Oliver Twist vs Paul the Peddler: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Boys, Children, Children's fiction, Fiction
Oliver Twist
“AMONG other public buildings in a certain town, which for many reasons it will be prudent to refrain from mentioning, and to which I will assign no fictitious name, there is one anciently common to most towns, great or small: to wit, a work-house; and in this work-house was born-on a day and date which I need not trouble myself to repeat, inasmuch as it can be of no possible consequence to the rea”
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Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress, is the second novel by English author Charles Dickens. It was originally published as a serial from 1837 to 1839, and as a three-volume book in 1838. The story follows the…
Paul the Peddler
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Young Paul is determined to win a better life for his mother, and he sets out on a whirlwind of entrepreneurial jobs to try to make a good living. From selling candy packages outside the post office to neckties from a…
Side by side
The verdict
- Ratings are close across the board — any is a safe pick by score.
- Paul the Peddler is the quickest read — about 2 hours vs 8 for Oliver Twist.
- Oliver Twist has the widest readership — 436808 ratings behind its score.
- Oliver Twist runs the darker storyline; Paul the Peddler stays the lighter read.
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How to choose
Scores by source
| Oliver Twist | Paul the Peddler | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 3.9 (436808) | 3.9 (61) |
| Hardcover | 3.7 (470) | — |
| Google Books | 1.0 (1) | — |
| Apple Books | 4.5 (1705) | 4.5 (7) |
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Reception
| Oliver Twist | Paul the Peddler | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 436808 | 61 |
| Editions | 2209 | 18 |
| Citations | 21 | — |
| Film adaptations | 1 | — |
| Want to read | 378023 | — |
| Reading it now | 22081 | — |
| Written reviews | 13239 | — |
| Wikipedia attention | 32211 | — |
| Pages | 434 | 161 |
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Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: Oliver Twist or Paul the Peddler?
Paul the Peddler has the higher combined reader rating across sources (Paul the Peddler 3.9/5, Oliver Twist 3.9/5).
Which is shorter to read: Oliver Twist or Paul the Peddler?
Paul the Peddler is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: Paul the Peddler (161 pages, ≈ 2 h 59 m); Oliver Twist (434 pages, ≈ 8 h 02 m).
Which is harder to read: Oliver Twist or Paul the Peddler?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — Oliver Twist: Challenging; Paul the Peddler: Moderate.
Have both books been made into films?
Oliver Twist: 5 film adaptations; Paul the Peddler: no film adaptation on record.