Barnaby Rudge vs The Guilty River: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: British and irish fiction, Classic Literature, Fiction
Barnaby Rudge
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Set against the backdrop of the Gordon Riots of 1780, Barnaby Rudge is a story of mystery and suspense which begins with an unsolved double murder and goes on to involve conspiracy, blackmail, abduction and retribution.…
The Guilty River
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During his lifetime, British fiction writer Wilkie Collins came to rival Charles Dickens in popularity and critical acclaim. Like Dickens, Collins often gravitated toward characters who overcame significant obstacles to…
Side by side
The verdict
- Readers rate Barnaby Rudge highest: Barnaby Rudge 3.8 · The Guilty River 3.3.
- The Guilty River is the quickest read — about 2 hours vs 12 for Barnaby Rudge.
- Barnaby Rudge has the widest readership — 11767 ratings behind its score.
- Barnaby Rudge runs the darker storyline; The Guilty River stays the lighter read.
How to choose
Scores by source
| Barnaby Rudge | The Guilty River | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 3.8 (11767) | 3.3 (419) |
| Hardcover | 3.5 (19) | 1.0 (1) |
| Apple Books | 4.5 (67) | 4.0 (8) |
Reception
| Barnaby Rudge | The Guilty River | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 11767 | 419 |
| Editions | 352 | 126 |
| Citations | 1 | — |
| Film adaptations | 1 | — |
| Want to read | 12844 | 334 |
| Reading it now | 707 | 13 |
| Written reviews | 934 | 61 |
| Wikipedia attention | 3034 | — |
| Pages | 665 | 124 |
Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: Barnaby Rudge or The Guilty River?
Barnaby Rudge has the higher combined reader rating across sources (Barnaby Rudge 3.8/5, The Guilty River 3.3/5).
Which is shorter to read: Barnaby Rudge or The Guilty River?
The Guilty River is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: The Guilty River (124 pages, ≈ 2 h 18 m); Barnaby Rudge (665 pages, ≈ 12 h 19 m).
Which is harder to read: Barnaby Rudge or The Guilty River?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — Barnaby Rudge: Demanding; The Guilty River: Demanding.
Have both books been made into films?
Barnaby Rudge: 2 film adaptations; The Guilty River: no film adaptation on record.