Great Expectations by Charles Dickens was my 1st book for Back to the Classics 2018 – A Classic that Scares You. Why this one? I’ve been intimidated of this read since a bad experience freshman year of high school. First, I’m not sure I actually read the book when it was assigned – that was a bad season of using Cliff Notes instead. Then we watched a terrible film adaptation. And THEN my teacher stepped out of the room during the scene where Miss Havisham catches fire. Bored teens + no supervision = watching that awful scene on repeat for several minutes until the teacher came back. Needless to say it left a horrible taste in my mouth. I’ve been saying I really should re-read it due to it’s classic value for 3 years now. I never got around to it out of fear. But I conquered my fear and I’m so glad I did!
Basic recap: Pip, an orphan living in poverty with his abusive sister and wimp brother in law, has nothing to look forward to in life. Until he enters a complicated web of wealth and crime and lies and expectations. From nothing, to everything, back to nothing, Dickens leads us on a whirlwind of emotions. Dickens does a particularly brilliant job building believable characters – even the weirdest minor ones. My favorite is Wemmick with his Walworth sentiments. I love Pip’s journey. The ending is especially powerful as he moves past his Great Expectations into a life worth living.
I’d call this a coming of age novel, but it’s the best one I’ve ever read to the point it blows every other coming of age novel out of the water. Beautifully done.
Gabi Sunshine 
I love this! When I was in high school I started to read The Grapes of Wrath and thought it was so boring. I’m so excited to read it now over 20 years later – I feel like it could be a favourite. I can’t wait to read this one, too – I read A Christmas Carol last year and loved it.
I read Grapes of Wrath last year. It’s definitely not boring, but it is hard, emotionally, to read. I can’t say I enjoyed it but I’m SO glad I read it! Clear as mud?