Bleak House

[amazed_by_grace]

Has anyone else been watching this incredible drama on the BBC? I haven't read the book yet but this story drew me in from the beginning... to me the most stunning performance was that of Gillian Anderson... I absolutely loved Lady Deadlock's character from the beginning...

Any thoughts?

 

[MarvinAndroid42]

Haven't watched the series but am 1/5 through the book.
Looking at the website, I'm very convinced that I hate Dickens' writing. He has such a slow pace, I mean, there are like 15 episodes in that Bleak House tv adaption but then reading only the synopsis of the 1st episode, I've encountered every morsel of plot development that I've found reading ONE FIFTH of the book.
You can tell I hate how Dickens drags things on. I hate Tale of Two Cities (novel) because of that, and also the terrible character development. I mean, Lucie Manette! How fake can one possibly get????

Well anyway, I haven't gotten far into the book but as you and others say that the tv adaption is good, I'll stick around reading the book, looking forward to a yet unforseeable grain of "excitement."

 

[amazed_by_grace]

Oh goodness, poor you! Bleak House is widely acknowledged to be the most boring of Dickens' books... apparently its all about the law system and whatnot... the tv series did, I imagine, greatly jazz up the characters but they did a fabulous job!!! I would advise that you watch it... the BBC are repeating it in December as far as I know, and now that they are finished with it, they'll sell it to other networks so I'm sure you'll be able to find it somewhere... the DVD comes out next Feb or March...

 

[MarvinAndroid42]

Well it is said to be the best of Dickens' books by G.K. Chesterson and the like, and since Dickens so reputed to be amazing, I thought I'd read his best.

Yet for myself personally, I'm persuaded I don't like Dickens altogether.
I will continue reading Bleak House and A Tale of Two Cities because of all their acclaim for though I have yet to read anything that bears a trace of what could possibly be so glorious and wonderful, I am convinced it must be in the end of his books that Dickens places all the good stuff that so consistently blows the literary critics off their feet.

 

[amazed_by_grace]

Perhaps it is... we read Great Expectations in english class and I didn't think much of it, or its ending to be honest... however its just his style of writing that I adore... I constantly re-read A Christmas Carol just because it is one of those books that is such a joy to read... its not even about the storyline, just the way he writes...

 

[rachel27]

I attempted to watch it but missed a episode and completly lost where it was going. I'm going to get hold of the book and when ive got time ill read it. I personally dont like dickens, he includes too many characters and he makes it hard to follow his storys, although i do think he has great ideas for books. I like how he brings up important issues like in hard times. We had to read excerts from it in class and i found the ideas behind it great but the actual language hard to get through. Its probably because i only read parts and needed to read the whole thing.

 

[javaluver]

I know this is an old thread but I just have to put my two cents in. I have never particularly been a fan of masterpiece theatre but WOW! Gillian Anderson has been my favorite actress for years so maybe I am a bit biased but all the other actors were amazing too. It's one of those stories that you think about for weeks after.