The Old Curiosity Shop: A Tale

By Charles Dickens

Book Overview

This classic novel by Charles Dickens tells the story of Little Nell, a young girl who is forced to flee from her grandfather's shop with her guardian, Mr. Trent. Along the way, they encounter a cast of colorful characters and face many obstacles. The book is a masterpiece of Victorian literature, known for its vivid descriptions, social commentary, and unforgettable characters.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.

This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1021443131
• ISBN13: 9781021443137
• Release Date: July 2023
• Publisher: Legare Street Press
• Length: 476 Pages
• Weight: 1.46 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.1" x 9.2"
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7

Customer Reviews

Quilp cheats at cards.

I must have watched too many horror movies. When I saw the title of this book, I was sure someone would walk into a dark corner of the shop and get eaten. Or maybe someone would get a stake in the heart. Unfortunately, it is one of the first road trips. Little Nell Trent and her grandfather travel the country meeting interesting characters such as Punch (of Punch and Judy fame). I had to stop reading and look up the history of Punch. The reason it feels like it goes on forever is that it was printed as a serial, which lasted from 1840 to 1841. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the evil-looking dwarf, Daniel Quilp, cheats at cards with his cabal. And we all know the only thing worse than cheating at cards is kicking the dog. I am still trying to find out what the message of the book is. No one can write that much without having some sort of message. I guess that people read this stuff for the Genius loci. There are not that many cliffhangers. Charles Dickens’ writing style is not as smooth and to the point as Jane Austen's; however, it is not packed full of g-o-b-bl-e-d-y-g-o-o-k as is Wilkie Collins'. I know how it ends. You will just have to read and find out yourself.