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Matthew's Reviews > Bleak House

Bleak House by Charles Dickens
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bookshelves: 2020, completist-book-club, classic, audio, hoopla

Not gonna lie – as I have struggled to read I am also struggling to find the words to write reviews. Sometimes I am having luck and writing some reviews I am pleased with, but mainly I am just delayed in finding the time and motivation to put my review on the page. For this I apologize as I love communicating with my Goodreads friend through reviews. I currently have three books I have finished – one over a week ago – that I have yet to write a review for. So, nothing like chipping away at them the best I can!

Bleak House is a tough one to review anyway – even if I was not having reader/reviewer block. So, for this I am going to do one of my favorite form of reviews when I just need to brainstorm my thoughts. The famous “Bullet Point Review”. Prepare for stream of consciousness!

• I listened to this one. It had one reader. I think this would have benefited from multiple readers as I had a hard time distinguishing when it was Esther speaking. Normally I don’t prefer multiple readers, but I think it would have helped here.
• Spark Notes: Once again, a savior! I spent a lot of time on Spark Notes with this one. Every chapter. Sometimes it helped – many times I encountered the “Did I just read that?” issue.
• Despite any complications, I did enjoy this book. Not my favorite big book. Not my favorite Dickens. But, definitely decent.
• One thing I think that helps to put this into perspective is that this was the “mini-series” of Dickens’ time. He released this in installments; thinking of the story as installments instead of one, huge imposing tome helps. Also, it helps when thinking about the fact that it was broken down into smaller parts, so it had to have mini-climaxes throughout to keep people coming back for more.

I read this with my Completist Book Club on Goodreads. Maybe now that I am done, I can review the discussing and improve my understanding and overall experience with my fellow club members!
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Reading Progress

April 1, 2020 – Started Reading
April 1, 2020 – Shelved
April 1, 2020 – Shelved as: 2020
April 1, 2020 – Shelved as: completist-book-club
April 1, 2020 – Shelved as: classic
April 1, 2020 – Shelved as: audio
April 1, 2020 – Shelved as: hoopla
April 1, 2020 –
0% "Stroke"
April 3, 2020 –
0% "Letters from Africa"
April 5, 2020 –
0% "Ghost story"
April 7, 2020 –
0% "The miserable dead"
April 8, 2020 –
0% "Proposal"
April 9, 2020 –
0% "Finding Nemo"
April 9, 2020 –
0% "Career planning"
April 11, 2020 –
0% "Secrets and orphans"
April 11, 2020 –
0% "Long vacation"
April 11, 2020 –
0% "Shooting gallery"
April 12, 2020 –
0% "George and Smallweed"
April 13, 2020 –
0% "Spontaneous combustion"
April 14, 2020 –
0% "A rolling stone"
April 15, 2020 –
0% "Shipwreck"
April 16, 2020 –
0% "Scavenging from the dead"
April 17, 2020 –
0% "Cover up"
April 17, 2020 –
0% "Inheritance"
April 18, 2020 –
0% "You cannot be trusted"
April 19, 2020 –
0% "Recovery"
April 21, 2020 –
0% "Funeral procession"
April 21, 2020 –
0% "Investigation and accusations"
April 22, 2020 –
0% "Fast and loose"
April 24, 2020 –
0% "After the chase"
April 25, 2020 – Finished Reading

Comments Showing 1-23 of 23 (23 new)

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Edgarr Alien Pooh Feel you Matthew. I too am sitting on a review. Although I think I know what to say I feel articulating it is a different matter. That said, good review mate.


message 2: by Christi (new)

Christi M I'm in the same boat as you with reviews. Some flow so very nicely while others I put off and put off because I cant seem to find the right words or rhythm. Some reviews I think I've done a decent job on and others I think are just bleh. For those, I'm always thankful I can edit my reviews should I at some later date think of a better way to articulate my thoughts.


Matthew Edgarr Alien wrote: "Feel you Matthew. I too am sitting on a review. Although I think I know what to say I feel articulating it is a different matter. That said, good review mate."

Thank you, Edgarr Alien! :)

I was glad I decided to do bullet-point on this one. I like what my stream of consciousness came up with!


Edgarr Alien Pooh Lucky you. My stream of consciousness scares me lol


message 5: by Jayme (new)

Jayme It’s hard to find energy for anything, isn’t it? Great review!


Matthew Christi wrote: "I'm in the same boat as you with reviews. Some flow so very nicely while others I put off and put off because I cant seem to find the right words or rhythm. Some reviews I think I've done a decent ..."

I have definitely gone back and added to/edited a few. Ever look back on one you wrote years ago and wonder "what was I thinking!?"


Matthew Edgarr Alien wrote: "Lucky you. My stream of consciousness scares me lol"

HA! Well, that can be true for me from time to time as well!


Matthew Jayme wrote: "It’s hard to find energy for anything, isn’t it? Great review!"

Thanks, Jayme! :D

You said it! I am actually having a pretty energetic Tuesday for the first time in a long time . . . wait, is it Tuesday??? ;)


message 9: by Kim (new) - rated it 5 stars

Kim Kaso I read this in preparation for watching the series with Gillian Anderson...also as part of my ongoing quest to read (and often re-read) all of the major works of Dickens. I only have 2 to go. I actually adored this book, but might not engage with it right now as I am restless in mind & spirit. It is hard to settle. I made decent headway with The Splendid and the Vile this morning, and my re-read of Bring Up the Bodies is also going well, but my bandwidth for certain books is narrow. A P.G.Wodehouse & an amusingly mystery lightened my mood over the weekend. I think we must be gentle with ourselves, I think fear & uncertainty exacerbated by lack of leadership from the top is eating at us all. We are all waiting for what comes next, it is like trying to read in a doctor’s waiting room while waiting for test results.


message 10: by Clarissa (new)

Clarissa I totally understand what you mean. I feel I barely write reviews because it can take a little time to gather all your thoughts and put them into writing and not have it become a dissertation. Sometimes I feel bad about just giving a star rating without writing anything but such is life. Thank you for still taking the time to let us know your thoughts on what you read. It is very appreciated and helpful.


Lorna Matthew, nice review, but I must say that I loved this book as this case weaved its way through The Chancery. It may be the quarantine, but Charles Dickens is becoming my “go-to author.”


Matthew Kim wrote: "I read this in preparation for watching the series with Gillian Anderson...also as part of my ongoing quest to read (and often re-read) all of the major works of Dickens. I only have 2 to go. I act..."

I did not realize that there is a series on TV, but that makes sense (especially the episodic nature of this book). There is a chance I would have enjoyed it more without the anxiety of the quarantine.

I am looking forward The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz. I have enjoyed his other books a lot.

I love that waiting room analogy. I am going to have to use that!


message 13: by TMR (new) - added it

TMR I should try this.


Matthew Clarissa wrote: "I totally understand what you mean. I feel I barely write reviews because it can take a little time to gather all your thoughts and put them into writing and not have it become a dissertation. Some..."

No problem, Clarissa! :) I am happy to share. Some reviews are more easy to write than others. Like you, I like to try and get at least a few words down.


Matthew Lorna wrote: "Matthew, nice review, but I must say that I loved this book as this case weaved its way through The Chancery. It may be the quarantine, but Charles Dickens is becoming my “go-to author.”"

It's always good to find a go-to author. There are some things about Dickens I like very much. But, there are some things that also drag for me. I will keep on reading him to see what else I can find!


Matthew TMR wrote: "I should try this."

If you do, I hope you enjoy, TMR! It is quite a commitment but feels good to add it as a book accomplishment!


message 17: by Lars (new) - rated it 5 stars

Lars Dradrach Nice review- totally with you on the lack of motivation, I have never had so much time available for reading (isolated at home) and yet i can't seem to focus.
I quite enjoyed this one - also on audio but my version (read by Seán Barrett and Teresa Gallagher) was brilliant, as you said the story needs two narrators.


message 18: by Matthew (last edited May 04, 2020 11:33AM) (new) - rated it 3 stars

Matthew Lars wrote: "Nice review- totally with you on the lack of motivation, I have never had so much time available for reading (isolated at home) and yet i can't seem to focus.
I quite enjoyed this one - also on aud..."


Ugh - yes - as much as I was okay with Simon Vance, after I started this version and saw that there were some with two narrators, I almost went back and restarted with the other one.

Hope that we can both re-find our motivation! :)


message 19: by Pat (new) - rated it 5 stars

Pat Good, honest review. Bleak House is, for sure, a major commitment to read, and worth the time. I had an English professor who called it the finest fiction ever written. Not sure that's true, but it inspired all of us as students to read it. Dickens' characters are all so "approachable."


Matthew Pat wrote: "Good, honest review. Bleak House is, for sure, a major commitment to read, and worth the time. I had an English professor who called it the finest fiction ever written. Not sure that's true, but it..."

Thanks, Pat! I definitely think my timing on this one made my experience suffer a bit (starting April 1st, 2020!)


Shemika Newell-Browne I tried, I really did and I don't like not finishing a book. Normally I would give it a break and come back to it but I think I'll just watch the TV adaption.


Matthew Shemika wrote: "I tried, I really did and I don't like not finishing a book. Normally I would give it a break and come back to it but I think I'll just watch the TV adaption."

Totally understand, Shemika! I hope the TV adaptation works better for you!


Ulrika Currently listening to this one. Agree with you about Spark Notes. After every chapter or so, I read a summary of the chapter....and very often, there are plot points that I have somehow completely missed. As good as the audiobook is, my mind often wanders - especially when story is following certain characters that I'm not particularly interested in.


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