Dive into the world of Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boys Progress, the second novel by renowned English author Charles Dickens, first published in 1838. This timeless tale follows the journey of young Oliver, an orphan who suffers through a harsh existence in a workhouse and is later placed with an undertaker. Driven by a desire for freedom, he escapes to London where he encounters the cunning Artful Dodger, the charismatic leader of a gang of young pickpockets. Unbeknownst to Oliver, he is drawn into a web of crime orchestrated by the sinister Fagin, their elderly mentor. Join Oliver as he navigates the challenges of survival and the quest for belonging in a world fraught with peril. (Summary by Wikipedia)