Book Review - Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

5/5 stars

With every read book, I get more and more fond of Dickens' emotion capturing capabilities. Great Expectations had always been on my radar. Needles to say, due to it's immense popularity in classics world. Therefore, I had great expectations from it. And, I must say, Great Expectations stands head and shoulders above some of the other works I've read by him.

The plot of romance that Dickens portrayed is by far the best I've read invented by him. Most of my reads are based out of recommendations. I like going into a book blind and explore the joy as I unfold the story. I'd no idea Great Expectations was so much about the romance aspect of it. That being said, there was something about the story that hit me hard on so many levels I can't begin to elaborate.

Pip is our hero. Is he? We shall see. Week, dreamy, principle oriented and aspiring is the subject and victim of his great expectations.

We see Pip, growing from a child to this matured and transformed individual. He has so many aspirations and expectations from himself as well from his life. All he wanted was to grow into a noble and worthy gentleman to deserve the love of Estella. But, his ambitions blurs his vision of the more important aspects of life. One of which was seeing the social class from the colors of black and white.

There was a contrast in characters of an individual that Dickens wanted to put before it's readers. What is the definition of a real gentleman? Rich, hat wearing men with all the luxuries of life? Pip, who got the opportunity to become one? Or Joe Gargery, the blacksmith who even after years later addresses Pip as Sir, and tells him, 'You and me was ever friends. '?

Pip, tells the story of fortune and misfortune. He tells the story of passion, regret and obsession. If you haven't yet read Great Expectations, I urgue all to keep a place for it in your reading life. You will surely not regret!

Review Posted: 23 May 2022.