Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva

7 reviews

kermittuesday's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

What the actual fuck. So let me get this straight- the family’s spending is out of control, everyone and their brother is treating Dickens like an ATM but then because he meets a ghost and her orphaned son- therefore remembering the magic of Christmas- it’s fine for Dickens to forgive everyone, go back to spending recklessly and letting people take advantage of him?! What? Pretty sure that the moral of this story is to buy people’s love.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent

bookaholic_in_wonderland's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Stalking, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Classism

nichole_of_numenor's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I wanted to like this book. So, so much. The idea of an origin story for one of the most beloved novels ever written -- maybe I had set my hopes too high. I tried to temper them before starting, telling myself to prepare for the inevitable "cheesy" factor that seems to be a requiste part of most modern Christmas books. But that wasn't enough.

What I liked:
- I enjoyed the writing style. Dickens-lite perhaps, with a Victorian turn of phrase sprinkled liberally throughout.
- The portrayal of Dickens as a successful man in crisis, unable to share his true self and his worldly worries with anyone for fear of disappointing them. The struggles he has as a successful man and the expectations his world of people exert on him in a financially frightening time are realistic. The desire to be seen and appreciated for who we are is real and universal.

The following has a lot of spoilers but I cannot discuss what I didn't like without talking about the events in the book.








SPOILERS

What I didn't like/hated
- I am sure Dickens was a flawed man. We all are. But to tie the creation of A Christmas Carol with an emotionally adulterous relationship after he drove his wife out of the country? No, too far.
- And then to make that person a GHOST? No, definitely too far.
- The amount of cheesy chin quiverings and circles of moonlight cast upon the adulterous couple were more than I could bear, even bracing for a trite Christmas story. Seriously, chapter 37 is just abysmal.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent

bouebooks's review against another edition

emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Abandonment

bookedbymadeline's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Minor: Death and Death of parent

kimveach's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I was looking for a good Christmas story and am glad I chose this one.   When I finished I felt warm and Christmas-y, just like being wrapped up in a blanket in front of a fire while reading.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Moderate: Pregnancy

caribbeangirlreading's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death of parent