Not all aspects of his personality were applaudable. Certainly the ill treatment of his wife and their eventual separation was most cruel. But the sheer volume of work, travel and socialising he embarked upon throughout his life was astonishing. His charitable work and empathy for those in need was one of many threads that contribute to the man he was. Tomalin takes you through each stage of his life right from childhood as we see Dicken's talent and determination unfold around London and later across continents. His writing habits and the sheer volume and diligence he applied is remarkable and so too are the wealth of relationships that were forged and lost along the way. The depth of some, and equally the shallowness of others, is quite surprising and at some points I started to identify characteristics within Dickens that should belong to some of his most eccentric characters.
This month The Invisible Woman hits the cinemas offering a further exploration into one of the most significant relationships he embarked upon with Nelly Ternan, the young stage actress who sealed the end of his marriage. Tomalin peels back the layers of secrets that were employed to keep this out of the public eye to reveal a tale of deceit worthy of one of his very own novels. This new film is based on one of her earlier books so it will be interesting to see what Ralph Fiennes, both starring and directing, makes of it. Given the depth of Tomalin's research it should be an interesting portrayal of this complex man.
This book is a great read for anyone interested in Dicken's and the society he lived in, along with the company he kept and the London he inhabited.
