Barnaby Rudge

A long but satisfying book. Set around the anti-catholic riots of 1780 led by Lord George Gordon, the story revolves around a group of people from a village not far from London.
The first half of the book concerns an innkeeper and his son, a locksmith and his cocquettish daughter, a gentleman, who is not what he seems, and his son, and a local catholic and his neice in the big house. Part one revolves around the machinations of the older folk to keep the youngsters from getting romantically involved. It also introduces the usual Dickens connections between various characters. Barnaby Rudge is a simple minded youth whose mother is a widow. Her late husband had something to do with the murder of the catholic guy's brother. There is also a thuggish servant, a scheming apprentice and a comedy cockney servant woman. She's almost Mrs Mopp from ITMA, ("Can I do you now, sir?"), except she's a bitter spinster.
The second half of the book shows how they all became involved in the London riots, some by joining the rioters and some suffering at their hands. The description of the riots is brilliant, without over dramatising what happened. The story unfolds as Dickens' novels do with unseen connections and secrets revealed.
All in all a good book and well worth the time.

A great history lesson of the Gordon Riots in 1780, with a great story of ordinary people caught up those events.This is story telling
by the wonderful Charles Dickens unsurpassed by any writer before or since. Barnaby Rudge is full of great characters as you would expect from Dickens,including the eponymous hero.
I highly recommend this book to lovers of the historic novel as well as fans of Charles Dickens.