This is Dickens’s last novel but it is unfinished; thus, its mystery remains unsolved. We first begin Edwin Drood’s uncle John Jasper the choirmaster of the Cloisterham Cathedral while he is using opium in a low-down place. In the beginning of the book, Edwin and his uncle seem to relate to each other well with the uncle calling him “Ned” a nickname which no one else calls Edwin by.

Edwin Drood is a young engineer with prospects of becoming a partner in the firm of his late father. He is to marry Rosa Bud as arranged by their parents before they died. Rosa is referred to as Pussy by both Edwin and his uncle. Rosa Bud is a somewhat spoiled beautiful orphan living in a boarding school, the Nun’s House, as her guardian Mr. Mr. Grewgious has seen fit, since Rosa has inherited a hefty inheritance. At some point in the story, Mr. Grewgious offers Edwin Rosa’s mother’s ring to be returned if he were to decide he didn’t want to marry Rosa.

Earlier when Edwin Drood goes to see Rosa in the Nun’s House, Rosa is flighty and doesn’t seem to care much for Edwin.

Then, Neville and Helena arrive at the Nun’s house to get their education. Helena and Rosa get along well. Neville become a student of the Reverend Mr. Crisparkle. Neville, thinking that Edwin doesn’t appreciate Rosa, insults him but the Reverend asks him to apologize to Edwin.

When Edwin and Rosa agree to end their engagement, Mr. Grewgious is chosen to inform Edwin’s uncle.

Edwin takes his pocket watch to a jeweler for repairs where he runs into an opium addict who tells him that “Ned” is in danger as he has heard it in the opium den. That day John Jasper buys a black silk scarf.

During Christmas Eve dinner, Edwin and Neville make peace between then an take a walk to the river to watch a storm.

The next day, Edwin is missing and Jasper is accusing Neville for harming Edwin, which Neville has no inkling that he was missing. Neville is taken to jail, but the Reverend Crisparkle saves him.

That night when Mr. Grewgious tells Jasper that Rosa and Edwin have broken their engagement, Jasper takes it very badly.

Reverend Crisparkle finds Edwin’s jewelry by the river wall.

Six months later, while Neville and his neighbor Mr. Tartar share a garden, Jasper tells Rosa he’s in love with her, but Rosa rejects him and goes to London to complain to Mr. Grewgious as Jasper has threatened to harm Neville. The next day, the reverend and Mr. Tartar also arrive there. They plan to warn Helena and Neville of the danger they are in.

Also, Rosa rents a place with someone in London so she doesn’t have to return to Nun’s House for fear of Jasper.

The story becomes interrupted by Dickens’s death right after Jasper is followed by a woman who goes by the name Princess Puffer from the opium den. There is also Mr. Datchery who tells Puffer Jasper’s name. Datchery may be the disguise for a detective, but since the story was never finished, we can’t be certain of that.

It is believed that Dickens meant to end the story with John Jasper in jail for murdering his nephew so he could have Rosa for himself.

I think, however, the author has painted John Jasper as the evil villain and made him the central figure, thus as the antagonist, so far he steals the show.

The setting of the story is Cloisterham, a fictional town.

The storytelling is the usual Dickens’ style, but I didn’t notice much the wit he had shown with his other characters in the earlier books.

was Charles Dickens, (1812 - 1870). He was also a journalist, editor, illustrator and social commentator. His most famous books include Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, Nicholas Nickleby, David Copperfield, A Tale of Two Cities.

I neither recommend not nor not recommend this book. IT isn't much fun to read something, knowing the story will stop in the middle. I read it only because I took it upon myself to read everything Dickens wrote.

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Created Oct 23, 2020 at 5:53pm • Submit your own review...