The Old Curiosity Shop

by Charles Dickens

Book #7 in my year of Dickens!

While it's not my favorite, The Old Curiosity Shop is a fairly easy read.

Quick plot: Little Nell Trent lives in the old curiosity shop with her grandfather. When the old man's gambling gets out of hand, and he loses everything, grandfather and granddaughter hit the road to live as beggars.

Along the way, they meet some interesting and sympathetic characters. The characters at home, however, are not always so sympathetic. Quilp, the evil dwarf, is responsible for evicting the two from their home and causing all other sorts of trouble. Sampson and Sally Brass provide their own unique (and evil) version of the law. And Nell's own brother seems to lack morals, too. My favorite character is Dick Swiveller. He is goofy and kind and blessed with a classic Dickensian name!

I'm not crazy about the journey plot in this novel--it wore thin in The Pickwick Papers, and it doesn't do much for me in this one. And, unfortunately, the ending wasn't completely happy.

Still, this is an enjoyable story and one of the less wordy novels of CD.

7/26/08