The Old Curiosity Shop; Volume 3

By Charles Dickens and John Gilbert

"The Old Curiosity Shop," a poignant novel by Charles Dickens, unfolds a compelling narrative centered on Little Nell Trent and her grandfather. Fleeing their debt-ridden curiosity shop in London, they embark on a perilous journey through the English countryside, encountering a diverse cast of characters, both virtuous and villainous. Among them is the sinister Quilp, a grotesque moneylender who relentlessly pursues them.

Dickens masterfully portrays the stark contrasts between innocence and corruption, poverty and wealth, highlighting the social injustices prevalent in Victorian England. Little Nell, with her unwavering goodness, becomes an emblem of purity amidst moral decay. The novel explores themes of morality, exploitation, and the enduring power of compassion. "The Old Curiosity Shop" remains a significant work of Victorian literature, celebrated for its vivid characters, evocative settings, and powerful social commentary. This edition invites readers to rediscover Dickens's timeless tale of love, loss, and redemption.

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 was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.

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.

As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. 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: 1146475675
• ISBN13: 9781146475679
• Release Date: March 2010
• Publisher: Nabu Press
• Length: 308 Pages
• Weight: 0.96 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.1" x 9.2"

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 published as a serial that ran 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 figure out what the book's message 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-b-l-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.