Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens

This is one of those books that comes with a "but," as in, "It's very good, but...." In this case the "but" is the length--it seems to be a 500-page book stretched to almost 900 pages. Its original publication was in 19 monthly installments, and I wonder how much more tightly constructed it might have been if it had been written for all-at-once publication. I think it would have been much better.

As is typical of Dickens, the novel carries several major plot lines and many subplots, and they almost miraculously come together at the end, like pieces of a puzzle. The central story concerns Little Dorrit, the daughter of a prisoner in a debtor's prison, and Arthur Clennam, the son of a family which appears to harbor a guilty secret. Their story is so intricate, with so many twists and turns, that even to outline the central plot would be a lengthy process. So I will just mention some of the many positive aspects of the novel which make it, in my opinion, one of Dickens' better ones.

*The title character, Amy Dorrit, is extremely sympathetic, even though she often seems too good to be true. However, since I have personally known someone who seemed to be just this self sacrificing and "good," I could believe in her. Of course, in today's world she would be recognized as a world-class "enabler," because she helps her loved ones persist in their selfish ways, never offering a word of complaint.

*You know you are in the hands of an author who is a master of characterization when you actually become angry at fictional people and wish you could give them a good talking to or even a good slap in the face. I frequently felt this impulse.

*Dickens, again as typical, has a rant he wants to vent against the abuses of the society of his time. In this novel, it's the "Circumlocution" Office, as he calls it, a part of the government bureaucracy which seems intent on seeing that nothing really ever gets done, just passed from one section to another, with formidable piles of forms and red tape along the way, with incompetents at the top who have their posts because they "know somebody." I don't know how accurate this was for England in 1867, but it could be a satire on big government in the USA in 2013.

*In another "ripped from today's headlines" plot development, a universally-celebrated financial genius manages to hoodwink crowds of investors into what sounds much like a Ponzi scheme. Of course, it all falls apart in the end, with financial ruin for many.

*Dickens' villains are most often slight caricatures, and this one is no exception, but he is very memorable. He is frequently described in this way: "...his nose came down over his moustache and his moustache went up under his nose, in an ominous and ugly smile." He also always wears a long cape. Remind you of anyone? You probably have to be of a certain age, but I am certain that the creators of Snidely Whiplash for the 1960s' Rocky and Bullwinkle Show must have had this villain in mind.

The only negative I perceive, other than the excessive length, is the pacing, which seems much too leisurely for most of the novel before speeding up drastically toward the end to bring matters to closure. Consequently, perhaps, the ending seems somewhat contrived.

This Dickens novel is darker and has fewer comic elements than many of his books, but it is also more believable than most. It is well worth your time, if you have that much time.