Bleak House

Bleak House is one of Dickens' more accomplished novels. It's an intricately plotted book with many characters, and it draws upon Dickens' knowledge of England's Court of Chancery with the fictional case of Jarndyce v Jarndyce. The litigation has eaten up years and the vast majority of the estate due to conflicting wills. While the court case is certainly the backdrop, we also meet Esther Summerson, who comes to stay at Bleak House. Is she one of the heirs? Is that why Mr. Jarndyce wants to make sure she's well cared for at the estate? We also meet Lady Dedlock, who has her own secrets. Among the other characters, are cousins Richard Carstone and Ada Clair, who fall in love and are beneficiaries of one of the wills. Conflict and social commentary mix with satire and some of Dickens' best characters. Bleak House is a long, but rewarding novel. One of Dickens' best.