Inner Orchid

A gripping read. The plot had me spell bound and the entertaining characters were such fun. I loved to hate the arch villain of the piece. Reading this was a wonderful escape, which is just what a book should provide. Those who criticise Dickens' use of coincidence haven't lived in a less densely populated England. It used to be quite common to bump into old acquaintances in London, just as in the story. Nowadays you'd never spot anyone you knew amongst the hordes of people everywhere. Most friends and acquaintances have all moved away from London anyway! The interlocking of lives in the string of villages which was once London has been destroyed. Dickens shows a very different country from a different time.