Our Mutual Friend
by Charles Dickens
The latest novel by our mutual friend Dickens gives one of the most complete and insightful accounts of Victorian society. A vision of culture drowned in materialistic values emerges not only through its central narratives, but also through its seemingly random characters and scenes. The head of several conspiracies focuses on John Harmon, who returns to England as his father's heir. It is believed that he was strangled under suspicious circumstances - a situation that suited his desire for anonymity until he appreciated Bella Wilfer, who had to marry to secure his inheritance. The story is filled with colorful characters and events – the pale aristocrats and parvenus gathered at Spearing's dinner table, Betty Higden and workplace horror, and the greedy conspiracies of Silas Wegg.
