Dodger

My librarian friend, Heidi, loaned me an advanced reading copy of Terry Pratchett's newest novel, Dodger. We were having a discussion about wanting 1) a good novel to read (I have plenty of non-fiction on my "to read" list) and 2) a stand-alone novel. Heidi said she was tired of all the books in series.

This book is a crossover book. That means that it is good for YA (young adults) as well as adults. Dodger is a character in Victorian London who is fashioned after Charles Dickens' the Artful Dodger, and one of the main characters of the novel is a writer named Charlie Dickens. Also making an appearance is Fleet Street's fictional demon barber himself - Sweeney Todd.

Dodger is a tosher - someone who scrambles after money and items that fall into the sewers. He rescues a girl who is being beaten up from which the rest of the plot emerges.

I have to say that I enjoyed this book, although it will not receive one of my stars as a most favorite book of the year. While I found the writing clever and the characters charming, at times I found the action dragging and had to remind myself to pick it up again. However, for a light read, I would recommend it. It actually came out last week, so no more need for advanced reading copies.