The Newcomes

The Newcomes follows multiple generations of an English family across decades, chronicling their rise to wealth and social prominence through banking. The story centers on Colonel Thomas Newcome and his son Clive, set against the backdrop of Victorian society in both England and India. Clive Newcome pursues his passion for painting despite social pressure, while navigating complex relationships with his extended family - particularly his cousin Barnes Newcome and the beautiful Ethel. The narrative spans continents and years, taking readers from London's high society to European art scenes and colonial India. This Victorian novel was originally published as a serial between 1854-1855, featuring illustrations by Richard Doyle and narrated by Arthur Pendennis. It exists in the same literary universe as Thackeray's other works, including Vanity Fair. The Newcomes examines themes of social mobility, artistic expression versus societal expectations, and the tension between moral character and material success in Victorian England.

Readers call The Newcomes slower-paced and longer than Thackeray's Vanity Fair, but appreciate its emotional depth and complex character development. Many note it feels more personal and intimate than his other works. Liked: - Colonel Newcome emerges as one of literature's most memorable father figures - Rich social commentary on Victorian society and values - Strong character relationships and family dynamics - Authentic portrayal of financial ruin's impact - Warm humor throughout Disliked: - Length (900+ pages) with slow middle sections - Numerous subplots that some find distracting - Dense Victorian prose style challenges modern readers - Intrusive narrator commentary - Plot meanders compared to Vanity Fair Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (90+ ratings) LibraryThing: 4.1/5 (600+ ratings) "The emotional payoff is worth the length," notes one Goodreads reviewer, while another calls it "rewarding but requires patience."

Middlemarch by George Eliot This multi-generational saga explores Victorian society, failed marriages, and family relationships through interconnected stories of provincial life.

Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray The rise and fall of social climber Becky Sharp mirrors The Newcomes' examination of society, wealth, and human nature in Victorian England.

The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope A father-daughter relationship unfolds against the backdrop of London society, financial scandals, and marriage markets.

The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy This chronicle of an upper-middle-class family spans generations while dissecting Victorian and Edwardian social conventions, wealth, and family dynamics.

Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens The story follows a family's changing fortunes through London society while exploring themes of social class, wealth, and familial duty.

🔷 The novel draws from Thackeray's own experiences in India, where he was born in Calcutta in 1811 to a family of British colonial administrators. 🔷 Colonel Newcome's death scene in a Charterhouse hospital became one of Victorian literature's most famous endings, inspiring similar deathbed scenes in later novels. 🔷 Thackeray wrote this 1,000+ page novel in monthly installments between 1853-1855 while simultaneously managing severe health issues, including a stroke. 🔷 The character of Clive Newcome was partially inspired by Thackeray's friend John Leech, a talented illustrator who struggled between artistic pursuits and societal pressures. 🔷 The novel pioneered the use of the "unreliable narrator" technique through Arthur Pendennis, who appears as the protagonist in Thackeray's earlier work "Pendennis" (1848-1850).