Book Review: David Copperfield

 

David Copperfield is a novel by Charles Dickens that was first published in the mid 1800s. It is a fictional coming-of-age story of a boy named David Copperfield who survives a traumatic childhood dealing with a cruel stepfather, being sent to a horrible boarding school, forced to work in a factory, etc. He eventually begins to study law, becomes a successful author, and marries his lifelong friend. Although it is a fictional story, it is based on elements of Dickens' own life. 

The Easton Press version of the book, which is included in Easton Press' 100 Greatest Books Ever Written collection, is just over 820 pages and leather-bound. It is, honestly, a very hard book to read. The pace is slow, there is no tight central plot, and the main character is just recounting what he observes. Unlike some of Dickens' other novels, such as A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations, this one was hard for me to get into, and I often found my mind wandering while reading it.  I never connected with any of the characters, and just found it a slog to get through. While it is interesting because it is based on aspects of Dickens' life, and I wanted to like it more than I did, I would not say it is a must-read.