Nicholas Royle

Advantages: Witty, intelligent
Disadvantages: A bit narrow a focus

...Nicholas Royle's text on Jacques Derrida is part of a recent series put out by the Routledge Press, designed under the general editorial direction of Robert Eaglestone (Royal Holloway, University of London), to explore the most recent and exciting ideas in intellectual development during the past century or so. To this end, figures such as Martin Heidegger, Sigmund Freud, Friedrich Nietzsche, Paul Ricoeur, and other influential thinkers in critical thought are highlighted in the series, planned to include at least 21 volumes in all. Royle's text, following the pattern of the others, includes background information on Derrida and its significance, the key ideas and sources, and Derrida's continuing impact on other thinkers. As the series preface indicates, no critical thinker arises in a vacuum, so the context, influences and broader... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Makes academic debates appealing to a wider readership
Disadvantages: Its conciseness means you're left wanting more!

...I may sound a little swotty, enjoying my literary criticism so much, but let me assure you that literary theory can be cool. Bennett and Royle prove this perfectly. This wonderfully accessible book is great for anyone studying English at undergraduate level, particularly if they have any papers in Literary Theory. Also very useful if you like reading and analysing texts, thinking about contextuality and intertextuality. (I was told in the 'Will you, nil you...' review I wrote that I shouldn't explain literary terms as it could patronise some review readers, so I won't explain that intertextuality means writers' references to other works of literature in their own works... oops... I guess I had to put it in there just in case an aspiring young soul who is about to embark on a degree needed a little explanation :) Anyway, moving on... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Good plot
Disadvantages: One-dimensional characters

...Nicholas Nickleby is the first “romance” that Dickens wrote, which isn’t hard to tell while you’re reading it. It is very openly about good and evil, and possibly as a consequence of this most of the characters are somewhat two-dimensional. The plot engages the reader very easily, simply by changing direction every few chapters. The main character is, as one might expect from the title, Nicholas Nickleby, who comes to London with his mother and sister to seek financial assistance from his uncle after the death of his father. As Nicholas is inherently good and generous, and his uncle Ralph is inherently evil and a miser, the two take an instant dislike to each other, and this dislike drives the rest of the book. Ralph arranges for Nicholas to work as assistant master at a school in Yorkshire, a position he knows he will quickly come... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful