19th Century Novels:
These books were originally serialised in literary magazines, published in installments of a few chapters at a time, on a monthly or weekly basis. Although novels as we think of them today also existed at that time, serialised narratives were extremely common and popular in the 19th century. In fact, if there's a book that was written in the 19th century that you think is too long, there's a very good chance that it was published in serial format.
This format had a pretty significant impact on how stories were written. Because newspapers and magazines were a lot more affordable than bound volumes of books, it allowed these stories to reach a much wider audience. Authors also had to keep the readers hooked issue after issue, which led to the rise of more complex and sensational plots. People often complain that books from this period have too many characters and convoluted plotlines, but it's worth bearing in mind that they were never meant to be read the way we read books now.
If there's a big 19th century novel that's been on your tbr for a while, try taking a slower approach. These stories were meant to be read over months, even years, mulled over and discussed with others while waiting for the next installment to appear. That's how you'll be able to know and appreciate what a big deal Dickens and Dostoevsky (and the rest) are.
