Born on 7 February 1812, in Portsmouth, Charles Dickens was one of the greatest novelists of the Victorian era. He created some of the most intriguing fictional characters in literature. The author's success began with the 1836 publication of the Pickwick Papers, following which he became an international celebrity. Known for his humour, satire and incisive representation of society through his characters, his literary triumphs include A Tale of Two Cities, David Copperfield, Oliver Twist, and Great Expectations. A literary colossus of his time, he wrote 15 novels, 5 novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles. He even performed for Queen Victoria in 1851. Such was the charisma of the author that the term Dickensian, is still used to describe situations reminiscent of his narratives. Literary stalwarts like Leo Tolstoy, George Orwell and G.K. Chesterton admired him for his comedy, prose style and realism. The quintessential Victorian author died in 1870, and was buried in Westminster Abbey.
Unaware of her past, Esther arrives in John Jarndyces house as his ward. She becomes good friends with Jarndyces distant cousins, Ada and Richard. Richard marries Ada secretly, but his obsession with the epic case of Jarndyce and Jarndyce destroys him. He fights a long court battle to claim his inheritance, losing his health, wealth, happiness and peace of mind. Will Richard emerge victorious in a court case which is a family curse? Bleak Houseconsidered one of the best novels by Charles Dickens is an extraordinary classic that not only presents the importance of human values and relationships but also throws light on the British judicial system of the time.
