„[She wasn't] a logically reasoning woman, but God is good, and hearts may count in heaven as high as heads.“ -Charles Dickens, Our Mutual Friend
 
The novel "Our Mutual Friend" by Charles Dickens, here in a First Edition, published by Chapman and Hall in 1865, was illustrated by Marcus Stone with 40 plates and is still clothed in the original linen book cover. These two beautiful books are still in good condition, they endured the years greatly. A few stains, bumps and cracks on the edges and covers, as well as light foxing on the inside can not diminish the elegance with which these two were composed. Very rare to obtain in this edition. 
 
"Our Mutual Friend" is the last novel, Charles Dickens finished and one of his most sophisticated works, combining savage satire with social analysis. How J. Hillis Miller wrote about a character of the book, Bella Wilfer: it's about "money, money, money and what money can make of life" and the story indeed revolves around the impact, that money and the greed for it can have on the lives of many different characters.  The variety of characteristics influence the story in being really complex but really interesting to read too. Critics of the 19th century had mixed receptions, they judged the story as too difficult and the story as not well laid out, but in the 20th century, after Dickens' death, the story was rediscovered and found great approvement, sharing this destiny with many of his later works. The new general opinion paints a much better picture: the author is trying a new approach on structuring and the characters portrayed (what was not recognized by the contemporary people then,) are, in fact, exceptional authentic examples of the victorian working class. All in all, "Our Mutual Friend" is actually one of Dickens' greatest works, but judge for yourself.