I'm not saying that 'Bleak House' is kicking my ass, but I'm coming to the conclusion that this is a novel best suited for reading in installments like it was originally published. And then I read this article that confirmed my suspicions. So, I'm no longer ashamed to be taking my time with 'Bleak House.' I have time to catch up, he said airily.
I'm 118 pages in and not much is happening. We've caught barely a glimpse of the great and all-consuming lawsuit, Jarndyce and Jardyce, that is at the heart of the novel. I don't know if Dickens provides more details about the suit or if it's like the shark in 'Jaws:' the less we see of it, the scarier it is. So far, most of the story is centered on Esther Summerson, an almost impossibly good-natured orphan who is drawn into the world of the lawsuit as a 'Ward of Jardyce.' The purpose of these wards--Esther is one of three--is unknown at this point, but considering we've met an elderly former ward who's since gone mad, I'm not optimistic for Esther.
But I am optimistic that my perseverance will be rewarded.
Note to FTC fucks: 'Bleak House' is from my personal collection.
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