What did people think of dickens' novels at the time?

Almost from the beginning and almost without pause, Dickens work was hugely successful among the reading public. His first major work, The Pickwick Papers, spawned Pickwick coats, dolls, plates, mugs, even cigars, probably the first example of literary merchandising. The continuing popularity of his books has meant that they have never gone out of print. Even in his lifetime, he was read around the world and published in many foreign languages. Dickens was celebrated wherever he went, much like we celebrate rock stars today. When he performed selected scenes from his books, even the finest ladies stood outside open Windows, when there was no seating--or standing--room inside. His books were printed in serial form, and readers queued to buy the next installment of the current book. Crowds thronged the docks in New York, waiting for the ship known to be carrying the next installment. Dickens became enormously wealthy, in spite of the fact that copyright laws did not then protect literary output (an issue he fought for), so he didn't benefit from the merchandising attached to his books or the copycats, spoofs or imitators who grew rich from his ideas and work. Charles Dickens was hugely successful during his lifetime and continues to be so, his books never having been out of print. Through his vivid prose, he was able to bring about changes--though small enough at first--to the existing laws governing child labor and treatment of the poor.