47 pages • 1 hour read
Charles DickensThe Mystery of Edwin Drood
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1870A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens is set in the fictional town of Cloisterham, where young choir master John Jasper's nephew, Edwin Drood, mysteriously disappears, leading to various suspicions and conflicts within the community. Themes include jealousy and secrecy, with key characters like Neville and Helena Landless, and an unsettling figure known as Princess Puffer. The novel and guide reference drug addiction, colonialism, and racist beliefs.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Charles Dickens' unfinished novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, showcases his signature storytelling with vivid characters and intricate plotlines. Critics praise its atmospheric setting and suspenseful prose but note the frustration of its incomplete status, leaving the mystery unresolved. While it captivates, readers may feel deprived of closure.
Who Should Read The Mystery of Edwin Drood?
Readers who relish intricate Victorian mysteries with unresolved endings will enjoy The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens. Comparable to Wilkie Collins's The Woman in White and Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes series, this unfinished novel entices fans of classic literature and gothic suspense.