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Quick answer: If you loved Oliver Twist, read Dickens's Great Expectations and David Copperfield, then A Christmas Carol, Hard Times, Jane Eyre and A Little Princess. All are Victorian novels about orphans, poverty and the kindness or cruelty of strangers.
Charles Dickens's 1838 novel follows an orphan boy who runs away from a workhouse to London and falls in with Fagin's gang of thieves, in a story that exposes the harshness of the Poor Law. It is dramatic, funny and sentimental. The books below offer similar tales of orphans, social reform and Victorian life.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Expectations | Charles Dickens | Adult | Dickens's finest |
| David Copperfield | Charles Dickens | Adult | coming of age |
| A Christmas Carol | Charles Dickens | All ages | classic ghost story |
| Hard Times | Charles Dickens | Adult | industrial England |
| Nicholas Nickleby | Charles Dickens | Adult | cruel schools |
| A Tale of Two Cities | Charles Dickens | Adult | French Revolution |
| Jane Eyre | Charlotte Bronte | Adult | gothic romance |
| A Little Princess | Frances Hodgson Burnett | Ages 8-12 | orphan at school |
| The Secret Garden | Frances Hodgson Burnett | Ages 8-12 | orphan and a garden |
| Anne of Green Gables | L. M. Montgomery | All ages | spirited girl |
| Les Miserables | Victor Hugo | Adult | French epic |
| Tess of the d'Urbervilles | Thomas Hardy | Adult | tragic heroine |
| Little Women | Louisa May Alcott | All ages | sisters growing up |
| The Adventures of Tom Sawyer | Mark Twain | All ages | boyhood mischief |
| The Wolves of Willoughby Chase | Joan Aiken | Ages 9-13 | Victorian adventure |
1. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
An orphan named Pip rises in the world and learns what matters. Dark and moving.
Best for: Dickens's finest.
2. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
David grows up from a miserable childhood to become a writer. Warm and funny.
Best for: coming of age.
3. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Scrooge is visited by three ghosts and changes his ways. Short and warm.
Best for: classic ghost story.
4. Hard Times by Charles Dickens
A school and a mill town challenge the ideas of the age. Short for Dickens and pointed.
Best for: industrial England.
5. Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens
A young man fights the cruelty of a boarding school and his uncle. Lively and long.
Best for: cruel schools.
6. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Two men are bound together by love and sacrifice in Paris and London. Classic.
Best for: French Revolution.
7. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
An orphan becomes a governess and meets the secretive Mr. Rochester. Passionate.
Best for: gothic romance.
8. A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
A wealthy girl loses her fortune at a boarding school. Gentle and hopeful.
Best for: orphan at school.
9. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
A lonely girl discovers a hidden garden. A gentle, hopeful classic.
Best for: orphan and a garden.
10. Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
A talkative orphan changes a quiet farm. Warm, funny and timeless.
Best for: spirited girl.
11. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
Jean Valjean tries to escape his past in nineteenth-century France. Sweeping.
Best for: French epic.
12. Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
A poor girl is wronged by society and men. Powerful and sad.
Best for: tragic heroine.
13. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
The four March sisters grow up during the American Civil War. Heartwarming.
Best for: sisters growing up.
14. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
A boy in a Mississippi town gets into scrapes. Funny and nostalgic.
Best for: boyhood mischief.
15. The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken
Two girls fight a wicked governess in an alternate England. Gothic and thrilling.
Best for: Victorian adventure.
How to Choose
For more Dickens begin with Great Expectations or A Christmas Carol. For orphan stories pick A Little Princess, The Secret Garden or Jane Eyre. For Victorian social issues read Hard Times or Nicholas Nickleby. For other epics try Les Miserables or A Tale of Two Cities. Oliver Twist is long and episodic, so these picks suit readers who enjoy classic storytelling. Oliver Twist was first published in monthly instalments, and its famous request for more gruel remains one of English literature's best-known scenes. The musical Oliver! and several films have kept the story alive.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Oliver Twist about?
An orphan escapes a workhouse and falls in with a gang of thieves in London.
Who wrote it?
Charles Dickens.
When was it published?
1837 to 1839 as a serial, then in book form in 1838-39.
Is it suitable for children?
Older children may enjoy it, though it has violence and dark themes.
Is there a musical?
Yes, Oliver!, and many films.
Is Fagin a controversial character?
Yes, because of antisemitic stereotypes, which modern editions often discuss.
Is it long?
About 500 pages.
What should I read next?
Try Great Expectations or A Christmas Carol.
Which book here is best for industrial England?
Try Hard Times by Charles Dickens, which suits readers looking for industrial England.
Which book here is best for gothic romance?
Try Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, which suits readers looking for gothic romance.
Which book here is best for spirited girl?
Try Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery, which suits readers looking for spirited girl.
Which book here is best for sisters growing up?
Try Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, which suits readers looking for sisters growing up.