Posted on January 14, 2008 by Y.G.

Another one from my vault of classic novels: Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations. The story is set in nineteenth century England, and tells the tale of Pip, a young orphan brought un ‘by hand’ by his much elder sister whose kind husband later takes him as his apprentice as blacksmith. Through a series of more than coincidental events and encounters (a criminal attempting to break free, the old and half-crazy Miss Havishem, or her daughter Estella, decided to break the heart of every man she lays her eyes upon…), Pip’s life will take an unexpected turn. After having received money from a mysterious benefactor who insists on remaining anonymous, Pip finds himself building ‘great expectations’: more money, education, a potential wedding… Little by little, he discovers to what extremes of lowness human nature can go, and will not be able to escape them either.

So, it’s Dickens. Incredible coincidences abound, somethimes bordering the deus ex machina; unknown sons or parents and moral considerations and thoughts fill the pages of this novel that nevertheless remains deliciously enthralling (we can guess what will happen, and because we have guessed it, somehow we want it to happen all the more). The odd manor of Miss Havisham, frozen in time, was also an element of the book I found very fascinating. I had a hard time putting it down, to be honest.

A word in passing for Joe Gargery, Pip’s brother-in-law/substitute father, who is one of the kindest and pleasant characters I’ve ever found in literature. And another word for Mrs Gargery, red-faced shrew who looks absolutely terrible in the apron that is like an armor for her.