the mystery of edwin drood by charles dickens

Jasper then tells people how he fears for Edwin’s life, so violent is Neville’s temper. They quarrel and their quarrel is exacerbated by Jasper, who drugs their drinks and gets them so heated up that Neville tries to attack Edwin.

Neville is instantly smitten with Rosa and resents Edwin because he does not properly appreciate Rosa. They quarrel and tease and only stay engaged because they are so used to the idea that it doesn’t occur to them that they need not marry.īut into this state of affairs comes the Landless twins, Neville and Helena. But because Edwin and Rosa have been engaged since they were babies, they don’t view each other in a romantic light. Both their fathers were widowed and good friends and hoped their respective child would find happiness with the other.

His nephew is Edwin Drood, who believes, along with everyone else, that Jasper is completely devoted to him.Įdwin and Rosa have been engaged since they were babies. The story is set in Cloisterham, a cathedral town, where John Jasper is the choir master, though also an opium addict with some inner demons and in love with his nephew’s fiance, Rosa Bud. What is frustrating is that he got far enough to generate sympathy and interest in the characters and far enough to set up his mystery, but not far enough to tip his hand as to the final outcome. I knew it was an unfinished novel, but somehow it didn’t register in my brain that it would not be satisfying to be left hanging in the middle of a book, especially a mystery.Ĭharles Dickens began The Mystery of Edwin Drood in 1870 in serial form, but died unexpectedly before the book was complete. I have a goal to read every novel written by Charles Dickens and when I finished reading The Mystery of Edwin Drood last week, I came within three books of that goal: Nicholas Nickleby, The Old Curiosity Shop, and Barnaby Rudge. I must say, however, that I did not anticipate how frustratingly tantalizing it would be to read The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Original illustrations by Sir Samuel Luke Fildes

The mystery of edwin drood by charles dickens