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Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Oliver Twist in Books

Oct 10, 2017 (Updated Oct 11, 2017)

Oliver Twist

Charles Dickens | 2014 | Children

7.6

(13 Ratings)

Book Rating

Bleak but beautifully written

I bawled while reading this as a child, especially reading this horrendously bleak tale. Orphan Oliver Twist escapes a rundown orphanage and workhouse only to live in further poverty at the hands of a terrible thief, who exploits young children to do his bidding. Oliver, a very simple and innocent boy, moves from one place to another in order to survive the harsh streets of early 19th century England.

It literally is a never-ending saga of one horrific incident after another, highlighting Dickens' strong views about how children were treated during Victorian times. And while there is a bittersweet ending, it leaves you with a feeling of deep sadness for these lost children.

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Dana (24 KP) rated A Serious Proposal to the Ladies in Books

Mar 23, 2018

This was a very interesting read. It is a compilation of, primarily, two essays directed at the women of the Restoration and Revolution period in London, England. While it mainly speaks to women to be more free in their religions, it also talks about women's political freedoms. This seems to be an early feminist essay which calls to give women more power over their lives.

I did enjoy the first essay more than I did the second because the second got a lot more religious and quite repetitive. But it was still interesting.

If you are interested in early feminist lit or in religious literature, check this book out. I think you would thoroughly enjoy it.

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Erika (17789 KP) rated Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded in Books

Feb 1, 2020

This novel is commonly known as the first true English novel, as well as the first epistolary novel. I've taken numerous British and English Literature classes, but had not been introduced to this novel until I studied in England and took an English novel class taught by a German professor who learned English solely so he could read Shakespeare in the vernacular. I'm glad that this prof included this wonderful novel. It was a nice change from just assigning Jane Eyre and Great Expectations.
It's an interesting study on Pamela, and spawned so many great, satirical novels. This is definitely a must read if you like classic literature and enjoy reading the novels that shaped the literature of today.