Oliver Twist

Daring to evaluate an acknowledged classic is one thing, but I think it speaks volumes that Oliver Twist is revered as such. I don't doubt the skill with which Dickens slowly draws the reader into each chapter, nor the word-play which unfortunately gets confusing to a modern reader. I found it very handy having an e-reader that let me highlight and lookup definitions for words that have since fallen out of use, like "parochial".

There just seems to be a few strange habits that a decent modern editor would have fixed.
The strange treatment of time, where an hour is treated like a minute
The obvious belief that a person is born to nobility regardless of their circumstances is hard to reconcile with Dickens' obvious cynicism of religion, yet he firmly states his Christianity at the end.
Oliver could somehow read without anybody having taught him.
All sin is treated as one collective descent into hell, rather than the multitude of temptations that plague even the most virtuous. Oliver is infallibly "good" without any moral guidance.

After reading mainly modern fiction, the lack of first-person narrative makes the storytelling seem dull at first, but I eventually got used to the tone and tempo. It even gave me nightmares once. Overall, Oliver Twist is a decent read, and a good background to understanding English culture.

I wanted to read this classical book for a long time. Many times, people used Oliver's story as a reference for hope, honesty and nativity in front of greed.
I found this book inspiring and culturally essential for youth and young adult who are looking for answers in any society in the wold. I grew up with French as a mother tongue and "Le petit prince" has been my inspiration to walk throughout live and the most precious thing I still looking for at 57 years old is friendship.
I believe that my experience like any readers can say that books do not only entertain, they guide but authors in the other hand inspire through their words and stories.
Jerome

This is a very good novel in many ways then one ( a must for novel lovers ) around the world