I did not read this cover-to-cover; I experienced it in a class where excerpts were the only viable option. Overall, I enjoyed what I read of it. Fielding is still establishing what a novel is in this one, and that's part of the reason why it has lasted. The story is charming and hilarious at times, but it's not a masterful plot. It can be dry for a few chapters on end. Perhaps someday I'll read it all the way through--perhaps not.