How long does it take to read The Cricket on the Hearth?
The Cricket on the Hearth by Charles Dickens is 31,599 words long. At an average reading speed of 250 words per minute, it takes about 2 hours 6 minutes to read: an evening or two.
Reading time at your speed
Reading speed varies more than most people expect: the gap between a slow and a fast reader is more than double. Find your row, or take the reading speed test to get your real number first.
| Reading speed | Words per minute | Time to finish |
|---|---|---|
| Slowcareful reading, or reading in a second language | 150 wpm | 3 hours 31 minutes |
| Below averageunhurried, easily distracted, or a dense text | 200 wpm | 2 hours 38 minutes |
| Averagewhat most adults read at | 250 wpm | 2 hours 6 minutes |
| Fasta confident, practised reader | 325 wpm | 1 hour 37 minutes |
| Very fastskimming, or very familiar material | 400 wpm | 1 hour 19 minutes |
If English is your second language, expect to read a little below your usual speed on a classic like this one.
How long if you read a bit each day?
Almost nobody reads a novel in one sitting. Here is how The Cricket on the Hearth breaks down at an average 250 wpm, depending on how much time you give it each day.
| Reading a day | Days to finish | That is |
|---|---|---|
| 10 minutes | 13 days | about a week |
| 15 minutes | 9 days | about a week |
| 30 minutes | 5 days | 5 days |
| 60 minutes | 3 days | 3 days |
How long is each chapter?
The Cricket on the Hearth has 3 chapters, averaging 10,533 words, about 42m each. The longest is —Chirp the Third at 46m; the shortest is —Chirp the First at 38m. Useful if you read a chapter a night.
Chapter times at 250 wpm.
You could start The Cricket on the Hearth tonight
Read it free online, no account needed. 3 chapters, tap any word to look it up, and a short quiz at the end.
Common questions
How long does it take to read The Cricket on the Hearth?
The Cricket on the Hearth is 31,599 words long. At an average adult reading speed of 250 words per minute that is about 2 hours 6 minutes. A slower reader at 150 wpm needs around 3 hours 31 minutes; a fast reader at 400 wpm finishes in roughly 1 hour 19 minutes.
How many words is The Cricket on the Hearth?
The Cricket on the Hearth is 31,599 words across 3 chapters, which is an evening or two. Of the 39 classics on ReadClassicly, 24 are longer and 14 are shorter.
Can I read The Cricket on the Hearth in a day?
Yes. At an average speed it takes about 2 hours 6 minutes, so The Cricket on the Hearth is comfortably a one-day read: an afternoon, or an evening if you don't stop.
Is The Cricket on the Hearth hard to read?
At CEFR level B1-B2, The Cricket on the Hearth is approachable, and a confident intermediate reader can handle it. You can read it free at ReadClassicly and tap any word you don't know to look it up, which keeps a harder classic from stalling you.
Reading a classic to learn English?
ReadClassicly has a free plan for English reading for beginners: graded classic stories with tap-to-define words, audio, and a short quiz after each one. Start at your level and build up to full books like this one. If you are just starting, begin with the short English stories for beginners.