laurenjpegler's review against another edition
3.0
I won't lie. I'm pretty disappointed with this collection. I initially bought it to help get me in the festive mood (which, really isn't that hard), but this collection of short stories and books really didn't do that. I found only the very short stories, mainly the two from A Round of Stories by the Christmas Fire and the one from the Pickwick Papers, were actually Christmassy. All the others, including the Christmas Books (except A Christmas Carol), were set around Christmas time but not actually anything to do with the holiday. I am majorly disappointed.
I'll link my individual reviews of the Christmas Books here, if you'd like to real a full discussion on them:
- A Christmas Carol: no review, but rated 5 stars.
- The Haunted Man
- The Battle of Life
- The Cricket on the Hearth
- The Chimes
- The Seven Poor Travellers
As you can see, I didn't enjoy the actual novellas all that much. Surprisingly, it was the short stories that gripped my attention and made me feel the slightest bit festive. I normally hate short stories, but I've found Dickens is quite good at writing them. I always tend to enjoy them more than his actual novels, so perhaps that is why these periodical entries suited my tastes more than the novellas.
I would recommend this to those of you who enjoy Dickens work - his writing is really beautiful in some of these stories. However, I won't recommend it to those of you who are looking for a festive read. Instead, just simply buy A Christmas Carol and read that instead. I definitely don't think this is worth the price!
I'll link my individual reviews of the Christmas Books here, if you'd like to real a full discussion on them:
- A Christmas Carol: no review, but rated 5 stars.
- The Haunted Man
- The Battle of Life
- The Cricket on the Hearth
- The Chimes
- The Seven Poor Travellers
As you can see, I didn't enjoy the actual novellas all that much. Surprisingly, it was the short stories that gripped my attention and made me feel the slightest bit festive. I normally hate short stories, but I've found Dickens is quite good at writing them. I always tend to enjoy them more than his actual novels, so perhaps that is why these periodical entries suited my tastes more than the novellas.
I would recommend this to those of you who enjoy Dickens work - his writing is really beautiful in some of these stories. However, I won't recommend it to those of you who are looking for a festive read. Instead, just simply buy A Christmas Carol and read that instead. I definitely don't think this is worth the price!
book_cryptid's review against another edition
4.5
this was super nice, a lot of the stories were really great and i had a great time. definitely a great read for the christmas season.
bekatron3000's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
readingshrew's review against another edition
I mean Christmas Carol is amazing but I found all the other stories so boring…
dchap's review against another edition
Looking for a story to adapt into a stage play.
prosewhore's review against another edition
4.0
I have yet to finish this collection but I'm keeping the rest of the stories for next christmas now. I did not enjoy "The chimes" very much, besides that I've loved most everything so far but I do love me some Dickens on a cold winter evening!
almo's review against another edition
3.0
I liked A Christmas Carol, I liked The Chimes and I liked Cricket on the Hearth. The last two stories however, weren't that great in my opinion. I didn't get into the story of The Battle of Life at all until I was well past the first half of it. It wasn't entirely bad because of a few characters I liked; I also liked the little scene at the inn. Come to think of it, that's probably where I finally stopped sighing and got interested instead...
The Haunted Man was entertainable at most. It didn't move me as much as it maybe should have? I knew there was some suspense meant to be in there, but it just didn't have any effect on me whatsoever.
The story I probably liked best was Cricket on the Hearth. Great characters, great story with a very surprising twist in the end.
End conclusion is that I was planning on reading this book every year around the Christmas holidays, but after reading it for the first time now, I say once every 2-3 years and only the first three stories will be a lot more realistic instead.
The Haunted Man was entertainable at most. It didn't move me as much as it maybe should have? I knew there was some suspense meant to be in there, but it just didn't have any effect on me whatsoever.
The story I probably liked best was Cricket on the Hearth. Great characters, great story with a very surprising twist in the end.
End conclusion is that I was planning on reading this book every year around the Christmas holidays, but after reading it for the first time now, I say once every 2-3 years and only the first three stories will be a lot more realistic instead.
ego8's review against another edition
4.0
A must-have for Christmas. This volume contains the most complete collection of Dickens' Christmas books and stories I have come across in years of searching. It's hardbound with simple yet beautifully festive illustrations and is a perfect edition to any holiday favorites shelf. Highly recommended!
katshaw's review against another edition
5.0
The shadows upon Redlaw's mind succeeded thick and fast to one another, and obscured its light as the night-clouds hovered between the moon and earth, and kept the latter veiled in darkness. Fitful and uncertain as the shadows which the night-clouds cast, were their concealments from him, and imperfect revelations to him; and, like the night-clouds still, if the clear light broke forth for a moment, it was only that they might sweep over it, and make the darkness deeper than before. the Haunted Man
denisevictoria's review against another edition
2.0
firstly i just want to say, i loved A Christmas Carol. sadly, the rest of the christmas stories were dire, very boring and hard to get into. I've finally given up trying to finish it.