This historical novel is indeed one of Dickens’ lesser known works. However, it is filled with memorable characters and a great sense of time and place, just like those found in his more famous works.

Barnaby Rudge, a simple soul, leads a carefree life with his mother and his raven Grip. But then, he gets involved in the Gordon Riots, an anti-Catholic demonstration that turns into violence and looting, putting his life in danger.

This is a very dark book, featuring a number of different villains who cause mayhem and trouble among their families and acquaintances. The historical detail is fascinating, and Dickens vividly brings the riots to life by describing their impact on ordinary people caught up in the violence, as well as the subsequent actions to end the riots and punish the perpetrators.

Alongside the historical story, there is a more familiar one of family secrets and betrayal, which is both engaging and intriguing. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel and believe it should probably be more widely read.

**Sins of the Fathers...**

In 1775, a group of elderly men gather in the Maypole, an ancient inn owned by John Willett. They tell a stranger about a murder that occurred nearby years ago. Mr Harefield, the owner of a large house in the neighbourhood, was killed during an apparent robbery. Later, another body was found, identified as his servant, also murdered. The servant's son, Barnaby Rudge, was born an idiot, presumably due to the shock his widow suffered during pregnancy. Now, Barnaby is a happy young man. He earns a little money by running messages and spends the rest of his time running wild in the countryside, delighting in the natural world he loves. However, Barnaby is gullible and easily influenced, which will one day lead him into serious trouble.

Skip forward five years to 1780, and trouble is abroad in the streets of London. Lord George Gordon is leading protests against an act that will remove some legal restrictions on Catholics. Gordon, a weak man, is surrounded by unscrupulous men using him for their own ends. Some of his followers are truly religious, albeit bigoted, but honourable in their own way. However, many others are the dregs of the London streets - drunks, thieves, the violent, and the cruel. There are also the desperate - those with no hope, whose argument with the government has nothing to do with religious questions. Together, these men and women form the mob, wild, destructive, and terrifying. Among them and affected by them are the characters we met in the Maypole, including young Barnaby Rudge.
Structurally, this novel is a bit of a mess. The two halves are excellent in their own right, but the sudden time shift and change of central characters and tone break the flow and lose the emotional involvement built up in the first section. Barnaby Rudge is an unsatisfactory hero as an idiot with no hope of improvement. There is no romance for him, nor does he get to be heroic. However, even a weaker Dickens novel is enjoyable, and this is no exception. My four-star rating is in comparison to other Dickens novels - compared to most books, this is still far superior.
If I were Dickens, I would have called it "Dolly Varden" - she pulls the two strands together more than most other characters. Daughter of locksmith Gabriel, Dolly is the major love interest of Joe Willett, the son of the Maypole's owner. Young, flirtatious, and silly, Dolly plays hard to get at the wrong moment, and Joe enlists in the army and goes off to fight the American colonists. Five years later, Dolly is still single, secretly hoping Joe will return. But her beauty makes her a target for other men, including two who play major roles in the second half of the book. Dickens often shows how vulnerable women are to unscrupulous men, and with Dolly, he takes it a step further. There is a particular scene where she is the victim of what can only be described as a sexual assault, and later, in the riots, Dickens doesn't hold back from showing how rape is an aspect of social breakdown. While it's all done through hints and suggestions, mild to our modern eyes, it must have been shocking to the original readership. Dolly is an intriguing Dickens heroine - unlike many of his weak damsels, she's fun, revels in her beauty and its effect on men, while still being kind-hearted and true. He allows her to grow and mature in those five years, which is not always the case with his heroines, and she's a great mix of vulnerability and strength of character.
The first half is typical Dickens fare - various eccentric characters, young lovers, and a mystery in the past, similar to "Oliver Twist" or "Martin Chuzzlewit". The second half is more reminiscent of the later and better "A Tale of Two Cities". The mob scenes are just as horrifying, but the characters aren't as memorably drawn as Sidney Carton or Madame Defarge. More importantly, it seems as if Dickens is less sure of where his sympathies lie. The Gordon rioters are fighting to keep anti-Catholic laws in place, and clearly, Dickens thinks this is abhorrent. But that means he almost comes across as pro-Establishment, as the Establishment wants to do away with those laws. So, while in "A Tale of Two Cities" he's against the mob but understanding of the poverty and inequality that drive them, here he gets a bit muddled - he wants to suggest it's all because they're poor and uneducated but also has to show they're religious fanatics, fighting not to better themselves but to keep others down. However, I thoroughly enjoyed Dennis the hangman, who is not only a typically Dickensian villain but also based on a real-life hangman of the time, giving Dickens an opportunity to show the gruesome barbarity of this form of social control.
As always with Dickens, there are too many aspects to cover in a review without it becoming as long as one of his novels. Overall, this is a novel where the individual parts may not come together as well as in his greatest works, but it's still well worth reading for the riots and for the interest of seeing Dickens experiment with the historical novel. I read the Oxford World's Classics version - my first experience of a Dickens novel in their edition - and thoroughly enjoyed the informative introduction and especially the notes, which I found extremely helpful as this is an episode of history I knew little about. The book is also generously illustrated with the original illustrations. I say it every time, but I'm so glad I live in a world that once had Dickens in it!

NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Oxford World's Classics.

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Please provide the article that needs to be rewritten and expanded so that I can help you.

This was Dickens' first historical novel, preceding "A Tale of Two Cities", and it is an outstandingly good read.

Dickens, of course, is a master storyteller, and this work is exquisitely crafted, with multiple layers and plots intricately woven together. It begins slowly, but upon reflection, one realizes that this is by necessity. The groundwork is essential for the upcoming plot; he needs to introduce the characters, establish their positions, and lay the foundation for their interactions with each other and the historical events he will depict: the "Gordon Riots" of London in 1780.

Dickens' sense of character, his ability to clearly define a character in terms of attitude and even speech patterns, is renowned, and it does not disappoint here. Although "Barnaby Rudge" gives his name to the book, he is not the lead but rather one of several equally important characters in the story, and all are fully developed (except, perhaps, Elizabeth Haredale), though some more than others.

The story is divided into two interconnected but sometimes separate "halves" or parts: that of the ill-fated loves and their families, and that of the underclass of London, both genteel and common, who will all be involved in fomenting the riots. Among them, Hugh and Sir Chester stand out as fantastically portrayed characters. The detail and the clear vision Dickens presents of them both are remarkable. The same goes for "Dennis the Hangman" and Gashford - all distinct characters with their own vices and voices.

The riots, in particular, are fantastically well-described, almost horrifically so. Despite writing for a nineteenth-century audience, he does not hold back, and some of the details of the horrors inflicted by the mob (usually on themselves in their frenzy, it must be said) are truly appalling and do much to evoke the scene of horror he is attempting to depict. To mention that we have two "would-be rapists" clearly presented as such tells a great deal, and there is a genuine fear on more than one occasion that he is going to come dangerously close to describing such a thing - certainly the threat is very real.

The heroes are heroic and dashing, and the villains are drawn so well as to be believable, not caricatures in the least (unlike Fagin in "Oliver Twist", for example, who is close to a caricature). Hugh is a truly terrible, charismatic beast.

This is a very good read that I highly recommend.

Oh, and Grip, the raven, is simply fantastic. It is interesting that he was very possibly the inspiration for Poe's poem.

"Barnaby Rudge" has often been condemned as "the least loved and the least read" of Dickens’ novels. However, his classic wit, irony, and sharp eye for the absurd always shine through in his writing. This novel is no exception, with an abundance of these qualities. The scenes in the second half, set during the Gordon Riots, are especially captivating. There are also several classic Dickensian characters to enjoy.

The novel was serialized in 1841 and is the first of Dickens’ two historical novels (the other being "A Tale of Two Cities"). It was written in conscious imitation of Sir Walter Scott’s historical romances, which Dickens greatly admired. Dickens follows Scott in mixing styles, genres, and plots, and combines realism with the conventions of melodrama and romance.

Set during the anti-Catholic Gordon Riots of 1780, which were long forgotten by Dickens’ time but still fresh in the public’s mind, this choice was not as strange as it might seem. The riots were not only the largest, deadliest, and most prolonged urban riots in British history but also occurred only two generations before, making them still vivid in the minds of his readers.

Dickens may have sympathized with the working-class poor, but he had an ingrained horror of political violence. He clearly had no sympathy for the Protestant anti-Catholic rioters, whom he portrayed as a mindless mob led by opportunist upper-class leaders in a movement that was part attempted coup d'état, part popular uprising, and which became a religious pogrom. His breathtaking riot scenes reflect his great fear of the “mob,” a fear shared by his readers.

Another unusual and perhaps risky feature of the book is Dickens’ decision to make Barnaby Rudge, a young man with a mental handicap since birth, his central character. Portrayed as a somewhat caricatured fool and idiot who wanders around with his pet raven, Grip, Barnaby is a gift of a character to an absurdist like Dickens. The reader may well find themselves laughing out loud at Grip’s inappropriate contributions. Grip was also the inspiration for Edgar Allan Poe's most famous poem, "The Raven." Poe admired Dickens and paid tribute to Grip in a review of "Barnaby Rudge" that he wrote for a magazine, saying that a raven should have served “a more symbolic prophetic purpose.”

The novel has Gothic and melodramatic elements but also plenty of typical Dickensian comic interludes. Some of the funniest scenes are centered on Miggs, the maid in the household of Gabriel Varden, the honest locksmith to whom Simon Tappertit, a leading agitator in the riots, is apprenticed. These scenes invariably involve Miggs in a comical alliance with Martha Varden against her husband, as both the servant and the wife are ardent supporters of the Protestant cause.

Although Dickens does not sympathize with the cause of the rioters, he provides a sympathetic portrayal of the way in which poor, frustrated, ill-educated, or illiterate individuals are drawn into participating in the disturbances. The novel is also marked by several passages highly critical of the English ruling class. One of the most captivating aspects of Dickens' prose is undoubtedly his descriptive passages, which usually paint a vivid, often dark and gloomy portrait of London. In this sense, "Barnaby Rudge" is a very dark and nightly novel.

There is no doubt that the most powerful scenes are those depicting the riots. But, as usual, Dickens goes beyond. The story opens with a tale of a double murder related around the fire in a cozy pub to a mysterious stranger - the perfect Gothic setting! Throughout the book, this murder and its repercussions seem to haunt certain characters. Real or imagined ghostly figures appear throughout and play on the conscience and secrecy of those involved. The idea of guilt and conscience is thus examined, and the experience of men laboring under suspicion, whether real or imagined, deserved or not, is cleverly contrasted.

There are some interesting characters throughout, and their morality and behavior are often affected by their surroundings and upbringing. However, there are also instances when certain characters react in opposition to their familial background. The question of personal conscience or morality in contrast with inherited values and expectations is quite gripping.

As in many other Dickens novels, rural or country life is portrayed as an aspirational, wholesome idyll, in contrast with the chaos of a city such as London. Barnaby and his mother seek refuge and anonymity in quiet country life. Animal companions are also interesting. Barnaby has his cantankerous and characterful Raven, Grip, at his side throughout, and Grip is often portrayed as keenly insightful.

Perhaps some of the most powerful aspects of this book are those that deal with people’s motivations for “good” or “bad” behavior. Dickens does well to highlight the prejudice behind the riots and question any “true” religious motivations. The discussion of the motivations for and the behavior of the rioters is unfortunately still relevant to much of what is happening in the world today when ignorance and intolerance prevail. Personal responsibility for moral behavior is also a prevalent theme.

Although it might not be Dickens' best achievement, perhaps due to its strange structure with a sharp break in the narrative that occurs when the story moves abruptly forward five years in chapter 34 and the lives of characters begin to intertwine with the events of the Gordon riots, "Barnaby Rudge" is still a brilliant read - very atmospheric, with some great Dickensian characters. Barnaby and Grip were a delightful duo. The portrayal of the riots was immersive, making the heart race and creating disgust for such horrific and hypocritical behavior. In true Dickens style, it all works out in the end, but perhaps there is a more sober ending for some than others. His novels are nonetheless worthwhile and thought-provoking reads and, sadly, still relevant in our times.

Wow! This is truly a new favorite!

I was completely captivated by the historical aspect of this story. It had a certain charm that reminded me of Tale Of Two Cities, yet it maintained its own unique identity. The evil characters were portrayed with such vividness and depth. They were so malevolent, yet the author's writing made them seem almost real. There were several creepy scenes that sent shivers down my spine and really made me feel a range of emotions.

However, despite the presence of these darker elements, the entire story was incredibly engaging and a joy to read. I have always admired Dickens for his ability to write so many diverse novels, each with its own distinct flavor. I am truly excited to complete his works this year and discover more of his literary masterpieces.

Review of Barnaby Rudge; Read again (2nd time) Jan 2012

It has been a decade since I last delved into this book. Either I have evolved into a more perceptive reader during this time, or the book has improved. Which is more probable? Nevertheless, as always, I am nearly speechless with wonder... but of course only nearly, else this review would end here.

If you know me (or my other Dickens reviews), you may already have an inkling of my unashamed fondness for Mr. Charles Dickens. I have never found him to disappoint, fail to amuse, or fail to touch me; he always transforms me in some profound manner.

A few years ago, I heard a man whom I greatly respect and trust in terms of learning and reading compare two books and suggest that the one that was completely marked up and filled with 3M sticky flags must be more powerful and important than the other that was clearly not as well-used. It so happened that this was true for those two particular books, and at the time, I thought that was a valid and plausible statement. However, as I have recently been revisiting some of the less-read or acclaimed Dickens' books, I have discovered that I now disagree with that statement in a general sense - I find that it simply doesn't always hold true.

Of course, there are instances when that statement is quite accurate. I have numerous books that are marked from cover to cover, with something on nearly every page, and the bindings expanded by my countless sticky tabs. Those books are undeniably great.

But Dickens is a different kind of great. And I am going to speak of him now as if he is still among us, because he is and he deserves to be regarded in the present tense. A few of the Dickens books in my collection are extensively marked up, in the rare instance that he "tells." But in the vast majority, I believe his genius lies in his ability to "show." He creates an atmosphere so vivid for me that I am completely immersed and submerged into his world and his stories. I feel as if I live there, know the people, love them, hate them, fear them, fall in love with them - all of it. I wonder, does he know he can do that? Does he know he is a master hypnotist?

I may or may not ever visit London in person, but I've been there! Many times has my friend and guide Mr. Dickens taken me there and introduced me to his remarkable friends and relations. He and they have changed my life and expanded my heart.

Barnaby Rudge is one of Dickens' earliest novels. In my edition, I am informed that he had the idea for it just after completing Sketches by Boz, but the idea was put aside, and he didn't complete it until after finishing Pickwick, Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby, and The Old Curiosity Shop. He finished Barnaby in his 29th year. May I borrow a word from him? Prodigious!

It may be true that in this book, there are no characters quite as comparable to some like Mr. Peggotty, Captain Cuttle, Jerry Cruncher, Joe, or Mr. George, or... perhaps he hadn't quite reached his peak in character creation at this point (although I'll have to think hard about that statement and perhaps read Curiosity again before I can quantify it). Nevertheless, the overall feel and tone of the book are pure Dickens, pure genius, pure light. Dickens has a way of presenting difficult things without damaging my soul, but rather, motivates me to change the world in positive ways after glimpsing injustice, cruelty, and despair. I literally feel my heart change when I read his books, despite Sir John Chester's views on that organ.

It's true, at least for me, that Barnaby doesn't stand on an equal footing with Bleak House, David Copperfield, A Tale of Two Cities, or Little Dorrit, but it is surely the forerunner, and they stand on Barnaby's shoulders. All in all, it is a phenomenon in its own right and a truly beautiful book.

One more interesting aspect of this book is that it is Dickens' only other historical fiction book. This historical incident, the Gordon Riots, seemed to have been enacted just to be written about by him.

There are a couple of passages I want to share.

-“To surround anything, however monstrous or ridiculous, with an air of mystery. Is to invest it with secret charm, and power of attraction which to the crowd is irresistible. False priests, false prophets, false doctors, false patriots, false prodigies of every kind, veiling their proceedings in mystery, have always addressed themselves at an immense advantage to the popular credulity, and have been, perhaps, more indebted to that resource in gaining and keeping for a time the upper hand of Truth & Common Sense, than to any half-dozen items in the whole catalogue of imposture. Curiosity is, and has been from the creation of the world, a master-passion. To awaken in, to gratify it by slight degrees, and yet leave something always in suspense, is to establish the surest hold that can be had, in wrong, on the unthinking portion of mankind.” (Chapter XXXVII, p. 286)

Tell me if that is not still completely true and credible (and used)!

-“Let no man turn aside, ever so slightly, from the broad path of honour, on the plausible pretence that he is justified by the goodness of his end. All good ends can be worked out by good means. Those that cannot, are bad; and may be counted so at once, and left alone.” (Mr. Haredale; Chapter LXXIX, p. 610)

--

I have one question and two more observations: What was the origin of the animosity between Haredale and Chester the Elder? Did I miss that somewhere?

1 - I began this book via Audible Audio, narrated by Sean Barrett, a NAXOS production. I just have to say he was brilliant, and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to take that route. I just couldn't wait to finish it that way; it's slower for me than reading, plus I don't like to walk around with something plugged into me all the time.

2 - This edition, circa 1941 by Heritage Press, is GORGEOUS!! The pictures are magnificent!

Dickens's 'other' historical novel is centered around the 'no Popery' riots in the 18th century. It not only includes a romance but also an unsolved murder from the past. However, I found this work nowhere near remotely close to the genius of A Tale of Two Cities. My current (lack of) general knowledge around the 'no Popery' issues of the past didn't help my understanding either. I would rate it 5 out of 12.

2009 read

Expanded version:

Dickens's 'other' historical novel takes us back to the 18th century, specifically centering around the tumultuous 'no Popery' riots. This complex narrative weaves in a captivating romance and an intriguing unsolved murder from the bygone era. However, in my opinion, it falls far short of the sheer genius that is A Tale of Two Cities. My limited general knowledge regarding the 'no Popery' issues of the past also hindered my full appreciation of the story. Overall, I would give this novel a rating of 5 out of 12.

2009 read

It is truly hard to fathom why this particular novel by Dickens is the least read. After all, it is undeniably one of his most thrilling works. Here, mysterious murders, devious plots, and several love stories intertwine with a vivid and chilling account of the 1780 anti-Catholic Gordon riots in London and its周边地区. This is the author's only period piece aside from his much more renowned "A Tale of Two Cities", and it is equally thrilling to read. What's more, the history it presents is far less well-known, thus holding more surprises. While I had heard of the Gordon riots, I had no inkling of just how incredibly terrible they were. For a full four days, robbery, arson, murder, and complete anarchy reigned in England's capital as mobs numbering in the tens of thousands took to the streets, encountering little resistance. The uprising's ostensible basis in demagoguery and religious intolerance also makes it particularly relevant to our own times.

The ringleader of the uprisings, Lord George Gordon, is a hapless and perhaps mad character who is manipulated by unscrupulous advisers for their own ends. He makes an interesting parallel to the simple-minded, good-hearted Barnaby Rudge of the title, who similarly becomes haplessly embroiled in the riot's destructive course, to his great peril.

Though the overall tone draws upon the tradition of the gothic novel - and quite successfully - the typical comic relief appears in several memorable characters like the Maypole Inn's obstinate and slow-witted proprietor John Willet, the smoothly satanic Sir John Chester, and most memorably, the hysterically shrill and melodramatic lady's maid Miggs.

By and large, though, the novel's tone is dark and suspenseful, and particularly during the course of the rioting it makes for a chilling page-turner. Its gothic bona fides are further demonstrated by its apparent influence on the works of Edgar Allan Poe. At various points of "Barnaby Rudge" one can discern the seeds of such works as "The Bells", "The Tell Tale Heart", "Fall of The House Of Usher", and particularly "The Raven" whose titular bird was apparently suggested by Barnaby's beloved pet raven Grip, who is quite a memorable character in himself. Indeed, Poe himself reviewed the novel, and his thoughts can be found at this link (but be aware - the Poe review is full of spoilers in pursuit of his critique): http://www.eapoe.org/works/criticsm/g....

For fans of both the gothic genre and of Dickens's writings, this is a must-read. Its drama and action sequences suggest it would make a great mini-series as well, one that I hope to see in the future. BBC, please take note! Unlike most Dickens novels, this has apparently only been adapted to a TV film once quite some time ago, and that is little known. It certainly deserves a lavish revisiting.

Quite enjoyable, and much better than I was expecting. This book is one of the least "Dickensian" of his works that I have read, despite being a huge fan of that mode. It doesn't have nearly the standard or expected amount of hyperbolic characters, descriptions of city life, and so on. Perhaps A Tale of Two Cities is its only real sibling in Dickens' oeuvre. For this book comes across more as a straight-realist historical novel in that vein, with only the occasional nods back to Pickwick & Co or anticipation of the much more complex majesties of Bleak House or Great Expectations to come. It is recommended, though, for both completeists and casual Dickens readers alike.

One might initially be skeptical upon realizing that this particular work doesn't conform to the typical Dickensian style. However, upon closer inspection, its charm becomes evident. The lack of exaggerated characters and vivid city descriptions doesn't detract from its overall appeal. Instead, it offers a different kind of literary experience. The story unfolds in a more straightforward manner, yet still manages to engage the reader. The few references to other Dickens works add an interesting layer of connection and familiarity. Whether one is a die-hard Dickens enthusiast or simply someone who enjoys a good historical novel, this book has something to offer. It provides a unique perspective on Dickens' writing and is well worth a read.

This is the story of a half-wit named Barnaby and how he was duped into joining the Gordon Riots in London. Barnaby's unfortunate mother harbors a terrible secret and a dark past that plagues her. There are other characters as well, such as the gruff Mr. Willet, the village innkeeper, and his son Joe, who is in love with the locksmith's daughter, Dolly. Meanwhile, the delicate Miss Haredale is engaged in a forbidden courtship with the son of her uncle's sworn enemy, and the ill-fated lovers ask Barnaby to convey messages and notes for them. The discontented apprentice, Simon Tappertit, and the unappealing stableboy, Hugh, play a significant role in inciting the London riots, along with a hangman named Dennis who hides his true occupation from his comrades in the riots.

I despised this story with a passion. I could scarcely force myself to reach the end. Normally, I am a huge fan of Dickens, but this book has numerous flaws. Firstly, the riots themselves were initially tedious and then became dreadful and disturbing. I grew extremely bored with all the scheming and secrets of various villains throughout the first half of the book, and then I was disgusted by all the atrocities committed by the rioters in the second half. Ugh. It was not a pleasant read. Secondly, the villains receive all the "screen time." In a typical book, one would usually expect to see around 70 - 80% of the scenes featuring the heroes, perhaps 10% with just the villains plotting and being malicious on their own, and then another 10 - 20% showing the heroes and villains interacting and fighting, etc. However, this book is overly focused on just the villains. I would not be exaggerating to state that 90% of this book is solely about the villains, their plotting, their secrets, their evil deeds, and their interactions with other villains. As a result, the villains are fully-developed characters, while the heroes are a group of faceless nobodies.

I did not like a single character in this entire book because none of the heroes (whether male or female) are developed adequately. They are introduced and described and then pushed into the background. They emerge a couple of times just so you don't forget who they are, do a brief scene, and disappear again. Then they suddenly come around to perform one heroic act out of nowhere and ride off into the sunset. Who on earth are you, hero? What have you been doing in the background all this time? Even the villains are poorly developed. They are described in detail, and we get to hear all their conversations, dialogue, and intrigues, but they do not grow, change, or have any development. There is no progress, no maturation. And for a character-driven reader like me, this is the death knell of the book. I did not like this book because I had no one to root for. Did they die? I don't care because I don't really know them. Did they get kidnapped? Whatever. Did they get hanged for crimes during the riots? I don't really care. I'm so relieved that this is over. I'm beginning to understand that the great masters of the written word follow the "when it was good, it was very very good; but when it was bad, it was horrid" rule of life. I thought "Hard Times" was my least favorite Dickens novel, but this one takes the cake!

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."

This famous quotation, which is not from Barnaby Rudge, effectively summarizes the reading experience of this novel.

Barnaby Rudge is the first of two historical novels by Charles Dickens. It is not as fine as A Tale of Two Cities, from which the above quotation comes. Although Barnaby Rudge is both the title and a character in the novel, it lacks a strong central character like those in Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby, or David Copperfield. In fact, "not sure" sums up my opinion of much of the novel's aspects, including characterization, plot, motifs, action, and use of dramatic devices.

So why give this novel 4 stars? For lovers of Dickens, like myself, it is because this is the novel where we see the young Dickens, who wrote the loveable Pickwick, the sympathetic Oliver, and the engaging Nicolas, begin to shift focus from a primarily character and plot-driven novel to a more mature and theme-driven work of art.

The riots in Barnaby Rudge are not as well controlled as those in Tale of Two Cities, and the love interest and characters of Dolly and Joe cannot compare to Charles/Sidney and Lucie. Also, the plot of Barnaby Rudge does not hold its seams like that of Bleak House. However, what is important is that the reader sees Dickens at the moment where he steps forward from the ranks of good and popular Victorian writers to become one of the great Victorian novelists.

Enjoy this book for its brilliant use of pathetic fallacy, for meeting Mr. Chester who will evolve into the Marquis in Tale of Two Cities, and for the use of pairings of sons and fathers, as these and other concepts introduced in Barnaby Rudge will become major themes in Dickens' later major works.

In Barnaby Rudge, you see the future of Dickens' power in its fledged state. That is why Barnaby Rudge must be read.