Bleak House Readalong: March 2018 - Sept 2019

[ScribblyGum]

Some of us are doing this on the 50 books thread so I thought I would start a separate discussion thread.

Inspired by Books and Things on YouTube, aim is to read Bleak House in the time frame in which it was published, so reading 3-4 chapters per month starting in March this year and finishing in September of next.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=W-DYX4lyw1M

I’ve linked the original YouTube video (she is really really excited about Bleak House ), Katie also has chapter discussion threads on her good reads page, and a picture of the chapters and the months in which they are to be read.

I am on the first April chapter today, having realised there are 4!

I, too, can only see Charles Dance when I read Tulkinghorn. He is the only reason I am persisting with the nonsense that is The Widow on ITV.

Anyone up for discussing the chapters yet? the return of Woodcourt(fwoaar/sigh) ! The proposal! Bit weird but they were Victorians so I'll try not to be too disturbed! Richard being a twat!

The return of Jo. Poor Jo.

I'm going to attempt to finish April today depending on which forces of procrastination are at work. Started reading them last weekend and somehow ended up in the garage washing mouse urine off the shelves. However if Jo, poor Jo, makes a come back I'll push on for him.

Thanks for linking the March video Princess

Scrolling down it appears I was reading April 2 weeks ago! Story of my reading life atm.

And now look, I am procrastinating by way of talking about procrastinating...

Sorry. Next post will actually be about Bleak House.

Oh poor, poor Jo. “I’m a-moving on to the berryin ground.”
Woodcourt is a proper gent isn’t he. I'm hoping that in the next chapter, the title of which is rather a spoiler, that Allan will be there with Jo at the end holding his small pathetic hand.

Esther's constant self depreciation is really starting to grate now. “I will not repeat what I said to Richard. I know it was tiresome, and nobody is to suppose for a moment that it was at all wise.” Urgh. Am I still meant to like her? She's just annoying me now. And what’s with waiting for two whole weeks before responding to Jarndyce's proposal? Wtf. I agree Piggy that whole proposal was bizarrio Victorian. My god they were emotionally constipated. No wonder they all had gout, all those suppressed emotions manifesting in painful and swollen big toes.

Dickens really does not like lawyers does he? Mr Vholes sounds like a prototype Dementor.

One thing that I find odd is Woodcourt's name. I mean, obviously Dickens knows best, as he was alive and all, but Allan seems such an unVictorian name. My Wordsworth Classics is so confused by this that it keeps insisting he's Allen.

Yes it was odd when he was suddenly transformed into Allan, after being for so long Mr Dreamboat-Woodcourt.

I am pleased that Mr Woodcourt is looking after Jo but I wasn't sure about his reaction to Esther's changed appearance, he seemed rather upset and put off by it.
I loved the coincidence that the one day she is in Deal is the day his ship arrives back.
In the last chapter was Jo saying that someone paid him to runaway from Bleak House when he was ill? Are we supposed to know who it was?
I might read the May chapters now as I am really enjoying it and want to know what happens next.

Yes, I think that's the implication re Jo : not so sure about paid, but certainly told to.

I think Katie may have messed up her April video in some way. She put something on YouTube 2 days ago but it says it's a 'Private Video' Am actually frightened to click !

I think she's had a haircut too.

Fab,thanks scribbly! Will watch tomorrow. Eurovision tonight

I found Katie most helpful this month. I liked her discussion on the proposal, although I would like more discussion there on the Victorian context of marriage proposals to young women by much older men . Middlemarch is also interesting on this. She is very much a fan of Mr Jarndyce , of course! Her explanation of the encoding of the kiss enlightened me, and she, too, reflects on the Allaning of Mr Woodcourt , rather helpfully!

Because this is a monthly thread it keeps disappearing form Threads I'm On.

Anyway, now read May. Won't comment yet as it is not yet June 1st but just want to say ooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Well, that was exciting.

I know, I have to go hunting for it too.
Yet again I have comprehensively failed to read the chapters but have tomorrow morning earmarked for BH catch up. Excited to know what the oooooh moment is.

Oh there's more than one oooooooooohhh!

Multiple oooooooohs! How exciting!

Oooooooooooooh!

Haha! I take it you have read them then?

Honestly, I watched BH when it was on telly and I don't remember these events.

Not sure what will happen in the remaining chapters though (well, clearly Bucket will come to the fore...) but I shall miss Tulkinghorn (am allowed spoilers now, right? It's June!)

I am a little confused. Did some one organise an infected Jo to come into contact with Esther to do her in with small pox? Mr Bucket swiftly removed him (under orders of who? Tulkinghorn?)

I think we are meant to think that Lady D shot him but I reckon it’s old big hands Hortense.

I am more than a little confused by the whole Jo thing, I must say. but that was a poignant chapter. Yeah, my money would be on Hortense. You know what those French women are like.

I do love that in amongst the terrible sadness of poor Jo's death and then Tulkinghorn's murder Dickens fits in some great comedy lines. Best passage in the last three chapters for me is

It is well for the old girl that she has but one birthday in a year, for two such indulgences in poultry might be injurious.

There's more to Jo's will for us to find out I think.

You know when you’ve been watching too much Line of Duty/Game of Thrones when you wonder if Mr Jarndyce in some unfeasibly complicated and dark twisty plot has purposefully infected Esther to ruin her poor lovely face and thus secure her hand in marriage.