Our Mutual Friend is the second novel I've read by Dickens. The first was Bleak House about three years ago, which I was inspired to read because of the BBC mini-series of Bleak House on Masterpiece Theater. I love Dickens a lot: His complex characterisations; his biting social commentary; his command of the English language in all dialects and manners of speech; his ability to poke fun at people in all social classes; his generally love of his heroes and heroines; his amazing scoundrels; etc...(I could continue on and on). Neither novel is an easy read, but the payoff at the end is worth every hour spent plodding along...
Our Mutual Friend was 800 pages. The first fourth of the book was setting up the characters, their position in society, and the tragedies that shape and inform each character.
There were many great characters to love in this novel: The Boffins, Bella, John Harmon, Lizzie Hexam (especially Lizzie) and her companion Jenny, and of course Eugene Wrayburn.
I really recommend this book - only if you have the time to sit with it. The ending of the book came as a great surprise and was wonderful fun.
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