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Our Mutual Friend Readalong

361 replies

Piggywaspushed · 04/08/2020 16:07

As discussed on the previous Davis Copperfield Readalong, I hope some of us are eager to start Our Mutual Friend!

This is quite a complex one to break up. As usual, Dickens published in 19 monthly instalments but this one has 4 'Books' .

It is split up as follows:

BOOK THE FIRST: THE CUP AND THE LIP
I – May 1864 (chapters 1–4);
II – June 1864 (chapters 5–7);
III – July 1864 (chapters 8–10);
IV – August 1864 (chapters 11–13);
V – September 1864 (chapters 14–17).
BOOK THE SECOND: BIRDS OF A FEATHER
VI – October 1864 (chapters 1–3);
VII – November 1864 (chapters 4–6);
VIII – December 1864 (chapters 7–10);
IX – January 1865 (chapters 11–13);
X – February 1865 (chapters 14–16).
BOOK THE THIRD: A LONG LANE
XI – March 1865 (chapters 1–4);
XII – April 1865 (chapters 5–7);
XIII – May 1865 (chapters 8–10);
XIV – June 1865 (chapters 11–14);
XV – July 1865 (chapters 15–17).
BOOK THE FOURTH: A TURNING
XVI – August 1865 (chapters 1–4);
XVII – September 1865 (chapters 5–7);
XVIII – October 1865 (chapters 8–11);
XIX-XX – November 1865 [chapters 12–17 (Chapter the Last)].

4 instalments is feasible but might be too much for those of us working/ reading other books/child or DP wrangling/ insert other reason.

Therefore, I would suggest 8 instalments, splitting each book in two somehow?

That would take us to March 2021 and then we can pretend 2020 never existed.

Up for it? Thoughts?

Looking forward to it! All usual suspects and newcomers welcome.

OP posts:
Okki · 01/12/2020 13:45

Hello all. I'm sooooo behind. Hoping to catch up over Christmas.

Just wanted to let you know OMF is the daily deal on Audible today for £2.99

Piggywaspushed · 01/12/2020 14:10

Every so often when I m reading, I think 'that would be good for an A Level unseen passage'. Such are the sad thoughts of teachers. I thought this throughout reading Headstone's proposal. Only bettered in awkwardness by Casaubon's letter in Middlemarch!

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ChessieFL · 01/12/2020 20:47

I liked these chapters because everything started to come together for me. I now understand what links most of the characters together and it’s all making much more sense now! The Veneerings chapter felt a bit jarring though, didn’t really fit with the others I had just read.

Dickens does like to use hair almost as another character, doesn’t he? I remember Traddles’ hair in David Copperfield illustrating his mood and we had the same again here with Pleasure Riderhood (fab name BTW) and her hair that kept falling down as she got upset.

Piggywaspushed · 01/12/2020 20:53

Oh yes, he definitely has a thing for hair! And strange small people.

I am also tickled by the name Rogue Riderhood. No idea who he is though.

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FortunaMajor · 01/12/2020 20:57

I'd say you need to get out more Piggy, but... pandemic. Grin

I am hoping these great leaps forward in plot continue and there are no new introductions. I was getting really annoyed that something so heavily hinted at was then being ignored regarding Rokesmith, especially when so little else seemed to be going on. I'm wondering at the motivation to have such an obvious twist, whether it was to maintain interest through a long lot of dull set up or if there was some other master plan?

Given that nearly everyone is very preoccupied with money and rank it really stands out that Rokesmith/Harmon is so willing to give up a fortune. The way marriage is treated by other characters it sticks out like a sore thumb that he is willing to trade great fortune for more noble attitudes.

I have no love for Bella at this point, she's quite mercenary to those around her. It's interesting to see how important marriage was for prospects for those with a chance to move up in society. She is in a very fortunate position to be so choosy although I am at a loss as to her appeal.

ChessieFL · 02/12/2020 07:43

I also hope we don’t get more new characters - it’s confusing enough trying to remember the ones we already have! Just remembered my copy has a character list at the front so I’ll have a look later to see if there are any names we haven’t seen yet.

MiddleAgedLurker · 03/12/2020 06:44

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This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the OP's request.

Piggywaspushed · 03/12/2020 06:53

I feel lie I do when I am watching The Bridge : like 'who on earth is that now?? Have we even heard of them ??'

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FortunaMajor · 03/12/2020 12:37

I'm using the grade saver notes as a quick summary of each chapter and which character is doing what to keep me on track. It's a really useful and basic look at what has happened to remind me what I have read and who is who. I'd be even more lost without it.

This one is hard and doing nothing for my Dickens aversion. I think this may be my last Dickens everfor a while.

ChessieFL · 03/12/2020 13:29

That’s a good idea Fortuna (the notes that is, not giving up Dickens!).

DesdamonasHandkerchief · 03/12/2020 16:22

Some random thoughts:
I am also glad that Rokesmith has been unmasked as John Harmon, the universe has been conspiring against me to ensure this fact was spoilered from an early stage (I hope I would have worked it out by now though!).
I have also been reading chapter summaries as I go along, on a website called Shmoop, they don't contain spoilers but I did manage to briefly open up a book summary by accident that told me, before I realised what it was, who Rokesmith actually was.
On top of that the DVD I bought listed actor Steven Mackintosh as John Harmon and on top of that a question in a recent University Challenge was, 'How is John Harmon described in the title of a Dickens Novel?' After all that I'd have been pretty pissed off if Rokesmith's true identity had been the big reveal that the books climax relied upon for dramatic effect.

Bella is insufferable, and is quite clearly Harmon's love interest, why?
All she has to recommend her is a pretty face, how shallow Harmon must be if that's the only attraction. I'm assuming she's going to become a better person over the course of the book and overcome her desire to marry rich because of her love for 'Rokesmith' only to discover he's actually Harmon and as rich as Croesus.

I had assumed Headstone was a goodie and Eugene a baddie but it would seem that Headstone isn't so good, I should have guessed from the name Dickens is never subtle on that score.

Lizzie's brother Charlie is an ungrateful little scroat isn't he? Hopefully he's going to see the error of his ways before too long.

Rogue Riderhood is aka Roger Riderhood, the nasty piece of work who used to be the partner of Lizzie's father, Gaffer Hexham. Gaffer broke ties with Riderhood because he was robbing the living as well as the dead thus overstepping the mark in Gaffer's eyes.
Riderhood tries to frame Gaffer for murder. He suggests to the land lady of their local pub that Gaffer is helping the cadavers he finds in the river end up that way with a blow to the head - getting them both banned in the process.
He subsequently visits Lawyer Lightwood to swear an affidavit or 'Alfred David' as he has it, that Gaffer told him he'd committed the murder of John Harmon.

I was tickled by this bit suggesting that high society is jealous of the Lammles imaginary house. Now their friends actual houses seem shabby to their eyes by comparison 😊
“Mr and Mrs Lammle's house in Sackville Street, Piccadilly, was but a temporary residence. It has done well enough, they informed their friends, for Mr Lammle when a bachelor, but it would not do now. So, they were always looking at palatial residences in the best situations, and always very nearly taking or buying one, but never quite concluding the bargain. Hereby they made for themselves a shining little reputation apart. People said, on seeing a vacant palatial residence, 'The very thing for the Lammles!' and wrote to the Lammles about it, and the Lammles always went to look at it, but unfortunately it never exactly answered. In short, they suffered so many disappointments, that they began to think it would be necessary to build a palatial residence. And hereby they made another shining reputation; many persons of their acquaintance becoming by anticipation dissatisfied with their own houses, and envious of the non-existent Lammle structure. The handsome fittings and furnishings of the house in Sackville Street were piled thick and high over the skeleton up-stairs, and if it ever whispered from under its load of upholstery, 'Here I am in the closet!' it was to very few ears, and certainly never to Miss Podsnap's.”

Jenny Wren is a total caricature, with her 'tricks and manners'.

Piggywaspushed · 03/12/2020 16:32

Oh, I love Shmoop!
Yes, Charlie is horrific :unusually for Dickens, whose Carlie/Charleys are nearly always good sorts.

I may have glazed over :I had not realised the Lammles have an imaginary house!

I remember the UC question. I veritably shouted at the telly!

OP posts:
Piggywaspushed · 03/12/2020 16:32

Charlie obvs... Carlie rather modern!

OP posts:
DesdamonasHandkerchief · 03/12/2020 17:08

Smile You and me both Piggy! So unusual that I get a question right on UC!

And final random thought it would seem that Mrs Lammel has turned from a baddie to a goodie by riding to the rescue of Georgiana Podsnap and saving her from the hideous Fledgeby by blackening her own name.

Piggywaspushed · 03/12/2020 17:20

Yes, I asked about that before. I couldn't see Dickens laying any path for that at all! Most unconvincing, therefore, and odd.

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DesdamonasHandkerchief · 03/12/2020 17:24

Apologies if it's been stated up thread somewhere but how many chapters of the third book are we reading for December?

Piggywaspushed · 03/12/2020 18:43

Chapters 1- 10 please!

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FortunaMajor · 03/12/2020 19:22

Thanks Piggy

DesdamonasHandkerchief · 03/12/2020 22:52

Okay Boss 👍

BadSpellaSpellaSpella · 04/12/2020 09:11

Well I've been reading shmoop throughout most this so far and this was the first month that I didn't need to so much. I seem to have alot more of an idea of what the hecks actually going on.

I'm far more interested in lizzie than the other characters atm dont really care about bella as it seems obvious where that's going to go.

MiddleAgedLurker · 04/12/2020 20:32

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DesdamonasHandkerchief · 04/12/2020 21:50

Why thank you kind MAL Smile

DesdamonasHandkerchief · 04/12/2020 22:00

Can I also recommend the Grade Saver web site, which I've looked at after Fortuna said she was using it. It gives a summary of a group of chapters and also a analysis which draws out the themes, many of which were going over my head I have to admit 😳
Just avoid the overall summary to avoid spoilers.

MiddleAgedLurker · 06/12/2020 06:27

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MilesJuppIsAnOldSlutOnJunk · 15/12/2020 13:00

Hello Dickens readers!

I came late to this, and have just reached the end of book 2 chapter 10.

I've read it before (and loved it), but not for years.

I've only read the thread up to the beginning of November, and will come & join in properly when I've caught up (if that's alright).

Swipe left for the next trending thread