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Quick answer: If you loved David Copperfield, try Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, Demon Copperhead, Jane Eyre, The Goldfinch and Tom Jones. Each one offers a long, rich coming-of-age story with unforgettable characters and a hero fighting his way through life.
Charles Dickens called this 1850 novel his favorite child. It follows David from his unhappy childhood under a cruel stepfather, through work in a London warehouse, to his life as a successful writer. Along the way he meets Mr. Micawber, Aunt Betsey Trotwood, the scheming Uriah Heep and his friend Steerforth. Readers love its humor, its heart and its villains. These books share its sweep, its orphans and its cast of characters.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Setting | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Expectations | Charles Dickens | Victorian England | readers who want more Dickens |
| Oliver Twist | Charles Dickens | Victorian London | readers who like orphan tales |
| Demon Copperhead | Barbara Kingsolver | Appalachia | readers who want a modern retelling |
| Jane Eyre | Charlotte Brontë | Victorian England | readers who like a hard childhood |
| The Goldfinch | Donna Tartt | Modern America | readers who like a Dickensian modern novel |
| Tom Jones | Henry Fielding | 18th-century England | readers who like comic adventures |
| Vanity Fair | William Makepeace Thackeray | Regency England | readers who like social satire |
| Middlemarch | George Eliot | Victorian England | readers who want a great Victorian novel |
| Of Human Bondage | W. Somerset Maugham | Edwardian England | readers who like a life story |
| The Cider House Rules | John Irving | Maine | readers who like orphanages |
| The World According to Garp | John Irving | New England | readers who like a whole life on the page |
| Nicholas Nickleby | Charles Dickens | Victorian England | readers who want a lighter Dickens |
| The Mill on the Floss | George Eliot | Victorian England | readers who like sibling bonds |
| Bleak House | Charles Dickens | Victorian London | readers who want Dickens at his biggest |
| The Way of All Flesh | Samuel Butler | Victorian England | readers who like rebellion against families |
1. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
An orphan receives a mysterious fortune.
Best for: readers who want more Dickens.
2. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
An orphan falls in with a gang of child thieves.
Best for: readers who like orphan tales.
3. Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
A boy in Appalachia survives foster care and addiction.
Best for: readers who want a modern retelling.
4. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
An orphan girl grows into an independent governess.
Best for: readers who like a hard childhood.
5. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
A boy who survives a museum bombing keeps a stolen painting.
Best for: readers who like a Dickensian modern novel.
6. Tom Jones by Henry Fielding
A foundling has bawdy adventures on his way to love.
Best for: readers who like comic adventures.
7. Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray
A clever, ruthless woman climbs society.
Best for: readers who like social satire.
8. Middlemarch by George Eliot
Lives in an English town are shaped by marriage and ambition.
Best for: readers who want a great Victorian novel.
9. Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham
A young man with a clubfoot struggles to find his way.
Best for: readers who like a life story.
10. The Cider House Rules by John Irving
An orphan grows up in the care of a doctor.
Best for: readers who like orphanages.
11. The World According to Garp by John Irving
The son of a famous feminist grows up to become a writer.
Best for: readers who like a whole life on the page.
12. Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens
A young man supports his family after his father's death.
Best for: readers who want a lighter Dickens.
13. The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot
A brother and sister grow up and apart on a river mill.
Best for: readers who like sibling bonds.
14. Bleak House by Charles Dickens
A never-ending lawsuit tangles many lives.
Best for: readers who want Dickens at his biggest.
15. The Way of All Flesh by Samuel Butler
A young man escapes his strict family.
Best for: readers who like rebellion against families.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with David Copperfield: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to David Copperfield. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most. If a pick is part of a longer series, read the first book before you commit, and check the age or content notes in the table before passing a book to a younger reader.
How to Choose
For the closest Dickens experience, read Great Expectations, then Nicholas Nickleby if you want something lighter or Bleak House if you want his biggest canvas. Demon Copperhead is a brilliant modern retelling, and it won the Pulitzer Prize. If you loved the long, life-spanning story, Of Human Bondage and The Cider House Rules are wonderful. Jane Eyre is the best choice for readers who want another hard childhood that grows into a strong adult.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is David Copperfield about?
It follows David from a hard childhood to adulthood as a successful writer, with many memorable characters along the way.
Is David Copperfield autobiographical?
Partly. Dickens drew on his own childhood, including working in a factory as a boy.
How long is David Copperfield?
It is very long, usually more than 800 pages.
Who is Uriah Heep?
A falsely humble clerk who schemes to take control of the Wickfield business.
Is there a movie?
Yes. Recent versions include The Personal History of David Copperfield from 2019, starring Dev Patel.