A joy to read - Rated 
I first read this (actually that should say I was first forced to read this) in school over 20 years ago. I hated it. It was disected to within an inch of its life and I came to dread those lessons with a passion. What a shame that school can manage to put off even the most ardent of readers. Isn't reading supposed to be about enjoyment?
I picked this up a couple of weeks ago out of curiosity and read the first page while standing in the bookshop. Before I knew it I had read the entire first chapter and loved it. There is such humour in Dicken's books that would have been totally wasted on me as a 15 year old.
It took me a few weeks to read (hence the 4 stars as I had to concentrate more than with other books) but I thought it was just wonderful. I remembered so little of the story from the first time around that it was like reading a new book. What a fantastic array of characters I came to know. Just loved it.
Simply a Classic - Rated 
That I came to the novel fully aware of the storyline (through numerous TV and film adaptations) and still raced through the novel is an indication of the quality of the story and its characters.
What did surprise me, which having subsequently watched David Lean's adaptation may be down to selective memory, was what an awful individual Pip became during the course of the novel.
I would also have preferred Dickens originally conceived ending to the novel which appears much more in keeping with the general tone than the revised ending.
Expectations met - Rated 
I am not fan of Dickens' novels or his prose, but recognise that his body of work is accepted as hugely impressive and influential.
The plot and principal characters of Great Expectations are well known. The introduction to the penguin paperback made much of Pip's sense of guilt at the fate that befell his sister and his neglect of Joe and Biddy. I was left mostly with the impression however, that one of the defining characteristics of Pip is that he feels a sense of self worthlessness. I attribute this to the fact of his being an orphan. Pip clings to Joe and even in the end, Magwitch, as something like father figures.
What is remarkable about the narrative is Pip's honesty with himself - he is really quite flawed and weak in many ways and does not shirk responsibility for how things turn out. But that he is also possessed of immense goodness and kindness, there is no doubt. The ending is intriguingly left slightly open, but on balance, you have to think that Pip will end up with his beloved Estella after all. Great Expectations is a dark novel and the characters are drawn by an author who like Shakespeare, had a deep insight in to human psychology. Great Expectations is not only unforgettable because of its basic story, but also because of its wonderful characters: the flawed hero Pip, the deranged and bitter Miss Havisham and the extraordinary creation that is Jaggers the solicitor.
One of the six truly great Dickens novels - Rated
Unforgettable - watch the great David Lean film, then read this, or vice versa - you will not be disappointed!
Highly enjoyable - Rated
A really enjoyable read. By the end I felt completely immersed within the story, and anxious to discover Pip's fate. The book has some very touching moments, and shows that there is no pure good, no pure evil, but a lot of in between. I read many novels and can usually guess at whats coming, but I must say I did not see many of the twists and turns of the book (I won't give them away!). The characters are very deep, from the eccentric miss havisham, the icy beauty estella, the friendly herbert, and loyal Joe. I have enjoyed every moment and it is firmly established as one of my favorites
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