I think you have to judge any author in the context of the age and background in which he/she lived. Victorian England had a very different ethos to that of today. Also, you have to consider what Dickens' motives and goals were when he wrote. Obviously he wanted to make money. (After his experiences in the blacking factory and seeing his father in prison for debt, he had a lifelong horror of insolvency) He wanted to 'move' people in various ways emotionally. I believe he also genuinely wanted to bring about social reform, but chose to do it through literature rather than by campaigning. I studied his books at Uni, but I'd always loved them and had already read the lot before my A levels. Tha strange names of his characters was a relic from earlier literature ( eg Doll Tearsheet) and I found it helps me to remember who is who! Great Expectations is my all-time favourite. Spontaneous combustion! Inspector Bucket! What a super name! And "The waters were out in Lincolnshire..." very evocative.