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David Copperfield Dickensalong

539 replies

Piggywaspushed · 04/01/2020 11:36

Hello All

Inspired by the Bleak House readalong, I have decided this might be the year to tackle David Copperfield.

Those of us who did BH read it obediently in Dickens' instalments ,which wasn't to everyone's taste! We had a chat at the end of each month. It took 18 months and I think we had three stalwarts left at the end.

DC was published as follows (note different months!):

• I – May 1849 (chapters 1–3);
• II – June 1849 (chapters 4–6);
• III – July 1849 (chapters 7–9);
• IV – August 1849 (chapters 10–12);
• V – September 1849 (chapters 13–15);
• VI – October 1849 (chapters 16–18);
• VII – November 1849 (chapters 19–21);
• VIII – December 1849 (chapters 22–24);
• IX – January 1850 (chapters 25–27);
• X – February 1850 (chapters 28–31);
• XI – March 1850 (chapters 32–34);
• XII – April 1850 (chapters 35–37);
• XIII – May 1850 (chapters 38–40);
• XIV – June 1850 (chapters 41–43);
• XV – July 1850 (chapters 44–46);
• XVI – August 1850 (chapters 47–50);
• XVII – September 1850 (chapters 51–53);
• XVIII – October 1850 (chapters 54–57);
• XIX-XX – November 1850 (chapters 58–64).

I am happy to negotiate reading faster so that we tackle three instalments at a time? Thus , the first would be Chapter 1 -9 and we would be finished in the summer.

What does everyone think?

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TooExtraImmatureCheddar · 01/02/2020 16:01

I feel like having spent all of Jan waiting impatiently for 1st Feb, I have now forgotten everything I might have said about DC! Will leave the next chapters until later in Feb.

Terpsichore · 01/02/2020 15:56

Yes, Steerforth is awful. Will DC learn who his true friends are? I do hope so....

Piggywaspushed · 01/02/2020 14:34

Just in case anyone wants to get started again, our next instalments are Chapters 10 -18! February is a shorter month!

DC' naivete reminds me of Pip a little,and, of course, Oliver Twist. But I find Pip annoying mostly whereas I feel sorry for David at present. I find the wide eyed innocence tone similar to Oliver Twist in Dickens' use of irony.

I am excited that his Aunt is due to make a reappearance!

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Palegreenstars · 01/02/2020 13:28

He definitely would have been naive but he doesn’t seem to have learnt anything from Steerforth taking advantage of him at all. The only time he’s pushed back is biting his step farther. Hopefully he’ll get a bit more gumption as it progresses.

Terpsichore · 01/02/2020 13:13

But how worldly-wise would he have been - a solitary small boy, an only child with no family other than his doting mother, living in a fairly isolated place in the 1840s....?

nowanearlyNicemum · 01/02/2020 12:51

I honestly didn't know what to expect and have no idea where the story goes from here. Overall I'm enjoying it despite finding certain sections overwrought as mentioned by others.

Such a terribly naïve chap!!

Terpsichore · 01/02/2020 12:38

I'm really enjoying it. How funny and how inventive he was - I think he evokes the mind and thinking of a child so convincingly.

Palegreenstars · 01/02/2020 12:14

So far so good.

I do at times find his writing a little overwrought. Copperfield is so annoyingly young and naive. But it’s so far been really fun. Even the death. I hope he comes to understand the ways of the world better and his various enemies get their comeuppance.

Piggywaspushed · 01/02/2020 10:30

I am glad you don't like Steerforth and I'll be interested to see what they do with him in the film. Poor Mr Thingamibob.

The mawkishness over death is definitely a Victorian taste : but they were so surrounded by it! The intro to my copy of Bleak House has a very interesting section on municipal graveyards. Horrific.

Dickens does write bullies very well, I always think. His depiction of - if you like- coercive control is really rather chilling. Poor whatsherface.

I am enjoying it and finding the funny bits funny.

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Terpsichore · 01/02/2020 09:32

I’m finding that so far the mawkishness is well outweighed by humour and his wonderful observations of childhood, though. I always get the feeling with Dickens that his godly passages don’t totally come from a natural place. I suspect he put them in because he felt he had to.

keiratwiceknightly · 01/02/2020 09:25

Just ploughing through chapter 9. Have remembered that one of the things I dislike about dickens is the mawkish sentimentality about death, especially when the "good" die. I know it was a Victorian thing, and his readers would have LOVED it, but I find it like wading through treacle.

The rest so far has been...ok, but I found myself more irritated than amused at most of the humorous bits, and unmoved by the sadder bits. Hoping Steerforth gets him comeuppance though.

BookWitch · 01/02/2020 09:16

Is it today we are discussing?

(Settles in with a cup of tea)

Tanaqui · 30/01/2020 11:11

I have read my nine chapters and have also enjoyed them! I think having to go at a slow pace really helps me with this type of fiction - as obviously it was intended to be. Like Piggy, I have been modelling "everyone reads in class!". I might even show them a bit of this thread so they can see examples of people reading for pleasure.

Terpsichore · 29/01/2020 10:03

LOL palegreenstars

Relieved that so many of you are holding off on the film for now, I don't feel so bad about waiting for a while too.

nowanearlyNicemum · 29/01/2020 08:08

Grin Grin Grin palegreenstars

Palegreenstars · 28/01/2020 22:13

I’m definitely waiting for the film until after we finish the book. It looks great though and I’ve watched the trailer a few times to get a hint of where the story is going.

I’ve always thought the story was about David Copperfield becoming a magician. I remember talk of Daniel Radcliffe playing him pre HP. But I’ve just seen there is an actual magician called David Copperfield and am starting to feel like I made that up. No sorcery yet anyhow.

nowanearlyNicemum · 28/01/2020 21:45

I really don't want to see the film until I've finished reading but we'll see how long that lasts!!

Wanted to reread Little Women before going to see the film but my eldest DD was so desperate to see it with me that I caved. I loved it. And will certainly reread soon.
David Copperfield is a new read for me so I don't want to 'spoil it' by watching the film. Am I being precious??

Binterested · 28/01/2020 19:55

Love that people have fallen in love with Dickens within a couple of chapters Smile

I’ve read DC lots of times and just saw the film but this has made me want to read it again. The film is good but then my mum said she didn’t enjoy it as much as the BBC series of a few years back (with a young Daniel Radcliffe as David) so we started watching that again as well and I must admit it was compelling too. I think it’s just brilliant, brilliant material.

FranKatzenjammer · 28/01/2020 19:46

I'm going to hold off on watching the film for now, I think.

Piggywaspushed · 28/01/2020 18:46

Yes chessie, I feel the same , but my friend wants to see it so I am obliging!

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ChessieFL · 28/01/2020 18:03

I’m not sure when to see the film - will definitely watch it but don’t want it to ruin my reading of the rest of the book. But if I wait until I’ve read the book it means dvd rather than big cinema screen! Decisions, decisions.

Terpsichore · 28/01/2020 13:02

We booked in to see the film later in Feb at our (wonderful) local independent cinema, but I’m seriously considering going to see it before Feb 1st now Grin

Piggywaspushed · 27/01/2020 13:19

Yes, proper discussions open on and after Feb 1st!

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Piggywaspushed · 27/01/2020 13:19

Off to see it on Thursday! Excited!

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nibdedibble · 27/01/2020 12:43

Im in a couple of other readalongs elsewhere so I won't join in but I just wanted to say that the film is really good!

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