As mentioned elsewhere, I fear my mood was not good for Dickens at this time.
I didn't enjoy this very much at all. There were parts in it that I recognised as Dickens' humour, but I found little of it funny. Better were the dark and murky pieces, but they still failed to establish my involvement in the story. As soon as I met Drood and the dreadful Rosa Bud I began planning their demise, and as warned by Victoria, more were to follow. (Of course Dickens had to introduce an annoying little git like Deputy.) By the end I had quite a morbid list indeed. I probably would have kept Durdles and The Princess Puffer, because they were bizarre and because I kept feeling that there had to be a reason for them.
When it comes down to it, I don't find "Jasper done it" (whatever "it" may be) to be a very satisfying story - it seems far too obvious. From the very first chapters you have your eyes drawn inexorably to Jasper as the guilty party. This means that the only mysteries that Dickens has given us are: Is Edwin really dead? and How does Jasper get his comeuppance? These seem inadequate to me. If I had my way, Crisparkle would be found guilty; he's far too nice a man to be anything but acting the part.
(
Okay, so Jasper is really creepy, but if he didn't kill Drood his only bad behaviour is to Rosa and I don't like her anyway. ... All right, so drugging Neville, and maybe Durdles, wasn't nice either.)
It's tempting to review this looking for ways to exonerate Jasper. But just like those others trying to divine the conclusion the result would probably be inconclusive and unconvincing, because almost all of the hints have multiple possibilities. (Maybe Drood absconded with the ring and he's only going to show up just as Jasper is about to swing - or even too late - and say he's sorry.)
I did enjoy the links Catlady posted, and I particularly liked the droodinquiry link from Bookpossum, above. Not only are the caricatures neatly done, there is the "Witness Statement" from Kate Peruginni (Dickens' daughter).
Quote:
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he was quite as deeply fascinated and absorbed in the study of the criminal Jasper, as in the dark and sinister crime that has given the book its title, but it was through his wonderful observation of character, and his strange insight into the tragic secrets of the human heart, that he desired his greatest triumph to be achieved.
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This sounds like Dickens to me. I wonder if he had a plan to redeem Jasper in some way, if not in the story then perhaps in the reader's understanding of the character.