Student companion to Charles Dickens /

Gr 10 Up-Glancy opens with a concise, objective biography of the author's life, emphasizing those events that inspired his work. The second chapter discusses Dickens's literary influences and career. The remaining eight chapters are devoted to plot summaries, character examinations, discussions of thematic issues, explanations of literary devices, and critical readings. The latter include psychoanalytical and feminist criticism. The analyses of all of the major novels and short stories, with their academic, no-nonsense style, are what make this comprehensive student companion more useful than straight biographies or guides to the individual novels. However, the dry, scholarly language makes this volume best suited to students with some background in literature studies. However, obscure literary terms are defined when used, particularly in the "Stylistic and Literary Devices" sections. The well-organized bibliography is arranged by subject. This book fills a gap in collections with a need for beyond-the-basics literary research materials.-Toni D. Moore, Learning Resources Center, Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.