https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/3781272.html

I wasn't really satisfied. Arthur Kipps, the protagonist, comes from a humble background, gets a girl, unexpectedly becomes rich, gets a different girl, decides he can't take being middle class, goes back to the first girl, loses his money, gets it back again and ends up happy having found his place. Wells is trying to write about the evils of class distinction and inequality, but comes across as rather patronising of poor Kipps. I think it would have been interesting to speculate a bit about the absence of his father and early death of his mother made it difficult for Kipps to make relationships work; and a bit more editorial comment on the ritual humiliation meted out by the middle classes on a parvenu would have been welcome. (Having said that, I found Helen, the dumped girlfriend, rather sympathetic even though she is one of the main agents of this process.) So in the end I felt that the book rather pulled its punches. ( )

Not as good as his later The History of Mr. Polly (with which it shares several themes), but although the author sometimes seems uncertain whether his anti-hero behaves the way he does because of natural predisposition or simply out of callowness, he's a character I could certainly relate to. ( )

This social novel started out well enough, but soon began to drag and fall by the wayside. The premise was intriguing, and there seemed to be a good set-up, but then the novel did not deliver what was expected and seemed to haphazardly lead in all different directions. For these reasons, I do not recommend it.

2.5 stars. ( )

Really charming novel about class with lots of biographical info about Wells thrown in. Thoroughly enjoyable. I loved the ending. ( )

A wonderful tale of a not-very-bright, not-very-advantaged young man who gets caught up in the world of wealth and good manners. The basis of the musical Half a Sixpence. ( )