Hard Times

Set in the fictional industrial town of Coketown, this novel explores the stark realities of Victorian society, highlighting themes of class conflict, social injustice, and the struggles between millowners and workers. Through a narrative rich with friendship, betrayal, love, and hate, Dickens critiques the harsh conditions of the Industrial Revolution. As the shortest of his full novels, it captures the essence of an era, reflecting on human nature's imperfections and the societal pressures faced by individuals.