One of Dickens's finest novels, Great Expectations chronicles the
fortunes of its young protagonist Pip as he is unexpectedly endowed by a
mysterious benefactor with the life of a gentleman, enabling him to
escape to London from the prospect of a humble blacksmith's career in
rural Kent. In the bustling, unforgiving capital he must learn for
himself the pitfalls of love and wealth, and how to sort his friends
from his enemies.
Through the lives of its unforgettable and iconic characters - such as
Magwitch, Miss Havisham and Estella - Great Expectations charts the
course of an England undergoing rapid social and economic change, and
tells a tale that is among the foremost classics of the English
language.