And so we come to the end...

I told you I would finish it soon.

I'm done with David Copperfield. To be honest, I don't have much more to say about it - the last post in particular really captured my overall feelings about this book. It grew on me, and the characters crawled into my heart without my realizing it, leaving me stunned each time by how much their triumphs and trials affected me. I was again taken aback by the depth of feeling I had for Mrs. Steerforth in her anguish - she was never a very likable character, but the scene when David brings her his sad news just killed me.

David Copperfield was, to me, a very human book. And David himself epitomizes that. He is flawed, but generally good, and trying to be good. I identified with so many of his contradictory (and thus, particularly real) emotions...I'm not explaining this well. Here's an example:

They expected me home before Christmas; but had no idea of my returning so soon. I had purposely misled them, that I might have the pleasure of taking them by surprise. And yet, I was perverse enough to feel a chill and disappointment in receiving no welcome, and rattling, alone and silent, through the misty streets.

I just know (and assume others must as well) know those kinds of contradictory feelings so well, and I've rarely seen them expressed so clearly. That's all.

So it's over. From here, we go...where? Back to YA lit, perhaps. Tomorrow will be a day for browsing (during those rare moments when the library is quiet). Tonight, though, will be a time for enjoying that glow of knowing that I finished a really big book and, more importantly, that I found a book I could really connect to.