79 pages • 2 hours read
Charles DickensBleak House
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1853A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Charles Dickens' novel Bleak House, published between 1852 and 1853, narrates the intertwined tales of several characters, most notably Esther Summerson, amid the backdrop of the prolonged legal case, Jarndyce and Jarndyce, which involves competing wills and numerous beneficiaries. The book explores the lives affected by this chaotic litigation, personal struggles, and hidden pasts. The source material includes references to racism, substance abuse, domestic abuse, and suicide.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Bleak House by Charles Dickens is praised for its intricate plot and vivid characterizations, showcasing Dickens' storytelling prowess. However, some readers find the narrative's complexity and multitude of subplots cumbersome. Its critique of the legal system is lauded, though the pacing can be slow. Overall, it's considered a masterful, if dense, literary work.
Who Should Read Bleak House?
A reader who enjoys Bleak House by Charles Dickens likely appreciates intricate plots, rich character development, and social critiques. This reader might also be a fan of novels like Middlemarch by George Eliot and War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, which offer similar complexity and depth in storytelling.
RecommendedReading Age
18+yearsLexile Level
1180LBook Details
Classic Fiction
Satire
British Literature
Victorian Period
Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Emotions/Behavior: Love
Relationships: Family