A Christmas Carol Novella Review

Novella: A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being A Ghost Story of Christmas

Author: Charles Dickens

Original Publication Date: 19 December 1843

Length: Roughly 84 pages

My summary: We are all rather familiar with the spin-offs but do you really know what happened when Ebenezer Scrooge was visited by four ghosts that Christmas Eve night?

My say: As is usually the case the book is much better than any rendition I have ever seen. It is short, rather simple, and contains some lovely language.

My verdict: If you are looking for something both fantastical and seasonal, pick up this piece. It is a quick easy read.

My rating: 4 stars; I really liked it.

Kiddie-o-meter: While this story is much darker than the Disney version (there are minor references to poverty, starvation, illness, death, malice, and theft) I truly believe the message is more powerful in its original classic form. Note: Younger children will probably not understand the language. Therefore reserve this one for the tweens.

My favorite part:

The introduction of two minor characters I can not recall ever seeing or understanding before: Ignorance and Want.

My favorite quotes:

..."No space of regret can make amends for one life's opportunity misused!"

"It is fair, even-handed, noble adjustment of things, that while there is infection in disease and sorrow , there is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good-humour."

"...For it is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child himself."

..."He was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter in the outset..."

Pass-the-mic: Check out another great review of A Christmas Carol over at Reading With Tequila

My final say: Mr. Scrooge handles his ghostly visitors much better than I would. I would have a MAJOR freak-out if I started seeing faces in my door knocker.