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Ines's Reviews > Bleak House

Bleak House by Charles Dickens
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it was amazing

Here I am, after months I managed to finish this immense masterpiece, I say it immediately,it was very hard.... not for its length but for the complexity of the contents. I didn’t care to read the story lightly, just to understand the plot of this intricate narration... but within the limits of the possible and the time (little) available, I wanted to guess the thousand motivations that prompted Dickens to make talk and move his characters in this or other way.
The plot of the book revolves around a court case, the Jarndyce against Jarndyce, a very complicated situation of a thousand under stories and judicial fragmentations that will see contrasted at the end 3 characters ;John Jarndyce, owner of a Bleak house, Richard Carstone and Ada Clare, two cousins under guardianship and direct beneficiaries of the Jarndyce inheritance...

you wil say, all right here? No, because Dickens, great expert in creating meticulously and from the distant linked stories between them, opens the novel with the presentation of Esther... a little strange girl, who will also lives at Bleak House with the two cousins.
From here starts a cascade of events, stories and a thousand narrative fragments where many characters will be presented: Lady Honoria Dedlock, neighbor of Bleak House, whose story is kind of crazy (SPOILER) Eventually it will be discovered that she is the mother of Esther, born from an extra-marital relationship and given from birth to live under guardianship with a nurse and a housekeeper, far from her origin's family....

Sir Laicester’s attorney, (this last one Sir is Honoria' s husband), who will be deceived or deceived to discover stories both at the husband's request and Honoria's, the mysteries related to the Will and various affidavit that pop up to disrupt the situations, but especially the plot!!
You will be struck by mysteries, murders but above all, by very sad conditions that will affect our characters...
The disease of Esther, struck by smallpox, which leaves her disfigured.... but redeemed by the tenderness of little Charley, a little girl who had saved from poverty and life on the street and put into service as a little lady-in-waiting and room helper.... But above all, Esther will find peace in her heart when Honoria reveals that she is her mother.
You find yourselves gazing at the madness that will strike Richard in order to obtain all the inheritance, which then at the end of the book will occur, but leaving the two cousins holding only air in their hands, since all the money were eaten by the expenses for the cause....
What can I say about all this magnificence read? That is very complex, that my time reduced to playing against the subtle ties between the characters, which are many, so I have sometimes found myself confused and deceived in believing and confusing between them...
The ruthless attack that Dickens makes against the English judicial system is without reticence, judges and lawyers described almost always as "half-men" good only to swell pockets of money to proceed and postpone sentences just to reread or insert codicils or irrelevant documents in the judicial process.

What conspired most was Dickens' ability to tell us of this humanity bent by the pains of life, each characters move for their purposes and interests but always having in their heart a present and fundamental morality for the events that will occur in the plot; it is not first that most of them have a soul now corrupted and bent by the vices of life... but their goals are always carried forward by a clear motivation, that will also move the events of this beautiful history. The psychology of these people is well described, clear and insightful of their being, this for me is the genius of Dickens, who in half a sentence tells you and defines you everything there is to know about a character and nothing else!! The end of the story is a joy of redemption and grace.....

Richard and John will acknowledge their ignoble behaviors and ask each other for mercy, Esther will have the chance to dissolve an engagement and marry Woodcourt, her true beloved not the protected and chosen by Jarndyce.
Lady Dedlock after discovering her daughter, will ask forgiveness for all the evil committed and truths kept from her husband, Sir Leicester.
What magnificence, what beauty!!!




Eccomi, dopo mesi sono riuscita a finire questo immenso capolavoro, lo dico subito, ho faticato molto.... non per la sua lunghezza ma per la complessità dei contenuti. Non mi interessava leggere la storia in modo leggero, giusto per capire la trama d questa intricatissima storia....ma nel limite del possibile e del tempo (poco) a disposizione, volevo intuire le mille motivazioni che hanno spinto Dickens a far parlare e a muovere i suoi personaggi in questo o in altro modo.
La trama del libro gira tutto intorno ad una causa giudiziaria, la Jarndyce contro Jarndyce, una situazione complicatissima di mille sotto storie e frammentazioni giudiziarie che vedrà contrapposti alla fin fine 3 personaggi ;John Jarndyce, propietario di Casa desolata, e Richard Carstone e Ada Clare, due cugini sotto tutela e beneficiari in linea diretta dell' eredità Jarndyce...
voi direte, bene tutto qui? E no, perchè Dickens, grandissimo sapiente nel creare minuziosamente e dalla lontana storie concatenate tra di loro, apre il romanzo con la presentazione di Esther... una giovinetta un pò strana, che andrà a vivere anche lei a casa desolata insieme ai due cugini.
Da qui parte una cascata di eventi, storie e mille frammentazioni narrative dove pian piano verranno presentati tantissimi personaggi: Honoria Dedlock, vicina di tenuta di Bleak House, la cui storia è pazzesca (SPOILER) alla fine si scoprirà che è la madre di Esther, nata da una relazione extra coniugale e data sin dalla nascita a vivere sotto tutela con una balia e una governante, lontana dalla sua famiglia di origine...
L'avvocato di Sir Laicester, quest'ultimo è marito di Honoria, che si lascerà trarre in inganno o sotto raggiro per scoprire storie sia sotto richiesta del marito che di Honoria, ovvero i misteri legati al testamento e vari affidavit che spuntano fuori sparigliando le carte, ma soprattutto la trama!!
Verrete colpiti dai misterie omicidi ma soprattutto da condizioni tristissime che colpiranno i nostri personaggi...
La malattia di Esther, colpita da vaiolo, che la lascia sfigurata..... ma redenta dalla tenerezza della piccola Charley, una bimba che aveva salvata dalla povertà e vita d strada e messa sotto servizio come piccola dama di compagnia e aiutante di camera....ma soprattutto Esther troverà pace nel cuore quando Honoria svelerà di essere sua mamma.
Vi ritrovete a sgranare gli occhi nel leggere la pazzia che colpirà Richard per riuscire ad ottenere tutta la eredità, cosa che poi alla fine del libro si verificherà, ma lasciando i due fratelli con in mano unicamente aria, visto che tutti i soldi sono stati mangiati dalla spese per la causa....
Cosa posso dire di tutta questa magnificenza letta? Che è complessissima, che il mio tempo risicato a giocato a sfavore nel capire bene i sottili legami tra i vari personaggi, che sono tantissimi, quindi mi sono a volte ritrovata confusa e tratta in inganno nel credere e confonderli tra di loro...
L'attacco spietato che Dickens muove nei confronti del sistema giudiziario inglese è senza reticenza, giudici ed avvocati descritti quasi sempre come "mezzuomini", buoni solo a gonfiarsi le tasche di soldi per far procedere e slittare le sentenze o giusto per rileggere o inserire codicilli documenti irrilevanti nell' iter giudiziario.
Ciò che piu' mi ha colplito è la capacità di Dickens nel raccontarci questa umanità piegata dai dolori della vita, ogni personaggio si muove per i suoi scopi ed interessi ma sempre avendo nel cuore una moralità presente e fondamentale per gli eventi che si verificheranno nella trama; non è primario che la maggior parte di loro abbia un 'anima ormai corrotta e piegata dai vizi della vita... ma i loro scopi vengono sempre portati avanti da una motivazione chiara, che muoveranno quindi anche le vicende e gli avvenimenti di questa bellissima storia. La psicologia di queste persone è ben descritta, chiara e lapalissiana del loro essere, questo per me è il genio di Dickens, che in mezza frase ti dice e ti definisce tutto quel che c'è da sapere su un personaggio e nient'altro!!
Il finale della storia è una gioia di redenzione e grazia.....Richard e John riconosceranno i loro comportamenti ignobili e si chiederanno pietà a vicenda, Esther avrà possibilità di sciogliere un fidanzamento e convolare a nozze con Woodcourt, il suo vero amato non il protetto e scelto da Jarndyce.
Lady Dedlock dopo aver scoperto la figlia , chiederà perdono di tutto il male commesso e le verità tenute nascoste al marito, Sir Leicester.
Che magnificenza, che bellezza!!!
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Reading Progress

July 25, 2019 – Shelved
July 25, 2019 – Shelved as: to-read
July 26, 2019 – Started Reading
July 27, 2019 –
page 178
18.0%
July 28, 2019 –
page 279
28.21%
July 30, 2019 –
page 332
33.57%
August 2, 2019 –
page 458
46.31%
August 5, 2019 –
page 532
53.79%
August 7, 2019 –
page 631
63.8%
August 11, 2019 –
page 709
71.69%
August 19, 2019 –
page 879
88.88%
August 29, 2019 –
page 903
91.3%
September 2, 2019 – Finished Reading

Comments Showing 1-21 of 21 (21 new)

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message 1: by Fonch (new) - added it

Fonch Congratulations signora Ines i could ot do it :-(.


Ines Fonch wrote: "Congratulations signora Ines i could ot do it :-(."👍😉😘


Violet wells Brilliant review, Ines. And what a fantastic translation of your own words. It's hard to work out what language you wrote it in!


message 4: by Hanneke (last edited Sep 04, 2019 05:00AM) (new) - added it

Hanneke Wonderful review, Ines! And congratulations for finishing this enormous novel! Reading your review, I see I must gather the courage to read such an enormous volume, but I am intrigued! Perhaps next year. Thanks for your beautiful explanation why I should read it too!


message 5: by Angela M (new)

Angela M Kudos to you, Ines for getting through a difficult b ok and for a terrific review.


message 6: by Manny (new) - added it

Manny Would you say this is the best of Dickens' novels? It's the one I want to read most of the ones I have not read.


Ines Violet wrote: "Brilliant review, Ines. And what a fantastic translation of your own words. It's hard to work out what language you wrote it in!"
Thank you very much Violet!! Grazie!😉👍


Ines Manny wrote: "Would you say this is the best of Dickens' novels? It's the one I want to read most of the ones I have not read."
well Manny, if you have never read Dickens before, do not take this as the first read........ try to choose from Oliver Twist, Great Expectations or little Dorrit..... non long as this one and less cryptic and difficult for understanding the meaning then Bleak house..


Ines Angela M wrote: "Kudos to you, Ines for getting through a difficult b ok and for a terrific review."
Thank you 😉 !!!


message 10: by Ines (new) - rated it 5 stars

Ines Hanneke wrote: "Wonderful review, Ines! And congratulations for finishing this enormous novel! Reading your review, I see I must gather the courage to read such an enormous volume, but I am intrigued! Perhaps next..."
Thank you so much Hanneke!!


message 11: by Jonathan (new)

Jonathan K (Max Outlier) Congrats..this is a major undertaking in all respects. These are the authors that defined fiction writing who set the bar high


message 12: by Manny (last edited Sep 04, 2019 10:53AM) (new) - added it

Manny Ines wrote: "Manny wrote: "Would you say this is the best of Dickens' novels? It's the one I want to read most of the ones I have not read."
well Manny, if you have never read Dickens before, do not take this a..."


I've read Great Expectations and David Copperfield, and of course A Christmas Carol. I was wondering which f the Dickens novels you have read you thought best.


message 13: by Ines (new) - rated it 5 stars

Ines Jonathan wrote: "Congrats..this is a major undertaking in all respects. These are the authors that defined fiction writing who set the bar high"
Thank you so much Jonathan!!


message 14: by Ines (new) - rated it 5 stars

Ines Manny wrote: "Ines wrote: "Manny wrote: "Would you say this is the best of Dickens' novels? It's the one I want to read most of the ones I have not read."
well Manny, if you have never read Dickens before, do no..."

So, these are my favourites: ( keep in mind that some of them have been read many years ago and i did not review here...😉).

1- The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club
2- Bleak house
3- Little Dorrit
4- A Christmas Carol
5- A Tale of Two Cities

😉😉😉👍


message 15: by Manny (new) - added it

Manny Ines wrote: "1- The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club
2- Bleak house
3- Little Dorrit
4- A Christmas Carol
5- A Tale of Two Cities"


😉😉😉👍

I don't know how to put smiling faces so I just copied and pasted yours. ;)


message 16: by Constantine (new)

Constantine What a fantastic review, Ines. I did not read this one for Charles Dickens. I should get it in my collection with some of his other books. I think there is a TV adaptation for this book as well starring Gillian Anderson. 👍👍👍


Michael Finocchiaro I can’t recall which recent author, perhaps it was Knausgård, who was deeply influenced by Bleak House. Surprisingly, I have not read any Dickens since I was a kid. Your review has me considering to change that. Thank you, Ines


message 18: by Jane (new) - rated it 5 stars

Jane Constantine wrote: "What a fantastic review, Ines. I did not read this one for Charles Dickens. I should get it in my collection with some of his other books. I think there is a TV adaptation for this book as well starring Gillian Anderson."

The TV adaptation you're referring to is the BBC one, well worth purchasing and I think it's available on either Netflix or Prime. It has a solid cast, including Charles Dance being Charles Dance as Mr. Tulkinghorn (filmed around the same time he was being Charles Dance as Tywin Lannister in Game of Thrones; I'm not complaining as I loved both performances).

Bleak House is hands down my favorite Dickens novel. The much-neglected Dombey and Son and Hard Times are similarly masterful works of social comment combined with high melodrama.


message 19: by Cathy (new) - added it

Cathy This is on my shelf, must get it down and get into it. Saw a BBC miniseries production with Gillian Anderson a few years ago that just blew me away. Good review!


message 20: by Ines (new) - rated it 5 stars

Ines Michael wrote: "I can’t recall which recent author, perhaps it was Knausgård, who was deeply influenced by Bleak House. Surprisingly, I have not read any Dickens since I was a kid. Your review has me considering t..."
Thank you Michel!


message 21: by Ines (new) - rated it 5 stars

Ines Jane wrote: "Constantine wrote: "What a fantastic review, Ines. I did not read this one for Charles Dickens. I should get it in my collection with some of his other books. I think there is a TV adaptation for t..."
Thank you!😉


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