Well, I read this book in a thought that this book is a classic book, and for this reason it should be fun and interesting, with 19th century fragrance. I had a good experience with Jules Verne, so i thought Charles Dickens will be another good classic writer.
In general, The story is that of the life of David Copperfield as he progresses from childhood to maturity. David's father dies before he is born, and about seven years later his mother marries a man called Mr. Murdstone. David dislikes his step-father and has similar feelings for Mr Murdstone's sister Jane, who moves into the house soon afterwards. Mr Murdstone thrashes David for falling behind with his studies and during the thrashing David bites him and is sent away to a boarding school, Salem House, with a ruthless headmaster, Mr Creakle.
Here he befriends James Steerforth and Tommy Traddles, who in true Dickens style leave and then reappear in the later parts of the novel. After some time, David's mother dies and David has to return home immediately.
Mr. Murdstone sends him to work in a factory in London.The grim reality of hand-to-mouth factory existence echoes Dickens's own travails in a blacking factory. His landlord Wilkins Micawber is sent to a debtor's prison after going bankrupt and David escapes the factory by walking all the way from London to Dover, to find his only known relative - his eccentric Aunt Betsy Trotwood - who agrees to bring him up, despite Mr Murdstone visiting in a bid to regain custody of David.
The story follows David as he grows to adulthood, and the novel is enlivened by the many (now) well-known characters who enter and leave and re-enter his life. These include: his faithful nurse, Peggotty, her family, and the orphan Little Em'ly who lives with them and charms the young David; his romantic but self-serving schoolfriend, Steerforth, who seduces and dishonours Little Em'ly, triggering the novel's greatest tragedy; and his landlord's daughter and ideal "angel in the house," Agnes Wickfield, who becomes his confidante.
The two most familiar characters are David's sometime mentor, the constantly in debt Mr. Wilkins Micawber, the devious and fraudulent clerk, Uriah Heep, whose misdeeds are eventually discovered with Micawber's assistance. Micawber is painted as a sympathetic character, even as the author deplores his financial improvidence; and Micawber, like Dickens's own father, is briefly imprisoned for indebtedness.
David first marries the beautiful but empty-headed Dora Spenlow, but she dies after suffering a miscarriage early in their marriage, enabling David to do some soul-searching and eventually to marry and find true happiness with Agnes, who had secretly always loved him. They have two sons and finally a daughter, who is named Betsy Trotwood Copperfield in honour of her godmother.
Until this point, i brought a summary of the book. As you probably can see, there is absolutely nothing special in this plot. Saying that this book is the "following after one ordinary 19th's man life, and nothing more then that", is- for my opinion- completly epitomizing, beacuse this is exactly what it is. I really can't understand what people find in this book that it has attain so many praises. Some of you may got angry after reading this review, and they may say that "this rude man doesn't understand anything about classic masterpieces", and if you are one of these people, let me ask you a question: would you consider to write a book about your grayish life? because this is exactly what Dickens did.
If you feel you must read a britain 19th century writer, i suggest you go and read one of Mark Twain's books.