This was not my favorite Dickens but I think that has a lot to do with the fact that he died before he was able to finish it.

It was Rosa

It's a little bit surreal to read the final chapter of this book knowing that it was the last substantive piece of writing that Dickens produced before he had a major stroke later that day and died the day after. For readers, of course, fully the second half of this mystery novel remains a mystery. The edition I read, printed in 1966, includes an introduction by a Noman F. Budgey which leaves the reader with the impression that Dickens' intended ending is anybody's guess. However, after a little digging online (and without giving away any spoilers!), it's pretty clear how the broad strokes of the second half of this novel would have played out, had Dickens lived to complete it, and what the ultimate solution to the mystery was intended to be. This is based largely on the plausible account of the author's friend and biographer, John Forster, who asserted that Dickens provided him with a synopsis of the entire plot of the novel; Forster's account was later corroborated by Dickens' son. So while we can probably rest assured of the information which these sources have provided, thus satisfying our basic curiosity, we are still denied Dickens' characteristic careful development of every detail, his ornate and wry language, his colorful characterizations and dialogue, as well as the ultimate fate of several of the characters involved in this multi-threaded plot. We are left especially puzzled by the introduction of several new characters near the end of the book (as it stands), and a fair deal of speculation has been bandied about concerning all of these detailed matters.

As far as what Dickens did leave to posterity, it is very much of a piece with his body of work, and clearly the product of a mature writer. It is likely to be too slow-paced for modern readers who are not aficionados of the classics, and it's always best to keep a good dictionary on hand when reading Dickens and his peers, since he employs many phrases which have long since fallen out of use. For fans of the author, fans of the era, or fans of the genre, this makes for a satisfying read... as far as it goes. That having been said, it's hard to accord five stars to an incomplete work. This isn't like an unfinished symphony, where there's little to nag the audient regarding how the piece might have been meant to end. In the case of "Edwin Drood," we are denied so much that, even knowing the likely solution to the titular mystery, we're left with a feeling of incompleteness which can't be shaken.

"Have you known hardships?"

Going into this book, I wasn't aware of its history: that it is Dickens' last novel, that it remains unfinished because he died from a stroke while writing it, or that many regard it as one of the very first true mystery novels—one that has influenced well-known mystery authors like Agatha Christie.

Overall, I appreciate a lot of what this novel does. It excels at creating an eerie, mysterious atmosphere, and, as always, Dickens excels at creating round, interesting characters. Having said that, I think this book suffered due to the author's untimely death in both the lack of an ending and the need for a good edit.

I would still recommend this to die-hard mystery fans or Dickens fans, but for folks that are just generally curious or looking to start a random Dickens novel I would skip it.

Well written and enjoyable as any Dickens. Interesting to think about this as one of the last big things on his mind before he died. A different genre for him as well as for me. Too bad we do not have the ending.

We’ll never know what happened to Drood, though we know his uncle John Jasper is guilty of stalking and harassing a young woman. We’ll never know because Dickens wasn’t able to finish this before his death. But based on his notes and accounts from those who knew Dickens well, Jasper likely would’ve ended up another brilliantly portrayed character like Ralph Nickleby or like the one I describe in my [b:Martin Chuzzlewit|1990|Martin Chuzzlewit|Charles Dickens|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1334392783l/1990._SY75_.jpg|901325] review:

The description of the workings of the mind of a vile man who becomes haunted by himself (an image Dickens will employ in later works) is masterful.

Reread with the local Dickens Fellowship, January 11, 2024.

Unrated because it's unfinished.