Book Review: The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1870) | Charles Dickens

The Mystery of Edwin Drood is Dickens’ last novel | unfinished |

To spice it up, it is a murder mystery which Dickens left unfinished when he died! It almost seems as if, Dickens timed his death or timed the writing of this novel in such a way that it will be talked about forever.

So we have an incomplete mystery; it falls under the detective genre and makes life more interesting for the readers can speculate the course of events and debate on it  Too much to do from a book over 140 years old, some would feel; many writers on their own or commissioned by societies have read and re-read the available parts of the novel to make conclusions unofficially. The book is in news as an official end is being written which will be dramatized and screened on BBC.

The Plot: Set in Cloisterham | peopled by John Jasper, Rosa Bud,Neville and his sister Helena Landless, Rev. Mr. Crisparkle,  Mr Grewgious, Durdles, Mr Datchery and Edwin Drood| It starts off in an opium den| a murder plot, some scheming, a disappearance, accusation followed by an enquiry, formal and informal| and the mystery of the novel begins as Dickens died

This novel remained unfinished as it was serialized. It was written in installments and sent to the publishers for weekly/monthly publications. The Victorian century (1800-1900) was known for its serialized fictions in literary magazines, and Dickens was a champion writer.

Each part would end in suspense to create an interest in the readers to look forth for the next issue. The next issue would invariably have a summary of the previous parts so that even a new reader can continue reading from the latest part. The course of the story changed according to its reception.

Sounds familiar:P Of course, all our television soaps follow this pattern. And they may patent it as an original idea. Marketing strategies.

Interestingly, these novels were accompanied by illustrations or a single illustration at the beginning of the first installment with potential clues to the entire story. Many Drood fans have re-read and carefully analysed the illustration/cover page to speculate what Dickens had in mind as an end. Have fun following their path, the illustration to the left was illustrated by Charles Allston Collins

Verdict: I’m a die-hard fan of Dickens. At the same time, I do not like dark stories. So not my favourite Dickens. Additionally, I read it as part of coursework this semester, a course titled, “Reading Fiction,” so you release how much I love this book by now Not a leisure read, take out some time for it.

Happy Reading

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• The BBC’s Charles Dickens season: what’s on (telegraph.co.uk)
• BBC drama to complete Charles Dickens’s unfinished novel The Mystery of Edwin Drood (telegraph.co.uk)