go (and believe me, I looked). Oliver was too angelic, and the Artful Dodger was overrated. I was focused on Nancy, who I find fascinating. Now my focus is on Oliver and the “layers” of systems’ attempts to crush him. Dickens had a tendency to go on at the pen. “Paid by the word” is something I heard multiple times in college. You miss things. This reread is slow, but I am amazed by what I have forgotten (or glossed over). It’s such a beautiful book. Oliver! is a wonderful musical but a terrible adaptation. The Roman Polanski adaptation is definitely worth watching.
Every year I get the weird urge to try Dickens again, I guess these videos give me FOMO. I would have to rate Great Expectations as the best as it's the only one that I didn't DNF, maybe I should try Edwin Drood as he DNF'ed that one himself. I might read one of the christmas novellas when Katie does her readalong.
@@AaronReadABook Ah, Aaron. You keep buying Dickens’ novels, but then you DNF them? How many have you DNF’d? I might have to try Katie’s readalong as well. Who knew it was Dickens Monday? 💛
Great review video! Dickens is my top favorite author (along with Gaskell and Trollope). I first read A Christmas Carol with my grandfather as a child (it has a special place in my heart❤️). My grandfather was very instrumental in introducing me to Victorian literature, classics and poetry throughout my childhood and his love for it was contagious! I just gave a ranking on Instagram of Dickens books. But having reread him for many decades that list is in constant flex. 🫣😂 I’m finishing up a reread of Martin Chuzzlewit for Victober. This is actually a delightful story. Like all of Dickens earlier works it has its struggles. But it is filled with great characters and I actually like his take on America in it even though I’m an American. Historically it’s accurate. Oliver Twist lies towards the bottom of my favorites list and that is because of plot structure. However, it has some amazing characters. Though she isn’t in the book much I enjoy the character of Nancy! Barnaby Rudge and Nicholas Nickleby are earlier works so again there are challenges but Dickens redeems many of his plots with nicely complex characters. I hope you enjoy reading them. 📚😁
@@BookishLorrie Lorrie, where have you been? Dickens, Trollope and Gaskell! We are kindred spirits! Is your Instagram handle the same. I would like to see your full ranking! Thank you so much for watching and commenting! You are so lucky to have been introduced to these books so early on. Thank you for sharing with me. 💛
God's Nightgown Kelly, I need to read more Dickens, I think having them free on Project Gutenberg makes me think I'll eventually get to them. I absolutely loved the musical Oliver! as a kid. 🥣, I broke into song watching this video..."Consider yourself 🎶 🎵...you get the idea. I've added a couple to my 2025 TBR, so this was a good reminder. Happy reading, go well.
The Pickwick Papers doesn’t get nearly the recognition it deserves. Easily the funniest book I’ve ever read, and quite possibly the roots of British humor.
I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed it too. I haven't read it for so long, but I still love Pickwick and Sam Weller! 💛
My favorite Dickens books are Little Dorrit, Great Expectations, Bleak House, Our Mutual Friend, Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Dombey and Son, Nicholas Nickleby, The Pickwick Papers, and Martin Chuzzlewit. But in truth I love them all. They all have something to offer.
I also recommend his shorter fiction if you haven't tried it yet. The stories in The Uncommercial Traveler and his Christmas short stories (as opposed to the more popular Christmas Novels) are all worth trying.
@@chathanvemuri2625 Thanks so much for sharing with me and giving me some recommendations! I did get some of his Christmas short stories this year. Lovely of you to watch my video and take the time to leave a comment! 💛
When C.S. Lewis was asked which Dickens was his favorite ...
"The best Dickens always seems to me to be the one I have read last! But in a cool hour I put Bleak House top." -- Letter, November, 1954
(He also reread Bleak House in his final weeks of life.)
@@ButOneThingIsNeedful That’s such a cool story. Thank you so much for sharing it with me, and for watching and commenting on my video! 💛
I think rankings are so hard to do! The bottom is usually easy but when you love an author those top five are tricky. I’m not sure I can choose between Bleak House and Dombey and Son because the first one was my very first Dickens and I have read three times whereas Dombey only once but it was such a wonderful experience. I’ll send you my tentative ranking on Voxer Kelly!
@@josmith5992 Sounds good, Jo. 💛
This was so fun to watch 😊
@@katiejlumsden Yeah! I’m so glad you liked it! 💛
Your enthusiasm for Dickens is *almost* infectious.
@@wordswordseverywhere9113 😂😂😂
Excellent video! Yes, I think that Bleak house is Dickens' best novel. It is marvellous!
Thank you so much for watching and commenting! It's an amazing book! 💛
This is the first video of yours that I watched. Dickens is my favorite and I think having Little Dorrit, Domby and Son, and Bleak House as you #1 nailed it. Pickwick Paperwick?? You inspired me to give it another try. Well done ! Dickens LIVES
@@jamesbrisbin7079 Hello James! Welcome! I am so glad you are here! Pickwick will be totally worth it if you can just stick with it. I enjoyed parts of the first part of the novel, but then when he just sticks with the same character - it’s so wonderful. I am so glad you found my channel. Please tell me when you read the Pickwick Papers! I’d really love to hear your thoughts. So great to find another Dickens fan! 💛
I love this! I've only read Great Expectations (in high school), Hard Times (in college), and a Christmas Carol, so this will give me an idea of where to go next.
@@awebofstories Melinda! Oh, my goodness! You have so many adventures ahead of you! 💛
Interesting to see your ranking. David Copperfield is my favorite of Dickens novels, I have two left to read (Barnaby Rudge and Nicholas Nickleby), three if you count The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Katie Lumsden's favorite I believe is Our Mutual Friend, which was also a five star book for me. Bleak House was the only book I reviewed as a "one minute review" where I admitted defeat, there is so much going on in that novel it would be impossible to sum it up in just one minute. I will probably make a ranking video when I have read the remaining novels.
@@jimsbooksreadingandstuff David Copperfield is so wonderful! I do want to reread it. Your video about the Barnaby Rudge video made me think that was you last Dickens novel to read? But now I hear there are two others. You will finish them all before me, but then I am going to go back and read those three I first read. Lovely to hear from you, as always! 💛
This was great! I'm reading Little Dorrit this year and have been thinking a lot about how his different novels compare. Hard Times is definitely a weaker one for me and you're right to delay on Oliver Twist. My favourites are Bleak House and Our Mutual Friend, but I've only read about half so far. I agree, with Dickens you need to pay attention! Must have been harder with serialisation
@@tillysshelf Oh, don’t you think the Victorians must have had much better memories than we do? And they could re-read the previous “episode” more than once before the next one appeared. I’m so glad you enjoyed this video! Jason and I are thinking of you! 💛
this has got me so excited to read bleak house! really enjoyed your ranking! loved dombey and son and a tale of two cities (ahhhh my favorite). a christmas carol has got to be one of the greatest stories ever written
@@sashahawkins Oh! I’m so excited for you to read Bleak House! You must tell me what you think when you get to it. Thank you so much for watching and commenting on my video! 💛
Love this video, Kelly. I, too, adore Bleak House. It's the one Dickens novel that I re-read every couple of years and have been doing so since I was 18. It was always my #1 also, though lately I've been thinking a lot about David Copperfield too, which I recently re-read in tandem with Barbara Kingsolver's Demon Copperhead. I'm torn between Bleak House and David Copperfield now for my #1. The ones I have taught are A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations, which, I guess, are pretty standard fare for high schools. Thanks for a very thoughtful video, as always.
@@BookChatWithPat8668 Pat, thank you so much for sharing with me and your kind words! I was surprised to see I gave David Copperfield 4 stars so it is in my re-read future! I really need to re-read the three I read in 2012! 💛
@@booksimnotreading I don’t remember if I loved DC the first time I read it, but I adored it this last time around. Oh and like you, I do re-read A Christmas Carol every year too! I have a considerable Dickens Village that I put out most Christmases. ❤️
Bleak House is an incredible novel. Great Expectations is my favorite. Currently I am reading Our Mutual Friend.
@@BradGaby-su5tm Excellent! Thank you so much for sharing! 💛
Great reviews and enthusiasm, Kelly! I re-read a lot of these (on audio) with Katie's read-along, and several went way up in my estimation. Of the books you haven't read, I like Barnaby Rudge the most (lots of action); but I would recommend reading the 4 you have left in publication order, just to see how Dickens develops over time (Katie's read-along really opened my eyes to this aspect). Of the books to re-read, please, please! re-read David Copperfield, and if you can, listen to it on audio (either Simon Vance or Richard Armitage)--I think it will soar in your estimation. Of your rankings, I'm with you on your lowest 3. My top 3 (in no particular order) are Bleak House, Little Dorrit and David Copperfield. The thing about David is that (for me) the book is about all the other characters--David is just a vehicle to tell everyone else's story (I don't think he's the "hero" of his tale at all, as he so famously questions in the book's first line!). Happy Victober!
@@kathleencraine7335 Happy Victober to you and thanks for the advice! 💛
This was fabulous. I am one of those whose first taste of Dickens was Hard Times at school and it meant I avoided Dickens for the next 40 years 😂. I have now reread it and loved it and read ATale of Two Cities, Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol and I want to continue until I’ve read them all 😊
@@RaynorReadsStuff Me too! So glad you enjoyed this! 💛
I read “Bleak House” many years ago and it remains my favorite Dickens novel. Sort of a Victorian version of Law and Order.
Thank you - no spoilers in the comments section! :) I appreciate you sharing your favorite Dickens novel with me! When I finish reading the last four, I'm going to start again with the three I haven't read since 2012. Thanks so much for watching and commenting!
I've seen several film adaptations of Dickens novels, though I haven't read any of his books yet. A few weeks ago, I read the first chapter of Little Dorrit, and wasn't exactly drawn into the story like I'd expected to be. It seemed more like a prologue than the start of the actual story. I'll try to come back to it after I'm done with the most extensive part of my current editing and rewriting duties.
@@Ursulas_Odds_and_Sods Sounds good Ursula! 💛
A Christmas Carol is the only Dickens I've actually read so far (and I love it!), though I've seen a few adaptations too. Maybe one day I'll try something from the higher end of your list, when I'm feeling up to the challenge of reading something chonky! Thanks for sharing your recommendations. 💜
@@genteelblackhole I look forward to you exploring some more Dickens! That would be very exciting! Keep me posted and thanks so much for watching! 💛
OLIVER TWIST and OUR MUTUAL FRIEND are my two favorite novels by Dickens.
Thanks so much for watching and sharing your favorites! 💛
I also read A Christmas Carol every year! I have for sixteen years.
@@TheBookedEscapePlan Yes, the world would be better if we all read it every year! Thanks so much for watching and commenting! 💛🎄
Thank you for this vid. Definitely will be helpful in choosing which of Dickens' novels to read.
@@RyanHReviews Oh good! I look forward to hearing about your adventures with Dickens! 💛
The Little Dorrit mini-series was so good! The main reason I haven't read any of his books besides A Christmas Carol is the page count. I always end up opting for something smaller becasue big books just make me nervous. Silly, I know.
@@groovypoptartwashere Long books give he author time to create intricate plots and fully fleshed out characters! You should try reading Little Dorrit if you loved the mini-series so much! You can do it! 💛
Hi Kelly, I have a hate and love relation with Dickens. I loved Christmas Carol. And Hard times and Great Expectations were ok. I recently dnf Bleak house however I would return to it. I want to love Dickens but somehow I don't have patience with him. 😅
Hope you have a good week and happy reading 💛
@@charmainesaliba5546 I know you have a complicated relationship with Dickens! You are not alone. I do hope you’ll give Bleak House or maybe Dombey and Son a try! But you are my friend, regardless! I hope you are well. 💛
Really enjoyed hearing your thoughts on these books! The only Dickens I've read so far is A Christmas Carol, which I did enjoy. I own Great Expectations and David Copperfield, and I swear one of these days I will read them 😅
@@Coffee_and_a_Book Don’t wait too long! Seriously! 😃💛
I loved this video! I’m going to start rereading Dombey and Son in week or so, and I got a couple of people buddy reading with me. Looking forward to it!
Absolutely agree with you about your thoughts on A Christmas Carol. An absolutely perfect book!
@@ArtBookshelfOdysseyArt, I am so glad you watched my video! I did think about you when I made it. So excited to hear about your buddy read. I’m sure you’ll have a great time! 💛
@@booksimnotreading Yeah I'm behind on my booktube waching, so it took me a few days to get to your video. - I'm trying to get through my ambitious Victober TBR lol! I'm having a great month of reading though!
Great list. Your #1 choice is spot on. There's a moment in Our Mutual Friend which spoiled the book for me. Don't push off the shorter fiction forever. They're Dickensian without the gabby bits (which I admit I love about the novels).
@@erichoman7623 😂 The gabby bits? I wonder what Dickens would say to that critique? Thanks so much for watching and commenting! 💛
Dickens was writing for his own times and we shouldn't impose modern ideologies on his work. If it offends anyone then don't read it.
@@davidtomkinson1570 Thank you so much for watching and sharing your thoughts! 💛
It was fun to see your rankings. Mine are pretty similar. I've read the same number of his novels as you and have 3 of the same 4 that are unread. I have read Oliver Twist but not Edwin Drood. We agree on the one at the bottom. I gave Hard Times three stars and it's the only one with less than four stars so far. I waver between my top pick being Bleak House or Dombey and Son. I liked Dombey more, but I can see the mastery of Bleak House and feel it should be ranked higher.
I read Our Mutual Friend in March and didn't plan to read another Dickens this year, but I spontaneously decided to jump in with the GR Victorian group to read Barnaby Rudge. It's only 8 chapters each week for 10 weeks, so I can fit that in. I know nothing about what it's about or the others I haven't read. I dread Drood though since it isn't finished and can't decide if I should save it for last or not.
@@LaurieInTexas Drood won’t take you very long and I don’t think you will feel as invested in it since it was far from finished. Thanks so much for sharing your enthusiasm for Dickens with me! 💛
Hey Kelly, great rankings, and it was very informative/helpful to me!! I hope to return to Dickens at some point (read "Hard Times" about the time you were reading it). I have obtained a copy of "Dombey and Son" on your recommendation...
@@gammaanteria Eeks! That is so exciting! I hope you will tell me what you think of Dombey and Son! 💛
So many famous books that may last forever. Best wishes and happy reading.
@@ReadingIDEAS.-uz9xk Happy reading! 💛
_Mutual Friend_ sounds good. I’ve read _Oliver!_ (😉) and _Great Expectations_ (not to mention _Tale of Two_ in high school) but right now I’m starting Collins _Woman in White_ and don’t know if I’ll ever get back to Dickens. But if I do I’ll keep your ratings in mind.
@@davidnovakreadspoetry I read The Woman in White but I can’t remember a single thing about it. I hope you’ll return to Dickens eventually! 💛😃
That is my Dickens ranking thus far:
1. Our Mutual Friend
2. David Copperfield
3. Christmas Carol
4. Oliver Twist
5. Nicholas Nickleby
6. A Tale of Two Cities
7. Great Expectations
8. Dombey & Son
9. The Old Curiosity Shop
Loved seeing your ranking 😊
@@andreagergis6379 I really enjoyed your ranking - although Dombey and Son is awfully low! 😂 Thank you so much for watching and sharing your ranking with me! 💛
@@booksimnotreadingYeah haha I know it’s a bit controversial to rank Dombey and Son so low, but I just didn’t enjoy it as much as the others. The characters didn't grab me like the other books did. Maybe on a future reread, I’ll feel differently and bump it higher.
Good review!
1. DOMBEY.
2. Our Mutual friend.
3. Bleak House
4. Copperfield.
5. Great Expectations.
6. Tale of 2 Cities.
7. I Dnf Oliver T.
All the Dickens I will read. Dombey and Our M. Friend r top 10 goat novels on my list. Bleak H, which I read twice, I think is a great book which has a lower enjoyment quotient by my account. I liked copperfield much more as a read.
@@ratherrapid Thanks so much for sharing with me! 💛
Our Mutual Friend is toward the top of my rankings!
@@novelideea It’s an excellent book, for sure! 💛
A readalong of Barnaby Rudge has just started on Goodreads in the Victorians! group...started 13 Oct runs to 21 Dec...that is the Dickens I am reading this year.
@@jimsbooksreadingandstuff I saw that! 💛
Christmas Carol is the best!
@@svalbard01 🎄💛
I’m rereading Curiosity Shoppe in November and then reading Dostoevsky’s Humiliated and Insulted (his inspiration was Dickens OCS)
@@novelideea Very interesting! 💛
1- Little Dorrit - best love story in Dickens 2- Our Mutual Friend ( no major character!) 3- Bleak House ( the longest Dickens but worth it!) 4-The Mystery of Edwin Drood ( dark and the fact that it was never finished gives it even more allure. Very underrated) 5-The Pickwick Papers ( a prentice effort until Sam Weller comes along. After the all side stories like the one about a man turning into a chair the fun starts ) 6- Dombey And Son ( a feminist manifesto in the 1840s!) 7-Great Expectations 9 the opposite of Pickwick- an arresting opening and such an indecisive ending that Dickens actually wrote 2 endings 8-David Copperfield ( Is Agnes the one DC really wanted to marry in the first place?) 9-Hard Times ( underrated and the only Dickens novel not set in London 10- The Old Curiosity Shop ( did Nell really walk all the way to Shropshire?) 11- Martin Chuzzlewit ( Tom Pinch and Mark Tapley are much more interesting than any of the Chuzzlewits.12- Barnaby Rudge ( a better historical novel than A Tale of Two Cities IMHO. 13- A Tale Of Two Cities ( I don't think Dickens does historical novels well, and this seems mailed in,. but Sydney Carton's soliloquy on the scaffold is worth the rest of the book 12- Barnaby Rudge 13-Oliver Twist (so the picture on the wall of Oliver's benefactor is his mother? That's a coincidence that is hard to swallow 14-Nicholas Nickleby (Nicholas Nickleby wife is so faceless that even though I read the novel twice I totally forgot that he'd got married. The theatre side stories go nowhere and can be skipped IMHO.
I love Dickens the best as well. He doesn't write with the poetry of Hardy, the intelligence of George Eliot ( Mary Ann Evans), the passion of the Brontes or the articulation of Jane Austen. But he is the best in the total package.
@@paulschlitz5256 I love Dickens as well! So great to hear your rankings! I am even more excited now to read the last 4 that I haven’t read yet. Thank you so much for watching and sharing! 💛
I've only read 3 novels by Dickens so far: Oliver Twist, which is my least favourite, David Copperfield and Great Expectations, which is my favourite. I'm mostly interested in reading Bleak House and The Tale of Two Cities next. Hopefully, I'll pick up one of these two next year.😊
@@LanaCelebic Both such great reading experiences! Thanks for sharing with me! 💛
I'm currently in chapter 48 of Bleak House. It is very good. I've only read A Tale of Two Cities and David Copperfield all the way through. I couldn't choose a favorite.
@@AmandaJHMorton It’s great to have you in the comments section again, Amanda. I’m very excited to hear what you think of Bleak House! 💛
Of the ones you haven’t read, I would rank them in this order: Nicholas Nickleby (the most sheer fun, and the closest to a pure picaresque); Oliver Twist (I find the coincidences to be much more off-putting than the Fagin characterization- he’s nowhere near the worst villain in the book); Martin Chuzzlewit (some brilliant sections, especially the part in America, but also with some hefty slog); Barnaby Rudge (a ponderous bore, in my opinion, and it’s Dickens other historical novel).
I would rank the others somewhat differently, especially Pickwick, which I only enjoyed in small doses. Little Dorritt is my favorite. I read Christmas Carol every year and it never gets old. Can’t bring myself to get through Sketches by Boz.
I, too, have no desire to read Sketches by Boz. Your ranking of the books I have not read yet scares me! But I appreciate you sharing them! Thanks so much for watching and commenting! 💛
You should check out A Christmas Carol illustrated by Roberto Innocenti !!!! It will blow you away ! It'sy favorite as well . I too read it every Christmas Eve as well. My second favorite is the Old Curiosity Shop, then Great Expectations , Oliver Twist , David Copperfield, and A Tale of Two Cities . I haven't read anything else by him.
@@davidcreager1945 Well, what are you waiting for? 😃💛
@@booksimnotreading don't know , really !
Love Dickens. In process of reading all. I recommend Oliver Twist. It's a good read.
@@daviddandrea6491 Thank you! I’m even more excited to read the last four after making this video. Happy reading! 💛
When you have finished the remaining novels, I suggest rather than re-reading anything that instead you move on to the journalism. A whole new cast of great characters, great set pieces, impassioned campaigning, but this time all true (well subject to a degree of artistic license!)
@@duncanleith9172 Thanks for the recommendation. We’ll see! 💛
I finished Hard Times last night and I wasn't the biggest fan either. English is not my first language and Dickens made it really hard for me at times, especially with the dialect. I looove Aunt Betsey, she's one of the best characters I've ever come across. Great that the Penguin English Library cover of David Copperfield has the donkeys on the cover 😄
@@irinanka Sometimes my husband and I just randomly shout, “Donkeys! Donkeys!” It is one of the best scenes ever. Thanks so much for commenting! Can I ask what your first language is? 💛
@@booksimnotreading It's German. I left Germany for England 17 years ago. I now live in London and just found out that there's a pub here called Aunt Betsey 🤣
I've only read David Copperfield and A Christmas Carol. I would give a slight edge to A Christmas Carol. As it is sbort, I am more likely to re-read it
@@stuartgriffin1001 A Christmas Carol is a perfect gem. I read it every year. Still, you should give yourself credit - you can read more Dickens if you want to! 💛🎄
At the moment, my favorite Dickens is Little Dorrit, but I just finished it for the first time:)
@@cynthiasmith2685 That’s great, Cynthia! It’s a great book. I need to read it again, but only after I have read the missing 4! Thanks so much for commenting! 💛
Bleak House is my favorite (read it 4 times) but David Copperfield and Little Dorrit are up there. Martin Chuzzlewit was odd but interesting. Frankly, I love all of them. I just have Barnaby Rudge left to read. Dombey is a great read.
@@kristinmarra7005 Only one to go! And you’ve read Bleak House FOUR times! I’m very impressed. It was great to discover so many other Dickens’ fans. Thank you so much for sharing with me! 💛
I actually quite enjoyed Oliver Twist. Ive gotten other doubters really into it by getting them to read a GK Chesterton essay on the work and it frames it super well. Not his best work still, but Dickens wouldnt quite be Dickens without Twist i think
@@seanmalczewski1998 Super interesting! Thanks so much for sharing that with me and for watching! I appreciate it. 💛
I read A Christmas Carol every December. My favorite book is Oliver Twist.
@@elizaf.9040 Hello Eliza! Thank you so much for telling me that. I appreciate you watching and commenting! I look forward to reading A Christmas Carol in December. 💛🎄
I just give all of his 4 stars. I have not read one yet that I thought was amazing! I have read 4 or 5.
@@theresas709 Thanks so much for watching and sharing with me! 💛
Impossible but delightful to try.
@@scallydandlingaboutthebooks Agreed! 💛
@@booksimnotreading Bleak House is my favourite but I must read Dombey and Son.
@@scallydandlingaboutthebooks You must! 😃
Rereading David Copperfield next year❤
Very exciting!
I’ve only read seven of his novels. I like Dickens, but I have to be in the mood to enjoy his writing. Our Mutual Friend is my favorite. I quite like Barnaby Rudge (thanks to Katie’s Mega Dickens Read-along), Tale of Two Cities and David Copperfield. Bleak House is my least favorite so far and it was two years after reading that before I picked up another of his books. Had I read Bleak House at another time in my life, I may well have loved it. Go figure. 🤷♀️
@@athertonca Hello friend! So nice to hear from you. It’s tricky, isn’t it? If you read a book at the wrong time, it can throw off your whole experience with an author. I have had two people tell me they DNF’d Bleak House. I hope to reread it one day and see if I feel differently. I am glad you found some Dickens to enjoy! 💛
Hard Times: haunting love story albeit unconsummated between Stephen and Rachel. Nice satire on the divorce laws at the time ( only through a Parliamentary Act.
@@paulschlitz5256 Thanks for sharing! 💛
Ps. I saw the pbs show on Bleak House in grade school ( many moons ago ! )
I have only read Great Expectations, A Christmas Carol (Christmas Eve tradition), and A Tale of Two Cities. Weirdly, now anytime Dickens gets mentioned, I flashback to Monty Python's bookshop sketch. "Do you have any Charles Dickens?" "Yes, of course." "No, I mean Dickkens with 2 'ks'" and on and on it goes with the bookshop proprietor getting progressively more exasperated. I'm am sure it is available on YT. 😂
@@binglamb2176 I will have to look for it! Thanks for sharing! 💛
Great Expectations is one of my favourite Dickens books, so I think it's a shame that it sounds like that book was ruined for you by an uninspiring class. I'm currently reading Martin Chuzzlewit (which I had thought was my least favourite of the Dickens books, but it turns out when I'm actually reading it I'm finding a lot to enjoy about it). Probably David Copperfield or Bleak House is my favourite.
@@paulhammond6978 Yes, that teacher was awful. Fortunately, I gave Dickens another chance. Thanks so much for sharing your current Dickens read and your favorites with me! 💛
Dickens’ writings do not require ranking. I love Dickens 20% more than you do, so I should know.
@@dennish.7708 Thanks Dennis for sharing your love of Dickens!
I should reread The Pickwick Papers!
@@martins1964 It’s so funny! Maybe the funniest Dickens of all! Thanks so much for watching and commenting! 💛
l enjoy Great Expectations so powerful l like the development Malcolm
@@malcolmfreedman6898 Thanks so much for sharing with me, Malcolm! 💛
I am reading Oliver Twist for the third time. I have a completely different experience, every time that I read it, which I love Yes, on the second read, I was shocked that Fagan was constantly referred to as “the old Jew”, but it didn’t keep me from enjoying the book. I have no knowledge of Dickens as an anti-semitist, so I let it go (and believe me, I looked). Oliver was too angelic, and the Artful Dodger was overrated. I was focused on Nancy, who I find fascinating. Now my focus is on Oliver and the “layers” of systems’ attempts to crush him. Dickens had a tendency to go on at the pen. “Paid by the word” is something I heard multiple times in college. You miss things. This reread is slow, but I am amazed by what I have forgotten (or glossed over). It’s such a beautiful book. Oliver! is a wonderful musical but a terrible adaptation. The Roman Polanski adaptation is definitely worth watching.
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with me! I appreciate it!💛
I adore Oliver Twist ♥️🥰🤗
@@novelideea I look forward to reading it! 💛
Every year I get the weird urge to try Dickens again, I guess these videos give me FOMO. I would have to rate Great Expectations as the best as it's the only one that I didn't DNF, maybe I should try Edwin Drood as he DNF'ed that one himself. I might read one of the christmas novellas when Katie does her readalong.
@@AaronReadABook Ah, Aaron. You keep buying Dickens’ novels, but then you DNF them? How many have you DNF’d? I might have to try Katie’s readalong as well. Who knew it was Dickens Monday? 💛
@@booksimnotreading technically 3 but only Bleak House did I get over 200 pages in. Great Expectations I really liked the start so that kept me going.
@@AaronReadABook Sigh.
Hard Times is boring as hell. Our mutual friend is very underrated.
@@huntingtonbeachkbd Hello and welcome! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with me! I appreciate it! 💛
Great review video! Dickens is my top favorite author (along with Gaskell and Trollope). I first read A Christmas Carol with my grandfather as a child (it has a special place in my heart❤️). My grandfather was very instrumental in introducing me to Victorian literature, classics and poetry throughout my childhood and his love for it was contagious! I just gave a ranking on Instagram of Dickens books. But having reread him for many decades that list is in constant flex. 🫣😂
I’m finishing up a reread of Martin Chuzzlewit for Victober. This is actually a delightful story. Like all of Dickens earlier works it has its struggles. But it is filled with great characters and I actually like his take on America in it even though I’m an American. Historically it’s accurate. Oliver Twist lies towards the bottom of my favorites list and that is because of plot structure. However, it has some amazing characters. Though she isn’t in the book much I enjoy the character of Nancy! Barnaby Rudge and Nicholas Nickleby are earlier works so again there are challenges but Dickens redeems many of his plots with nicely complex characters. I hope you enjoy reading them. 📚😁
@@BookishLorrie Lorrie, where have you been? Dickens, Trollope and Gaskell! We are kindred spirits! Is your Instagram handle the same. I would like to see your full ranking! Thank you so much for watching and commenting! You are so lucky to have been introduced to these books so early on. Thank you for sharing with me. 💛
I spend most of my time on Instagram - books.and.darjeeling. 🥰 I look forward to watching more of your videos!
✌️🙂
@@AlbertTheConjugator 😃💛
God's Nightgown Kelly, I need to read more Dickens, I think having them free on Project Gutenberg makes me think I'll eventually get to them. I absolutely loved the musical Oliver! as a kid. 🥣, I broke into song watching this video..."Consider yourself 🎶 🎵...you get the idea. I've added a couple to my 2025 TBR, so this was a good reminder. Happy reading, go well.
God's Nightgown, you do Nathan! What did you add to your 2025 TBR? Be well, friend! 💛