It was the best of tomes … the quintessential Charles Dickens novel

If anyone deserves a birthday party lasting all year, it's Dickens – a name that conjures images of red faces, blazing fires, bowls of punch and people partying like it's 1849. But as Claire Armitstead argues, it's hard to keep the celebrations going when your birthday is in February. That's why a group of us at the Guardian's digital agency came up with our very own tribute to the great man. What makes a novel Dickensian? And which of his works gives you the most Dickens for your dollar?
Adam Frost Illustration: guardian.co.uk