Charles Dickens's novels ranked
The top 3 according to 48 votes from people: Bleak House · David Copperfield · Great Expectations. (Updated Jun 25, 2025.)
Every Dickens novel, with Bleak House and Great Expectations fighting for the top as critics and readers usually rank them, and Pickwick and Chuzzlewit near the bottom.
Top 16
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1
Bleak House
1852-1853. The endless Jarndyce lawsuit; for serious critics, his finest.
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2
David Copperfield
1849-1850. His own favourite, close to autobiography.
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3
Great Expectations
1860-1861. Pip, Miss Havisham and a mysterious benefactor.
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4
Our Mutual Friend
1864-1865. His last completed novel, about money and the Thames.
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5
Little Dorrit
1855-1857. The debtors' prison of his childhood.
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6
Dombey and Son
1846-1848. A proud businessman and the daughter he ignores.
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7
Nicholas Nickleby
1838-1839. A young man against a cruel school.
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8
Barnaby Rudge
1841. The Gordon Riots of 1780.
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9
Martin Chuzzlewit
1843-1844. Often called his weakest, with a trip to America.
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10
Hard Times
1854. Facts, facts, facts in an industrial town.
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11
The Old Curiosity Shop
1840-1841. Little Nell, whose fate gripped two continents.
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12
A Tale of Two Cities
1859. London and Paris in the Revolution; the easiest to read.
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13
A Christmas Carol
1843. Scrooge and three ghosts; a novella, but impossible to leave out.
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14
The Pickwick Papers
1836-1837. His first novel, which wasn't meant to be one.
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15
The Mystery of Edwin Drood
1870. Left unfinished at his death; the ending is still debated.
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16
Oliver Twist
1837-1839. An orphan among London thieves.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
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Comments (2)
Martin Chuzzlewit last is harsh, the American chapters are hilarious
Great Expectations will always be my number one, sorry Bleak House