Barnaby Rudge

' Barnaby Rudge' is a historical novel by Charles Dickens, depicting the anti-Catholic Gordon Riots of 1780 in England.It is a novel in which danger lurks around every corner, as the titular character and his mother venture across England to evade a mystery man that is haunting them. After arriving in London, the protagonists are swept up in the vortex of violence surrounding them as Barnaby is mistakenly captured by a group of soldiers and must escape before he is sentenced to death. ' Barnaby Rudge' is not simply a recollection of the riots but a sprawling story about lovers torn apart by their families and unsolved murders. Dickens' celebrated social criticism is portrayed in this novel as the urban decay in the London slums fosters ' the very scum and refuse' that return as a violent mob to destroy it. A terrifying addition to Dickens' collection, ' Barnaby Rudge' is recommended for fans of Dickens and Shakespeare.