Smart, funny, socially insightful and brilliantly plotted as only Dickens can brilliantly plot, this book has a hole in its center--there is no sympathetic central character (such as Pip or Sydney Carton) for the reader to hang onto. Mr. Gradgrind does end up sympathetic, but I would have liked more insight into him from the start. Louisa and Sissy are also sympathetic, but we get very little insight into them, either. There are the usual Angels (Rachael and Stephen) and Demons (Mr. Bounderby, Mrs. Sparsit) but not enough complex, rounded characters to make this novel great.