By Robert Mack
I haven't seen the movie
with Johnny Depp. I tell you this as the version of the book I read was sort of a movie tie in release with him on the cover. Yet inside is the original version of The String of Pearls, a serial 1st released in 1846-1847. You learn all about the history of the story in the introduction.You know, I appreciate introductions in old stories. They really help to put me in the right frame of mind. I have read reviews on Amazon where people don't like how they talk about the story as if you are familiar with it already and you should read it last. I can see this and agree that if commentary is going to be given reflecting on the story if probably should be in an afterword. Oh well. I already knew the gist of the story. I learned all about it from the movie Jersey Girl
. Unlike other classic stories where I thought I knew the plot, that actually turned out to be the case this time. It didn't take away from the enjoyment at all.I thought that this was a wonderful story. It was written in a serial format, one chapter was release a week, and each is pretty engaging. Most are fairly complete. By this I mean that is is like reading a TV show where the actions of the characters resolve each chapters immediate conflict by the end. This isn't always the case especially near the end of the book where the drama and suspense increases in the hunt to catch Sweeney Todd. But I get ahead of myself. Most chapters also end with some kind of tidbit to keep you yearning for the next installment.
For being written in the 1800's the language wasn't difficult to read as I've often found to be the case. Some words/phrases/objects are defined in the appendix but not all. I owe the readability to the class of reader this story was written to . It was originally a penny a copy, or a penny dreadful. This at a time when a Charles Dickens serial part cost 1 shilling and the first single volume edition of Pickwick Papers (compared because it was released in 1837) was 21 shillings. Serials were marked to the common man at a very affordable price.
If you are worried this will be a gruesome book. Don't be. While there is murder and worse, it is all alluded to, not described. I feel that this makes for a more powerful story as the horrors are left to your imagination. From what I've read online about the move, if you are expecting a book form of the movie you will be disappointed. If you pick up this book with an open mind for the story I think you will have no trouble polishing it off and will be as satisfied had you eaten at Mrs. Lovett's Pie Shop.
