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The Artful Dickens: The Tricks and Ploys of the Great Novelist

The Artful Dickens: The Tricks and Ploys of the Great Novelist

by John Mullan

Bloomsbury Publishing ·2020 ·431 pages
Best of 2020
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I Index
78/99
Top of the Pile

84/99

Critics' Rating Index

Near the Top

72/99

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Scholars' Citation Index

84/99

Volume of Reviews

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About This Book

Discover the tricks of a literary master in this essential guide to the fictional world of Charles Dickens. From Pickwick to Scrooge, Copperfield to Twist, how did Dickens find the perfect names for his characters?What was Dickens's favourite way of killing his characters?When is a Dickens character most likely to see a ghost?Why is Dickens's trickery only fully realised when his novels are read aloud? In thirteen entertaining and wonderfully insightful essays, John Mullan explores the literary machinations of Dickens's eccentric genius, from from his delight in clichés to his rendering of smells and his outrageous use of coincidences. A treat for all lovers of Dickens, this essential companion puts his audacity, originality and brilliance on full display.


Reviews

"Mullan finds plenty of evidence to support this contention."

David Trotter· London Review of Books Read review ↗ Near the Top

"Some readers will find that expedient, but Mullan is a brisk and observant writer."

Annette Federico· Times Literary Supplement Read review ↗ Near the Top

"Mullan is a brilliant noticer."

Laura Freeman· The Times (UK) Read review ↗ Near the Top

"Rather than advance a consistent argument about Dickens's artistry, Mullan responds to the novelist's multifariousness with an appealing miscellany of his own ..."

Ruth Bernard Yeazell· New York Review of Books Read review ↗ Near the Top

"In discrete chapters, the author highlights more than a dozen characteristics that set Dickens apart from other writers ..."

Kirkus Read review ↗ Top of the Pile

"The book is divided into 13 essays which can be read separately, but whose impact is greater when taken together ..."

Frances Wilson· The Guardian Read review ↗ Top of the Pile

"You must, and should, read Mullan's book."

John Carey· The Times (UK) Read review ↗ Top of the Pile

"This superlative, fresh collection will please stalwart fans and bring new readers to the Dickens canon."

Publishers Weekly Read review ↗ Top of the Pile

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