Classics
Great Expectations
Pip, a poor blacksmith's apprentice in the Kent marshes, is told by a lawyer that a mysterious benefactor will make him a gentleman. He moves to London and must reckon with the cost of his ambition.
Facts last checked 2026-10-16
- First published
- 1861
- Pace
- Slow
- Length
- Long
- Pages
- 512
- Format
- Standalone
Read this if you like a classic with a strong plot, memorable characters and a sharp sense of social class.
Skip this if you find nineteenth-century prose slow going.
The feel
Content warnings
Quick answers about Great Expectations
- What is Great Expectations about?
- Pip, a poor blacksmith's apprentice in the Kent marshes, is told by a lawyer that a mysterious benefactor will make him a gentleman. He moves to London and must reckon with the cost of his ambition.
- Who should read Great Expectations?
- Read it if you like a classic with a strong plot, memorable characters and a sharp sense of social class. Skip it if you find nineteenth-century prose slow going.
- How long and how fast is Great Expectations?
- It is a slow-paced, long read of about 512 pages, first published in 1861.
- Does Great Expectations have content warnings?
- Content we flag: Violence, Death.
- Can I borrow Great Expectations for free?
- Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends Great Expectations; the borrow button above searches it for you.
- What should I read after Great Expectations?
- Readers who liked it often move on to David Copperfield, Oliver Twist, The Count of Monte Cristo.
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Where to get it
| Store | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Borrow free | ||
| Libby / OverDrive | Free with a library card | Borrow free with Libby from Libby / OverDrive |
| Print, new | ||
| Amazon | Check price | Buy new from Amazon |
| Ebook | ||
| Kobo | Check price | Buy ebook from Kobo |
| Google Play Books | Check price | Buy ebook from Google Play Books |
| Audiobook | ||
| Audible | Check price | Buy audiobook from Audible |
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Because you might love it
If you loved Great Expectations
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David Copperfield
Another Dickens novel about a young man making his way, longer and more comic.
-
Oliver Twist A darker Dickens story of an orphan, crime and the cruelty of the poor-law system.
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The Count of Monte Cristo
Another story of an unexpected fortune and a plan that goes beyond what its maker imagined.
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