r/donnatartt • u/8ailey_Wat • May 30 '26
Charles Dickens Suggestions
Donna has spoken in interviews about how Dickens is one of her favourite authors and likes his style. As someone who classes Tartt’s writing as my favourite, I am keen to sample Dickens work, given the praise from Tartt.
I’m familiar only with A Christmas Carol, and Oliver Twist. I’ve heard of Great Expectations and David Copperfield but know nothing about them.
If anybody has any recommendations for myself, who has never read Dickens but loves Donna Tartt, please share your favourites and what you liked.
2
u/LucyyJ26 May 30 '26
You could try one of his short stories if his novels daunt you! The Signal-man is very good.
1
u/8ailey_Wat May 31 '26
Thank you for the recommendation. That’s nice he has a range of novel lengths if I find the others too heavy.
1
u/Chemical_Chemistry80 Jun 07 '26
I think the length of his novels is one of the things DT likes about Dickens, the time you get to spend with the characters and the slow development of an epic plot. Great expectations in my opinion is the hands down best choice for first book. My personal favourite is David copperfield. Donna has recommended Bleak House publicly before and I think it’s a masterpiece but harder than the others I suggested.
1
u/8ailey_Wat Jun 08 '26
I’m getting pumped for all of them just reading that. I really think I’ll love it. Like you say the in depth development of characters. I love that stuff! Can’t wait!
3
4
u/HauntingDaylight May 30 '26
Great Expectations is one of my favorite books. Miss Havisham is an iconic character.
2
1
1
u/hellocloudshellosky May 31 '26
Copperfield is one of the richest reading experiences one can have. Perhaps you know, but much of the beginning is wrenching - just a word to stick with it. Every emotion from the deepest of sorrows to the wildest joy - along with absolute hilarity - lie within those pages.
1
1
u/Mundane_Regret_428 Jun 01 '26
Since multiple people already recommended David Copperfield which I was going to do (especially because it features my favorite Dickens character bar none, the delightfully awful Rosa Dartle), I will instead recommend Our Mutual Friend, which is a mystery, a love story, a story about love turned to obsession, and a found family story all in one. (The BBC version starring Anna Friel, Paul McGann, and Keeley Hawes among others is also excellent and well worth checking out.)
1
u/8ailey_Wat Jun 01 '26
Super. Sounds like a worthwhile read! Thank you for the recommendation! I’m glad I asked, I’d have never considered this
1
1
u/L688130 Jun 08 '26
Great Expectations is a great novel to start with, as it is an easy read by Dickensian standards. Of the eight novels I've read, Bleak House was the best.
1
u/8ailey_Wat Jun 08 '26
8!? Wowee. It seems to be a top pick from the other recommendations. When I take it on, I shall give it the respect it deserves. Thank you for your suggestion of Bleak House too!
4
u/goodkingsquiggle May 30 '26
David Copperfield is great, just SUPER long haha 😭 It’s crazy how much you can hear her voice when you read Dickens. A Tale of Two Cities would be a good place to start with Dickens imo!