'Little Dorrit' readalong

[Piggywaspushed]

Hello and welcome to our next proposed Dickensalong after the success of our previous readalongs!

On our previous thread I suggested our first month as commencing in April and convening on June 1st to discuss the first instalment : gives everyone time to get copies and get settled down.

Everyone is welcome! We always start with about 10 people and end up with about 5...

Instalments I have chosen follow Dickens' shorter 19 instalments (which were all exactly the same number of pages originally - that must have taken considerable planning and editing!) but come in pairs or trios:-
The novel comprises only two Books, which forces a break at a particular point, too.

May 2021 - Book One , Chapters 1-11
June - Chapters 12-18
July - Chapters 19-25
August - Chapters 26- 36
September - Book Two Chapters 1-11
October - Chapters 12-18
November - Chapters 19-26
December - Chapters 27 - 34

So finished by 2022. I think that suits reading speed of most.

Happy Reading!

ChessieFL I've been wondering about Mrs Wade too, if she will make another appearance at some point.

Does anyone else think there is some big secret or revelation coming with Arthur's dad?

I rattled through the chapters, and I am enjoying it, but I am rather wishing I hadn't watched the bbc adaptation a couple of years ago because it's all coming back to me as I read. I really enjoyed Our Mutual Friend because it was the first Dickens I've read with no inkling of the story in advance.

I’ve also just remembered Jeremiah Flintwitch’s double who vanished with the iron box. I wonder when he/ the box will reappear?

I think I might have to Shmoop. I literally remember none of this!

On reading Shmoop only just remembered the ironic idea that all the passengers from France had to quarantine because of disease. Plus ca change, eh?

I know! The plague reference made me smile; very topical! What is Shmoop?!
I'll have to read about Flintwitch's double again. I'm not sure what was going on there. Was it real or imagined?
Poor Affery. She has a miserable life with Flintwitch and Mrs Clenham.

Shmoop is an irreverent online study guide. Good for jaunty chapter summaries.

Ah, okay! Thanks

Piggywaspushed
I know just what you mean about the Penguins.
When I worked in education I often wryly identified with them.

I’m enjoying reading the book and this thread so much.
I thought I was totally unfamiliar with the novel but it appears that I must have listened to bits of the BBC radio production, maybe whilst driving between appointments, as parts of the novel seem to be familiar to me.

The description of the bells was so vivid. So belligerent and oppressive.

I love peals of bells normally- wedding bells are so joyous. The toll of the bells in my French village feel wonderfully positive and atmospheric. It was interesting to read a quite opposite interpretation.

I am glad we all seem to be enjoying it : Chapters 12- 18 for June!

Better late than never I have finally finished my Chapters for May - hurray!!

Really enjoying this and I have absolutely no previous knowledge of the storyline so am just following it wherever it takes us with no particular expectations at all (Great or otherwise!)

I'm wondering just how much travelling Dickens would have done. I mean, I agree with a previous poster who said that the description of Marseille (particularly the stifling heat!) was very atmospheric but some details are somewhat erroneous. There is no way you could see the Italian coast from Marseille!!
And what IS it with dodgy spellings of French towns? - all with an added 'S' - MarseilleS, LyonS, ChalonS. Mais non!

Really loved all the administrative frustrations too. How he will ever get to the bottom of the reason for Amy's father's debts is beyond me!

Somewhat confused by all the characters but will look forward to seeing how it all develops.

Now, onto June's chapters!

I know Dickens went to the US, no idea if he ever went to France though.

Interesting Chessie.

Any of the action that took place abroad in David Copperfield was pretty vague or superficial if I recall and then the description of Marseille seemed both totally believable at times and then geographically incorrect at others so it made me wonder.

In 1844, Dickens took a respite from writing novels and for several months traveled through France and Italy with his family. They visited the most famous sights: Genoa, Rome, Naples (with Vesuvius still smouldering), Florence and Venice. In his travelogue the author portrays a nation of great contrasts: grandiose buildings and urban desolation, and everyday life beside ancient monuments. But it is his encounters with Italy's colorful street life that capture the imagination. Dickens is particularly drawn to the costumes, cross-dressing, and sheer exuberance of the Roman carnival. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pictures_from_Italy

Sounds quite fun!

According to French place names in English, the spelling Lyons reflects an earlier French spelling and pronunciation: in Old French, Lyon was pronounced /ljons/ rather than /ljõ/. The final S was dropped from the French pronunciation and spelling, but preserved in English, where the pronunciation eventually morphed into a homonym of the English word lions.

These days, Lyon is usually spelled Lyon in English and pronounced /'liõ/. www.quora.com/What-is-the-reason-behind-the-English-spelling-of-the-French-city-Lyon-with-an-additional-s-in-the-end

Thanks for those insights Defaultname.

I just read Chapter XII and am not really sure I understood much of what was going on at all!!! Hopefully things will become clearer in the following chapters...

Is it too late to join this readalong? I've always become aware of the readalong too late to join any of the others. I see I need to read 18 chapters to catch up by July? Is that right?

Not too late StColumbo, welcome! Yes, we’re discussing chapters 12-18 on 1st July.

Right, I’d better get going then.

Same nowanearly, first chapter that I've felt a bit lost with.

Thanks for the reassurance, inthecludgie. I'd better crack on with the other chapters and see if things become clearer!

Whenever I read a chapter I then go and read the chapter summary on Shmoop to make sure I have understood it. I almost always find there’s something I have missed!

Thanks Chessie will look into Shmoop. I sometimes feel wary about trying to get background info online as I've come across spoilers by mistake in the past.

I was lost in Chapter 12 too. Shmoop is your friend

Shmoop is good because each chapter summary is on a different page so no risk of spoilers.

Just popping on to remind people it's nearly July!

I concur about Shmoop and will be needing it this month!