The Old Curiosity Shop - the book

I have started reading this, and find I have to allow myself to slow down and take in the scenes.
I normally tear through books, but with Dickens I can't. I have to read slowly and accept that there'll be side-tracks and cameos, and odd characters who are there for the sake of it, and as part of the background.

If I don't read it in this way, I miss the humour and I lose the plot. So I'm making myself take it at a much gentler pace.

Reading The Old Curisoity Shop

I have begun to read The Old Curisoity Shop. I always have to slow down a bit to read Dickens. My first question is - who is the 'I' character in the book?

But Dickens then removes him anyway, and does the 19th Century ominscient author - nothing surprising about that - it's just no longer fashionable, I guess.

Quilp is even more obnoxious in the book than he was in the TV adaptation - his treatment of Mrs Quilp in particular. I am unsure how she got herself into the invidious position.

The Old Curiosity Shop - ITV adaptation

I don't know the original, apart from the Oscar Wilde quote "One would have to have a heart of stone to read the death of Little Nell without laughing."
This adaptation was a good introduction to the story, without the depth of character and humour of Dickens. The main characters were excellent - Derek Jacobi as Nell's father, the compulsive gambler for all the best reasons... Sophie Vavasseur as Nell herself, Toby Jones as the obnoxious Quilp. It's made me want to read the book.