BOOK CLUB TAKEOVER: Holly from 'Crumpets and Tea'

Here are my thoughts… I LOVE hearing other people’s views and reviews on pretty much anything especially books! Some of my favourite reads are ones that have been suggested by other people. So thinking along those lines,’ The Book Club Takeover’ was born! Hopefully each week I will bring to you a post from one of my lovely and amazing fellow bloggers who will in turn share with you what their favourite book is, why they love it and a review. I hope you enjoy this feature as much as I do!



Hello! I’m Holly and I’ve been blogging about anything and everything over at http://crumpetsandteauk.blogspot.co.uk/ for around two months, mostly in an attempt to keep my brain active now that I’ve graduated from university! Reading has always been incredibly important to me so I’d just like to thank Gemma for allowing me to share this with you all.

Like a couple of other people have, I’ll stick to Gemma’s usual layout so I hope you enjoy my thoughts on my favourite book!

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

The Blurb
A terrifying encounter with an escaped convict in a graveyard on the wild Kent marshes; a summons to meet the bitter, decaying Miss Havisham and her beautiful, cold-hearted ward Estella; the sudden generosity of a mysterious benefactor – these form a series of events that changes the orphaned Pip’s life forever, and he eagerly abandons his humble origins to begin a new life as a gentleman.

The Review
I’ve been a fan of classics since I was young, having read Oliver Twist aged 6, so I was surprised that it took me until my English Literature A-Level to pick up this one. But since then, I’ve hardly been able to put the book down. My copy is battered and crumpled, but surely that’s the sign of many hours of enjoyment?! If you love a bit of romance, danger, mystery, extravagance and suspense that keeps you guessing until the end, then this mid-Victorian masterpiece is definitely one that you should get your hands on!

It tells the coming-of-age story of Pip, a young boy living with his sister and uncle in the countryside. Through a series of personal connections he meets Miss Havisham, a wealthy spinster, and is summoned regularly to act as company to her adopted daughter Estella. One day, a stranger calls at Pip’s home to inform him that he must travel to London immediately as an anonymous benefactor has gifted him a large sum of money in order to leave his family and become a gentleman. It goes on with the usual Dickens detail to show what Pip makes of his new life, the experiences and the range of people that he meets along the way whilst always leaving you wondering: who is this mysterious benefactor? What will happen to Pip when someone from his past unexpectedly arrives? Will Pip ever be able to fulfil his ‘great expectations’?

There have been so many film adaptations of this book that it’s easy to just watch those instead but I would highly recommend reading the book before diving into any of these. The 2012 movie with Ralph Fiennes and Helena Bonham-Carter is fantastic but as with most page-to-screen adaptations, there will always be details left out. Whilst it’s not a light and fluffy holiday read, I’ll take a guess that once you start, you won’t be able to stop!

I hope you’ve enjoyed my review and thanks again to Gemma for letting me share this with you!