First published 1844
Martin Chuzzlewit carries the family curse of selfishness like a birthright. When family money becomes the prize, Martin finds himself pitted against his cousin Jonas, another heir to the Chuzzlewit legacy of greed. Martin's journey takes him across the Atlantic to America, where he encounters the worst of human nature in a society built on false promises and corruption. Meanwhile, Jonas descends into increasingly desperate criminal acts back in England. The notorious Mrs Gamp, with her gin-soaked wisdom and dubious medical skills, presides over a world where hypocrisy and blackmail drive the action. As Martin struggles toward moral awakening, Jonas spirals deeper into darkness. Their contrasting fates reveal whether the Chuzzlewit bloodline can be redeemed or if selfishness will destroy them both. Dickens weaves their stories through a landscape of swindlers and hypocrites, testing whether genuine transformation can triumph over inherited vice.
Genres: classic-literature, american-fiction, historical-fiction, 19th-century
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, moral-redemption
Setting: America, England
Period: 19th-century
829 pages · Paperback · Penguin Classics