Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

Summary

This was the very first novel I read as a child - and yes, it was a challenging read at the time. With my dictionary at hand, I was able to slowly savour this brilliant tale of what it means to find true fulfillment and contentment. Money, social status, friendship, love are the themes the main character struggles with, in this coming of age story of an orphan named Pip. If the original is too much, then don’t give up as there are many other versions out there including ones better suited for a younger audience, illustrated versions, and even video summaries. I remember my younger brother and I both reading the book at the same time. He had an illustrated version for children whereas I had the original. We both read it at our own pace and it was pretty cool to compare the two books.

I would recommend this book to

• You like to explore themes of friendship, love, societal expectations

• You are drawn to tales of self-actualization, coming of age stories

• You like Dickens’ work