"Oliver Twist"

I finished listening to Oliver Twist this past weekend. How I love Charles Dickens! I was always too intimidated to give long classics a chance, until a few years ago. I'm so glad I changed my mind because I've discovered some real gems. I was familiar with the story of Oliver Twist since I've seen movie versions of it before, but it's always nice to read the real thing. I also read Spark Notes' synopsis of each chapter and analysis of each section which is always illuminating. I'm pretty dense and there's a lot I don't pick up on until it's pointed out to me.

I liked Oliver Twist very much, although I didn't enjoy it as much as Great Expectations. In Dickens' stories there are always characters that are really good and pure (like Oliver and Rose), some that are downright vile (like Sikes and Fagin) and others and that fall somewhere in between. It was a great story with a happy ending. I suppose it's unrealistic to have everyone get what they deserve, but it's kind of nice. There's enough sadness and unfairness in the world. I kind of like unrealistically happy endings. :)

I've seen several different adaptations of Oliver Twist, but the one below is my favorite. It was made in 2007 and it's really well done. It's about three hours long, so it's a little more detailed and true to the book than some of the other ones I've seen. I think the different actors that portray the characters do a really good job, too. I'm excited to watch this again now that I've finished listening to the book.